Hi..
Car or truck?...depends...what you like or want. I'm a previous owner of a Waja, now have a Hilux 2.5..non VNT nor intercooler as a daily driver.
My input.
Maintenance cost of a truck i.e. my Hilux. Engine oil 7ltrs..i buy 18ltrs pail castrol crb turbo cf4 for rm170 and 2 oil filters..rm16 each (ori). Manual says..engine oil cf4 spec..10k interval oil change. So the 18ltrs oil will last me 2.5 oil change or 6-7 months. Quite economical for a 2.5 turbo. Air filter..ori denso thailand...about rm60-70. LSD oil...RM22/ltr..ori toyota. Requires 3 bottles I think. ATF..no need to change says the manual. The diesel filter...I'm not sure how much. Never changed before..
Timing belt set...those dayco brand..rm270 a set. Cheap lorrr. Ori toyota i'm not sure..never checked. Brake pads...rm140 per pair..ori toyota. Ori toyota coolant..rm18 per bottle. I stock a few just in case. Those bridgestone duelers...rm 340 at kedai papan klang...15 inches...so ok la..not so expensive. Those 16 inches on tritons, dmax...i dunno how expensive. Dont want to know...scared.
Roadtax..rm800++ a year...phewww. There's a slight headache there..compared to waja just rm90. Toll..same as sedan..so no worries.
Fuel consumption?...rm60 of petronas diesel gets me 400 kms...80% highway...Elite. Exactly same as my waja 4g18p.
Ride comfort..of course la sedan wins...big time. All trucks are bumpy and hard due to its suspension set up ...hard absorbers and leaf springs. Its meant to be a work horse remember. Want comfort...get a sedan or mpv. Please..please...please..if you drive a truck...any truck...don't take corners like you drive a sedan. They are not designed to do so. Use your brains guys
But most importantly...i like my hilux. Enjoy driving it everyday. Its like...rewarding yourself la. Its what I have been wanting.
Why hilux? Durability, maintenance cost, resale value, spare support, simple technology..even my regular mechanic can maintain it. Don't want headache...got to send only to authorised service centre la..bla..bla...its expensive. It shouldnt be expensive if you know what to do.
I think there are reasons why the Hilux sale is always highest...every year...for how many years already. So the sales figure speaks for itself.
So..happy hunting man
Kena TAPAU everyday to work....