Toyota HiAce Composer
’94 Toyota Hiace, only 76k miles (odometer in km, speedo in miles) from new, starts on the button and runs sweetly.
Selectable 4WD with low ratio gearbox – a proper Go Anywhere camper!
New MOT
It’s an old, fairly bomb proof Toyota (you’ve seen the Top Gear Hilux episode right…?) and it shows it’s wear with pride, but if you’re after a modern, immaculate VW T6, this probably isn’t for you…
It’ll happily do over 70 but I tend to cruise at about 60, and have covered a fair few 200+ mile journeys recently in comfort. It’s not quiet, the engine is between the front seats, and you can hear the transmission at certain speeds, but it’s not intrusive, it just means you don’t push it. There’s not much point anyway, the accelerator is more of a volume pedal over about 55-60 anyway…
Good points:
It’s ace.
Come the apocalypse, it’ll be the best van in the world, ever.
It’s a Toyota.
It makes you smile.
Go anywhere in confidence with 4WD when you need it.
Waxoyled underneath, and stainless exhaust.
Off grid/self contained.
It’s a bit different to your standard VW T4/T25.
Bad points:
It’s not fast.
It’s had bits of bodywork touched up over the years, and will need keeping on top of.
Small oil leak from the rear diff (been there for the 5 years we’ve had it, easy fix but not urgent).
Aircon needs regassing/servicing.
Timing belt light is on but belt does not need changing. Light comes on at 100,000 km, but belt was changed at about 65,000 km when we bought the van, so will next need doing at about 165000 km. Light will turn itself off at 200,000 km, or can be switched off inside the dash, we just haven’t removed the dash to do it..
Up to 4 berths with either a large single or a kingsize bed ‘downstairs’ and a small double or large single in the pop top.
Really sociable ‘living area’ with seats facing each other either side of a removable table, with the seats converting to the ‘downstairs’ bed, living area or forward facing bench seating as required. Licences for 7 seats and registered as MPV.
Great camping facilities including full off grid capability if required:
Large, very comfy beds.
Fridge (run constantly during recent camping trip, very effective and solar panel kept up with demand).
BATHROOM (!) – yep, separate bathroom/wetroom with pumped water, waste water container and flushing toilet – very civilised on a camp site, great for wild camping and brilliant when using as a day van for drying off and getting changed after a swim in the sea!
Diesel heater, toasty warm inside on cold days!
Wind out Fiamma awning.
No fixed galley, but we prefer to cook on a portable gas stove, outside when it’s dry and in the van when it’s wet.
Lots of recent upgrades including new leisure battery and solar panel, new pop top canvas and a custom stainless (no rust!) exhaust.
Everything from ‘wild’, off grid camping, to motorhome only sites, where you need to be completely self contained, and really good for use as a day van for exploring the moors and the coast. Great to get back to a warm and dry van and pop the kettle on, brilliant when we’ve been swimming in the sea, and a very civilised way to get changed in the dry. And occasionally very useful to have your own loo…!
Only selling because we’ve bought a boat, and it’s not going to get the use it deserves!
Located in Plymouth but regularly in Portsmouth, so can probably deliver along the south coast between the 2 with a bit of planning..
Happy to answer any questions, viewings in Portsmouth area during the week, Plymouth at weekends.
Choice between large single or king size double ‘downstairs’, with a small double (1 adult or 2 children) in the roof.
The contact details for this vehicle are no longer available because it has either sold or the listing has expired.
Insurance options are available through our partner, Ripe Insurance.
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