New member and soon to be Pinz owner (hopefully)

[krick3tt]

Then how would hold the roof rack up?

[TechMOGogy]

710M
Faster, shorter still can haul tons of gear, people, stuff
Cheaper to repair brakes, replace tires etc
Better proportions (for me)
and lets not kid ourselves about the 712DK's - that is a bare minimum of $50k just to get started on a project like that!!

[Jake2015]

I saw a photo of an Ambulance without its box on. It looked like there was a solid wall between the cab and the bed. Does that come off if you want to convert an Ambulance to an M?

[krick3tt]

Why do that? An ambulance costs more than an M...just get an M.

[Texas710]

I bought an 710M.

This is my first Pinz and it seemed easier in a way. Not as many tires, not as large for maneuvering, not as heavy if you want to tow, and the price point is better on an M. I would have liked to get a K, but again, more money. I have heard they are louder since they are all enclosed, big metal box. But not having one, couldn't tell you for sure. But a K is going to be easier to secure, and make a camper out of if that's your thing.

[Jimm391730]

Since I was just a kid, I always wanted a 6x6 and a 712 is WAY more useful than a deuce and a half for most use.

712: bigger, rated to carry more weight, usually considered more capable off road. Larger turning radius (about the same as my old Jeep Cherokee) than a 710. Slower (~60mph max). More tires to replace and more to maintain. More stable and safe in hard braking.

710: smaller, turns better than anything, faster. Panic stops and steep downhills are very exciting and/or dangerous. Slightly less to maintain. Less costly, and easier to find. Weighs less than a 712 which makes it seem peppier.

Ms: Flexible modes; roll sides up, remove roof (front or rear). Cooler in hot climates as ventilation is awesome. Can be cold in cold climates unless equipped with a heater. Can remove rear sides easily to make a flat bed configuration. Not very secure. Rear seats sit sideways. 710s seat 9 plus driver; 712s seat 11 plus driver.

K's: most secure. Hot in hot climates; ventilation not as good as an M. Easier to add roof rack. Has passenger roof hatch. Seats 5 forward facing, can have sideways seats in rear. Usually comes with heater, and desk. Slightly higher center of gravity than an M.

So you need to think of what you want and need, then go for a ride or drive in them to decide.

[Jake2015]

Jimm391730 - Very complete analysis and very useful

Krick3tt - The reason I asked about the Ambulance is that I have a lead on one that is not more expensive than an M and I am exploring the ability to convert to Amb for a camper and to an M for other times. Just wondering how feasible that would be.

Thanks everyone.

[krick3tt]

If you have the need of a camper and want to use a 712 ambulance the nice part is the box comes off. Don't know how easy it is to put back though.
As the man said, try them before you buy one, if you can.

[Jimm391730]

The ambulance box bolts to the truck body with (I think) 8 bolts from up under the body, just behind the rub rail, into the box. The box has pins that align with holes in the body so the bolts will go in easily. The hard part is lifting the box off the truck. Then there is the heater fuel lines to disconnect (I believe they have quick disconnect fittings, they look like air line couplers), power (from the cab plug behind the passenger seat) and one lone wire in the back that powers the license plate lights.

[undysworld]

Small correction to make here:

712s seat 11 plus driver

I think that should be 13 plus driver(?). But that's Swiss. Considering Americans, maybe Jimm's right!

[Jimm391730]

Yeah, the last two people in the back are always the fat ones...
Undys correct, 712M's can carry 13 passengers (I ran out of fingers!). Although I once took a group of rockhounds through the Mojave desert in our 710M, we had a total of 12 people plus tools and buckets of rocks -- I think I exceeded the GVWR on that trip. Other than the discomfort of being sqeezed in the back, everyone enjoyed bombing along the desert, up and down through washes, etc. without any ill effects to the truck.

[redman333]

I realize this is a bit of an old discussion but I've been searching for the dimensions of the 712k behind the second row seat cargo area as well as just the second row seating area dimensions. Anyone happen to have this, all I can find are the total dimensions of the m variant which as far as I know doesn't have a second row seating area.

[undysworld]

I realize this is a bit of an old discussion but I've been searching for the dimensions of the 712k behind the second row seat cargo area as well as just the second row seating area dimensions. Anyone happen to have this, all I can find are the total dimensions of the m variant which as far as I know doesn't have a second row seating area.

712Ks don't really exist at all - they are sort of like unicorns.

I may well be wrong, but I understood that the rear seating of a 712K was set up identically to a 710K. So dimensionally the rear seating areas were the same, and the more rearward cargo area was extended by the same amount a 712 is longer than a 710 - some 30+ inches longer.

I suppose this will not be enough info to answer your questions. But it might be easier to get rear seating dimensions from a 710K and then figure the cargo dimensions based on the extra length of a 712, instead of actually finding a 712K.

[ExpeditionImports]

Rear area behind the rear seats is not that straight forward on a 712K since most have at least one box with outside access bolted to them. If you remove the boxes then the distance from the rear seat to the back of the truck is around 56-65 inches. The variance is the seat back inclines rearward and the back of the truck inclines forward. Base of the seat 65 inches, top of the seat back 56 inches.

Cheers,

Scott

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[ExpeditionImports]

FYI 712K's are readily available in the current surplus cycle from the Austrian military. You want one we can get one. To put this delicately we have not be happy with the auction process in Austria and feel the prices have been a little elevated above market. Of course being American we were blamed for running up the prices but when we stopped buying and the price still went up that excuse went in the round file like all the others.

Hopefully the activity coming out of the Swiss surplus (no Pinzgauers of any volume) will have an impact on the other auction houses.

To buyers of Pinzgauers if at all possible inspect your purchase truck in person or have someone who knows them do it. Fly and inspect or pay someone who you can trust and knows Pinzgauers to inspect it. If you can't afford to do that then more than likely you can't afford a Pinzgauer. At a minimum if the current owner is not willing to supply you with 50-80 pictures of the Pinzgauer walk away. We no longer purchase any vehicle without having someone physically inspect a truck unless buying for parts/scrap. Talking years of experience, both good and bad.

Overall a good and helpful community of owners but it does not take more than 10% bad actors to make a dream truck into a nightmare. If trucks are cheap there is a reason. More than a few customers have gotten great deals which turned into money pits. Remember you are purchasing a low production vehicle built overseas and never really intended for civilian use. If you are expecting Chevy, Jeep and Ford availability and pricing you should re-evaluate your purchasing decision. I only say this because I received a call from a new Pinzgauer owner traveling through Mexico wanting to know the closest Pinzgauer parts dealer because they had broken down in a small village. I informed the caller they were talking to the closest parts dealer. An Austrian built Pinzgauer, Swiss surplus, owned by and American traveling in Mexico had cell phone service but no spare parts.

Buyer beware.

Cheers,

Scott