Hilux 4x4 Forum

Good afternoon fellow Luxers.

I have have a pre-facelift 2002 4x4 DC KZ-TE with 301 000km on the clock. I bought the vehicle in 2008 with 140 000km on. I am the second owner of the vehicle and have loved my bakkie from day one. Since 2013 I have been the sole owner, no banks involved.

So the time has arrived where I need to make a tough decision, do a major cosmetic and mechanical overall, or cut my losses and replace it.

Cosmetics: a local panel beater quoted me R 34 000 to bring the body work back to life. There are a some scratches and minor dents. All the wheel arches need to be removed and resprayed.

Mechanicals: There is an oil leak on the engine; light oil leak on the diff; clutch and pressure plate overall; front suspension ball joints; front suspension tie rod ends; 4 x new tyres. My fuel consumption has gone from 10km/l to 6.5 - 7km/l, I suspect the diesel pump needs an overall.

I estimate the cost of repairs to total about R 80 000.00.

So I have to chose, do I take the money rather, plus trade-in and buy a 2010-2012 and be stuck with another car payment for 5 years, or fix what I have and drive it for another five years.

What do you guys say?

Depends on how much you love it. You calculated that repair cost will be around R80k. If you have that available you can sell the KZ for R90k, as is, add the R80k and you have R170k cash on deposit for newer model or even buy a newer model cash.

pietpetoors wrote: ↑Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:41 pm Depends on how much you love it. You calculated that repair cost will be around R80k. If you have that available you can sell the KZ for R90k, as is, add the R80k and you have R170k cash on deposit for newer model or even buy a newer model cash.

Thank you for the reply Pieter. ".....or even buy a newer model cash." Believe me, I have looked. The only 4x4 DC in that price range is the 4.0 V6. I will drive the vehicle every day and the fuel consumption on the V6 isn't practical for my application.

But yes, I share your sentiments, my only deterrent is that dreadful repayment every month.

Logically, you are right. Emotionally I'm totally torn ...

To be brutally honest, if you were to keep the Hilux as a Weekend getaway car: definitely a keeper But as a daily runner, it may be money well spent on something newer, provided you can find a decent previously loved vehicle, since new ones are just insanely expensive...

I have been through this mind game a couple of times and since my Hilux is mostly used for Weekend Getaways, it just doesn't make sense to take up a loan for a newer vehicle. I commute by motorcycle: cheap in both fuel and maintenance.

So the alternative for you would be to look into buying a vehicle for the sole purpose of the daily commute and put some love and care into the Hilux. It'll definitely reward you for that.

Julian I happen to fall into the same bracket of vehicle ownership as you do.
I am strongly against getting myself into new debt to replace the reliable current one which I drive.
I would rather shop around for alternate prices for the bodywork as I understand that the work needed to be done is basically cosmetic.
I tend to drive my vehicles for many moons and keep them in good mechanical order and also try to keep the appearance of the vehicle acceptable.

I understand that should the said vehicle be a company or a tax rite off,I would then replace it as often as possible.
I believe that my vehicles don't eat grass and all I pay for whilst it is parked,is the insurance.
Better THE DEVIL you know.

Why don't you fix the mechanical issues first? Important to least important in that order. Cosmetics can follow after that.
If your vehicle is mechanically sound then at least it will be more reliable. Scratches and dents after all don't change the way the vehicle drives. If only changes how we feel about out vehicles.

When I bought my bakkie a lot of things were not perfect. But that was what I could afford. I have tried to fix as much of it myself. And when I have money.

I would like to extend a sincere Thank You to everyone that parted with some sound advice. I have made a decision

Enjoy and congrats!

Better the devil you know

pietpetoors wrote: ↑Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:41 pm Depends on how much you love it. You calculated that repair cost will be around R80k. If you have that available you can sell the KZ for R90k, as is, add the R80k and you have R170k cash on deposit for newer model or even buy a newer model cash.

Pieta, net so terloops, jy was R 3000 uit op jou waarde voorspelling .... en dit was op inruil.

Ek het nog altyd gese, en sal nie my opinie verander nie .... 'n Hilux is die beste voertuig belegging wat mens kan maak. Hulle kos jou byna niks om te besit nie en hulle hou hulle waarde soos geen ander dubble cab op die mark nie.

Mud Dog wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:43 pm Enjoy and congrats!

Dankie Andy, ek is seker ek gaan.

I have just been through that whole debacle. OK, I did my bodywork 2 years back, essentially a clean-up, slight patchwork and blowover splitting bin and cab. I have just had the engine rebuilt and all oil leaks gone. Diffs no leaks even after 540000 km. The engine rebuild was R43k, Gearbox needed some attention about 18 months ago and clutch was done same time (also due to oil leaks) cost around R16k. I initially looked at trading/selling, but the thought of paying for 5 years again scared me. The way I look at it, I have spent about R100k over the past few years, which equates to an instalment of R3000 give or take. Not much I could have bought for that.