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Maintaining my Toyota HiAce in India: Pleased with its current state

13th October 2024, 11:45 by Utkarsh Chaudhary

I have finally replaced the existing Toyota Innova wheels with the van's original wheels. The ride quality has improved and I am very happy with this change.

BHPian rrsteer recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

For such a nice vehicle, I have been guilty of not putting up new updates. The reason was that the van was not driven much. I think it covered just 10k - 12k kms in the last two years. The current odd reading stands at about 2.31 lac kms

As if to make up for the low running, I spent a considerable amount on its up-keep and maintenance. Last year some suspension and other work was done at Bhpian Viraat13's garage. This past week with NCR restrictions not allowing me to visit Viraat's garage again, I got it serviced and had some major work done at the workshop from where it was purchased.

The maintenance work included the following apart from regular servicing and oil change:

Firstly, something that I had been trying to accomplish for a long time - replacing the existing Innova wheels with the original wheels. I will say the change has improved the ride by a good amount. It jumps far less over the bigger bumps and road undulations. Very very happy with this change.
The AC compressor conked off and was replaced with an old used sample, but one which was in a good condition. While the AC is quite effective now, the vents at the either end of the front row are dead. It will be a major task to find the relevant parts and repair/replace them.
The power steering oil was leaking drop by drop. This was repaired and rectified.
The radiator water body had rusted and was replaced.
The Innova captain seats that replaced the original seats (now deeply regret doing that) were a bit too high for comfort, so took this opportunity to correct that. Reduced the height of the metal frame on which the seats are fixed.

Overall, happy and pleased with the van. These ladder-frame Toyotas will go down in history as among the most durable cars ever built.

Sharing a few pictures from the trip to the car garage last weekend -which was about 150 kms from my place, the journey back home yesterday and the van's current look.

To give an idea of the low running I mentioned earlier, it was the first tankful in almost 5 months when I started for the workshop last Saturday!

The fuel economy delivered continues to be very respectable and consistent. It is driven mostly on roads on the outskirts of the city, in towns and villages. (The 8kmpl reading in February is incorrect as I had reset the trip meter a little late for that reading.)

With pleasant weather, very less traffic, I was enjoying my time with the van on the road...

Also had a very very brief rendezvous with a distant cousin - which/who by the way is looking increasingly weird.

The garage where I took the van is filled with eye candies of all kinds and in all types of conditions.

A broken-down W221 - it looks aristocratic even in that state!

A 70 series Land Cruiser(?) being prepared for a client.

A wrecked Chrysler 300C - one of the poster boys of Daimler & Chrysler's failed marriage.

The donor Rangeela Hiace. It lent its wheels to my van. Now shod with the alloys we gifted her in return.

On the return long, again had a very very quick meet and greet with another distant cousin - this time even more distant. I didn't like the shoes my very distant cousin wore.

A Tiago.EV - a car and a design which I love (own one), but absolutely detest its parent for being the brand that is least interested in quality. The picture demonstrates a common QC failure in the car - the charging area lid that won't shut.

Finally, a picture from today morning, when I took the HiAce for a short joyride. I will spend some time over the coming days/weeks to spruce it up a bit more, but overall very happy with the present state of the van and also how it's looking with those blacked rims.