lite ace

[whitegx]

     Bro bago lang ako dito and i just want to ask something, Maybe it's not a new topic anymore but I'm planning to buy a toyota lite ace and since na marami akong nadidinig regarding the aircon and engine over heat. do you think ok pa rin na  ituloy ko ang pagbili. thanks in advance and more power.

[rt140se]

you'll only encounter problems if you go to a battle unprepared.

yes, the lite ace is notorious for overheating, air conditioner failure and even driver's balls being cooked hard boiled. also, the lite ace is weak and you might find yourself disappointed when you climb hills and it under-performs.

but no one said that these are permanent conditions for the lite ace. it can be fixed and improved. just keep in mind that the lite ace is a commuter van and not a sports car. the engine is more than adequate for all sorts of trips but really has a hard time on inclines specially if its carrying a full load.

so going back to topic, here's the actual fix:

air con:
-make it dual like the fx with multiple condensers and evaporators.

overheat:
-kill the fan clutch and upgrade the system to electronically triggered cooling fans.
-upgrade to a larger radiator

and.. watch your preventive maintenance schedule.

[Leo C.]

Tama!  And with its short wheelbase, medyo uuga-uga pag minamaneho. Very spacious nga lang siya. Ok lang naman bilhin as long as expect mo yung problems, marami din naman bumili nyan diba? Meron ka ba ibang choices?

[onewaytrip]

depends on condition of the vehicle, and your intended purpose (as with any vehicle). used to have a gray metallic '93 gxl as my college car and it was so much fun to drive and own. handles well for a van. genuine parts are cheap. temp gauge did not go beyond 1st quadrant even with original radiator and no additional fan. loved it so much, i even used mobil 1 5w-50. it's now with my tita and tito and it's still in mint condition.

never naman uminit ang upuan ng liteace ko unlike in my versa van (which i was able to remedy).

[whitegx]

  thanks for the response bro, so meaning to say maaayos naman yung problem anyway kung uphill nmn ciguro the most is tagaytay lang kasi pang family use lang talaga ang plan ko, siguro i will look for a lite ace that's in her mint condition and magsama ako ng trusted mechanic. thanks bro!

     any comment for the nissan vanette?......... thanks again!

[Leo C.]

Nissan Vanette? Sabi nila, malakas sa gas at overheating din daw. If these are not true, for me, this is a better choice. Better looking pa.

[rt140se]

Nissan Vanette? Sabi nila, malakas sa gas at overheating din daw. If these are not true, for me, this is a better choice. Better looking pa.

used to own one din. reason kumbaket sya malakas sa gas is that it shares the same stupid fuel delivery system with the nissan maxima... used to own one din. its using a carburated engine pero the fuel pump is electronic that's for the ca20de engine. walang stepping control yung pump speed kaya what it pumps is what it will waste. although pwede rin to gawan ng paraan para mag-step down yung fuel pump speed when needed.

overheating, well... just religiously maintain it para walang problema. we all know the drill on that. also, pay close attention to its drive belts; it tends to wear fast for unknown reasons.

comparing the lite ace and vanette, i'd say depending on intended use. but since the thread starter metioned tagaytay, i'd lean more to the vanette. the 2.0 motor will stand out better than the lite ace's 5k. trust me.

as for its looks, both are good. comfort, the vanette is better. cost to maintain, toyota wins. on-board amenities, vanette wins.

[onewaytrip]

liteace has only 64 hp, but i've done steep laiya batangas inclines with a full load. it never failed me.

liteace was not power steering until the facelifted '96-'97 version. i found the steering of my '93 light enough even with 185/70r13 tires.

my mother once fainted after riding a vanette with a hole in the exhaust system. it can happen in any car, though, so check the exhaust pipes.

i haven't driven the vanette, but it should be more capable of heavy loads with its 92 hp.

[whitegx]

     thanks for the information bro, it will help me a lot on weighing things. thank you!
there's one more, how about considering also kia pregio in the line?

[onewaytrip]

pregio was the most comfortable van in its class during its time. it has side-impact beams for safety. my friend who has a 1997 pregio seems happy with it. his a/t currently has a problem, though; it wouldn't shift to third. he says parts are not hard to find as there are auto supply shops that specifically cater to korean cars.

[whitegx]

     thanks bro, so meaning to say aircon and overheating is not the main issue in kia pregio it's just that the a/t is having a problem. thanks a lot you're such a big help! now it's more easy to weigh things on choosing one. thanks again!

[rt140se]

no first hand experience in driving a korean van but a feedback i got from a friend who owns the latest starex is that he couldn't bare the cabin noise. the soundproofing is so bad. that's the starex, i think it will be an ok comparo for the pregio.

[whitegx]

     i guess it's not only starex whose having a problem regarding soundprooofing because even my uncle's isuzu APV is having one as well.
     going back from my topic, so for now vanette, lite ace and pregio will be on the line as of this time. thanks again bro.

[Leo C.]

Came across this   http://www.productreview.com.au/p/kia-pregio-2004-2005.html

I prefer diesel for a van.

[whitegx]

     yes  i know diesel is much cheaper compared to gas it's just that im trying to look for a spacious yet compact kind of van. anyway thanks for the advice.