4x2 Pickup DMax/Strada/Hilux/Ranger Debate. daily drive rig

[AKI125]

Sir GTi, alam ko rin LX models comes with 4JJI engine both 4x2 and 4x4.

[toyotaparter]

I checked my isuzu leaflets and handouts.

it turns out, the Current Dmax that theyre selling are available in the ff trims:
LS 4x4 M/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine
LS 4x4 A/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine
LS 4x2 M/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine
LS 4x2 A/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine

LX 4x2 M/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine

LT 4x4 M/T 3.0 4JJ1 engine
LT 4x2 M/T 2.5 4JA1 engine


Personally, I like the LX. its priced and spec'd right.

Sayang nga lang wala na yung titanium silver sa LX. White na lang ang available.

[AKI125]

Ok yun unichip plug and play but pricey lang but whats good with this brand is totally programmable. Race chip pro naman is also a plug and play with 2 dials where in you need to set them according to your preference. Other plug and play chip are readily available in the market with the same dial/s for its setting. Setting the chip too high would lead to limpmode.

Personally, i didnt save on my FC but im really satisfied with its performance. Most of my friends had the same outcome, not much of the fuel savings but more on the performance.

[rna800]

First of all, please allow me to post this kahit na double topic because I am really confused regarding pickup choices.

I am a simple person, 27 years old with a height of 5'6, so any big rig will not match me because i will look too short. I am intending to use this pickup as a daily driven rig. It should be very fuel efficient, tough, durable and comfortable. I dont go offroad as a necessity, just for fun. and i also dont haul anything for buisness (or atleast not yet). Our family only consists of 4 people which are about my height so rear seating is a plus, but not a necessity.

I usually drive by myself, or with a companion, bihira lang maupuan yung rear seats. mga once a week lang.

I am currently looking for the most practical pickup out there na bagay sakin. Probably yung pinaka fuel efficient, cheap to maintain and durable.


any inputs guys?


If you own any of those rigs, it would sure help a lot if you'd post your fuel consumption para mas broad ang research ko. I dont wanna make a mistake choosing out a diesel guzzler pickup.



thanks a bunch!!

Sir toyotaparter,

I will give my insight on this topic as on owner of an 08 4x2 M/T Dmax DDI Iteq LS. I will try to give the most accurate insights as to my experiences with my rig for more than 3 years and hopefully this would help you decide once and for all if the Dmax is for you.

Fuel Efficiency: I am not as technical as sir hinDMaxsiado and incompetent to provide you figures or charts pertaining to its fuel efficiency. I don't also do computation each time I gas up in regard to the accuracy of information provided in the car's mileage reading. But in my experience, the average fuel reading of mine is 11+ kms/liter. The highest mileage that I have recorded was during its break in period when I brought it to our province and running between 80 to 100 kph only. I managed to get more than 1000+ km in one full tank. But I have never reached it anymore thereafter. After achieving more than 1k+ kilometers in 1 full tank, the lowest mileage recorded was less than 500 kms/liter in 1 full tank when I brought it again to our province. The reason was I kept on running more than 120 kph and I even reached 175 kph especially in SCTEX. So for me, the way I look at it is it's not the Dmax that is fuel efficient but it depends on how heavy your right foot is. It can be thrifty if you stay within the limits but it can be otherwise too. At present it is only registering around 9+ km/liter and reason will be provided in the next category which is durability and toughness. My usual full tank cost, talking at present, is around 2200 to 2500 pesos and it lasts roughly 650 kms (as always, it depends on how it was driven and where it was driven).

Durability and toughness: My rig is only 3.8 years old so I can't really vouch for its durability. Only time will tell, if I keep it long enough, if it is indeed durable. I have my fair share of experiences. The deepest flood that I have waded was about half tire deep and it managed to pass without any problems after. I have passed slight uneven roads without fear that the under chassis will get scratched, put heavy loads in the bed without any problem. So if that would be also your basis for durability, I could tell you that mine survived without any problems.

Now the more important question is: What are the mechanical parts that I have already replaced in my pickup most especially in the engine? Not in the engine but I have replaced its brake shoes way back. Till now I don't understand how my brake shoes needed replacement in its early stage. 2nd, I have already replaced its SCV. The reason was the MIL lit. 3rd is not yet replaced but I will do this soon, the EGR. The MIL lit again after replacing the SCV but it disappeared but it lit again. 4th is not yet fixed, the "floater" of my gasoline tank is assumed to be broken since my fuel needle doesn't go all the way up. It stops about a hair thick at the bottom of the topmost line even though I always tell the gas boy to fill it up to its max capacity. 5th is the rear shock or perhaps shocks is/are already squeaking. Given those circumstances and considering some of those problems happened within the 3 yr warranty or just after the 3 yr warranty, it will be up to you to decide, if my rig lived up or performed to YOUR understanding or belief of durable and tough. In fairness, I haven't experienced any stalling in the highway where the truck has to be towed already. To connect as to why mine is running around 9+ km/liter is because the EGR needs to be replaced or perhaps cleaned. Ever since the MIL lit again, the car's performance is a bit restricted thus the need for more weight on the accelerator.

Comfortability: It will be a mini workout or a little tricky for the elderly or for people with arthritis. When those people ride with you, expect to hear "hay or hay, antaas naman." Sitting at the back, it will depend on your level of dizziness but in my experience, I get a bit dizzy sitting at the back. Yes, the truck is bouncy especially with empty bed but if it's loaded, most especially the bed, it is like gliding. Sitting in front, I don't find any problems at all. In terms of its maneuverability, it will be require a bit of skill or intimidating at first but you'll get used to it.

Maintenance: I will post the cost of my PMS from my receipts since day 1 so that you could decide for yourself whether it is cheap or not.

1k kms -3,478.27
5k kms -2,226.33
10k kms - 5,643.29
15k kms - 3,912.31
20k kms -7,800.54
25k kms - 2,942.35
30k kms -7,380.49
35k kms -5,014.07
40k kms -9,706.66
45k kms -5,489.48
50k kms -17,029.97 (They replaced the brake shoe which cost 650-labor and 5,626.19-parts)
55k kms -5,779.56
57,880 kms -7,804.72 (Cost in replacing the SCV)
60k kms -11,816.39

For the a/c cleaning, I didn't avail of the services of Isuzu instead; I have my own a/c guy who cleans the a/c of our cars. I already had it serviced less than a month ago and the a/c was cool again since. I only paid less than 2k pesos.

Performance: It is not the fastest among the pickups but it can run up to 175 kph which I believe is already fast for a truck. Besides, I am a city driver and with the speed limit being implemented, the traffic jams all over the metro and the rising fuel prices, the specification of this truck is already enough for me. I couldn't go to technical details about the connection of hp and torque but I could feel its pull even in low rpm. Overall, I am satisfied with its performance. It has enough juice when I need it though, if it can be made more powerful, why not?

Pertaining to the size of the cargo bed, it is somewhat deep but the length is shorter than the other trucks.

Looks: It is subjective but I love the looks of the Dmax. It's manly to me. It is a plus most especially if you are in the 4x2 category, the tires, the fender flare, they are all in there already (talking about the 4x2 LS category). I don't need to make it look like a 4x4 anymore.

There you go! I hope this facilitates you if you are taking into account the Dmax. Please be reminded that these are based on my own observations and experiences with my Dmax with the said variant. Other owners might have different experiences with theirs and I am not speaking on behalf of all Dmax owners.

Good luck!

[weisshorn]

Sir toyotaparter,

I will give my insight on this topic as on owner of an 08 4x2 M/T Dmax DDI Iteq LS. I will try to give the most accurate insights as to my experiences with my rig for more than 3 years and hopefully this would help you decide once and for all if the Dmax is for you.

Fuel Efficiency: I am not as technical as sir hinDMaxsiado and incompetent to provide you figures or charts pertaining to its fuel efficiency. I don't also do computation each time I gas up in regard to the accuracy of information provided in the car's mileage reading. But in my experience, the average fuel reading of mine is 11+ kms/liter. The highest mileage that I have recorded was during its break in period when I brought it to our province and running between 80 to 100 kph only. I managed to get more than 1000+ km in one full tank. But I have never reached it anymore thereafter. After achieving more than 1k+ kilometers in 1 full tank, the lowest mileage recorded was less than 500 kms/liter in 1 full tank when I brought it again to our province. The reason was I kept on running more than 120 kph and I even reached 175 kph especially in SCTEX. So for me, the way I look at it is it's not the Dmax that is fuel efficient but it depends on how heavy your right foot is. It can be thrifty if you stay within the limits but it can be otherwise too. At present it is only registering around 9+ km/liter and reason will be provided in the next category which is durability and toughness. My usual full tank cost, talking at present, is around 2200 to 2500 pesos and it lasts roughly 650 kms (as always, it depends on how it was driven and where it was driven).

Durability and toughness: My rig is only 3.8 years old so I can't really vouch for its durability. Only time will tell, if I keep it long enough, if it is indeed durable. I have my fair share of experiences. The deepest flood that I have waded was about half tire deep and it managed to pass without any problems after. I have passed slight uneven roads without fear that the under chassis will get scratched, put heavy loads in the bed without any problem. So if that would be also your basis for durability, I could tell you that mine survived without any problems.

Now the more important question is: What are the mechanical parts that I have already replaced in my pickup most especially in the engine? Not in the engine but I have replaced its brake shoes way back. Till now I don't understand how my brake shoes needed replacement in its early stage. 2nd, I have already replaced its SCV. The reason was the MIL lit. 3rd is not yet replaced but I will do this soon, the EGR. The MIL lit again after replacing the SCV but it disappeared but it lit again. 4th is not yet fixed, the "floater" of my gasoline tank is assumed to be broken since my fuel needle doesn't go all the way up. It stops about a hair thick at the bottom of the topmost line even though I always tell the gas boy to fill it up to its max capacity. 5th is the rear shock or perhaps shocks is/are already squeaking. Given those circumstances and considering some of those problems happened within the 3 yr warranty or just after the 3 yr warranty, it will be up to you to decide, if my rig lived up or performed to YOUR understanding or belief of durable and tough. In fairness, I haven't experienced any stalling in the highway where the truck has to be towed already. To connect as to why mine is running around 9+ km/liter is because the EGR needs to be replaced or perhaps cleaned. Ever since the MIL lit again, the car's performance is a bit restricted thus the need for more weight on the accelerator.

Comfortability: It will be a mini workout or a little tricky for the elderly or for people with arthritis. When those people ride with you, expect to hear "hay or hay, antaas naman." Sitting at the back, it will depend on your level of dizziness but in my experience, I get a bit dizzy sitting at the back. Yes, the truck is bouncy especially with empty bed but if it's loaded, most especially the bed, it is like gliding. Sitting in front, I don't find any problems at all. In terms of its maneuverability, it will be require a bit of skill or intimidating at first but you'll get used to it.

Maintenance: I will post the cost of my PMS from my receipts since day 1 so that you could decide for yourself whether it is cheap or not.

1k kms -3,478.27
5k kms -2,226.33
10k kms - 5,643.29
15k kms - 3,912.31
20k kms -7,800.54
25k kms - 2,942.35
30k kms -7,380.49
35k kms -5,014.07
40k kms -9,706.66
45k kms -5,489.48
50k kms -17,029.97 (They replaced the brake shoe which cost 650-labor and 5,626.19-parts)
55k kms -5,779.56
57,880 kms -7,804.72 (Cost in replacing the SCV)
60k kms -11,816.39

For the a/c cleaning, I didn't avail of the services of Isuzu instead; I have my own a/c guy who cleans the a/c of our cars. I already had it serviced less than a month ago and the a/c was cool again since. I only paid less than 2k pesos.

Performance: It is not the fastest among the pickups but it can run up to 175 kph which I believe is already fast for a truck. Besides, I am a city driver and with the speed limit being implemented, the traffic jams all over the metro and the rising fuel prices, the specification of this truck is already enough for me. I couldn't go to technical details about the connection of hp and torque but I could feel its pull even in low rpm. Overall, I am satisfied with its performance. It has enough juice when I need it though, if it can be made more powerful, why not?

Pertaining to the size of the cargo bed, it is somewhat deep but the length is shorter than the other trucks.

Looks: It is subjective but I love the looks of the Dmax. It's manly to me. It is a plus most especially if you are in the 4x2 category, the tires, the fender flare, they are all in there already (talking about the 4x2 LS category). I don't need to make it look like a 4x4 anymore.

There you go! I hope this facilitates you if you are taking into account the Dmax. Please be reminded that these are based on my own observations and experiences with my Dmax with the said variant. Other owners might have different experiences with theirs and I am not speaking on behalf of all Dmax owners.

Good luck!

Very good & well said personal insight Sir. Thank You

[toyotaparter]

Sir toyotaparter,

I will give my insight on this topic as on owner of an 08 4x2 M/T Dmax DDI Iteq LS. I will try to give the most accurate insights as to my experiences with my rig for more than 3 years and hopefully this would help you decide once and for all if the Dmax is for you.

Fuel Efficiency: I am not as technical as sir hinDMaxsiado and incompetent to provide you figures or charts pertaining to its fuel efficiency. I don't also do computation each time I gas up in regard to the accuracy of information provided in the car's mileage reading. But in my experience, the average fuel reading of mine is 11+ kms/liter. The highest mileage that I have recorded was during its break in period when I brought it to our province and running between 80 to 100 kph only. I managed to get more than 1000+ km in one full tank. But I have never reached it anymore thereafter. After achieving more than 1k+ kilometers in 1 full tank, the lowest mileage recorded was less than 500 kms/liter in 1 full tank when I brought it again to our province. The reason was I kept on running more than 120 kph and I even reached 175 kph especially in SCTEX. So for me, the way I look at it is it's not the Dmax that is fuel efficient but it depends on how heavy your right foot is. It can be thrifty if you stay within the limits but it can be otherwise too. At present it is only registering around 9+ km/liter and reason will be provided in the next category which is durability and toughness. My usual full tank cost, talking at present, is around 2200 to 2500 pesos and it lasts roughly 650 kms (as always, it depends on how it was driven and where it was driven).

Durability and toughness: My rig is only 3.8 years old so I can't really vouch for its durability. Only time will tell, if I keep it long enough, if it is indeed durable. I have my fair share of experiences. The deepest flood that I have waded was about half tire deep and it managed to pass without any problems after. I have passed slight uneven roads without fear that the under chassis will get scratched, put heavy loads in the bed without any problem. So if that would be also your basis for durability, I could tell you that mine survived without any problems.

Now the more important question is: What are the mechanical parts that I have already replaced in my pickup most especially in the engine? Not in the engine but I have replaced its brake shoes way back. Till now I don't understand how my brake shoes needed replacement in its early stage. 2nd, I have already replaced its SCV. The reason was the MIL lit. 3rd is not yet replaced but I will do this soon, the EGR. The MIL lit again after replacing the SCV but it disappeared but it lit again. 4th is not yet fixed, the "floater" of my gasoline tank is assumed to be broken since my fuel needle doesn't go all the way up. It stops about a hair thick at the bottom of the topmost line even though I always tell the gas boy to fill it up to its max capacity. 5th is the rear shock or perhaps shocks is/are already squeaking. Given those circumstances and considering some of those problems happened within the 3 yr warranty or just after the 3 yr warranty, it will be up to you to decide, if my rig lived up or performed to YOUR understanding or belief of durable and tough. In fairness, I haven't experienced any stalling in the highway where the truck has to be towed already. To connect as to why mine is running around 9+ km/liter is because the EGR needs to be replaced or perhaps cleaned. Ever since the MIL lit again, the car's performance is a bit restricted thus the need for more weight on the accelerator.

Comfortability: It will be a mini workout or a little tricky for the elderly or for people with arthritis. When those people ride with you, expect to hear "hay or hay, antaas naman." Sitting at the back, it will depend on your level of dizziness but in my experience, I get a bit dizzy sitting at the back. Yes, the truck is bouncy especially with empty bed but if it's loaded, most especially the bed, it is like gliding. Sitting in front, I don't find any problems at all. In terms of its maneuverability, it will be require a bit of skill or intimidating at first but you'll get used to it.

Maintenance: I will post the cost of my PMS from my receipts since day 1 so that you could decide for yourself whether it is cheap or not.

1k kms -3,478.27
5k kms -2,226.33
10k kms - 5,643.29
15k kms - 3,912.31
20k kms -7,800.54
25k kms - 2,942.35
30k kms -7,380.49
35k kms -5,014.07
40k kms -9,706.66
45k kms -5,489.48
50k kms -17,029.97 (They replaced the brake shoe which cost 650-labor and 5,626.19-parts)
55k kms -5,779.56
57,880 kms -7,804.72 (Cost in replacing the SCV)
60k kms -11,816.39

For the a/c cleaning, I didn't avail of the services of Isuzu instead; I have my own a/c guy who cleans the a/c of our cars. I already had it serviced less than a month ago and the a/c was cool again since. I only paid less than 2k pesos.

Performance: It is not the fastest among the pickups but it can run up to 175 kph which I believe is already fast for a truck. Besides, I am a city driver and with the speed limit being implemented, the traffic jams all over the metro and the rising fuel prices, the specification of this truck is already enough for me. I couldn't go to technical details about the connection of hp and torque but I could feel its pull even in low rpm. Overall, I am satisfied with its performance. It has enough juice when I need it though, if it can be made more powerful, why not?

Pertaining to the size of the cargo bed, it is somewhat deep but the length is shorter than the other trucks.

Looks: It is subjective but I love the looks of the Dmax. It's manly to me. It is a plus most especially if you are in the 4x2 category, the tires, the fender flare, they are all in there already (talking about the 4x2 LS category). I don't need to make it look like a 4x4 anymore.

There you go! I hope this facilitates you if you are taking into account the Dmax. Please be reminded that these are based on my own observations and experiences with my Dmax with the said variant. Other owners might have different experiences with theirs and I am not speaking on behalf of all Dmax owners.

Good luck!

many thanks for that reply sir. youve basically shared your whole ownership experience on your truck.


im just a bit concerned why the EGR needed to be serviced and also whats MIL?
I also dont know what SCV is. What is it?

seems tough enough. Im just a bit shocked that meron ng engine parts na pinalitan. how do you usually use the truck sir? and ilang kilometers na ang tinakbo? :_)

[rna800]

many thanks for that reply sir. youve basically shared your whole ownership experience on your truck.


im just a bit concerned why the EGR needed to be serviced and also whats MIL?
I also dont know what SCV is. What is it?

seems tough enough. Im just a bit shocked that meron ng engine parts na pinalitan. how do you usually use the truck sir? and ilang kilometers na ang tinakbo? :_)

Sir,

MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) or also known as Check Engine Light.

I can't really explain its exact purpose but as far as I'm concerned, I should be prepared once that helicopter looking light appears whether blinking or steady, most especially while the vehicle is in motion.

I will just quote from Wikipedia:
A malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), commonly referred to as the "Check Engine Light", is a tell-tale to indicate malfunction of a computerized engine management system. It is found on the instrument panel of most automobiles. When illuminated, it is typically either an amber or red color. On vehicles equipped with OBD-II, the light has two stages: steady (indicating a minor fault such as a loose gas cap or failing oxygen sensor) and flashing (indicating a severe fault, that could potentially damage the catalytic converter if left uncorrected for an extended period). When the MIL is lit, the engine control unit stores a fault code related to the malfunction, which can be retrieved with a scan tool and used for further diagnosis.

For the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation), if you don't mind browsing in the Dmax forum, sir Uncle Nik already posted an explanation in that regard.

The way I understood or made to believe, the life of those parts would be greatly affected depending on the quality of fuel you put in your car, particularly diesel. That is why I was flabbergasted when my SA told me that the SCV needs to replaced and perplexed when the MIL lit again just after a few thousand kilometers and the SA advised that it is now the EGR that needs to be replaced, considering I follow religiously the every 5k km PMS. I am very particular with gasoline stations. I don't really gas up in stations that I feel not at par with the standards, I also observe the kinds of cars gassing up there and so on.

I have already posted in the Dmax forum how my truck is used on a daily basis since someone posted there explaining the other factors affecting the life of SCV and EGR and not merely because of fuel. Basically my truck is being used in the city most of the time. It seldom gets stuck in traffic since very rarely that Commonwealth Ave has a stop and go traffic as compared to the busy areas of the metro. But there are circumstances that I have to go to traffic infested areas, but it is not on a daily basis.

My truck has currently clocked 63k+ kilometers.

Nonetheless, I am still very satisfied with its performance and happy to say that it has survived the 3 year period without major headaches.

[toyotaparter]

Reasonable kilometer reading sir. At 63k, if it were some other truck, you would have spent more than that. Kudos to you.

What is SCV ulit sir? many thanks for the replies.

[rna800]

^ As I have said, I am not a very technical person so I will just describe it this way.

It is a component in the engine that once it gets busted or dirty, it will cause your MIL to lit and possibly an engine fail; if it's running, it will choke or you will feel it's restricted or if you try to run it, the engine will stall hence, the need for restarting (at times restarting helps but it wouldn't take long before it malfunctions again.) The only way to diagnose it is via a computer something which your dealer has. Additionally, it is a small but very expensive piece of metal which in my case, it cost me almost 8k to replace. The EGR is even costlier, around 18k+. Whew!

[12vdc]

Reasonable kilometer reading sir. At 63k, if it were some other truck, you would have spent more than that. Kudos to you.

My 4x2 Nav is past 80k and the same age of sir RNAs Dmax. Only one major Engine problem encountered (not even related to fuel) was the sliding alternator cutch-bearing. All others are minor including shocks that i didnt bother to replace until now because ride is still fine (maybe im waiting for the shocks to fall off.. lolz)

Maintenance wise, i can say that its cheap and will be cheaper if you use cheap parts.(i use only the best parts that i could find). One thing i liked is the dual fuel filter (most nissans do), that makes it more tolerant to fuel problems. After my warrenty expired, i did myself all the required PMS and latest was change of fluids. Front brake pads have been replaced once by me, while the rear shoes is still 70%..

Althought it is now seldomly used for farm duties, its been an alternate vehicle for long drives usually 7-12 hrs and the reason for logging high ODO. No chip, no shims, engine is still virgin except for the blanked EGR and oil-catch can Mod that i made.

I know an LGU that have fleet of Navara.. Odo clocking at 50+k kms and it never received any PMS from casa.. You know how these govt people use the utilities - basta makagamit hangat hindi tumitirik, kung sino-sino ang driver.. At one time nag limp mode dahil yung filter kasing itim na ng gulong..hahaha.. Driver took off the filter and drove back.. I think that engine will die very very soon..

What i think is that, stock-to-stock all makes should last basta alaga sa PMS.. And because CRDI engines are sensitive to dirt, mas may advantage ang may good filtering system.. Malas na lang kung lemon..