Rojie

1 hour ago, Duncan Grimmond said:

I'm trying to identify the exact year to see if I am an early or later year type. I think the car is possibly built before the vague "date" of manufacture.

Does anyone have a formula for working out which year it really was made as opposed to the handy next number available at DVLA

1 hour ago, Duncan Grimmond said:

I'm trying to identify the exact year to see if I am an early or later year type. I think the car is possibly built before the vague "date" of manufacture.

Does anyone have a formula for working out which year it really was made as opposed to the handy next number available at DVLA

I don't think DVLA behave that way.

They do record the date of manufacture as the date first registered in Japan; not quite the same thing.

Have you tried CarVX, to see if that yields better information.

I think it is the same in the UK.

The DVLA do not know, or care, when the vehicle was made; only when it was first registered.

Do you mean Gen 1 or Gen 1 facelift ?

1 hour ago, NancysVera said:

Hello 

 

yes in Bodmin although moved recently to Nanstallon to a purpose built warehouse with far more room.

 

This is Jason Dyer of Dyernostics, very nice guy and easy to do business with 

 

ill check out if he’s on there 

 

thanks

 

Nancy 

That's him.

So glad to hear his business is growing

1 hour ago, NancysVera said:

Hello, i've got a 2014 vellfire, had for a year and dont think its really for me.  It's been an experience driving her and i wondered if anyone could give me any advice about selling her on?  They seem to drop like a stone in value and i can't part exchange her as the regular garages won't touch an import (something else I've learnt) i'm aware of the usual selling places like Ebay, autotrader and Facebook Marketplace but would be very grateful for any advice for anyone having gone through this process. 

 

I'm brand new to this site and only realised it existed due to my local mechanic who is Toyota trained and specialises in Alphards / Vellfire's

 

Thank you all so much , i will have a look around the site and would be interested in reading about future events 

Hello Nancy,

Welcome to the Forum.

There is a For Sale section in this Forum.

You are welcome to put an advert there.

There is no charge, but you must comply with the Rules for Selling.

There is also a section for recommended suppliers / garages / maintenance.

Perhaps you would consider adding their name etc, in that section.

Are they in Bodmin, as there is a Toyota Trained Technician there ?

6 hours ago, KCO said:

Struts - 2012 2.4 Vellfire Golden Eyes with power tailgate  - hope this helps

Thank you these photos.

They look identical to the Gen 1 facelift, but could be dimensionally different. I doubt that they are different.

However, it has been established that the strut units themselves are different, even the attachment parts are not.

I await a confirmation and quote from Amayama.

The Amayama parts are OEM assembly and a much more sensible cost, unsurprisingly, than the Toyota Direct ones.

It may be the hinges, or the motor, that are causing the 'juddering'..

Like many owners, the issue annoys me, but does not actually need attention.

8 hours ago, Adriantan said:

Hi my Alphard when ramp up to 30-40 kmh the engine will drag if I increase speed slowly. If I ramp on it, it will get over the drag and speed up. May I know what's the problem. Thank you

Hello Adrian,

Welcome to the Forum.

Please complete the details in your profile.

It helps us help you if we know what vehicle you have !

Age and type.

2 hours ago, matty said:

Hi all. 

Apologies if this has been discussed to death, I did a search but couldn't find anything relevant. 

 

We're in the market for an alphard/ vellfire and went to look at some today. 

I test drove one wth the 3.0v6 and one with the 2.4.

There wasn't much in it in terms of driving experience - the 3.0 was a bit smoother maybe.

 

Is there a consensus on which is the better or more reliable engine? I read that the 3.0 is a bit difficult to change the rear bank of spark plugs, but it's there anything else to look out for? 

 

Also, this particular van is 4wd, anything I should be aware of regarding that? I figure it'll be a bit worse on fuel, but just want to make sure it's not going to grenade itself. 

 

 

Any advice is much appreciated. 

 

 

 

On the 4WD versions it is quite important to ensure all wheels and tyres are the same size and similar wear.

1 hour ago, Phil1B said:

Hi folks, just bought an Alphard and joined the forum so apologies in advance if this is a stupid query. I've tried to use the technical parts lookup and found the part no. I think I need 81591B(LH) rear lamp lens and body. I shouldn't need the bulbs etc because the lights work, it just needs a new cover (current one broken). Any idea if I should get the socket plugs and bulbs also anyway? Also where would be the recommended place to source it? Any advice appreciated. 

Hello Phil,

Welcome to the Forum.

There are no silly questions on this Forum, especially from new member owners.

We were all new owners and members once.

1 hour ago, Alex87 said:

I was thinking at AA/RAC but I don't know thier knowledge about imported vans

As it's more than 4 hours drive or train ride I bet it will be equivalent cost to a technician check if it's a lemon. 

If the owner knows about the battery reset that suggests that it's a parasitic drain or alternator issues I presume.

I've check the MOT history and nothing to be scared off in the last years, and what was picked up and failed have invoice that the work had be done( match the miles in MOT history)

From memory I paid £300, about 3 years ago; so no doubt higher now.

However, it should be easy enough to find out the exact cost from AA or RAC.

I think you may misunderstand about the battery.

No matter how good the battery, including brand new, if it is disconnected long enough to replace it the windows will almost certainly need resetting.

I am not suggesting parasitic drain or any other issues as the cause for a new battery.

For the cost of a new battery the vendor should replace it before you take delivery.

How long has the current owner owned it ?

Many owners do not replace batteries early enough before they reach end of life.

Maybe that is the case.

Has it been standing unused for a while, as there will be battery drain due to current drain from any equipment not wired through the ignition.

Are you considering a private purchase, or one from a business ?

Regarding the AA / RAC being unfamiliar with Alphards.

Most mechanics are, including official Toyota dealers.

I think the AA / RAC is a far lower risk than someone who claims to be an Alphard expert. 

Finally, if the vehicle has a very recent MOT that maybe reassurance enough for you.

Again, If you are a serious Buyer, the vendor should agree to a brand new MOT certificate as part of the sales contract prior to payment.

If you guarantee to cover the cost of the new MOT (upfront, and not any remedial work)) what does (s)he have to loose?

Is it a Gen 1,pre late 2005, or a Gen 1 facelift, late 2005 to 2008 ? There is quite a difference, especially with the V6 model

Good Luck, whatever you decide to do.

38 minutes ago, Picasso said:

I will call my importer stuart spencer autos to see if he got a reg no. for me with powered tailgate .

Good thinking. Thank you.

1 hour ago, MonsterS said:

Try WD59 SGV

Picasso will do the comparison of the part numbers.

Thank you Alex for the rescue.

51 minutes ago, Alex87 said:

I saw a 3 litre advertised on eBay for a cheaper price compared with other, the seller told it needs a new battery but the rest it's ok. Does anyone know a garage in Southend or a mechanic that can come to check the vehicle as I'm from North West and don't know to much about the area.

I had the AA, or RAC, perform a Vehicle Inspection on my potential purchase as I was somewhat distant from the vendor.

Money very well spent, imho.

The inspection was very thorough; with a clear and detailed pro forma written report.

The inspection included OBD, a road test, under vehicle inspection; and an engine bay and fluids check.

It wasn't cheap, but worth every penny.

The OBD picked up rear axle issues, when the bushes had been replaced.

Cause was a disconnected connector ! Fixed in a jiffy, then all clear.

I gained considerable reassurance from the report.

Had there been other issues I could have walked away with my deposit returned; or negotiated a lower price.

So if you make an offer, make sure it is subject to Inspection.

Had the vendor declined an inspection I would have walked away.

The cost is, after all, quite a small investment when compared to the cost of the vehicle.

ps. After the battery is replaced the windows will need to be reset (maybe the moon roof too).

If the vendor does know how to do that beware.

Finally, get the registration and check the MOT history on DVLA.

The link worked for me just now.

A very neat installation.

Only other observation is the rear of the van is sitting quite low.

It may need stronger rear springs, but that would hinder entry and exit (for someone of my years at least).

Yes. The fuse box is behind the glovebox, which needs to be removed (simple to do).

It is a real pig to get to. You may be lucky to even see it as it is buried underneath an array of cables.

The TAIL fuse is 10 amp, and is in the passenger side footwell. Position 13.

I have concerns that your electrician was looking in the correct fuse box, let alone checking any or all of the them.

If you are nimble, have good eyesight, and a mirror; you may be able to do it yourself.

I believe the fuses are micro size. Get one from your local Toyota dealer BEFORE you start.

5 hours ago, Salted caramel adventure said:

Hi! My SO just bought an unconverted 2003 hybrid and we are toying with the idea of adding a bathroom instead of a kitchen in the back. We have found some of these conversions in asian countries (Example of rear shoilet ) but we can't find any options for this type of conversion in the UK. We are about to give up on the idea honestly, but I thought about giving it one last shot to see if anyone knew anything about it. Any insight would be appreciated, thank you  

Hello Merit,

Welcome to the Forum.

If you have left links in the topic they do not work, at least for me they don't.

You would need to carry lots of water unless you are on a campsite, in which case, why not use their showers.

28 minutes ago, MonsterS said:

Try mp55 rco

I will, thanks Alex.

4 hours ago, Lynnie said:

No it failed on the lights, fogs, tail and number plate, the camera also not working which was useful as I'm not the best reverse in the world

Yes, the camera is very useful when reversing; I would really struggle without one.

Those failures don't seem serious. Hopefully you will be 'on the road again' very soon.

32 minutes ago, Andrew Fox said:

Anyone got a rear exhaust silencer section?

Hello Andrew,

Welcome to the Forum.

1 hour ago, Lynnie said:

The rear camera stopped working after having a leisure battery and diesel heater fitted, I also had a new battery fitted, have only just noticed as it failed mot. 

Hello Lynne,

Are you suggesting that your van failed the MOT for a non functional rear camera ?

22 minutes ago, bobgash said:

Hello 

I have just charged the battery on my 2007 ah10 the drivers rear door operates as normal but the passenger doesn’t appear to have any power. It doesn’t  respond to button on the dash, the key or either handle. The locking mechanism seems to work as the door locks into place etc. 

is it the fuse or something more sinister 

Hello Paul,

Welcome to the Forum.

1 hour ago, Land Cruiser said:

Hi

Is the rack still for sale 

I have a 2004 3lt petrol I presume the fittings are the same behind both sliding doors, pre tapped holes 

 

 

Hello Malcolm,

Welcome to the Forum.

13 minutes ago, dezufo said:

From an answer to the question of towing that was in a different forum see pic

I have also read, somewhere, that Alphards are not for towing; especially the CVT type drive trains.

Controversial, I know, but that is what I read, unfortunately I cannot remember where.

18 minutes ago, tarvos said:

Interesting thanks, I guess this isn't the thread to go deep on this but I'm intrigued how you arrived at that number?

For many of us older drivers that limit is by law, irrespective of vehicle.

After a certain age your right to drive over 3500kg is withdrawn unless you specifically retain it.

I believe that age is currently 70.

It is worth noting that, for older drivers, you must renew your drivers license every 3 years. It is free to do so, but DON'T FORGET.

If you do forget, you could be in big trouble. Either way you will be compelled to take your test again.

1 hour ago, Kibby John. said:

Hi. We have a 2008 Alphard with a reversing camera that has come unfixed.  It looks as though the hinged fixing plate was attached with double sided adhesive tape that has detached. The fixing plate has screw holes but to get access to fix it looks very tight and difficult. Any helpful ideas please?

Hello John,

Welcome to the Forum.

3 hours ago, Geralt said:

It's also in the manual. Pages 313 and 314.

So it is. Never noticed that before; although my pages that high are not numbered

105Nm. 77.5 ft/lb.

You will need a hefty torque wrench; I had to buy one especially.

17 hours ago, DanKev said:

Hi Everyone. Today i just start my alphard and a warning light "4wd" remains on dash ,any idea what can be? Thanks!

Hello Dan,

Welcome to the Forum.