Toyota Lucidia/Emina/Estima/Previa

[254575]

Looking around for something in an automatic and 6/7/8 seat flavour, and these keep popping up . I've never been into Jap stuff, what are they like? specifically the mid-late 90's ones

 

you can make a double bed, maxi style, and you can turn one row of seats around pretend you are on a train... seems gr9

[dollywobbler]

The diesels seem to make a K-Series look good at holding its head gasket together. A trawl through Ebay usually yields many with coolant/overheating issues.

 

A while back I got to drive a pre-facelift diesel auto VW Sharan. Not exactly rapid, but pretty smooth.

[Cavcraft]

What Ian said, also it seems the turbos aren't too reliable. Personally I'd give them a swerve to be honest,

[peter9000uk]

If it hasn't got to be diesel UK spec petrol autos are about, Mrs 9000 had one. Quite a pleasant drive. I would certainly give a Jap import a very wide berth for the above mentioned reasons, not to mention insurance issues. They are however generally better specc'd

[Ross_K]

Looking around for something in an automatic and 6/7/8 seat flavour, and these keep popping up . I've never been into Jap stuff, what are they like? specifically the mid-late 90's ones

 

you can make a double bed, maxi style, and you can turn one row of seats around pretend you are on a train... seems gr9

 

if you want a peoplecarrier with a shit engine, get an Espace.

 

The problem with the Jap, and Yank, peoplecarriers is that the back seat is a bench seat 99.999% of the time. Which is a pain in the balls if you're trying to put a child in kiddy seat in the back row... If you don't have any small kids, rock on.

[garethj]

How about a Honda Shuttle, Mitsubishi Chariot or Toyota Picaso?

[eddyramrod]

I've been watching some of the UK-market Previas on ebay as I rather fancy one of these too. It absolutely will have to be automatic and petrol-engined though. I would be a bit worried about taking on a Jap-market version and wouldn't touch a diesel. I drove one once, many years ago, and thought it was extremely comfy. Would definitely be up for a refresher sometime even if I don't end up owning one.

[gricer]

There was a Japanese limited edition one with a full-length sunroof, called the Estima Emina Joyful Canopy.

 

 

That's the one to have!

[dieselnutjob]

I suspect that the Granvia is a tougher vehicle, I think it's basically the Hilux engine.

[Ross_K]

I suspect that the Granvia is a tougher vehicle, I think it's basically the Hilux engine.

 

The Granvia's a Hiace van - comes with a 3.4 petrol engine or a 3.0TD.

 

I see a lot of them round my local mosque on a Friday lunchtime.

[hairnet]

space wagon

 

or fiat multipla

[Tetleysmooth]

I've had a Previa for a couple of years now. The most reliable car I've ever owned. In fact, I've bought it twice!! I sold it to a workmate last year when I bought a Merc C280, but missed the old bus so much, I bought it back. Mine's the 2.4 petrol auto. Never uses oil between changes and not a spot of water either. The room inside is amazing. I took all the seats out and did a house clearance with it. They're pretty nippy too, more than you'd expect for such a big old beast. I think the cooling problems with these stems from the fact that everything is underneath, apart from the header tank, so it's a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'. The downside is the fuel economy. If only Toyota could've shoehorned a straight, or V6 into these, they'd have been so much better. I'd certainly recommend them though. You might want to have a browse through here:

 

http://www.estima-motoring.co.uk/Forum/index.php

 

My eye has been wandering lately, looking at other cars, so there's an outside chance I may be selling mine again. It'll be a wrench though. My one has never failed an mot while I've had it, never had an advisory either. Not bad for an old K plate motor.

My beast:

 

[254575]

thanks for the heads up and welcome!

[Tetleysmooth]

Thanks mate.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Also, the Jap import Eminem / Lucida / Grand Lounge are about 6 inches narrower than the Previa. They all have the flid mirror on the back and I do believe you need to have Elizabeth Duke jewellery and an armful of tattoos to own one. Whenever I see one, I imagine a Bogan from the local Estate at the controls and I'm nearly always right.

 

Previas however are alright.

[dollywobbler]

Isn't the only real problem with the Previa the fact that there's actually a shaft from the engine to power the rad fan at the front? Seems a slightly bonkers idea. Why not just use an electric fan?!

[garethj]

Can't get simpler than an axle, much more reliable than an electric fan.

[Lord Sterling]

I drove one of those Toyota Lucida things a while back. Twas the undesirable import model with the yank-style gear shift. Didnt seem too bad a thing, but then again I only drove it around town, but was hard to find the correct parts. Your probably better off with the UK-spec Previa.

[wuvvum]

I had an Estima Enema Lucida thing a couple of years back. It was a 2.2 turbo diesel auto with 4-wheel drive and was quite a pleasant thing to trundle around in - adequately quick too (I once saw an indicated 102mph on the A11) although not that great on diesel. I didn't keep it long enough to have any cylinder head or head gasket gasket issues, I put a year's test on it and then stuck it on the Bay - the chap I sold it to put it back on there a year later, still running but with the head gasket on its way out. So yes, it is a problem with them, although to be fair it'd taken him and his family all over Europe for a year without going wrong. They're very well equipped too, although as others have said the rear seat being a split bench (which folds up against the sides) does hurt practicality compared with Euro MPVs.

[purplebargeken]

Our elderly neighbours had one (Emina) diesel and it was fab. Comfy and spacious. It wasn't bad on diesel either and pretty torquey. They had it for 6 years and had the headgasket done. The trick is to use the proper Toyota coolant and there is a rad upgrade (as used by the Taliban supposedly). Sadly about 9 months ago the headgasket went again and they bought a Honda Jazz. I don't think the mechanic used the proper coolant. Bloody shame as I had my eye on it. Column shift auto too.

 

I would have a petrol auto version in a flash.

[Tetleysmooth]

Isn't the only real problem with the Previa the fact that there's actually a shaft from the engine to power the rad fan at the front? Seems a slightly bonkers idea. Why not just use an electric fan?!

It also drives the alternator, power steering pump and aircon compressor - where fitted - via a drivebelt.

-

[dollywobbler]

there is a rad upgrade (as used by the Taliban supposedly).

 

Brilliant. "Come to autoshite! We have repair methods backed by the Taliban! However, we have slightly better views on the treatment of women."

[ragger]

We're on our third Multipla and Mrs Ragger won't contemplate anything else; when I sold hr last one it just about led to "friendzoning" until it was replaced - won't make that mistake again.

 

Two key considerations:

1. As a six seater (we have four kids, now grown up) they are fantastically practical taking 6 adults in comfort with room for luggage.

2. They don't do an automatic and the diseasal is a lot better than the petrol.

 

Rob

[oman5]

My sister had a Lucida TD for 5 years, no problems with it at all, service items are the same as contemporary toyota cars. They can be quite economical if you drive them properly- there is a little light on the dash that illuminates when the turbo is working hard, the trick is to keep that off. There are lots of niggly little things that can go wrong however.

worth buying just for the one-upmanship of having electrically operated curtains in the back.

[Tetleysmooth]

I've always fancied the captains seats in the back. My Previa doesn't have them.

There may be a for sale thread going up here soon, for my Previa.

Got to mot it first - it runs out on the 29th, but found something else I quite fancy.

It'll go through the test again, no problem.

[Cheggers]

It'll go through the test again, no problem.

 

Famous last words...

[254575]

drop me a pm or something when you do come to sell it.

[Tetleysmooth]

It'll go through the test again, no problem.

 

Famous last words...

 

Nope. I'm going to have a little tinker with the parking brake, oil and air filter change and bung it in for test.

I'm very confident. It drives as nice now as ever it has done. Just had new tyres on it.

Mr 109landys3

Will give you a shout when the time comes to part with it. Possibly within the next couple of weeks. It's taxed until the end of June.

[Tetleysmooth]

It'll go through the test again, no problem.

 

Famous last words...

 

It went through again, no problems

I've still got it and just fitted a third brake light.

I'm looking at Chrysler Grand Voyagers now.

Anyone know anybody got a cheapie for sale?

Drop me a pm, please.

[Tetleysmooth]

It'll go through the test again, no problem.

 

Famous last words...

 

It went through again, no problems

I've still got it and just fitted a third brake light.

I'm looking at Chrysler Grand Voyagers now.

Anyone know anybody got a cheapie for sale?

Drop me a pm, please.