Help! Buying A Truck Tomorrow Morning...

[jing jing]

I've been truck shopping for about a month now, and having evaluated pretty much every different brand out there, I've decided that I like Toyotas the best. Now the decision has come down to which Toyota to buy. Here's the dilemma:

Basically it comes down to choosing between the latest model Hilux Vigo with auto box at 695K THB vs. a 2001 Hilux Tiger with manual box at 490K THB. I can afford the Vigo - I mean buying it wouldn't take food off my table - but the difference is roughly $5000 USD, easily enough to buy a cheap secondhand runabout for my lady, which would thrill her to no end.

The Tiger is a very clean, original appearing truck with a bedliner but no modifications (i.e. no rollbars, lifts, aftermarket wheels, etc.). The odo reads 76K kms. It has the original spare tire, original owner's manual, and doesn't appear to ever have been in a collision. The engine is a 3 liter KZ turbo diesel, which was the predecessor to the commonrail. The color scheme is silver with a gray leather interior, which I like very much. I drove the truck and it felt supple but still tight as new -- a very very nice drive.

The Vigo is what the salesman at the used Toyota dealer described as a demo model (2004... I thought the Vigo didn't even come out until 2005). The odo reads 23K kms. The truck is all original with no bedliner or any add ons. The salesman says there is still 1 year or 20,000 kms. left on the warranty, and it is "certified" by Toyota as never in a collision. The truck appears to be loaded with all the options except for a leather interior. It has the 3 liter turbo diesel commonrail engine/auto trans. I drove the truck and it drives like new, although I did notice the suspension felt quite stiff and bouncy over road undulations... probably not overinflated tires, but maybe just a new truck, still tight and not broken in.(?)

Both trucks are 4 door, 4WD. I really wonder if the Vigo is worth an extra 200K... the new interior just seems a little too... tacky/plasticky. Would it grow on me? I don't know. The ride actually felt superior in the Tiger. It would be nice to have the warranty with the Vigo, and chances are I could recoup a good deal of the higher price upon resale in a few years. The Vigo has an auto box and plenty of grunt, but that manual in the Tiger is smooth as silk, and bulletproof...

Aaaaarrrrggggggh!! I know the decision ultimately comes down to personal taste, but I'm having a mental block -- a constipation of the cranium so to speak. Help me out a little here guys and gals... your 2 satang would be much appreciated... and I'm gonna buy one or the other of these muthas come tomorrow morning!

[Thetyim]

VIGO

[jing jing]

VIGO

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Any particular reason... or just taking the opportunity to bump up the post count?

[Neeranam]

Maybe you could tell us more about your farm.

Are you going to be sticking oxen in the back or using it just for going through the rice fields?

[jing jing]

Maybe you could tell us more about your farm.

Are you going to be sticking oxen in the back or using it just for going through the rice fields?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do those sound like farmer's trucks? Perhaps I can overtake long lines of cars on the highway while fully loaded with rice and towing a trailer of oxen, with trucks like those?

[Krub]

If the Tiger is in as nice condition as you describe, go for the Tiger.....and please the Missus

[wilko]

With the Tiger a pre-commonrail engine is definitely a minus point. It is thirsty has less power and will be less actractive to any future buyers. You're looking at a model that is really quite out of date here. The older you get the more chance of reliability problems.

Vigo - these are still quite hard to get hold of new and will keep their value well - it is after all the latest model. The suspesion on the Vigo is ment to be softer than previous models to give it a more car-like ride.

Mileage - I would be very sceptical of belieiving odometers here, but you say the spare is original. Take a look at the interior and look for wear and tear on seats, dash etc the kind of stuff that comes from lots of use. Are the shockers still working, are all the tyres original? Is there a service history. Check the gaps in the bodywork e.g. around the doors and fenders; are they straight ? If not it's possible that the vehicle has had body repairs after and accident.

Perhaps you should get the Vigo and buy your Missus a Nuovo?

[Plus]

Who remembers when D4D - Toyota's commonrail engine - appeared? Before that it was SR5. You can check it easily - D4D labels are prominently displayed everywhere.

Tiger had the most powerful engine before the age of Vigo. Official launch, btw, was September 2004.

[jing jing]

Who remembers when D4D - Toyota's commonrail engine - appeared? Before that it was SR5. You can check it easily - D4D labels are prominently displayed everywhere.

Tiger had the most powerful engine before the age of Vigo. Official launch, btw, was September 2004.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about the 3 liter KZ turbo engine? Thumbs up or down?

[Thetyim]

The KZ turbo is a good engine, unlike the 5L which I wouldn't touch witha barge pole. The KZ was used in the Prado and also the Granvia I think.

Wilko gave you some good reasons, all of which I agree with.

The Vigo is 3 years younger, thats a difference of only 66k per year.

VIGO

[Gary A]

A friend of mine had an older Tiger and right after the warranty expired so did the turbocharger. I forget what the repair bill was but it was EXPENSIVE! Go with the Vigo. Toyota's new turbos are inter-cooled so they last much longer and are also more efficient.

[Thetyim]

Toyota's new turbos are inter-cooled so they last much longer and are also more efficient.

Yes they are intercooled but that does not make the turbo last longer.

The intercooler comes after the turbo so has no effect on the turbo.

Turbo bearings have been improved, the lastest ones having air bearings.

This is what makes them last longer.