(Home) Buying, models, underseal

i am looking to buy a townie in the very near future are there any pointers you can give me on what to look for. also whats the difference between various models.
thanks.
paul

- (#1560) paul weston, 6 Dec 01

Paul
Lots to consider in terms of variants. They go under lots of names
MasterAce, MasterAce Surf, Super Extra, Royal Lounge. The spec can vary widely. Mix and match from the following
Petrol or diesel, manual or auto although the most common is diesel auto. Then you have the standard 8 seats with the twin bench and single seat in the middle row, or you can get 6 velour "captain" seats with 2 individual armchairs in the middle row. Then you can have 2WD or 4WD and twin electric sunroofs or 6 skylite roofs. The instrument spec is pretty much the same on all with twin-zone aircon and cool/hot box. You get a few more extras with the Royal Lounge such as clinometer and compass although I believe some models of the MasterAce Surf have these also. With regard to what to look for - low mileage, unless a new face has been put on the clock it will show kilometres. You can expect to get as low as 60km on a 10/11 year old vehicle. Try and get a first owner import then get it waxoyled. Overheating problems is the major concern with these vehicles. Otherwise just look for the usual - poor accident damage repair, noises etc when driven. I would suggest you spend some time looking around various garages to get a feel for the price and model that suits you. Look on the autotrader site for examples, this will help to build up your knowledgebase. Also check this site and the townace.com site for plenty of useful facts and owner opinions.
HTH
Ian - (#1561) Ian Dunse, 7 Dec 01

Paul,
Ian has outlined much for you to think about and I would agree with all he says. However, these vehicles are not for the "non mechanically minded" owner. Do expect to have to put some time in to understand them and carry out neccessary maintenance. They are well designed and extremely well built and,they do represent fantastic value for money. My Masterace, with around 40K miles on the clock and all the extras, would be three times the price if it were an Espace/Galaxy/
Peugeot etc so, there is scope for spending a bit more money on putting right any faults. The cooling system, when attended to, is no problem but, it does seem to be the "Achilles heel" with these vehicles. If you buy from a dealer, hopefully with a warranty, do check out ALL the cooling queries raised on this forum, and get them checked out. Also, these vehicles are "different" and allow you to have an MPV which does not come into that bland range which you will see in any car park. If you become an owner, your greatest asset will be this Board of Knowledge. Good luck - (#1562) John Davis, 7 Dec 01

Ian covers all the salient points. The "bells and whistles" are nothing to be afraid of even on a 10yo car- toyota have always built a reliable vehicle. Undersealing is vital, previous accident damage will not be recorded, a bit of TLC is crucial. Spec is a matter of taste, but do consider the options- if you go for Royal Lounge, you loose boot space as the rear seats do not fold up for example... The autobox is reckoned to be one of the best- It was fitted to Volvos for some years.
Running costs are fair, especially if you have a local motor factors you can befriend...
David - (#1563) david miller, 7 Dec 01

David
What do you mean the rear seats don't fold up on a Royal Lounge - of course they do! How else do you think I manage to get 12' lengths of board in it?
Ian - (#1564) Ian Dunse, 7 Dec 01

Oh OK! I didn't know that... The only Royal Lounge I ever looked at, the seats didn't seem to fold up against the windows, the back just folded down flat. My mistake.
David - (#1565) david miller, 7 Dec 01

David,
You mention the underseal as "vital". This has concerned me and I am old enough to remember when cars rusted away on the journey home from the showroom but,then, there were many commercial outfits offering undersealing etc. Have you undersealed your Toyota ? What did you use. Was it "Waxoil" or, did you find a commercial Company to do it ? If yours was a DIY job,and you used Waxoil, can this product be sprayed with a small compressor/spray gun ?Any guidance much appreciated - (#1568) John Davis, 7 Dec 01

Mine was coated with good old fashioned underseal by the inporter before it ever hit the roads here, and I have supplemented that by doing the inner arches with Stonechip Protect, and spray waxing the insides of the doors. waxoil can be sprayed- they supply a kit, or you can buy a special gun for the compressor. - (#1569) david miller, 7 Dec 01

John
I wasn't so lucky as David. I only had the manufacturers paint on mine. I waited for a nice warm weekend then put the car up on blocks, wheels off, including spare and blasted everywhere with a high pressure hose and left overnight to dry. Next day I took off light clusters, and anything else that would come off and waxoyled everywhere including thru holes on box sections. I used the cheap 99p B&Q plant sprayers, took a couple because a jet broke under pressure. You need the waxoyl warm/hot doing it this way to get it to mist well. Better to work outside, with plenty of dustsheets etc and because of the vapours. Not a winter job I'm afraid.
Ian - (#1586) Ian Dunse, 10 Dec 01

Thanks Ian. Yes, I remember your posting and I intend to "Waxoyl" fairly soon. Perhaps not a job for the winter but, there are some days which suit so, with the pressure washer out and a good drying day, I might manage it soon. Does anyone know the weather forecast for December 25th ? - (#1589) John Davis, 10 Dec 01

No but its a sure bet it won't snow!
Seriously though, I wouldn't advise doing it this weather you'll not get the undercarriage dried out enough to apply the waxoyl on a dry surface. Keep on top of the salt during the winter and leave the job until spring. Something to look forward to (not!).
Ian - (#1593) Ian Dunse, 10 Dec 01

paul - go and have a look at helmshore motor co on <www.8seater.co.uk> they have quite a selection and give descriptions, they are a bit expensive, but are very knowledgeable. - (#1659) john collier, 18 Dec 01

i am looking to buy a townie in the very near future are there any pointers you can give me on what to look for. also whats the difference between various models.
thanks.
paul
the web address for helmshore ia www.8seater.co.uk- sorry about previous omission

- (#1660) john collier, 18 Dec 01