Just drove a diesel Toyota Van

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
I just drove a right-hand-drive Japanese-spec 1990 Toyota Townace 4X4 van... Turbo diesel of course, or else what would be the point of talking about it....

The engine sounds great...nice turbo whistle. It's very free revving, and needs to be because the gearing is so low in this thing. Redline was at 5000 RPM. I don't think the engine is very powerful. I would guess around 80 or 90 HP maybe.... but it gets the thing moving. The engine sounds quieter and smoother than my 2004 PD.

It's too bad they never sold anything like this over here in North America.

Right hand drive takes a bit of getting used to...
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
Yes, I looked up some info about it and found that it uses a swirl chamber injection system.

It's such a shame we don't have more diesel vehicles like this over here in North America. Gas engines are great for high performance cars, but for any vehicle that is more utilitarian (truck, SUV, Van), or an "everyday-driver" diesel is the way to go.

Before buying my Golf I actually gave Ford the first chance at selling me my first new car (I've had many used ones, this was the first new one). I knew that there was talk of bringing the Ford Focus 1.8TDCi to NA but I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone. I got responses such as "What's that?" and "Yes it will be available in a couple years." Well, at the time "in a couple years" meant 2004. I found out in late 2003 that it was not likely to happen anytime soon, so I went with VW.
 

fastvicar

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Location
Lancaster, PA, USA
TDI
1996 Passat, Indian Red
Kubota uses indirect injection ("swirl chamber") in many of their engines to bring noise down. Toyota does the same, apparently.

Yeah, I'm with you. We need more choices. I'd love to have a smaller diesel in a 1/2 ton pickup truck and I don't need 400 lb-ft. of torque to get the job done, but I guess I'd take it if given the opportunity. I think that the success of the DC Sprinter vans is starting to open some eyes in Detroit. Nothing fast, just super-low operating costs. Perfect!

I'm still holding out for either a Golf V TDI DSG 4Motion or an Alfa 147 JTD M-jet. Not holding my breath, though...
 

EMS

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2000
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
My best friend but almost 500k on his 85 Toyota 2.4L TD 4x4 before it finally retired due to frame rot.

He's currently driving a 96 passat TDI Wagon, but every year he bugs the Toyota dealerships about bringing in diesels again and there's never an answer.
 

dieselgus

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Location
PA, SK
TDI
04 Variant Black/Black
just yesterday, as I was getting out of the car at work, I heard the definate sound of a diesel and a turbo under load, so, I turn around, and lo and behold I spot this old Landcruiser driving away. I have no idea what year this thing is, but it definately was a diesel. Didn't realise we had diesel Landcruisers here in Canada.

There's a guy that goes for coffee once inawhile up the mall that has a Diesel ford ranger, and I have come accross a couple diesel S-10 pickups in the past year. Kinda neat.

Gus
 

Ian F

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2002
Location
Croydon, PA
TDI
Jetta Wagon, 2003, Indigo Blue
Yeah, I'm with you. We need more choices. I'd love to have a smaller diesel in a 1/2 ton pickup truck and I don't need 400 lb-ft. of torque to get the job done, but I guess I'd take it if given the opportunity. I think that the success of the DC Sprinter vans is starting to open some eyes in Detroit. Nothing fast, just super-low operating costs. Perfect!
I often wonder why DCX doesn't drop the Sprinter's engine/tranny into a Dakota or Ram 1500. I bet it would sell well...
 

cat793

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 11, 2002
Location
"I come from a Land Down Under"
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Stationwagon
Hi Guys,
I a currently on assignment in Argentina , I drive a RHD 2003 Toyota Hilux 3.0 Turbo Diesel twin Cab 4X4 . When I get some time I take a few snap shot of it and my 2003 Golf TDI wagon. Down here Diesel is king , you name and you can get it in Turbo Diesel.

Best regards,
Peter
 

conejo_a_cuatro

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2004
Location
Bryn Mawr, PA
TDI
2001 Golf GLS Silver, 2011 JSW Manual - Bought Back. Now 328d Wagon.
just yesterday, as I was getting out of the car at work, I heard the definate sound of a diesel and a turbo under load, so, I turn around, and lo and behold I spot this old Landcruiser driving away. I have no idea what year this thing is, but it definately was a diesel. Didn't realise we had diesel Landcruisers here in Canada.
Canada had a much higher proportion of toyota diesels than the US for the few years that toyota imported them to NA. Toyota brought both the large landcruiser station wagons and the smaller Land Cruiser "bj70's", not to mention the old, rounder style '40's, all of which were available in diesel. Canada also got many diesel and turbodiesel pickups in the 1980's. Now Canada and the US seem to have the same non-diesel offerings, due to the inscrutable wisdom of Toyota marketing.
 
Top