I daily 1.5 hour of between N and 1st gear traffic each way. In the 9 years of ownership, my clutch leg has never felt tired or sore, my gas and brake leg though, so sore that I had to modify to have higher spring tention in the gas pedal. I would never pick an auto over a manual if I had a choice.
Dudes a legend.. I am from Malawi and left Africa as a boy of 9 and have always missed home and just love the whole overlanding thing.. been able to live vicariously through him... Andrew has such a passion and wealth of knowledge and his videos are so well done that he's always top of my watch list. Dudes funny too...
I'm optimistic about the new 2.8TD in the LC70. Have driven plenty in our work fleet Hiluxes and Prados and have always rated them as solid performers, with good low end grunt, decent NVH characteristics, and acceptable fuel economy. Having also spent a good chunk of time driving a Ford Puma powered 2.4TD Defender for towing a 3t drilling rig around the UK, I can say that the 4 cylinder engine, and it's small capacity was never a limiting factor to that vehicles ability to do hard work. The torque multiplication of an autobox will also be a benefit for low speed heavy duty work off-road.
The only diesel I've ever come across that was lacklustre at low engine speeds was the Discovery Td5 my parents had. Even my old Series III 2.25 petrol has more low-end grunt than one of those. The old Tdi engines were quite good, although the Puma diesel is excellent in this regard.
Acceptable fuel economy in a n80 Hilux?... you’re joking right?. 500km to a factory tank, factory tune and stock tyres is not good when you consider European TDs can get a hundred to two hundred more kms per tank and have more power with better transmissions and clutches. Our fleet vehicles are all New Toyota 2.8s both manual and autos and are disappointing. Without particular mods and a dyno tune, the 2.8s compared to the rest aren’t as good as they used to be.
@@riamriam6758 not sure about k's to a tank but ours all average about 10l/100km which is pretty good for vehicles spending most of their time driving around the burbs
A straight 6 engine just make so much more sense. More balanced, more torque. Just look at the Mercades straight 6 in the G400, its what dreams are made of.
That 2.8 is a beast of a motor with awesome low down torque and plenty of top end. My old 1999 Hilux Surf 4 Runner had an autobox and it was incredible. Tough as nails
honestly, I'm pretty excited at the idea of a "GDJ76R". The idea of a modern 4cyl turbo diesel/auto in the 5 door wagon gives strong 70 series Prado vibes.
@@youtubecarspottersguide1 first thoughts are I like it. Worth noting the 90, 120 and 150 series Prado "Landcruisers" for us have always been a sensible, well balanced and accommodating off-road wagon. They're mostly boring, but don't really put a foot wrong. With North America being included in the 250 series global release, it looks like Toyota has been a lot more adventurous with the design, and kind of created a sequel to to the reborn FJ Cruiser of the 2000s in one vehicle. I'm keen to see how they go once the public get ahold of them.
Its hard to find anyone who knows as much about overlanding as Andrew. Not to mention his channel is like a professional course in Land Cruiser history. Plus I have learned more about African terrain from him than I could any other way.
Im currently driving the 2021 prado, and i find the 2.8 diesel with the 6-speed auto a fantastic combo! Go for it!! I wonder whether all people who comment about the 2.8 diesel have actually tested it and did not like it! I love it! And it is economical appr 10L/100kms.
I love the fact that you stood up to be the ginny pig for everyone I've had a auto 70 series v8 since 2016 and love it With the revs at 1500rpm at 100km instead of 2200rpm with the manual 5 speed
A straight 6 engine just make so much more sense. More balanced, more torque. Just look at the Mercades straight 6 in the G400 mated to a 8speed gearbox, its what dreams are made of.
I have a 21 Troopie with Wholesale Auto 6 speed 200 Series auto with lock up. After 32 years of constant Troopie driving, the auto is a gamechanger. Especially on long drives...dont have to change seat position to downshift to pass, and with tiptronic I can downshift without clutch. Coupled with a tuned V8, it's a deluxe drive. Looking forward then to Andrew's reporting...
@@djjames6576 Unless I had $100k to blow on upgrades I wouldn't consider an auto upgrade. Cost is nearly what I paid for the cruiser 6 years ago. I have current have a better option than a corolla for my daily, a mountain bike :)
All fair points...I justified the cost as I have an old injury in my left leg that has resulted in a permanent back condition that is quite unbearable after driving through town with a heavy duty clutch. or having to reposition in the seat on long distance when passing. I'm retired, and sold my house to set up a 'dream tourer', and am now going 'grey nomad' for a couple of years before I'm confined to crutches and a wheelchair...
I wish Ineos gave you a vehicle to test so you could of brought one. It's a far better car than this 2.8L motor vehicle. I owned a Hilux SR5 with this motor and constantly had issues with it. Eg leaking turbo at 30k, limp mode on highway's driving 10km/h while trucks past you at 110km/h at 1:00am at night. Sensor faults etc etc etc sold it after 2 years of pain. If you got in early you could of picked up a Trialmaster edition for $103k drive away like l did.
Andrew, although I prefer keeping a vehicle for as long as possible, I get what you’re doing. It makes sense from the angle you’re coming from, and, it is very educational for everyone else in this genre. I love learning about all the nuances and changes of these vehicles. Hopefully will be able to have a Troopy someday (though I’d likely still hang on to my HJ45)😊. Let’s see what your wrap will be this time!!! Maybe Gwynn will chime in too! Looking forward to your solo adventure!!!
They laugh at the antenna, if they work out how to raise it. 😂 The amount of times I’ve lent my car to friends and they come back saying ‘the radio has horrible reception!’ And of course they haven’t found the switch to raise the antenna 😂
I certainly appreciate the desire for an auto offroad. I've had both in my 4x4's and the auto is just nicer all around. I'm a little baffled Toyota didn't offer the auto with the V8 considering they already have a suitable box in the stable from the 200 series.
Originally I believe it was because it would cut into and ruin the 200 series sales. Same thing. I think it would damage the 300 series sales. Especially for those die heads that want/need the V8. Personally I’d liked to have seen the 300series engine or a derivative of into the 70series with manual or auto options. But there goes 300series sales.
Excellent choice Andrew - the reason the V8 Landcruiser is so prominent and ridiculously overpriced is the red neck bogan hoons especially in my regional location have to have it because the old Ford/Holden utes are disappearing and they need something with an annoyingly loud three inch exhaust to impress their mates as they compensate for their inadequate intellect - I enjoy my automatic four cylinder diesel Hilux with more than enough power for my farming needs without the huge fuel running costs of the V8.
@@duke1724 hi duke - a smart application of technology like the Japanese built Nissan Skyline with it’s 3 litre twin turbo refined and reliable engine will always be a better match of performance compared to a US built dinosaur big cubic grunt mobile - it’s pure intellect versus Neanderthal thinking - this was proven time and time again in Australia during the early nineties in touring car championships - look at 1990, 1991 and 1992 - unfortunately they were banned in 1993 with the introduction of Holden (GM) and Ford V8s only because the bogans hated the far superior Skyline winning consistently.
I currently drive a 70 Prado, 33 years old with an auto behind a 2.4 diesel. Is it under powered? A bit but the engine tech is from the eighties. It has a 4 speed auto with overdrive. Once you get it up to speed it is beautiful to drive. Lovely to see the auto returning.
Nissan did a similar thing with the Patrol. Dropped the 6 cylinder diesel and changed to a 4 cylinder 3 litre, also with automatic is some models. Despite the on-paper specs being equivalent for both engines, power and torque, the 4 cylinder was largely a failure. The four essentially relied upon the turbo boost to maintain torque, but when boost was lost or not reached, it reverted back to just a 3 litre, 4 cylinder and struggled with the weight and aerodynamics. This was especially noticeable upon start-up on a gradient.
My very 1st 4WD (NJ Pajero GLS) was a manual. 'Coz that's the only gearbox to have when you're in your 20s and full of testosterone. But when I decided to upgrade 4yrs later, and asked for recommendations from many veteran and experienced 4WDers, while many have recommended various brands and models to consider, what surprised me, is that an overwhelming majority of them recommended to go for an auto box (incl. the hardcore 4WDers). I took their advise and I did. And at that time, while my ego was hesitant to go for an auto, I'm glad I took a leap of faith and did.
Andrew you are trying to re live an impossible dream from the past. When recently have you driven any road surface more than a gravel back road.. I bet you will keep the project for six months then make an excuse to flip it. Cheers.
I totally get your reasoning for choosing the auto. I've not met anyone who's gone from a manual to auto 4wd and not, in all honesty, putting their ego asside, preferred the auto as an overall experience. And the 70s not being available in auto has always been a major reason for never buying one. I've almost had myself convinced I could daily drive a big, manual 4wd but I knew in my heart I'd tire of it quickly. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Hi Andrew, i am so excited about the auto box finally coming to the series. I am gonna save up for the 2.8 Auto, to replace my 2009 3.0d4d.. looking forward to building up a troopy.. only thing is the rear axle thingy... hope it can be rectified in South Africa.. Looking forward to your build..
Just did a road trip in my Ford Ranger 2.0 bi-turbo with ten speed automatic yesterday to collect four wheels and tyres. 240 miles of a mixture of mostly Welsh A roads and some motorway from Shrewsbury to Telford. The gauge shows in excess of 400 miles range left. That’s an indicated 35 mpg Imperial. That’s 8.1 L/100kms. That’s not bad for a 2.2 ton 4wd utility vehicle. Not up with a Volvo XC90 or Kia Sorento, which weigh about the same and would have achieved 40mpg, but better than my LC100 which would only have done 24mpg or 11.75 L/100kms or 50% more fuel on the run and I know that four big wheels and tyres would not have fitted anyway, necessitating the use of a trailer. Point being that modern engines coupled to modern transmissions are far more efficient than they used to be. My 1982 Golf GTi only managed 30mpg which itself was better than a previous Ford Fiesta 1300S which never managed to average better that 28 mpg and they both weighed less than half that of the Ranger and even the Golf was not that much faster to 100kph. Toyota’s 2.8 diesel can produce 200hp and 500Nm torque to almost identically match the Ford EcoBlue’s 2.0 diesel.
I had a 2019 4cyl Hilux and then a 2022 V8 70 series. The Hilux engine with no modifications was faster than the V8 70. It's a great engine and no need to do any performance upgrades. It was a thirsty 4cyl but the V8 drinks more. With the DPFs you don't get the V8 sound from a modern 70 series as it is. The Hilux gearbox was fantastic and downhill ascent control works great. It's a good choice. Looking forward to the new build. Of course they made some strange decisions with the new model, it wouldn't be a 70 series without a few ridiculous decisions out of the factory! I wonder where they will be made.
Will be interesting and well done for doing it! I spend a lot of my time in outback South Australia and in the groups I travel with there are plenty of 3.0 and 2.8L Prados, and two of the current model troopcarriers (skinny tyres and not heavily modified). When you are carrying plenty of weight and the going gets slow, the Troopcarriers do better than the auto Prados on fuel, especially if towing (and I know you won't be towing). And the torque converters never lock up in those conditions, so you may have to manage the ATF temperatures or go aftermarket with lockup kits or remaps. One of the major differences with the V8 is that it gets max torque at just 1200rpm - perefct for good fuel consumpotion in slow conditions. Your current Troopy is costing more in fuel because of the tyres you run.
I love manuals but I have to say that the new auto boxes are amazing and get the job done very well. Mine has about 300 rpm between ratios, is pretty much seamless and the loss of drive between changes is hard to notice. Compare that to your average manual gearbox on a 4wd and it's chalk and cheese. Seems they have to rev the bejeezus out of them and then try to change quick enough before momentum is lost and they just bog down. I have paddles on mine if I want to change gears but I don't bother as the vehicle just does it all very well. Stick it in sand mode and it will hold the revs at peak torque and plow on. Yep likely not as tough as old school but I don't try and drag my house around with it or do stupid stuff to prove it can be done. Having modern technology on road is nice as is the economy and the fact it drives like a car for the most part.
yes, but there just a little tiny aspect to consider when talking about the manual: you decide when it is time to change gear, according the different situations
@@nicknick7052 Nearly all modern autos, afaik anyway, have a manual override option via the shifter or in the case of mine the shifter and paddles behind the wheel. They also have more gears, mine has 8 for example, so they have more options than the average manual I have seen. Also you won't get missed shifts due to being bounced around or rushing to change gears in busy situations. Like I said I love manuals, have driven crash boxes and have had quite a few of them, but I doubt that there will be many situations where a manual is better. Perhaps they may be tougher, although clutches can be a weak point, or for starting in gear if needed.
Autos are way better Offroad. I just came back from an off-road challenge weekend and the guy in the manual patrol kept getting the gearing wrong and missing gear going up steep inclines. It meant he rolled back and nearly over.
@@Robbo-eh3wb Yep true that. Watch a manual vehicle and you will inevitably see the driver revving the guts out of their vehicle and then trying to change as quickly as possible into the next gear whilst trying to steer with one hand and read the terrain. I pretty much just modulate the throttle and steer.
Good to hear you were able to place an order, dealerships close to Sydney CBD are still not taking orders for any 70 series platform regardless of the configuration.
being auto almost makes it worth upgrading i honestly dont see the point of manual especially in this day of age. id still never buy a 4 cyl 70 series, i know it sounds childish to say but i love the 70 series mainly for the fact it is a v8 (and having solid axles as well) my reason goes as follows my current 4wd is a 4 cylinder diesel, yes it does makes more power than my old stock v8 70 series did, but when i load my current 4 cylinder 4x4 up for camping or for work (i am a carpenter) you instantly feel the extra stress on the engine caused by the weight. where on the v8 i would load it up with all my work gear and or camping gear when i went touring you wouldn't notice any difference in performance, yes you could feel the weight there but the car wouldn't have been slowed down by the weight, when you accelerate you wouldn't know you were loaded up with heavy gear/equipment where on the the 4cylinder you instantly notice the effect the weight has on the over all acceleration of the car and the extra effort involved to get the car up to speed or to get moving. Because of that you end up using more fuel than the v8 did just because you have to sit in the higher rev rangers putting extra load on the engine and causing your EGT's to start skyrocketing to keep up on highways and to get moving each time you come to a stop or slow down considerably, where on the v8 it wouldn't take much effort you could use 25% throttle and you would get up to speed very easily and effortlessly with out having to rev the engine over 2500-3000rpm which ends up saving you fuel, especially if you have to start going up steep inclines all those effects become blatantly obvious yes modern engines are smaller and more efficient ON PAPER but in the real world where the cars are carrying heavy loads the technically slower and less economical v8s end up being quicker and more economical than the 4 cylinders because of the reasons mention above. and thats non biased either i have owned landrovers, landcruisers, isuzus, nissan patrols which are all cars i absolutely loved for touring (except for the nissans) and because of that i am speaking honestly and un biasedly based off what i have experienced in the real world. you cant beat shear displacement to create torque yes you can make good torque numbers in smaller engines but it isnt the same kind of torque you gain from having bigger cylinders
Diesels tune better than petrol - increase bhp for a stage 2 is around 20%, depending on engine and tuner, but the torque can be as high as a 30% increase. My D2 currently sits at 208bhp and 483nm torque, cruises at 70mph no problem, even loaded and with a roof tent on top. Loaded up, but no tent, it now averages about 34mpg combined whereas in factory for it averaged 28mpg. Cruising across Europe on French A roads and Autobahns, at 60mph it averaged 43mpg. Around town and in traffic its about the same as factory.
I think it's the best move ever that Toyota made. I feel like so many people would prefer the 70 in an auto, and to some degree I think it will challenge the Hilux in sales. One of the big advantages of the four-cylinder is the cost of injectors compared to the eight cylinder. Can't wait to see the first video.
Love your channel! You are lucky you even have the choice to swap Troopies. Where I live I can’t even buy one, not even brand new. The just are not for sale. Love to buy one, but impossible here. Thanks for your great videos!
Auto is bulletproof. 2.8 have history for DPF and maybe injector problems but that was way before 4-5 years maybe in the Hilux. Engine is not the best character and sound but maybe good enough. For loaded car engine may feel weak (some turbo lag) but auto will overcompensate because of torque converter. I don`t know the gearing need to check for that. So generally must be no problem the 2.8 is around from many years now.
@@angelotsi849 most are old problems. This does not mean that they are not weak links. This engine originally was designed for Hilux and the new truck platforms. 79`s maybe too big for this engine.
@wildframes4243 isuzu work trucks use a massively detuned version of the dmax engine and they run fine so I think the 70 series being only slightly heavier than a prado/hilux will be fine with the 2.8
my 2.8 still going strong 190k, loads of torque, as long as you maintain factory gearing should be good. auto is a no brainer! disappointing they didn't make it full time 4x4, remove manual hubs, and fix rear axle width very surprised.
Looking forward to see how the 1GD-FTV will perform in the 70 series. I think it's a great idea to have a 4 cylinder automatic option. Maintenance and running cost should be considerably less. Keep ot coming!
Hi Andrew it's Rob again, I just found this, this morning, you'll probably be very interested in it, it's JUE 477 the first ever Land Rover found after 50yrs of sitting in a field and restored. Enjoy mate, Seeya Rob
Well, good decision. You save weight on the car itself and on the fuel you have to carry. Those 2 factors contribute to have a dynamic vehicle, more than the V8 you have, I bet.
Andrew, will be interesting to see how this goes. Will get YT views if nothing else. No brainer for that. I've driven the 2.8 Diesel Prado from new for 5 years. My first new vehicle. Have driven second hand prado and landcruiser in the desert for years before that. on and off road. The DPF issue and associated gaslighting has been painful and incredibly disappointing. Even forgetting the DPF (I am on my second, soon to be third) not enough power in the Prado 2.8 for the weight of the vehicle on the open road. Difficult to overtake etc. Fine in low range off road. In my opinion, seems Toyota have gone the 2.8, 4 cylinder route for emission reasons, and not wanting to invest to build a new 6 cylinder diesel , or larger 4 cylinder given the uncertainty around diesel atm. I doubt longevity or performance or loyal toyota users are front of mind in the decision to continue with the 2.8 unit. Ive driven Toyota for 30 years, and am a fan of their historical incremental improvements in models such as hilux/prado/land cruiser. I have owned them all. But I struggle to see the incremental improvement here, power plant wise. Auto transmission wise - totally agree.
Big vehicle for a 4 Cylinder. Watching with interest Andrew. I think Nissan got the Y61 Patrol wrong with the 3.0 Litre 4 Cylinder. Personally I think it will be underpowered and not as good on fuel as you think once you start adding weight to it during the build. It will have to work much harder than the V8 which makes me think that fuel consumption will be about the same. Anyway, I know you are brutally honest so I can't wait for you to get it. Wish I had the money to buy your current troopy. That thing is brilliant.
Hello Andrew I have owned a Toyota Land Cruiser 3 doors model; 2.8L + auto 6 gearbox for 4 years now and still own it.. It's very smooth, quiet on the road, has a good mileage @ around 9 L/100KM. It could be tuned up to get more torque and HP. Best of all, it has a chain instead of an annoying rubber belt for the distribution. Il like very much and it's extremely comfortable for long trips. Here in France 4x4's are heavily taxed (40.000 to 50.000 euros called malus ecologique) because France produces tiny little engines . Thanks for all your work and films. Cheers
Given my experience of driving Japanese 3.0 tonne tippers (with GVM of 6 tonne) for the better part of 25 years, I reckon that the 2.8 litre engine with 6 speed gearbox should be perfectly capable of moving a Landcruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier along the road. The ‘taller’ diff on the Troopie should provide adequate road speeds and 4WD low ratio will provide a lower first gear speed than the final drive on a tipper. I would expect the mass over the front axle to be reduced, with long term maintenance benefits for front suspension, steering and other components. An automatic gearbox is also a practical option for a turbo diesel, especially one that will be used for long trips, as opposed to significant uphill and downhill travel over relatively short distances i.e., for daily work in hilly terrain.
I’m interested in your last comment, about daily drive for hilly conditions… this is me mostly… short 20 min drives, rather hilly. But then I tow a trailer a dozen times a year for a few hours each time. And I want to use it as a tourer a few times a year. I’m set on a Troopy as it’s everything I want. But I’m torn over this 4cyl vs v8 - I currently have a 2003 grande v6 1grfe prado 4 speed and whilst it’s awesome, it chews so much fuel far more than a v8 Troopy ever would. So I’m cautious. 2.8 is so tempting. But I worry it loses part of what the Troopy is.
@@ryan.farrow I suggest that, if you buy the V8, you warm up the engine properly before each run, allow it to run for several minutes after you reach your destination AND that you observe a ‘short run’ routine for oil changes i.e., change the oil-and filter-at half the manufacturer’s recommended interval for oil changes. Alternatively, you could stay with the standard intervals, use an appropriate synthetic oil, as used in armoured fighting vehicles because they may have to rapidly change positions AND always change the filter when changing the oil. Ask a trusted mechanic and I expect that you will receive similar advice.
Also I hope they have corrected the rear track width. Also rear coilovers and full time 4x4 as an option would be great. Because there is no car in the market which could takeover the throne of the OG Defender.
As someone driving a 1HZ 78 series Troopcarrier, the 4 cylinder auto sounds like a wet dream on paper. More power, more torque, better fuel economy and best of all, automatic. For long distance touring, which, let’s be honest, is what these cars are primarily used for, tick tick and tick. Now let’s hope it’s as good in the real world as it is in theory! Can’t wait to see it and see what you do with it 🙏
Hey great seeing you again. You were my favorite off-roading 4x4 channel before life threw me a bunch of other interests. So I'm not the 4x4 efficiano that I thought I was but occasionally I am swamped by FJ Cruiser channels. Your videos are a little too long for my short spanned interests but it was sure nice seeing and catching up with you again. So you've ordered another overland truck ok great I'll catch you on the other side of that story on another day. Take care good luck and I'll see you later!
To add to the fuel consumption discussion, I have a 2022 Hilux with that motor, it had a gvm upgrade prior to rego and I often sit at 3200 kg with my canopy. I average 12 - 12.2 lt /100 at that weight as combined usage. Off-road it’s obviously more, about 17. That’s in the Vic High Country. One thing that surprised me was that my extra-cab is the only model without downhill descent control. But that won’t be an issue for you.
My family own and operate large beef cattle operasion in the lower gulf. We have sent countless requests to Toyota to add an extra/super cab model to the 70 series range and have never received a meaningful reply. Having a bit more cabin space for a fridge, rifles, tuckerbox etc. would be perfect for station work.
@@SingaporeSling1 all the American trucks might be the answer... And there's more coming next year... Big enough to have dual cab with a tray still full size.... The only question is will there be diesel
Good on you Andrew for trying out the 2.8 auto and keeping an open mind. Very keen to see what your insight is for your requirements to put to rest the speculation.
Ive just sold my dual cab v8. It was my 5th. Lastvuear i was in WA speaking to a fleet manager of a major mining company. I noted they didnt have 200/300 in their executive fleet and he was bemoaning the v8 in the 70. He said quote “what we would like to see is the 4cyl engine and box from a hilux/prado in the 70. That would give us improved reliablility, less running costs, ease of operator use and a better safety suite. That was October last year and I found the comments interesting. The rest is now history.
It's great if you can do that. If you got the money you can have these extravagant hobbies.Lucky you. Good to see on this type of channel. You are the 4x4 GOAT.
Excellent. Really looking forward to the build Andrew. My opinion is that to make this work well, to drive well, and remain reliable, with that engine and transmission, you will really NEED to keep the build-weight down. If you go overweight it will probably be disappointing and possibly a disaster. Get some inspiration from your flying and it’s strict weight criteria. Look at how us motorbike overlanders do it. Make lightweight a top priority and it might be the best troopy build yet. Either way, looking forward to the fun.
Smaller displacement diesels like lots of gears. A five or six speed manual makes sense. So, an auto should likely be an 8 speed or 10 speed, to work well.
This sounds like a great idea. I’m very keen for the build. I always love your builds A LITTLE more than the travels. It’s so interesting how the car is put together. Love from Austria 🇦🇹.
Andrew and to those who read comments. I have had 2 Dodge 2500 4x4 MEGA cabs with the 6.7 L engine. Both ONLY come with an 8 speed Auto box. The auto has it's faults if your in snow, or ice and need to downshift fast. A manual box will kill your legs in stop and go traffic! When the signs on the Penang Bridge say 70 KPH and your doing 15 KPH riding the clutch for 14 km's in bumper to bumper traffic, a manual is a Godsend. I am building a rig as you read this. More than likely an auto, as that is what is available.
We own outright a 2005 Prado Grande, with a new motor, we paid $16,000, then spent another $10,000 turning it into what we needed, we then purchased a brand new second hand caravan, shock horror a jayco, it was bought by an amazing gent, who could no longer use it due to health, never used but 6 months old. We did not buy this car because it was a Toyota, it had a BRAND NEW MOTOR, and can tow 2500 kg braked, our van weights 2300 fully loaded..... We are under all our weights, with a twin axe 18' van.... On the road for under $100,000, we so enjoy your video's well done..
I'm looking forward to your decisions and how this turns out for you. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I use my 79 for mainly towing (NZ), I have Armax package and am pleased with its performance. Narrow back axle still bugs me. Cheers Andrew.
No the first biggest is the rear axle ratio. If they keep the 4.1s then it's going to be better then the 3.7s in the hilux. No one besides me is mentioning this in all the videos and comments.
@@Dan-rg7jj I don't think that's the biggest because they will almost certainly change the ratio but with a lower overall mass and a higher torque number the 4cyl is already going to beat the 8 on every metric.
here in asia, we are very familiar to the 2.8L 4cyl Automatic/Manual Turbo diesel, 201HP/500nm, modern toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner and Prado uses that engine since 2015, 1GD Engine is super durable, reliable and dependable. As Toyota fortuner user, my average fuel consumption is around 15km per liter hway and 8-10kpl heavy in city
An additional advantage of the auto trans is that the torque converter is also a torque multiplier, not to mention gentler on the whole driveline. 0:02
It’s great news I’ve always wanted a more fuel economic Land Cruiser engine instead of a 2.8 Hilux engine and love the round lights like my previous Troopy 1990 model. Hope it will be available in South Africa and hope the price will be affordable to. Looking forward to your next conversion Andrew.
what i know is that good cars don't last, better pick your 1hz before they run out, the 2.8 8 speed troopy may look nice but I doubt it can serve you for at least 7 years like the current models. i have a 2015 v6 4 liter petrol from japan 30th anniversary and its robust
Why not use a simple plastic plug? One can then utilise the aperture for a 2 way radio antenna without cutting into body panels. I get you 100% with the Toyota brand, there are other great brands such as Steyr, Nissan etc. The Patrol is rather understated for example. Keep 'em coming!
People seem to really dislike the new 4 cylinder option which I don’t understand why. It’s a hilux engine. I’ve got zero issues with my 2023 sr5 hilux. The power is great and it tows very well. I’m more happier driving the hilux then a cruiser
This guy is the Dwight Schrute of the 4x4 world.
Best comment here!
So true
Perfektenshlag
Bears beat battle star galactic...
Who the hell is Dwight shrute
Watching this as i came back from a 4 hour traffic jam in my manual. That auto sounds like a dream.
I daily 1.5 hour of between N and 1st gear traffic each way. In the 9 years of ownership, my clutch leg has never felt tired or sore, my gas and brake leg though, so sore that I had to modify to have higher spring tention in the gas pedal. I would never pick an auto over a manual if I had a choice.
I drive a manual 2021 Jeep Wrangler manual in the North East United States 🇺🇸
25% lots of fun
65% nightmare
Dudes a legend.. I am from Malawi and left Africa as a boy of 9 and have always missed home and just love the whole overlanding thing.. been able to live vicariously through him... Andrew has such a passion and wealth of knowledge and his videos are so well done that he's always top of my watch list. Dudes funny too...
😇😇🙏🙏
Yeah funny peculiar....
Come back home brother
*Europeans hoping the 70 Series to officially come back to Europe with that 2.8*
Amen to that !!!
To be honest: europeans would prefer V8 Diesel. But there is regulation & selling price & fiel consumtion.
I'm optimistic about the new 2.8TD in the LC70. Have driven plenty in our work fleet Hiluxes and Prados and have always rated them as solid performers, with good low end grunt, decent NVH characteristics, and acceptable fuel economy. Having also spent a good chunk of time driving a Ford Puma powered 2.4TD Defender for towing a 3t drilling rig around the UK, I can say that the 4 cylinder engine, and it's small capacity was never a limiting factor to that vehicles ability to do hard work. The torque multiplication of an autobox will also be a benefit for low speed heavy duty work off-road.
The only diesel I've ever come across that was lacklustre at low engine speeds was the Discovery Td5 my parents had. Even my old Series III 2.25 petrol has more low-end grunt than one of those. The old Tdi engines were quite good, although the Puma diesel is excellent in this regard.
Acceptable fuel economy in a n80 Hilux?... you’re joking right?. 500km to a factory tank, factory tune and stock tyres is not good when you consider European TDs can get a hundred to two hundred more kms per tank and have more power with better transmissions and clutches. Our fleet vehicles are all New Toyota 2.8s both manual and autos and are disappointing. Without particular mods and a dyno tune, the 2.8s compared to the rest aren’t as good as they used to be.
@@riamriam6758 not sure about k's to a tank but ours all average about 10l/100km which is pretty good for vehicles spending most of their time driving around the burbs
A straight 6 engine just make so much more sense. More balanced, more torque. Just look at the Mercades straight 6 in the G400, its what dreams are made of.
That 2.8 is a beast of a motor with awesome low down torque and plenty of top end.
My old 1999 Hilux Surf 4 Runner had an autobox and it was incredible. Tough as nails
That's a different 2.8l that was in the surfs, this new one is ancestor of the 3.0l that was in the N70 hilux
@@h.c5750 I was refering to the the new GD6 motor in my latest Hilux. My Surf has a fantastic 3.4 V6 petrol
@@h.c5750how is the 2.8 an ancestor of the 3.0? Isn’t’ it like the new born offspring? Plenty of get up and go but not much power and stamina?
honestly, I'm pretty excited at the idea of a "GDJ76R". The idea of a modern 4cyl turbo diesel/auto in the 5 door wagon gives strong 70 series Prado vibes.
yes like the new wagon design .what do you think of the new LC prado /250 /u.s. we only get gas LC models
@@youtubecarspottersguide1 first thoughts are I like it. Worth noting the 90, 120 and 150 series Prado "Landcruisers" for us have always been a sensible, well balanced and accommodating off-road wagon. They're mostly boring, but don't really put a foot wrong.
With North America being included in the 250 series global release, it looks like Toyota has been a lot more adventurous with the design, and kind of created a sequel to to the reborn FJ Cruiser of the 2000s in one vehicle.
I'm keen to see how they go once the public get ahold of them.
Absolutely the right choice Andrew this will be a fascinating journey!
Its hard to find anyone who knows as much about overlanding as Andrew. Not to mention his channel is like a professional course in Land Cruiser history. Plus I have learned more about African terrain from him than I could any other way.
Im currently driving the 2021 prado, and i find the 2.8 diesel with the 6-speed auto a fantastic combo! Go for it!! I wonder whether all people who comment about the 2.8 diesel have actually tested it and did not like it! I love it! And it is economical appr 10L/100kms.
The new one is coming in 6 months with the 8 spd auto! That is going to be mega difference.. I am not fond of the current box
I love the fact that you stood up to be the ginny pig for everyone
I've had a auto 70 series v8 since 2016 and love it
With the revs at 1500rpm at 100km instead of 2200rpm with the manual 5 speed
Does everything else so why not just change the box in his recent build v8
A straight 6 engine just make so much more sense. More balanced, more torque. Just look at the Mercades straight 6 in the G400 mated to a 8speed gearbox, its what dreams are made of.
I have a 21 Troopie with Wholesale Auto 6 speed 200 Series auto with lock up. After 32 years of constant Troopie driving, the auto is a gamechanger. Especially on long drives...dont have to change seat position to downshift to pass, and with tiptronic I can downshift without clutch. Coupled with a tuned V8, it's a deluxe drive. Looking forward then to Andrew's reporting...
Would love that box from Wholesale Auto in my 76 however I can't justify the cost
@@djjames6576 Unless I had $100k to blow on upgrades I wouldn't consider an auto upgrade. Cost is nearly what I paid for the cruiser 6 years ago. I have current have a better option than a corolla for my daily, a mountain bike :)
All fair points...I justified the cost as I have an old injury in my left leg that has resulted in a permanent back condition that is quite unbearable after driving through town with a heavy duty clutch. or having to reposition in the seat on long distance when passing. I'm retired, and sold my house to set up a 'dream tourer', and am now going 'grey nomad' for a couple of years before I'm confined to crutches and a wheelchair...
Great decision Andrew, and being a manual die-hard, I totally understand wanting an auto box and I’m leaning that way myself.
I wish Ineos gave you a vehicle to test so you could of brought one. It's a far better car than this 2.8L motor vehicle. I owned a Hilux SR5 with this motor and constantly had issues with it. Eg leaking turbo at 30k, limp mode on highway's driving 10km/h while trucks past you at 110km/h at 1:00am at night. Sensor faults etc etc etc sold it after 2 years of pain. If you got in early you could of picked up a Trialmaster edition for $103k drive away like l did.
The new Land Cruiser jimny looks great .
For the love of doing the right thing, why a 4pot, when a straight 6 just makes so much more sense.
From 1hz 4.5 1vd and now 1gd your troopy journey is amazing
Pull starting !! With modern mini jump starters ( keep in glovebox size ) no longer an issue
Auto does make sense for driving in city traffic. Should be perfect for you
Andrew, although I prefer keeping a vehicle for as long as possible, I get what you’re doing. It makes sense from the angle you’re coming from, and, it is very educational for everyone else in this genre. I love learning about all the nuances and changes of these vehicles.
Hopefully will be able to have a Troopy someday (though I’d likely still hang on to my HJ45)😊.
Let’s see what your wrap will be this time!!! Maybe Gwynn will chime in too!
Looking forward to your solo adventure!!!
They laugh at the antenna, if they work out how to raise it. 😂 The amount of times I’ve lent my car to friends and they come back saying ‘the radio has horrible reception!’ And of course they haven’t found the switch to raise the antenna 😂
Best 4 x 4 channel for me. Love that truck
I certainly appreciate the desire for an auto offroad. I've had both in my 4x4's and the auto is just nicer all around. I'm a little baffled Toyota didn't offer the auto with the V8 considering they already have a suitable box in the stable from the 200 series.
Originally I believe it was because it would cut into and ruin the 200 series sales. Same thing. I think it would damage the 300 series sales. Especially for those die heads that want/need the V8. Personally I’d liked to have seen the 300series engine or a derivative of into the 70series with manual or auto options. But there goes 300series sales.
Your passion shows the meaning of life. Go for that new 70 series and show us your new proyect!.
Excellent choice Andrew - the reason the V8 Landcruiser is so prominent and ridiculously overpriced is the red neck bogan hoons especially in my regional location have to have it because the old Ford/Holden utes are disappearing and they need something with an annoyingly loud three inch exhaust to impress their mates as they compensate for their inadequate intellect - I enjoy my automatic four cylinder diesel Hilux with more than enough power for my farming needs without the huge fuel running costs of the V8.
No substitute for horse power cubic inches
@@duke1724 hi duke - a smart application of technology like the Japanese built Nissan Skyline with it’s 3 litre twin turbo refined and reliable engine will always be a better match of performance compared to a US built dinosaur big cubic grunt mobile - it’s pure intellect versus Neanderthal thinking - this was proven time and time again in Australia during the early nineties in touring car championships - look at 1990, 1991 and 1992 - unfortunately they were banned in 1993 with the introduction of Holden (GM) and Ford V8s only because the bogans hated the far superior Skyline winning consistently.
@@johnnumbat9782 show me which Japanese crap car can go 3 sec down the quarter mile
@@duke1724 oh dear a redneck - I won’t waste your time any longer.
I currently drive a 70 Prado, 33 years old with an auto behind a 2.4 diesel. Is it under powered? A bit but the engine tech is from the eighties.
It has a 4 speed auto with overdrive. Once you get it up to speed it is beautiful to drive. Lovely to see the auto returning.
Nissan did a similar thing with the Patrol. Dropped the 6 cylinder diesel and changed to a 4 cylinder 3 litre, also with automatic is some models. Despite the on-paper specs being equivalent for both engines, power and torque, the 4 cylinder was largely a failure. The four essentially relied upon the turbo boost to maintain torque, but when boost was lost or not reached, it reverted back to just a 3 litre, 4 cylinder and struggled with the weight and aerodynamics. This was especially noticeable upon start-up on a gradient.
Selling another car that you’ve barely broken in for massive profit. Good work if you can get it
My very 1st 4WD (NJ Pajero GLS) was a manual. 'Coz that's the only gearbox to have when you're in your 20s and full of testosterone. But when I decided to upgrade 4yrs later, and asked for recommendations from many veteran and experienced 4WDers, while many have recommended various brands and models to consider, what surprised me, is that an overwhelming majority of them recommended to go for an auto box (incl. the hardcore 4WDers). I took their advise and I did. And at that time, while my ego was hesitant to go for an auto, I'm glad I took a leap of faith and did.
Andrew you are trying to re live an impossible dream from the past.
When recently have you driven any road surface more than a gravel back road..
I bet you will keep the project for six months then make an excuse to flip it. Cheers.
I totally get your reasoning for choosing the auto. I've not met anyone who's gone from a manual to auto 4wd and not, in all honesty, putting their ego asside, preferred the auto as an overall experience. And the 70s not being available in auto has always been a major reason for never buying one. I've almost had myself convinced I could daily drive a big, manual 4wd but I knew in my heart I'd tire of it quickly. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Hi Andrew, i am so excited about the auto box finally coming to the series. I am gonna save up for the 2.8 Auto, to replace my 2009 3.0d4d.. looking forward to building up a troopy.. only thing is the rear axle thingy... hope it can be rectified in South Africa.. Looking forward to your build..
Just did a road trip in my Ford Ranger 2.0 bi-turbo with ten speed automatic yesterday to collect four wheels and tyres. 240 miles of a mixture of mostly Welsh A roads and some motorway from Shrewsbury to Telford. The gauge shows in excess of 400 miles range left. That’s an indicated 35 mpg Imperial. That’s 8.1 L/100kms. That’s not bad for a 2.2 ton 4wd utility vehicle. Not up with a Volvo XC90 or Kia Sorento, which weigh about the same and would have achieved 40mpg, but better than my LC100 which would only have done 24mpg or 11.75 L/100kms or 50% more fuel on the run and I know that four big wheels and tyres would not have fitted anyway, necessitating the use of a trailer. Point being that modern engines coupled to modern transmissions are far more efficient than they used to be. My 1982 Golf GTi only managed 30mpg which itself was better than a previous Ford Fiesta 1300S which never managed to average better that 28 mpg and they both weighed less than half that of the Ranger and even the Golf was not that much faster to 100kph. Toyota’s 2.8 diesel can produce 200hp and 500Nm torque to almost identically match the Ford EcoBlue’s 2.0 diesel.
I had a 2019 4cyl Hilux and then a 2022 V8 70 series. The Hilux engine with no modifications was faster than the V8 70. It's a great engine and no need to do any performance upgrades. It was a thirsty 4cyl but the V8 drinks more. With the DPFs you don't get the V8 sound from a modern 70 series as it is. The Hilux gearbox was fantastic and downhill ascent control works great. It's a good choice. Looking forward to the new build. Of course they made some strange decisions with the new model, it wouldn't be a 70 series without a few ridiculous decisions out of the factory! I wonder where they will be made.
I drive a Toyota, not because I'm a fan boy, but because they stopped making a solid Land Rover Defender
You are exactly the right person to do this. I’m looking forward to your review.
I'm hoping for a Cape York trip in the new Troopy. But take Gwynn with you.
Will be interesting and well done for doing it! I spend a lot of my time in outback South Australia and in the groups I travel with there are plenty of 3.0 and 2.8L Prados, and two of the current model troopcarriers (skinny tyres and not heavily modified). When you are carrying plenty of weight and the going gets slow, the Troopcarriers do better than the auto Prados on fuel, especially if towing (and I know you won't be towing). And the torque converters never lock up in those conditions, so you may have to manage the ATF temperatures or go aftermarket with lockup kits or remaps. One of the major differences with the V8 is that it gets max torque at just 1200rpm - perefct for good fuel consumpotion in slow conditions. Your current Troopy is costing more in fuel because of the tyres you run.
The rear axil is crap. Toyota MUST fix this. The thing drives like a spastic on the beach!!!
I love manuals but I have to say that the new auto boxes are amazing and get the job done very well.
Mine has about 300 rpm between ratios, is pretty much seamless and the loss of drive between changes is hard to notice. Compare that to your average manual gearbox on a 4wd and it's chalk and cheese. Seems they have to rev the bejeezus out of them and then try to change quick enough before momentum is lost and they just bog down.
I have paddles on mine if I want to change gears but I don't bother as the vehicle just does it all very well.
Stick it in sand mode and it will hold the revs at peak torque and plow on.
Yep likely not as tough as old school but I don't try and drag my house around with it or do stupid stuff to prove it can be done.
Having modern technology on road is nice as is the economy and the fact it drives like a car for the most part.
yes, but there just a little tiny aspect to consider when talking about the manual: you decide when it is time to change gear, according the different situations
@@nicknick7052 Nearly all modern autos, afaik anyway, have a manual override option via the shifter or in the case of mine the shifter and paddles behind the wheel.
They also have more gears, mine has 8 for example, so they have more options than the average manual I have seen.
Also you won't get missed shifts due to being bounced around or rushing to change gears in busy situations.
Like I said I love manuals, have driven crash boxes and have had quite a few of them, but I doubt that there will be many situations where a manual is better.
Perhaps they may be tougher, although clutches can be a weak point, or for starting in gear if needed.
Autos are way better Offroad. I just came back from an off-road challenge weekend and the guy in the manual patrol kept getting the gearing wrong and missing gear going up steep inclines. It meant he rolled back and nearly over.
@@Robbo-eh3wb Yep true that.
Watch a manual vehicle and you will inevitably see the driver revving the guts out of their vehicle and then trying to change as quickly as possible into the next gear whilst trying to steer with one hand and read the terrain.
I pretty much just modulate the throttle and steer.
More adventures and fewer builds. And more great stories Andrew.
Probably time to travel the rest of the world eh?
Doooonnnnntttt count on it. I use to enjoy his African adventures….but that’s in the past.
Good to hear you were able to place an order, dealerships close to Sydney CBD are still not taking orders for any 70 series platform regardless of the configuration.
being auto almost makes it worth upgrading i honestly dont see the point of manual especially in this day of age. id still never buy a 4 cyl 70 series, i know it sounds childish to say but i love the 70 series mainly for the fact it is a v8 (and having solid axles as well) my reason goes as follows
my current 4wd is a 4 cylinder diesel, yes it does makes more power than my old stock v8 70 series did, but when i load my current 4 cylinder 4x4 up for camping or for work (i am a carpenter) you instantly feel the extra stress on the engine caused by the weight. where on the v8 i would load it up with all my work gear and or camping gear when i went touring you wouldn't notice any difference in performance, yes you could feel the weight there but the car wouldn't have been slowed down by the weight, when you accelerate you wouldn't know you were loaded up with heavy gear/equipment where on the the 4cylinder you instantly notice the effect the weight has on the over all acceleration of the car and the extra effort involved to get the car up to speed or to get moving. Because of that you end up using more fuel than the v8 did just because you have to sit in the higher rev rangers putting extra load on the engine and causing your EGT's to start skyrocketing to keep up on highways and to get moving each time you come to a stop or slow down considerably, where on the v8 it wouldn't take much effort you could use 25% throttle and you would get up to speed very easily and effortlessly with out having to rev the engine over 2500-3000rpm which ends up saving you fuel, especially if you have to start going up steep inclines all those effects become blatantly obvious
yes modern engines are smaller and more efficient ON PAPER but in the real world where the cars are carrying heavy loads the technically slower and less economical v8s end up being quicker and more economical than the 4 cylinders because of the reasons mention above. and thats non biased either i have owned landrovers, landcruisers, isuzus, nissan patrols which are all cars i absolutely loved for touring (except for the nissans) and because of that i am speaking honestly and un biasedly based off what i have experienced in the real world.
you cant beat shear displacement to create torque yes you can make good torque numbers in smaller engines but it isnt the same kind of torque you gain from having bigger cylinders
I could (and have) watch your videos for hours, Andrew. Always great content delivered in such an honest, engaging, interesting and humorous style.
Looking forward to see what you will do with the new one
The 1GD engine returns 12 km per liter in non aggressive drive mode on factory tuned fuel maps. You will find good returns as well doing offroad too.
Diesels tune better than petrol - increase bhp for a stage 2 is around 20%, depending on engine and tuner, but the torque can be as high as a 30% increase.
My D2 currently sits at 208bhp and 483nm torque, cruises at 70mph no problem, even loaded and with a roof tent on top.
Loaded up, but no tent, it now averages about 34mpg combined whereas in factory for it averaged 28mpg. Cruising across Europe on French A roads and Autobahns, at 60mph it averaged 43mpg. Around town and in traffic its about the same as factory.
I think it's the best move ever that Toyota made. I feel like so many people would prefer the 70 in an auto, and to some degree I think it will challenge the Hilux in sales.
One of the big advantages of the four-cylinder is the cost of injectors compared to the eight cylinder. Can't wait to see the first video.
Love the fact, that Andrew all the way across the world is wearing an Portland, Oregon, USA based company, Columbia sportswear😊
Love your channel! You are lucky you even have the choice to swap Troopies. Where I live I can’t even buy one, not even brand new. The just are not for sale. Love to buy one, but impossible here. Thanks for your great videos!
Auto is bulletproof. 2.8 have history for DPF and maybe injector problems but that was way before 4-5 years maybe in the Hilux. Engine is not the best character and sound but maybe good enough. For loaded car engine may feel weak (some turbo lag) but auto will overcompensate because of torque converter. I don`t know the gearing need to check for that. So generally must be no problem the 2.8 is around from many years now.
You left out timing chain issues on the 1GD FTV too. 1KD FTV far stronger motor....
@@andykent5569 I believe that the timing chain issues were fixed by mid 2017.
@@angelotsi849 most are old problems. This does not mean that they are not weak links. This engine originally was designed for Hilux and the new truck platforms. 79`s maybe too big for this engine.
@wildframes4243 isuzu work trucks use a massively detuned version of the dmax engine and they run fine so I think the 70 series being only slightly heavier than a prado/hilux will be fine with the 2.8
@@angelotsi849 nope seen plenty of 2018 through to 2022 comethrough with cold start timing chain slap 🥲
Congratulations 🎉😊,i'm pretty happy to see this new adventure 😊
my 2.8 still going strong 190k, loads of torque, as long as you maintain factory gearing should be good. auto is a no brainer! disappointing they didn't make it full time 4x4, remove manual hubs, and fix rear axle width very surprised.
Great LC79 comes with 2.8L diesel 1GD in hilux n pardo ...in auto its easier to live with compared to V8 manual.
Looking forward to see how the 1GD-FTV will perform in the 70 series. I think it's a great idea to have a 4 cylinder automatic option. Maintenance and running cost should be considerably less.
Keep ot coming!
Auto with v8 or even v6 is what we need. Good luck with the build . Throw all the weight you got on it and let’s see how the v4 does
V4?
In-line4 not v4
Hi Andrew it's Rob again, I just found this, this morning, you'll probably be very interested in it, it's JUE 477 the first ever Land Rover found after 50yrs of sitting in a field and restored. Enjoy mate, Seeya Rob
Good job! This is going to be very fun to watch. I can’t wait to see what you do with the new troopy.
The old toppie wants a automatic 😉
Well, good decision. You save weight on the car itself and on the fuel you have to carry. Those 2 factors contribute to have a dynamic vehicle, more than the V8 you have, I bet.
There is a narrow voltage range in which you can pull start a VDJ. It has to be low enough to not start, but too low and the injectors won't fire.
Andrew, will be interesting to see how this goes. Will get YT views if nothing else. No brainer for that. I've driven the 2.8 Diesel Prado from new for 5 years. My first new vehicle. Have driven second hand prado and landcruiser in the desert for years before that. on and off road. The DPF issue and associated gaslighting has been painful and incredibly disappointing. Even forgetting the DPF (I am on my second, soon to be third) not enough power in the Prado 2.8 for the weight of the vehicle on the open road. Difficult to overtake etc. Fine in low range off road. In my opinion, seems Toyota have gone the 2.8, 4 cylinder route for emission reasons, and not wanting to invest to build a new 6 cylinder diesel , or larger 4 cylinder given the uncertainty around diesel atm. I doubt longevity or performance or loyal toyota users are front of mind in the decision to continue with the 2.8 unit. Ive driven Toyota for 30 years, and am a fan of their historical incremental improvements in models such as hilux/prado/land cruiser. I have owned them all. But I struggle to see the incremental improvement here, power plant wise. Auto transmission wise - totally agree.
Big vehicle for a 4 Cylinder. Watching with interest Andrew. I think Nissan got the Y61 Patrol wrong with the 3.0 Litre 4 Cylinder. Personally I think it will be underpowered and not as good on fuel as you think once you start adding weight to it during the build. It will have to work much harder than the V8 which makes me think that fuel consumption will be about the same. Anyway, I know you are brutally honest so I can't wait for you to get it. Wish I had the money to buy your current troopy. That thing is brilliant.
The 4 makes more power an torque.
@@shreckm6470On paper maybe. I call bullshit on that.
Hello Andrew
I have owned a Toyota Land Cruiser 3 doors model; 2.8L + auto 6 gearbox for 4 years now and still own it..
It's very smooth, quiet on the road, has a good mileage @ around 9 L/100KM.
It could be tuned up to get more torque and HP.
Best of all, it has a chain instead of an annoying rubber belt for the distribution.
Il like very much and it's extremely comfortable for long trips.
Here in France 4x4's are heavily taxed (40.000 to 50.000 euros called malus ecologique) because France produces tiny little engines .
Thanks for all your work and films.
Cheers
Enjoy your new Troopy! Looking forward to more videos and travels!
Given my experience of driving Japanese 3.0 tonne tippers (with GVM of 6 tonne) for the better part of 25 years, I reckon that the 2.8 litre engine with 6 speed gearbox should be perfectly capable of moving a Landcruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier along the road. The ‘taller’ diff on the Troopie should provide adequate road speeds and 4WD low ratio will provide a lower first gear speed than the final drive on a tipper. I would expect the mass over the front axle to be reduced, with long term maintenance benefits for front suspension, steering and other components.
An automatic gearbox is also a practical option for a turbo diesel, especially one that will be used for long trips, as opposed to significant uphill and downhill travel over relatively short distances i.e., for daily work in hilly terrain.
I’m interested in your last comment, about daily drive for hilly conditions… this is me mostly… short 20 min drives, rather hilly. But then I tow a trailer a dozen times a year for a few hours each time. And I want to use it as a tourer a few times a year.
I’m set on a Troopy as it’s everything I want. But I’m torn over this 4cyl vs v8 - I currently have a 2003 grande v6 1grfe prado 4 speed and whilst it’s awesome, it chews so much fuel far more than a v8 Troopy ever would. So I’m cautious.
2.8 is so tempting.
But I worry it loses part of what the Troopy is.
@@ryan.farrow I suggest that, if you buy the V8, you warm up the engine properly before each run, allow it to run for several minutes after you reach your destination AND that you observe a ‘short run’ routine for oil changes i.e., change the oil-and filter-at half the manufacturer’s recommended interval for oil changes. Alternatively, you could stay with the standard intervals, use an appropriate synthetic oil, as used in armoured fighting vehicles because they may have to rapidly change positions AND always change the filter when changing the oil. Ask a trusted mechanic and I expect that you will receive similar advice.
Good move. With the kind of driving you’re doing along mild tracks, you’ll get better fuel consumption.
TBH he does little driving these days, just a channel about changing and modding his truck every year
@@A.J.Lawson real
Maybe not better consumption with a full gvm build
Also I hope they have corrected the rear track width. Also rear coilovers and full time 4x4 as an option would be great. Because there is no car in the market which could takeover the throne of the OG Defender.
they'ven't
As someone driving a 1HZ 78 series Troopcarrier, the 4 cylinder auto sounds like a wet dream on paper. More power, more torque, better fuel economy and best of all, automatic. For long distance touring, which, let’s be honest, is what these cars are primarily used for, tick tick and tick. Now let’s hope it’s as good in the real world as it is in theory! Can’t wait to see it and see what you do with it 🙏
Hey great seeing you again. You were my favorite off-roading 4x4 channel before life threw me a bunch of other interests. So I'm not the 4x4 efficiano that I thought I was but occasionally I am swamped by FJ Cruiser channels. Your videos are a little too long for my short spanned interests but it was sure nice seeing and catching up with you again. So you've ordered another overland truck ok great I'll catch you on the other side of that story on another day. Take care good luck and I'll see you later!
🤠👍 the only right choice in the right moment. Perfect done Andrew 💪
To add to the fuel consumption discussion, I have a 2022 Hilux with that motor, it had a gvm upgrade prior to rego and I often sit at 3200 kg with my canopy. I average 12 - 12.2 lt /100 at that weight as combined usage. Off-road it’s obviously more, about 17. That’s in the Vic High Country.
One thing that surprised me was that my extra-cab is the only model without downhill descent control. But that won’t be an issue for you.
I hate that extra cab are neglected by all the manufacturers
My family own and operate large beef cattle operasion in the lower gulf. We have sent countless requests to Toyota to add an extra/super cab model to the 70 series range and have never received a meaningful reply. Having a bit more cabin space for a fridge, rifles, tuckerbox etc. would be perfect for station work.
@@SingaporeSling1 the whole extra cab market is neglected. Even if you can buy a particular brand, it's only on the poverty pack spec
@@SingaporeSling1 all the American trucks might be the answer... And there's more coming next year... Big enough to have dual cab with a tray still full size.... The only question is will there be diesel
Good on you Andrew for trying out the 2.8 auto and keeping an open mind. Very keen to see what your insight is for your requirements to put to rest the speculation.
Colin Robinson of 4x4 world. Energy vampire.
Andrew never seems happy with a vehicle, always wants to change it
Ive just sold my dual cab v8. It was my 5th. Lastvuear i was in WA speaking to a fleet manager of a major mining company. I noted they didnt have 200/300 in their executive fleet and he was bemoaning the v8 in the 70. He said quote “what we would like to see is the 4cyl engine and box from a hilux/prado in the 70. That would give us improved reliablility, less running costs, ease of operator use and a better safety suite.
That was October last year and I found the comments interesting.
The rest is now history.
It's great if you can do that. If you got the money you can have these extravagant hobbies.Lucky you. Good to see on this type of channel. You are the 4x4 GOAT.
I’ve been waiting almost 22 months for my 76 series. It’s criminal!
Excellent. Really looking forward to the build Andrew.
My opinion is that to make this work well, to drive well, and remain reliable, with that engine and transmission, you will really NEED to keep the build-weight down.
If you go overweight it will probably be disappointing and possibly a disaster.
Get some inspiration from your flying and it’s strict weight criteria. Look at how us motorbike overlanders do it. Make lightweight a top priority and it might be the best troopy build yet.
Either way, looking forward to the fun.
Smaller displacement diesels like lots of gears. A five or six speed manual makes sense. So, an auto should likely be an 8 speed or 10 speed, to work well.
This sounds like a great idea. I’m very keen for the build. I always love your builds A LITTLE more than the travels. It’s so interesting how the car is put together.
Love from Austria 🇦🇹.
Andrew and to those who read comments. I have had 2 Dodge 2500 4x4 MEGA cabs with the 6.7 L engine. Both ONLY come with an 8 speed Auto box. The auto has it's faults if your in snow, or ice and need to downshift fast. A manual box will kill your legs in stop and go traffic! When the signs on the Penang Bridge say 70 KPH and your doing 15 KPH riding the clutch for 14 km's in bumper to bumper traffic, a manual is a Godsend. I am building a rig as you read this. More than likely an auto, as that is what is available.
I have a T shirt idea for ASPW - that 70s series fanboy 😊
It'll be interesting to see how much an electronic throttle controller helps the new troopy when you get it Andrew, hopefully a lot. Seeya Rob
We own outright a 2005 Prado Grande, with a new motor, we paid $16,000, then spent another $10,000 turning it into what we needed, we then purchased a brand new second hand caravan, shock horror a jayco, it was bought by an amazing gent, who could no longer use it due to health, never used but 6 months old.
We did not buy this car because it was a Toyota, it had a BRAND NEW MOTOR, and can tow 2500 kg braked, our van weights 2300 fully loaded..... We are under all our weights, with a twin axe 18' van....
On the road for under $100,000, we so enjoy your video's well done..
When I was young I hated automatics. Now I live in London and have a bad left knee it's essential.
AutoBox ...? YES
4 Cylinder ...? NO .. a straight Six is better.
I'm looking forward to your decisions and how this turns out for you.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I use my 79 for mainly towing (NZ), I have Armax package and am pleased with its performance. Narrow back axle still bugs me. Cheers Andrew.
We’ve had our v8 Sahara for ten years. Been everywhere with it. Towing and not towing. The only car I would replace it with is a V8 Sahara.
The biggest advantage I see in using the 4cyl is power to weight and overall weight reduction over the front axle.
No the first biggest is the rear axle ratio. If they keep the 4.1s then it's going to be better then the 3.7s in the hilux. No one besides me is mentioning this in all the videos and comments.
@@Dan-rg7jj I don't think that's the biggest because they will almost certainly change the ratio but with a lower overall mass and a higher torque number the 4cyl is already going to beat the 8 on every metric.
here in asia, we are very familiar to the 2.8L 4cyl Automatic/Manual Turbo diesel, 201HP/500nm, modern toyota Hilux, Toyota Fortuner and Prado uses that engine since 2015, 1GD Engine is super durable, reliable and dependable. As Toyota fortuner user, my average fuel consumption is around 15km per liter hway and 8-10kpl heavy in city
New 70 for Europe, France ?????
An additional advantage of the auto trans is that the torque converter is also a torque multiplier, not to mention gentler on the whole driveline. 0:02
Andrew you have one of the best jobs in the world! 😍
This guy is so expressive. Hey Bro greetings from Spain.
It’s great news I’ve always wanted a more fuel economic Land Cruiser engine instead of a 2.8 Hilux engine and love the round lights like my previous Troopy 1990 model. Hope it will be available in South Africa and hope the price will be affordable to. Looking forward to your next conversion Andrew.
what i know is that good cars don't last, better pick your 1hz before they run out, the 2.8 8 speed troopy may look nice but I doubt it can serve you for at least 7 years like the current models. i have a 2015 v6 4 liter petrol from japan 30th anniversary and its robust
Why not use a simple plastic plug? One can then utilise the aperture for a 2 way radio antenna without cutting into body panels. I get you 100% with the Toyota brand, there are other great brands such as Steyr, Nissan etc. The Patrol is rather understated for example. Keep 'em coming!
How did you order one? I went to do the same thing and they said the 70 series was still paused
People seem to really dislike the new 4 cylinder option which I don’t understand why. It’s a hilux engine. I’ve got zero issues with my 2023 sr5 hilux. The power is great and it tows very well. I’m more happier driving the hilux then a cruiser