Help: GL Grandia/ Super Grandia/ New Starex Crdi

**mikmik316** · December 5th, 2006 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by OTEP

Example, Fortuner owners complaining that the ride is 'harsh'. For me the ride of the Fortuner is tolearable (I've test driven one kahit wala na kami sa pila that time), but I guess owners were expecting something else.

Probably big reason bakit surprised sila sa ride kasi 1st time lang nila magkaroon ng truck-based SUV???? Kasi kung matagal ka ng SUV owner ng iba ibang brands talagang hindi kukumpara sa kotse ang SUV suspension / shocks e....

For long time SUV owners minsan gusto mo na ulit kotse pero you will definitely sacrifice the good seating position offered by SUVs....

**OTEP** · December 5th, 2006 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by mikmik316

Probably big reason bakit surprised sila sa ride kasi 1st time lang nila magkaroon ng truck-based SUV???? Kasi kung matagal ka ng SUV owner ng iba ibang brands talagang hindi kukumpara sa kotse ang SUV suspension / shocks e....

For long time SUV owners minsan gusto mo na ulit kotse pero you will definitely sacrifice the good seating position offered by SUVs....

Yun nga. Dapat tinest drive muna nila bago binili para at least alam nila what to expect. Hindi pagkabayad at pagkauwi ng sasakyan sabay magrereklamo, 'ang tagtag'! hehehe.

lolo pepe,
no offense taken.

**IMm29** · December 5th, 2006 05:16 PM

Hi, we' re planning to buy a family van, my family and household help = 8 people. We can't decide which one to buy among the three- Yung GL Grandia doesn't have too much space for the luggage and the seats are not too comfortable daw lalo na kung long drive ? The New starex naman may problem daw sa suspension? The Super Grandia has captain seats but does it really make any difference sa bench seats sa GL Grandia? . We wanted a van na malamig a/c , comfortable seats and di malakas sa gas.Any input/ opinion will be appreciated. Thanks

Starex!

Hehe! Mukhang biased ba? ;)

The suspension on our "new" Starex is so far so good. We've had it for over a year, though not really abused. But like what Otep said, if it's the kalampag you're worried about, it can be fixed, under warranty at that. If it's the relatively "boaty" ride, well, that might be solved by stiffer shocks. Best to test drive first. If not from the dealer, from a friend ;) I haven't ridden either of the Grandias yet, just the Commuter. That wasn't too fun. Ride was pick-up stiff, and the seats were hard and upright. I sure hope this isn't the case with the 2 higher models.

The Starex can take 8 people comfortably, and have some luggage space to spare. The 2nd row can move forward, backward, swivel and face the side or the back to accommodate loading. The 3rd row can be split 50:50, so you can load more stuff and still carry 6 people. Despite lesser exterior dimensions, it doesn't seem claustrophobic inside. The Grandia seats, if I'm not mistaken, cannot be folded down to take in luggage. You can, however, seat 11 persons, and be able to walk through the cabin without having to ask anyone to stand up and move out of your way. And someone vertically-challenged can stand up and not hit his head in the Grandia. If the Grandia's last row folded like the Starex's, it would be a more flexible option.

A/C on the Hyundai and Toyota are great. You won't go wrong with either choice.

Power. Now that's another story. The Grandia's D-4D engine puts out 102hp while being mated to an manual tranny. This should allow you to max out its relatively limited power for its size more efficiently. The Starex's CRDi engine produces 145hp with an auto tranny. I would think, despite the advantages the MT would have, the engine would make up for it. Oh, and there is the occasional D-4D engine woe at the moment.

I'm really a Toyota fan, but when you're choosing between the Starex CRDi and the Grandia, considering the price differences as well, I'd say Hyundai has Toyota's number on this.

**marjom915** · January 19th, 2007 06:54 PM

Thank you so much mga informations,opinions and inputs, we have decided to get the starex na lang .

**Horsepower** · January 19th, 2007 07:09 PM

Good choice :D

**niky** · January 21st, 2007 11:31 AM

Hehe... late here... whole-heartedly recommend the Starex, my dad just got an 06 and it's nice and comfortable.

It may not be as big as the Hiace, but it's got much more power and a smooth albeit sometimes bouncy ride. Atsaka price to price, mas sulit pa.

RE: Fortuner: Just like the "lemon" Everest? Some people just don't do their homework before buying.

RE: D4D woes: It's possible that it's related to fuel quality, as people in our area aren't experiencing any (puro "boutique" gas stations yung nandito), but if you're going to be in the province a lot, it may be a problem.

**BRROOOMMMM** · January 21st, 2007 08:38 PM

good choice, starex crdi

**20vanda01** · January 25th, 2007 03:53 PM

How about if we compare the ride of a Starex 2003 and the older Super Grandia, which one is bouncy and more favored family car as an overall?

**Horsepower** · January 25th, 2007 04:08 PM

Starex pa rin. hehhee

unfortunately, my uncle didn't heed my advice, he still went on to purchase a Super Grandia for 1.8M with a mere 102Hp engine even after i've told him months ago that the Jumbo 12seat starex CRDi TDI is better.

**IMm29** · January 25th, 2007 04:38 PM

Actually, Toyota will get you with the imposing built of the Grandia and the Super Grandia. Side by side, a starex 9 or even 11 seater will look like a Liteace. And there's the 'T' badge. But of course, with the badge comes the price.

The Starex on the other hand is rather a sleeper in my book. It shares the same body as that of the first ones to comes out here in '97 and '98 and the face of the pre-CRDi models. To the 'T' vans, its design is quite old, so it blends in with the crowd instead of literally standing head and shoulders above it. But what makes it appealing to me is that gem of an engine. Haven't heard of problems with the CRDi engines, and being a Starex user from '98, the old engine was quite reliable. D*mn slow, but reliable.

Now, if Toyota came out with a more potent engine, and a bit more competitive price range, then there should be a shift in opinions, mine included. The D-4D is after all more powerful than the previous generation 3.0L Grandia's, and with a manual tranny on the Grandia, not much is lost to the transmission. Torque may be adequate for most applications. But then, overall, it's a big bread van that would be like a van to drive, unlike the Starex which has a bit more car-like feel, and more practical size.