To Turbo or not to Turbo...that is the question

Hey ya'll! New user here. I am on the hunt for my first Hiace and I am really excited. This saturday I am going to check out a 96 camper hiace with the 2.8 litre diesel engine 4x4. It has a simple kitchenette with sink and stowable stove and toilet. Its the high top model with a bed above and a bed in the back. My question is what are the major pros and cons of non-turbo vs turbo diesels? Am I going to lose a significant amount of power without the turbo? Is the 2.8 litre diesel engine enough when the van is fully loaded? Is it less or more reliable and sought after than the 3.0 turbo?
The engine has 191,548 km (about 115k miles). Brand new alternator and regularly maintained. The pictures make it look like it's in great shape. What do ya'll think? Any info and/or advice would be much appreciated.

The power difference between the turbo and non-turbo is pretty significant, about 30 horsepower, I believe. That's a lot when the 2.8 only has ~90hp. I have the non-turbo in the short-wheelbase Limited trim, and it can be pretty slow going over mountain passes. Add a foot or more of wheelbase for the camping models with their built-ins and sleeper roof and it's going to be even more of a struggle. That being said, the non-turbo is less complicated mechanically/electrically than the turbo, so less chance of things to fail.

I've just resigned to taking my sweet time getting places in my van. It will always get you there (just a matter of when!), and if you don't push it and your cooling system and fan boss are in tip-top shape, you should be fine. I've installed an aftermarket coolant temp sensor from Glow Shift Performance in my upper radiator hose to monitor engine temp on climbs, since there's a bit of dead spot in the stock temp gauge (slow to register increasing temps).

Lastly, I'm not 100% sure, but I think you can only get part-time 4x4 (locking hubs, hi-lo xfer case) with the non-turbo. I think all the turbo models employ an AWD system (full-time 4wd, no hi-lo xfer case).

One more thing, you can also add an aftermarket turbo to the 2.8. There's an outfit in Monmouth, Ore. (northwesttoysllc.com) that sells and installs the kit.

Wow...thank you for all the info. Very helpful. That’s very encouraging to hear the non-turbo is potentially more reliable. I am generally not in much of a rush in life any way, I just want a van that will be adventuring for many many years. I have had bad luck with cooling systems in the past so a better temp sensor is probably a good idea for me.
The 4x4 info was going to be another question. I would prefer part time 4wd for sure, I hope that’s the case with this van.

Best of luck checking out the van! If you end up getting one, if it hasn't already been done stateside, consider replacing the timing belt and its associated pulleys, thermostat and coolant hoses, and do a coolant flush (and backflush of the rear heater matrix), fuel/air/oil filters, front/rear diff & xfer case oil.

Most important of all, make sure that the fan boss (silicone-filled clutch between radiator fan and engine) works properly. As the temps climb past a certain point, the clutch will go from a slipping state to fully locked and you will then hear the roar of the fan. You should also hear it after starting the van with a cold engine. It'll be locked for the first 50 yards or so of driving, then go into slip mode. Proper functioning of this part is key to not overheating. Mine usually kicks in when my upper radiator hose is in the mid/high 190F. Sometimes it take a little longer depending on outside temp, how long the engine has been running etc. It usually disengages around 180F.

Get all that out of the way and you'll be set for many, many happy miles.

The 3.0 liter 1KZ-TE is pretty peppy for how big of a vehicle it is. I think a lot of people are taken back when a Hiace is passing them! It is a pretty sweet engine with great low end torque. It still gets a bit bogged down when going over mountain ranges and is suspectable to overheating and cracked heads.
The models with the 1KZ-TE will all have an AWD system, which isn't as cool as a selectable 4x4, nor is it a true 4x4, but we have yet to get stuck in the van.
The 2.8 liter 3L diesel never was offered in a turbo edition like the 2.4 liter 2L engine. A turbo swap can be done and can definitely add power. As djathens stated it will add more complexity to the engine and will be less reliable. I would like to add a note from experience. Engines that were not originally designed to accommodate the forced aspiration of a turbo typically have weaker gaskets and engine internals compared to a factory turbocharged engine. A good example would be the toyota 1HZ vs 1HDT, found in the 80 series land cruiser. although the two engines look extremely similar and share many parts, the cylinder head, pistons, conrods, etc are all different.
Engineers design the internals to be able to handle the forces, parts are selected, and tolerances are built to maximize efficiency, power, reliability. In a gasoline powered vehicle I don't recommend installing a turbo on an engine that was originally designed to be naturally aspirated unless you don't mind having reliability issues. Diesels are built with much stronger components due to high compression ratios, but it will not be as reliable as keeping it naturally aspirated, and may lead to further problems.

They are both superb and long lasting engines. The 2.8 can be a bit noisy in general but it is one of the most reliable and desirable engines Toyota ever made. Probably the most popular long-haul courier vans ever here in New Zealand ... of their era. I add that last bit because it’s easy to add bias because of the full and teary eyed history. The modern 2.7 petrol 4 cyl is proving to do just as many kms with far smoother and quieter performance l. On LPG they are just as cheap to run as the diesel.
Bottom line: you wont win any races with the 2.8 but it lopes along with any load on board. Show it some hills and corners and you’ll be constantly rowing through the gears on a manual and putting your earplugs in with the auto.
The 1KZ wins despite the higher ongoing maintenance just for the pleasure of the drive.

I had a 2.8 Manual 4WD for a short time. A full 10 seater i think it was. If you dropped the clutch it would happily drift around roundabouts. Full of character those engines with great throttle response. They just run out out of puff very quickly in each gear.

Word, yeah I went with the 96 hiace high op camper. It has the 2.8 liter 3L engine. Auto. AWD (would've prefered the 4wd and manual but I am in love regardless.) The first thing I will be doing is putting a small lift on it and maybe cutting out the wheel wells for larger tires. Taking it down to Baja for a couple months this summer and need it ready to rally! I drove it over a mountain pass yesterday and she sure is slow and steady, but I am rarely in a rush any way. I love it so much