Hows everyone enjoying the Gen 8 ?

[Allords]

They have been out awhile now, you've had time to come to grips with it , and add all the farkles.

Did you buy the car because your dad had one, and his dad had one, and thought it was a good idea?
Entered mid life crisis and wanted to get out there and tour/go offload?
Appropriate work Vehicle?
Or just the thought that Toyota dealerships are like McDonald's......Every town has one and enjoy that peace of mind?

Any pet hates, and this could be from what you've added ( wrong wheels/tyres, bullbar, canopy etc)
Whats the standout feature that you've added for your requirements?

Or.... Can you just not come to grips with it and thinking of selling/trading it in for something else?

For the most part I'm pretty happy with my choice. Sure, I've had the driveline bump, but that seems to have been fixed now.
Could do with a little more KW , and a more accurate fuel gauge, but Pft.
Paint could be better, if it just thinks birdshit, there goes the clear coat. As could be the panels......i have thumb prints in the tailgate
I dislike the electric drivers seat for adjustment etc......would prefer a normal / manual seat

[jimO]

mines ok, dont have electric seat, one thing i dont like is the auto changing down when going down hill, paints fine

[Ace95]

Mines got 11,000kms and going fine not a problem yet, think warrantys out the window since ive added a unichip, 3” fox lift, 33” bfg ko2s.
Taken it on a few fishing trips to kalbarri. 1500km there and back trips with 4x4ing and havnt had a problem
Second trip towed the boat there and back and no problems either. definetely goes a lot better with the unichip

Thinking about doing a dpf delete soon but havnt had a problem with it yet.. as soon as i do tho itll be gone because i doubt toyota will warrant it

[Elmer Stratty]

Only owned it for less than a week - hate not having the speed displayed digitally in the centre info screen!

E

[Plainjane]

Coming up 3months now with my extra cab. All good mechanically I feel. The fuel gauge and power still to develop or adjust??!! Trying to fit it out. Have a genuine Toyota bullbar, steps and rails, was a little challenging fitting cradle and kings domin8r winch, but all good now. Have done the usual, lights, uhf, snorkel and dual battery system. Am wanting to fit under belly armour, unsure where to start or who to see? Don’t think I’ll lift it just yet. Want to get more of a feel for it first on easy tour’s then I’ll step up!!!

[Myralga]

So far so good.
Had it 6 months. And just done 10k service. SR5
Positives. -
Went leather and love the feel very comfy and even my boss wants it (he has the fabric so drive both regularly)
Fuel economy at stock is great but stock it will not be for long.
Stock stereo is surprisingly good seeing I have had comp systems in previous vehicles.

Mistakes I’ve made in my eyes-
Only one so far.
18inch rims are useless if you want muddies and only going 2 inch lift. Most good brands don’t do a 32” 18 muddy.
So buying the TRD Rims as an extra may have been a mistake (pm me if you wanna offer a real price in Sydney set of 5 and won’t break them down)

Toytota frustration-
As already stated the 80 liter (65 in my rig) tank is a pathetic excuse, this isn’t really worrying me as I’m swapping out to 150L real soon so I’ll play with the sender myself
Rear seat rattles when folded metal on metal coming from hinges is driven by me nuts and never been on corrugated roads yet
And a weird vibration noise in Centre console I can’t find under load.

Lastly toyota tech who left my sump bung loose you need a solid kick up the a!$e could have been my engine!

My 2 cents





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Toeknee2]

I've transitioned from happy to very happy over the past year (Feb 2017 build).
I bought it for work and play and it has exceeded expectations.
The firm ride and engine took a few months to settle down but once I worked out how much weight to leave in the back and what PSI to run in the tires it's become a lot more pleasant to drive. No dramas at all.
I'm happy with the gearing (auto) and haven't had a fault with any part of the car yet.
If I want extra power I just slip it into power mode and there's more than enough there to get things done properly.
No vibrations or rattles in mine.
As a 4x4 I've found it tough and extremely capable. I killed all of the tracks at Tallarook recently. The only 'mod' I have is the use of bigger muddies for off road fun.
My accessories are paint, bull bar, tinted windows and factory bulbar (alloy). This means I have to carry a hand winch with my recovery gear, having said that I'm 8 trips in and haven't needed it yet. I once used a mate's winch and I've also been snatched out of a bog hole where I was bottoming out.
I have to say the underbody protection has performed very well.
So far no dints and no scratches that haven't buffed out with whitening toothpaste. I could present the car in new condition if I wanted and that's impressive for a year old brickies work ute.Oh and I couldn't give a rats arse about a digital speedo or fuel guage. I've got used to operating the car the way it is and I'm very happy.

[SilverSP]

I’m also pleased with mine, coming up to 12000 since purchase in late July and still mostly enjoying it except for a few exemptions although none are deal breakers.

Harsh ride although either I’ve gotten used to it or it has settled down as it doesn’t bother me as much as it did.Sydney roads are terrible for ride.
Gearbox sometimes indecisive, changes down when any slope comes along and yet it will labour other times both in 5 and 6th.
Lacks suds for towing until the power mode is used then it’s great
Stereo speakers sound good but hate volume, I replaced them with Focals with a Kicker sub as well as Dynamat and it’s great now. I’ve had comp vehicles in the past and rate this up as one of the better ones I’ve had.
Changed the horns to something more decent.

Other things to note:
Fuel gauge inconsistency’s dont bother me, never had a digital speedo either.
Automatic changing down when I brake isn’t an issue as I mostly do this myself anyhow when descending down a long hill, Manual driving habits die hard!
Engine just seems to get better with the more mileage on it, smoother and more responsive. The harshness of the engine at 2000rpm is less so these days so I suspected there’s more running in to be done.
Fuel tank could be bigger, I seem to be filling weekly as I’ve done quite of bit of towing recently.
No rattles or squeaks at all even after driving off road on the roughest roads I’ve ever experienced.

Apart from a wheel alignment a few months back (pulling to the left) I’ve had zero issues with the vehicle.

[Cardy59]

I’ve got a 2015 gen 8 manual that’s done 45000, done heaps of off roading and am extremely happy with its performance so far with no issues to date.

[Allords]

From all of the above replies, my thoughts certainly do resonate the above.
I guess the hilux isn't great at all things, but in typical Toyota fashion its not bad at anything either.

Wow, I forgot about that downhill shift!
First time it happened to me was on a road heading down to Scarborough Beach . For those in sydney, think of it like the Roseville Bridge, Spit Bridge, or any damn Rd in Colloroy Plataeu..... Cruising down in maybe 5th, touch the brake to wipe off a little speed, and BAM!!.........it must of chucked it down to 2nd. A real WTF moment.

Fuel gauge sux, won't get any better, but you do live with it and adjust.

Don't know what the next upgrade for me will be........Love the idea of Fox Suspension and the fact that you can adjust it from 2"-3" as required, but from what I've seen it runs at about 50% more than a bilstein setup, and 75% more than something like EFS......My pocket money doesn't stretch that far
And i don't want to get into a situation, where i need to throw more $ at it in the way of Upper control arms etc.
But yeah, probably the ducks nuts.

Absolutely love those TRD wheels!!
We're talking the ones from the previous model right?
Sex on wheels, pardon the pun.......The only other wheel that i think is as good looking and timeless, is the old school Bathurst Globe wheel. That TRD wheel is right up there, and will suit any colour car. Its a pity the aftermarket don't look at that and add some contrast , like the brushed or polished silver instead of all black which only suits certain colours........But i guess as the saying goes, "once you've had black you won't go back"
Again, my limited experience is the offset etc. I know that they will fit, but is the offset right?
Certainly on the to do list. More sidewall less rim.

The leather seats are good, look great, smell great and driving around feet up pants off is a sensation only experienced by a limited few. That is until the wife gives you a clip across the ears.........But that fricken electric damn adjustment does my head in

Im Looking into the underside protection as i want to do a Kimberly trip around june/july.
Just need some good advice. as i have the factory ali bar (winchless), but what I've found with fitting recovery points is that things need to be modified to some degree. Its just not a straight plug and play fitment.

Whilst i like the look of the factory bar etc and the confidence in knowing that toyota have actually "Crash Tested" the bar to ensure compliance with the SRS system and crush rate for deployment. Its just not something thats easily fitted with aftermarket products.There maybe a conflict?

Its probably the main and only reason why i didn't go aftermarket. ( maybe a mistake). I just know that there is no way an aftermarket company would buy each and every model of car and run it into a wall to test their product. Far too costly.
To get a return you'd be paying $5k + for a bar
Sure they would do modelling etc, but its not the same. In saying that however, I've not heard a bad thing from aftermarket bars such as ARB/TJM/ Iron Man/Rhino or EFS
Ive seen the videos where a guy puts two x 2 micron fuel filters on a car and claims no restriction in fuel flow rate. That can be done in any controlled environment, with brand new filters, and clean fuel. But the second that they start to filter in the real world you'll have a restriction and your fuel pump won't like it.

Best upgrade by far for me was the focal speaker install. Took the advice of much smarter people than me on this forum, haven't looked back. Volume is still high when a good song plays (25+) and i look down and think am i going to hurt my ears?......Maybe just a toyota thing. But if you think the factory speakers are good, you really need to try the focals

Toeknee2.. Sounds like you get to beat the hell out of that car.
I have a brother, he's a plumber, so a little like you in that you guys earn far too much $
His SR5 with a custom body runs at 2.8t fully loaded. I guess brass fittings and copper pipe, water jetters and the like can add up. But its not as though brickies have light weight equipment either.
He has the OME lift /Suspension to carry it all and loves it. In fact a few of his plumbing mates with Colorados/Rangers etc that have taken his car for a drive comment on how well it carries itself and goes. Which is surprising given that Ranger and Colorado are supposed to have more power etc. Maybe its just the way the Hilux delivers its power, who knows?
All of them seem to agree that the only car standing after 5 yrs will be the toyota.

Ive just thought of a pet hate, gives you that WTF moment like the auto kick down.
Jump on the brakes hard enough, in an emergency and wait for the rear centre console to slam down with a bang.
I'll bet you instinctively duck you head at the same moment

[jimO]

first thing i do is hit the power button, feels dead on economy

[rob09]

first thing i do is hit the power button, feels dead on economy

This ^

Also, I shift straight to S6 before I move, then just drive around as normal. Gets rid of 95% of the downshifting when going down hills.

[Merkin]

2016 SR5 manual DC here. just clicked over 40,000km.
overall, pretty happy. very capable off road, and no major issues. only used diff lock once - worked great.
i miss not having a gear lever to select H4 and L4 - but just means getting used to a switch and how to engage properly. havent had any issues with the 18inch sr5 rims, but i might go to a 17inch rim in due course...
DPF seems to burn off more than it should - dealer inspected and did ECU update, havent done enough km to see if its made a difference. but fuel economy does seem to be higher than it should.
harsh ride? cant comment as switched to ultimate suspension before id done 1000km.
fuel gauge, cant comment, as switched to an ARB long range tank in the first 5000km

couple of other small annoyances...

The bloody DAB aerial is right in the drivers view on the windscreen. i dont even get DAB radio where i live and work, so im going to take to it with a small razor blade and remove it one day.

The infotainment system is clunky, outdated and toyota-link has to be the most useless thing ever. why did they not go with apple carplay??
again, im in a rural area, i have never got any of the 'apps' to work once - even when i was in sydney they didnt work. The sat nav is usable, but again, ive seen more features in a $150 garmin dash GPS - no speed alerts, etc. i had expected more for a $60k vehicle. To put out a vehicle that is not compatible with the latest phones, is crazy. they still list the iphone 4S as compatible.... this was outdated before the car was even released!

no way to switch the headlights/DRL off completely.
push button ignition means you cant turn the car off and leave accessories on without pressing the button again - the accessories should stay on until you open the drivers door....
the bloody door open beep! sometimes i like to have to door open with the radio on - say tinkering under the bonnet, there is no way to get rid of the bloody door beep like there was in the gen 7 utes!

lost space behind rear seats in dual cabs - in the gen 7 with the folding backseat mod, you could fit a heap fo gear in there...
plastic handle on the tailgate is flimsy, and internal mechanisms are mostly plastic - mine is very difficult to open now as it is full of dust.

these are all somewhat minor in the scheme of things - ive relied on the car to get me from a to b across some pretty remote stations in NW Qld and the NT, and its done that job well. itd be nice to have a few more creature comforts inside the cab though....but i can upgrade these over time (depending on $$!)
the other consideration for me was availability of parts - if i had an amarok etc, i could be waiting for several days for pats to get to Mt Isa in the event of a breakdown.
overall, i would buy again.

[Toeknee2]

I reckon I'm the only guy who likes the car down shifting to slow the car down when traveling down steep hills.
It's the only car I've come across that keeps you at your selected cruise control speed, you can hardly roll over your selected speed. I think its great, saves getting a fine.

[don_mabb]

Mine's a Aug 2016 SR and it hasn't missed a beat in 30,000km. Its got factory steel premium bullbar and towbar and 3XM canopy. Goes great on the road and no problems off road either. Down sifting on a down hill took a bit of getting used to (my previous Falcon ute did something similar though). Can't fault it at all. No probs yet either with the DPF (fingers crossed).

[Hilux Max]

I've transitioned from happy to very happy over the past year (Feb 2017 build).
I bought it for work and play and it has exceeded expectations.

As a 4x4 I've found it tough and extremely capable. I killed all of the tracks at Tallarook recently. The only 'mod' I have is the use of bigger muddies for off road fun.

Have you attempted Phone Track at Tallarook yet?

[Hilux Max]

Did you buy the car because your dad had one, and his dad had one, and thought it was a good idea?
Entered mid life crisis and wanted to get out there and tour/go offload?
Appropriate work Vehicle?
Or just the thought that Toyota dealerships are like McDonald's......Every town has one and enjoy that peace of mind?

Any pet hates, and this could be from what you've added ( wrong wheels/tyres, bullbar, canopy etc)
Whats the standout feature that you've added for your requirements?

My N80 is my 4th Hilux. And even thou I miss the hell out of my N70, the N80 is on its way to even bigger and better things. As modified as my N70 was, in the short period of time Ive had my N80 it has done harder tracks than my N70 and thus far as easily on 295s or easier than my n70 did on 35s.

Things I dislike:
- the audio head unit is a toss....cant run video's easily, cannot run GPS on SR's without a headunit upgrade, cannot use Pandora anymore.....
- the transfer case selector switch and solenoid mechanism is a load of shit. has proven itself to be a liability over 10 years on previous generation Tacomas in the USA youd think Toyota would have payed attention to it and not implemented it on the hilux. Ill be changing that in the future by fitting an N70 manually selected transfercase.
-the back seats dont fold down...waste of space.
-the wheel arch fenders are not big enough....Rangers and Tritons have far bigger fender openings than Hiluxs do,....so more work required for fitting bigger tyres.
- why do they design the rear of the tubs to sit so low?
-SR tubliners do not come with tie down hooks...what a joke, had to fit 8 of them meself.
-6th speed in the auto;s is a joke isnt it? how tall is that gearing? I have not used 6th since I first fitted the bigger tyres until last week when I regeared...now 6th engages at just under 80kays,

Things I like:
- the bigger rear diff and rear locker.
- nice interior, thou I wish I has black vinyl flooring
- its basic enough to work on
- the engines pretty good.
- theres a shit load of aftermarket parts available to turn the average standard new hilux into whatever you want it to be,

As an overall vehicle, its a good base to start a project, but at the end of the day, we build our hiluxs up to be what we want them to be, which toyota cannot envisage and we build em to be even better than what toyota engineers can come up with.

[Toeknee2]

I've transitioned from happy to very happy over the past year (Feb 2017 build).
I bought it for work and play and it has exceeded expectations.

As a 4x4 I've found it tough and extremely capable. I killed all of the tracks at Tallarook recently. The only 'mod' I have is the use of bigger muddies for off road fun.

Have you attempted Phone Track at Tallarook yet?

Hey Max, I went up there for the first time about a month ago and had a ball (it was dry). Looking back though I shouldn't have gone alone, I was lucky to get out of one pickle. I have plenty of recovery gear but still...

Phone track was overgrown, it's as if they don't want people attempting it now. I couldn't even work out how to come down it from the top!
I did Mountain track, caddell, Magazine, Rocky trk, Willies, steep trk, the various Jenkins tracks, Rock ledge, all of the Tehans tracks accept for one (it had a monster tree across it). I also went north up wheelers and did some of the links through there but that wasn't as good as the south end. What I loved most about about the south end is the lack of bush stripes, you can have a great day without scratching the shit out of your fourbie.
I'll be heading back up there for sure, its so much better than Dissa. Well worth the extra 30km.
If you want to organise a trip let me know and I'll PM my number. Most weekends are good but not on a stinking hot day. Can't imagine how you would get out of there if there was a bush fire.
Tony

[Hilux Max]

Yes they are very capable vehicles. I havent been in the southern end of Tallarook for many years. Wouldnt mind checking it out again.

[Allords]

Certainly agree with the head unit......its an effective use of space.
I guess I've just become use to listening to the radio only.
Once upon a time i tried to look at the other functions like weather etc, and just kept getting errors.
"turn off car, start app, turn back on car".......FFS, these cars aren't cheap, you'd think they would have a better system for the $ we paid.

I'd be really interested to get your thoughts on the transfer case selector switch and solenoid mechanism.
I know you say it shit.......Is it because of your application?

I find it clunky, takes time etc, but works........I guess in the way you use it, you want it now and without delay or fuss?

Again, you've hit the nail on the head with wheel arch size. Its possibly my next upgrade along with a slight lift.
Not an easy job if you want "plug and play" without doing extra mods which cost $, or the removal of something so simple as mudflats just to make them fit.

Ive read through the forums on what people have done. Know that i can drop down to 16/17" inch rims and have a tyre with a similar rolling diameter etc, giving me more tyre ,less rim......But i haven't gained any clearance. The second i want clearance through a larger tyre, it seems to be a mine field.