Reliability, Commuter / Super custom

Hi I am new to the list as I have just discovered the Hiace super custom,, I wish I had discovered it a couple of years ago.

1, My Question

2, My Story

Question

I am wanting to hear opinions on the reliability of the super custom turbo diesel 3L, does it compare to other Toyota Hiaces petrol 2.2 L 95 Commuter for example, I would put my life in the hands of a toyota commuter and their reliability and hope the Super Custom is as good.

Story

I have had 2 Toyota commuters, a 89 model and a 95 model, both of these I had for about 4 years each and did not have one break down or repair, I only did a service once a year before going on a holiday 500 km round trip, Unfortunately the commuters were a bit bumpy in the back and I have a disabled daughter and the main purpose for the van is for wheelchair transport so my next change was aimed at a better ride for my daughter,
I bought a Mercedes Vito 2001,, I am so sorry,, well it is a beautiful vehicle and goes so well being a turbo diesel auto, but its done 280,000 km and as it was previously a courier vehicle and obviously now no real maintenance, since buying it for 17,000 Australian dollars I have spent about $5000 on it in 18 months in repairs, I also had a lot of trouble with the dealer telling me everything I wanted to hear and not alot was true,

THEN while searching the net contemplating changing back to a Toyota once the Mercedes is paid off, I found the Super Custom, I do hope they are a suitable size for wheelchair transport and the lifter we have, then I see there is a turbo diesel 3 L auto and I almost jumped out of my chair,,, What an awsome looking vehicle and I am sure it would go pretty well being turbo diesel.
I am now to scared to go to the mechanic for anything after the last visit, and I wish a meteor would land on the dealership I got the Mercedes from, At night of coarse, I don't want injuries.

Anyway I would be so greatful to hear about the reliability of the super custom and any common problems thet they may have,, and are the diesels known to last hundreds of thousands of kilometers,,,, my 95 commuter had done 760,000 km petrol motor and never had any trouble,
I want that reliability again and really hope the Super Custom is the answer
Thanks
Steve (Adelaide South Australia)
Check out and have a read of my daughters story, I have it on the net for awareness purposes
www.melissas.net

hi steve welcome to the forum i own a 996 supercustom 3lt turbo diesel and have had no trouble with it in the 2 years i have owned him(noddy), it is set up for wheelchairs as my wife has cerabal palsy again no trouble at all.

dave

Thanks Dave, sounds good about the van and I hope your wife is doing well,, I would love to see some pictures especially if you have a lifter in it.
All my vans have been very delivery van like so I really like the interior of the super customs.
thanks

try in the show us yours bit,probably some there

Thanks Ill have a look now

I'd say reliability come with maintainance and mileage covered...my 2.8 has always got me where I wanted to go.
Obviously rubber bits perish/wear with ongoing age....the timing belt is easy on the 3 ltr compared to the 2.8.
I'd have one tomorrow, but they are fairly scarce in the UK and good expamples (if found) very pricey to purchase.....

Ok, thanks, They seem to be getting imported in to Australia by a few companies, My only dissapointment is I got the Mercedes, I have to wait until its paid off before I can do another change, then it will cost a couple of thousand more to change the lifter and restraints from our van to the new one,,,
I am hoping so much that our lifter will go in a super custom
Thanks

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I can only say although I dont use it every day "Bessie" has been great. I havent done any great servicing work in the 3 years I have had it and it has not let me down once. I use it to tow quite heavy loads and I find the power, stability and brakes are great.

I have only the one picture of a seat lift but not a wheelcair lift. If you were to take out either back sets of seats you would have loads of space for the chair to sit in.

Hope you find lots of useful information and spread the word.

Check Ebay as there are always Hiace commuter vans with wheelchair loading ramp being sold or wrecked.
It may work out cheaper to buy a lift equipped commuter, fit the lift to a Super Custom and then resell the commuter.
Sell the Merc with it's lift still attached(save more $$ by not having to remove it).
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1996-HIACE-COMMUTER-BUS-10-SEAT-WHEELCHAIR-UBJ276_W0QQitemZ330363943897QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Cars?hash=item4ceb39bbd9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Don't know what sort of lift you have but you will notice in the pic below that this one is taller than the top of the side windows...
You might have to go to a Commuter highroof van.

The only problem with that want 33s is our lifter is brand new,, well in this van anyway so I have to keep it, you never know what your getting in a second hand lifter,, My lifter thankfully is smaller than that.

Funny that picture of the commuter and lifter is exactly the same van and lifter type that I had before,, it was good and wish I kept it,, now my heart is set on a super custom

Is their anyone that could measure the entrance height and width on a super custom for me,, also if there is any difference inside with the height, I would imagine it might be a little higher inside than the entrance height.
I would like the measurements from the standard van not the commuter
I love the commuter van but my wife likes the smaller size and now I love the super custom

looking at it now maybe not that much different in size

Welcome mate, my wife has to use a wheel chair when we go out shopping etc. Luckily she can shamble around the house. We use a foldup chair that fits either between the front an back seats or in the back, but that is no help for you. I can't see there being a fitting problem with your setup to the SC. The ride is very good and the 3ltr turbo gets along nicely as well.
Hope you can sort something out.

Sounds great, I would be hoping that the S/C is a little bit better on suspension than the commuter, not that I really would mind at the moment, I am honestly just to scared to go back to the mechanics with this van.
The last job was the diesel injectors leaking around a washer, it was supposed to be a job not much more than changing spark plugs,, remove the injectors and replace the washers,, well $3500 later, the injectors were all seized in and after 3 weeks they managed to get 3 out but the last one just wouldn't budge so they also had to smash the cam cover or something to get the head off, the injectors have to come out them remove the cam cover then the head,, anyway all through a lack of maintenance,,, So I would be checking anyone with diesel injectors if they should be removed and new washers and some No sieze lube or similar used to prevent this, not sure if it could be an issue with a Toyota or not.

Anyway I just can't wait to get this thing paid off so we can get serious about a S/C they just look so good for a van.
I have no real use for a van and the van sort of becomes my vehicle and i make sure my wife has a nice car but I always get the short end of the stick by looking after her, I thought the Mercedes was going to be a van that I could enjoy and it sort of is but the mechanical side has put a real dampener on it for me and I have just thought by the time I get rid of it there will be nothing to go wrong because I have the brakes to do next,,, can I say F#*%#&@$% on here.
None of the vehicles have been nice inside and the S/C looks nice, in the back I mean they have all been cold and delivery van like.

Ok I have written enough of a novel,,
thanks for the feedback so far

You poor bugger, buying a Vito van.
you can import the custom from Japan with the wheel chair lifter already installed.
Seen the 4WD model up the road with the lifter in it.

the hole I have dug is just getting deeper,,, oh well Hopefully the next change will be all good and I won't look back,,

I am still in need of some measurements if anyone can do that for me,,, are the S/C the same body shape and size as the mid 90's standard hiace van ?

Do they sell them up the road from you,, TriTrade

no buy you can get an importer to find one in japan for you with a wheel chair lifter already fitted , there are plenty around over there

I would rather pick one out of whats already here ,, I would hate to say I want one with a lifter and they get one over and I don't like it,, maybe its not like that but I am pretty determined to keep our lifter and rear fold up seats that have been put in ,, all together they cost about $16,000 so I can not see a winning way of doing it unless we got something like about 30,000 for the Vito with them in and thats not going to happen,,,
Anyway I will just keep looking in to them and making sure its the right move as I think it is and when the time comes it will be a great moment getting bake to a toyota and a very nice one at that,,
Thank you

Quote :

are the S/C the same body shape and size as the mid 90's standard hiace van

I believe the standard hiace tailgate fits the supercustom...........I'd hazard a 'guess' the internal shell dimensions would be the same....

Ok thanks I will find a normal hiace and compare,, would be good if there was a S/C owner in Adelaide, I don't think I have ever seen one, I am sure there would be somewhere,, I am so sure my lifter will go in ok but just want to be sure

thanks

Not far to Melbourne and there are a few there. I'm sure the size is the same tho, as far as I can see the only diff is the suspension.

Now thats even more exciting to me,, Is the suspension better than the normal Hiace,, thats the whole reason I went to the Vito for a bit better ride,, most wheelchairs get every bump straight from the floor and they don't have the luxury of the extra padding and springs like we have in our seats.

Im kicking my self stupid right now

If you have a look here you will see that ours doesn't have springs like the ordinary HiAce but TEMS shockies with a diff system. Rides very well but you can't put a ton in it I don't think

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/g_J_199409_TOYOTA_HIACE_KZH100G-MFPQT_2.html

Thats great,, Coil springs, I wanted to change the ones in the commuter, not sure what they had but I took it to a suspension specialist and they told me there is no modification to get a better ride, that's why I also changed to Vito, after that, when I had the vito I found out about air bags and they can go one nearly anything but very expensive and I am not sure about the ride ,, still would have been cheaper than getting the Vito
Nothing worse than making a change for the better and finding out that almost anything other than that choice would have been better