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Please don't shout at me! Elgrand or Alphard?

Johnny88 said:
My cuz 3.5 alphard is a lot quicker than my 300bhp e52
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What's 'cuz'?

How do you find it drives in general, compared to your E52?

A neighbour around the corner from me got a 3.5, '03 plate Alphard in white, which in fairness, sparked my JDM interest off.
No one really talks to him though, so I don't say/ask him anything about it.
 
The latest Alphards / Vellfires drive similarly to E52 Elgrands. Both have CVT's, both (particularly in V6 form) have understeer and torque steer when you put your foot down and they're similar in performance. Both in V6 form will blow away a 3.5 E51 in terms of acceleration but I'd still prefer a slushbox than a CVT and still prefer the E51's handling and rwd over the other's fwd.

The earlier Alphards/Vellfires are not as nice to drive as E51's or as quick. Neither are a sports car or well sorted saloon like a Beemer but you can dabble with a bit of sporty driving in an E51 Elgrand whereas in the ame years Alphard it's like trying to drive a Transit on soft springs sporty.

But, I do like them all and might have an Alphard / Velllfire if I didn't have an Elgrand. They all do a similar job, I like the looks of Elgrands a bit better but I don't pick MPV's on looks and (even as far as cars go) I ran a bug-eyed Ford Scorpio for years! None of them look like a Lamborghini or the A Team's van.

Alphards / Vellfires do have their own niche problems There's no Alphard equivalent to the Elgrand cat problem but some have been driving around for years with reduced power due to knock sensor issues, etc.

Even the hybrid Alphard can be converted to LPG, I've converted some.
 
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Lpgc said:
The latest Alphards / Vellfires drive similarly to E52 Elgrands. Both have CVT's, both (particularly in V6 form) have understeer and torque steer when you put your foot down and they're similar in performance.

The earlier Alphards/Vellfires are not as nice to drive as E51's or as quick. Neither are a sports car or well sorted saloon like a Beemer but you can dabble with a bit of sporty driving in an Elgrand whereas in the Alphard it's like trying to drive a Transit on soft springs sporty.

But, I do like them all and might have an Alphard / Velllfire if I didn't have an Elgrand. They all do a similar job, I like the looks of Elgrands a bit better but I don't pick MPV's on looks and (even as far as cars go) I ran a bug-eyed Ford Scorpio for years! None of them look like a Lamborghini or the A Team's van.

Alphards / Vellfires do have their own niche problems There's no Alphard equivalent to the Elgrand cat problem but some have been driving around for years with reduced power due to knock sensor issues, etc.

Even the hybrid Alphard can be converted to LPG, I've converted some.
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Nice write up. Have ypu ever driven a JDM Hiace?
 
Elgraman said:
Nice write up. Have ypu ever driven a JDM Hiace?
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Dare say I have but I don't remember, I drive so many different vehicles on a regular basis. If I have I won't have driven many and no lasting impression.
 
guf said:
20 years in this lovely country, learned some urban lingo bruv!
Proszę, nie ma za co 👍
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In 2018 I went on holiday to Poznan and went into the center to buy some protein powder. I was learning the odd few words/sentences in Polish, and I went to the till with the powder and rolled out some Polish I learned. He laughed and said nice try for learning it, and gave it to me for free! :)
 
Bog said:
I think some Alphard rear ends look ok, some just look like a hot mess of lights.
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I think the Toyota looks like it was designed in several sections, by different people, then joined together for final assembly. True of a lot of cars these days. The E51 S2/S3, OTH, looks right from any angle. Well maybe not every angle, looking head on at my HWS S2 it looks a bit narrow shouldered and bottom heavy.

Would I swap it for an Alphard on looks alone? Hell no.
 
Lpgc said:
The latest Alphards / Vellfires drive similarly to E52 Elgrands. Both have CVT's, both (particularly in V6 form) have understeer and torque steer when you put your foot down and they're similar in performance. Both in V6 form will blow away a 3.5 E51 in terms of acceleration but I'd still prefer a slushbox than a CVT and still prefer the E51's handling and rwd over the other's fwd.

The earlier Alphards/Vellfires are not as nice to drive as E51's or as quick. Neither are a sports car or well sorted saloon like a Beemer but you can dabble with a bit of sporty driving in an E51 Elgrand whereas in the ame years Alphard it's like trying to drive a Transit on soft springs sporty.

But, I do like them all and might have an Alphard / Velllfire if I didn't have an Elgrand. They all do a similar job, I like the looks of Elgrands a bit better but I don't pick MPV's on looks and (even as far as cars go) I ran a bug-eyed Ford Scorpio for years! None of them look like a Lamborghini or the A Team's van.

Alphards / Vellfires do have their own niche problems There's no Alphard equivalent to the Elgrand cat problem but some have been driving around for years with reduced power due to knock sensor issues, etc.

Even the hybrid Alphard can be converted to LPG, I've converted some.
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bug-eyed Ford Scorpio {{shudder}} That was one car that fell from the top of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down 🤣

What was wrong with car designers in the 90's? I mean, Fiat Multipla FFS 🤣
1709416132828.png
 
Highway Dave said:
Everyone’s perception is going to be different and at the end of the day an alphard is good in its own rights for the right person
The only things that put me off one was , the body , the interior and the engine
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But apart from disliking the body , the interior and the engine... what floats your boat about the AllFart @Highway Dave o_O
 
Holdfast4130 said:
I'm going to get lynched for saying it, but If the Alphard is customised right, they actually don't look that bad. I prefer boxy looking motors which is why the Elgrand fitted for me. I agree with Toyota build reputation (although that's only as good as the previous owners care etc). View attachment 98843
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Cheeky Lexus badge (someone got done for that, a few years back (https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/toyota-car-wrongly-traded-as-a-lexus-court-told/26107188.html). Not a bad looking motor but why does it look like it has been made from three different cars? Rising front door line, dropping rear door, straight rear section. Disjointed to say the least o_O
 
I drove both and my head said Alphard but my heart said Elgrand.
The Alphard was stock though and the elgrang was "tweaked" considerably.
Probably had something to do with the sound from hks/nismo exhaust also.
 
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