The problem is that all too many people are prepared to believe that
all these vehicles just happen to have done less than 60k and that they
have all been superbly maintained as they have never been off bitumen.

Of the three beliefs, only the last is even remotely true.

Fact 1./

All surfs are "clocked". As it happens outside Australia, the seller
has no knowledge of it (ha! bloody ha!) and therefore no australian law
has been broken.

Fact 2./
A car in Japan is a disposable commodity, much as we regard disposable
razors or milk bottles. As a result, and given the high cost of
servicing, on average a Japanese owned vehicle receives the bare
minimum (if any at all) servicing.

The trick is to take a punt that it has suffered no lasting harm prior
to your ownership.

Other things.

All parts are available from NZ, (and elsewhere) at a price. Many local
service centres know nothing about Surfs, particularly the electronics,
you get to pay while they find out. It's important to deal with someone
who has an established track record.

Whilst most parts (over 95% by raw numbers) are identical to the Oz
model, there are some big differences in the engines.

I can't speak for the 1KZ 3litre as I don't own one, but I can say with
sureity (having rebuilt one) that there is very little commonality
between the Australian model 2L (2.4litre) engine and 2L-TE (2.4lite)
engine.

Contrary to many people's belief there is not much commonality between
the (rare as it was only ever fitted to the "bastard" Bundera
Landcruiser) Australian 2L-T and the 2L-TE.

Anyway, I'm sort of happy with mine, the engine rebuild was the result
of my own mis-diagnosis of a problem, combined with neglect. However, I
make the strong point that any 80s to mid 90s Surf is probably now on
its second or third Australian owner given the shut down of the LVIS
scheme several years ago. A prospective buyer should be very wary that
they know what they are buying, and on a year for year basis, the Surf
should be significantly cheaper than the Australian model (where an
equivalent exists) because there are some "gotchas" waiting for any
Surf owner.

Compare the price of a rebuilt Surf pump with the Australian puyrely
mechanical one, then figure in at least a week longer without your
vehicle waiting for the pump to do a round trip to NZ (I was lucky,
with direct flights I got mine back quicker than I could have got a
pump from Brisbane, not everyone will be as lucky).

Figure on a rebuild kit for a 2L-TE costing between 2 and 3 times more
than that for a 2L or 3L engine.

The cooling system on any surf is only just adequate when everything is
in perfect working order, radiators cost heaps and the Oz model will
not fit without expensive panel bashing.

The A/C system in all Surfs up to 96 year model are R12 based. The
compressors do not take kindly to R12 substitutes and generally sh.t
themselves in short order. After fitting a new compressor and
converting to R134a the already marginal a/c is now woeful as R134a is
not as good a refrigerant as R12.

The suspension (particularly the rear) is horridly soft. The front can
be reset, the rear springs require replacement.

etc. etc.

Tony Smith

I still sort of like my Surf, in any even tI'm stuck with it for a
lonmg time as nobody is going to give me a fraction of what I've got
tied up in it, so I get to wear it out.