buying a hilux

[mitchn1]

hi everyone.. i am currently in the market for a 2012-2015 Hilux SR manual diesel 4x4. I will be setting it up with dog cages and a canopy for touring/overlanding.
Im looking for any advice/comments/opinions on anything related to this model, good and bad.
Cheers Mitch

[HK1837]

These have better brakes and 250kg more towing capacity than most of the earlier ones, so you have picked a good range, but also look at 2015, the update doesn’t happen until 2016 year model.

[mitchn1]

Thanks mate I will edit to 2015 on my original post. The reason I didnt have that on there is that there wasnt any 2015 models for my price range but I'm open to abit more.

[HK1837]

Don’t discount 2011 SR5 either. In diesel form these have the bigger brakes and 17” rims, but only 2250kg towing capacity. There are some wide wheel pack SR’s around too that got flares, ADD, VSC and bigger wheels. Some have the full safety stuff too, ABS and full airbags.

[mitchn1]

Thanks again mate will check them out.

[HK1837]

When I bought my 2010 I would have had an SR but the SR5 came with ABS and curtain air bags which I wanted, and when it was written off the paramedics indicated the curtain air bags probably saved me from at least serious injury. The ADD was a bonus, but apart from the flares the rest of the differences mainly I removed and threw away: side steps, bar, rear step, 15" alloys and the DIN radio unit. The replacement 2011 was the same car as it was a V6 and only the diesel dual cabs got the VSC, bigger brakes and 17" wheels.

The same situation carried on for a while until some stage maybe 2014 the SR came standard with VSC and full airbags (and I think ADD), however as mentioned in a prior post the SR's in the 2012 update were optional with VSC and/or safety and early on the VSC SR's had the SR5's flares and wider steel wheels and I think they had the SR5 tub too - later on and by the SR became standard with VSC they reverted back to no flares and the standard SR wheels.

So if I were you 'd try and find one of those VSC and safety pack SR's, you get all the benefits of an SR5 and don't pay extra for useless stuff like the paper thin side steps, rear step and roll bar. The dual zone climate air in later example SR5's of that shape is a nice thing though. Or try and get a 2014-15-ish SR with full airbags and VSC standard.

[mitchn1]

Thanks mate, very helpful post.

[HK1837]

Pretty sure these are VSC (wide wheel and flare) cars. The last two have the side airbags too, others may as well.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-5640617

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... D-16813412

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-5647091

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-5883986