THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

I'm looking to buy my first Pinz this summer, and have never own any sort of vehicle like this in the past. I have spoken with a few guys have heard different things. First off, I am looking to buy either a 710M or 712 M. One guy told me that the engines are extremely loud at speed (50 mph) so much that you can not communicate with people in the back, and barely with the passenger.
Are the motors really that loud??? Is there that much wind noise coming through the soft top???
I will be using the truck I would say 5 days a week for my local around town needs, very short trips and not high speed, but I would like to take it for the occassional ( 2-3 times a month) trip to see family about 1 hour away mostly freeway driving.
Is this silly for me to think I can use the Pinz for this type of travel???
Any thoughts would be helpful.
Ohh, I also heard that there is a company in Georgia ?? that changes the gearing in the transmissions to make highway driving easier, almost like an overdrive??? any help on this?
Thank you guys, hope to get my new toy in the next few months, will post pictures.
Guy V. - Long Island New York
Anyone know of a good one for sale, let me know, I have cash
wiseguycustoms@yahoo.com

Mine is not that loud. Used to be a daily driver. Long trips are not an issue for me, just slow. I consider a long trip at least 1500 mi each way.
Drive one before you buy..drive several if you can. If you can do your own work you will save money...and, the biggie....get one from someone you trust.
check the SDP site for a list of what to look for.

http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=pinzga ... r%2Eorg%2F

Happy trails

I drive mine around town no problems 3 to4 days of the week. I drive half hour into the city a couple times a month no problem. In the summer I drive an hour to Foxboro stadium for a huge cruise night with out problem every other week. I wouldn't want to commute an hour each way every day but have done the 30 minute commute a couple weeks in a row when my work car was down and it was fun. It is loud but not unbearably so. I have heard others complain about the noise but it really doesn't bother me. I can cruise in my 712 on the highway at 55 no problem get up to 60-65 occasionally without issue. I can talk on my phone at highway speeds to give you a reference. I'm only a few hours away if you wanna come up and get a ride and a real life feel for one. I'm always driving it.

The Pinz is one of the loudest (interior levels) 4x4's ever made. You will need ear plugs on highway trips. The sound levels are close to injury levels at 50+mph. If the top is down it's far less since the sound isn't bouncing off the top. Getting a top from the Colorado company who makes them new will help a lot since they are insulated. Like was said, drive one on the highway before buying.

...loud at speed (50 mph) so much that you can not communicate with people in the back, and barely with the passenger. Are the motors really that loud??? Is there that much wind noise coming through the soft top???

Loud is subjective, but from my perspective I couldn't have desribed it better; a Pinz at speed is no place for a conversation!

I would like to take it for the occassional ( 2-3 times a month) trip to see family about 1 hour away mostly freeway driving.

An hour is about my limit without noise canceling headphones. With headphones, I'm good for all day driving.

...gearing in the transmissions to make highway driving easier, almost like an overdrive???

A tranny from a 716/718 loses first but gains overdrive; this isn't a great fit for a stock truck unless it has a good 2.7l conversion which can make 20-30% more power. A 712 has a transfer case that is geared 12% lower, making the shift in the transmission gears somewhat better, but not everyone who has tried this has liked it (I have it in my 712W but I also have Jim L's 2.7l and it gets 99% of it's miles on the highway). Regardless, the noise remains the same!

A well tuned and maintained Pinz is a joy to putt around in, and many 710's can do extended 65+ mph on the highway (top speed depends on your comfort level and lack of vibration/bad noises from that particular truck). Other than the noise at speed, the ride is surprisingly comfortable (especially with aftermarket seats). I've driven my 712W across the country, from Vermont to California, and added about 60k miles to it over 12 years -- yes, I love it. YMMV.

Quite a few people have installed intercoms (small aircraft types or VIC-1 tank types in some cases) with full headphones to cope with engine noise on longer trips... It was built as a military truck before someone ever used it for leisure purposes.

Short trips every day are fine, and your truck will benefit from the regular use. However, I noticed that it takes a good half-hour to get all fluids at temperature, and it is a much more pleasant drive after this first half-hour (engine more responsive, smoother shifts...). This is much more sensitive as in any modern vehicle I have driven.

Long trips are fine, but the highway is no fun at all in my opinion: it's noisy, not that much faster than regular roads, and everybody is overtaking you which (apart from hurting my dominant-male-behind-the-wheel ego ) is not the safest, although it maybe because most of our local highways are 2-lane only, i.e. when a big rig overtakes me, there are always a couple of cars that need to brake and wait behind. I'd personally rather spend 1 hour and a half on smaller roads than one hour on highway. If time is a constraint, I usually switch to my daily driver.

You say you've never owned a vehicle like this. More specifically, have you ever owned a 4x4 utility vehicle at all? This might be a big leap.....

But then again, you say you have cash.....if you have lots, no worries!

Okay thanks for the info. best thing I think is for me to drive one and see for myself. I guess I won't be buying one of the internet without a test drive. I have and do own several 4x4's, pickups, jeeps, blazers, suburbans, and as a hobby I build circa 1930-1940's hot rods, with big motors and loud pipes, sometimes open headers ! So I'm not new to loud cars filled with gas and oil fumes, with the exception that they are open engine bay cars and the motors are outside the passenger compartment. thanks for the SDP link, and other links would be greatly appreciated and any info on reputable Pinz "dealers" in this country would be great.

Nice...I suggest a sheepskin seat cover for the lady in red........presuming that's her daily attire

Welcome to the board - fill in your location on your profile so we all remember where your are!
I am a new Pinz owner (still don't have it yet) but I have been in a few Pinz (710M's) and I did not find it loud at all.
I think it is very relative... is it louder than a Lexus... Yes obviously. Is it louder than a 404 Mog - I found a 710M to be quieter.
I think my Haflinger is louder than a 710M but that could just be my exhaust setup on the Hafi?
Find one and drive it and then start looking - there are a bunch for sale right now and may be more come spring.
Dan

In comparison to other 4x4s that you have owned, the Pinzgauer pretty much blows them away with stock off road capability and cargo capacity (a 710M can take NINE of your closest friends on a trail ride, and can still squeeze in a cooler and a dog or two!). But what was my original draw to Pinzgauers was the 6x6 712 -- the three axles are so cool! Then add the completely different look than any other common vehicle and I was hooked.

Definitely go drive one; you have to make your own decision.

They ARE loud compared to "normal" vehicles. When I got my first one (a 710M) it reminded me of being in a helicopter! Vibration, noise, lots of gear noises...and both of mine have been exceptionally clean and well maintained. Even a perfect one (or nearly as mine have been) are intended for a fairly specific duty and quiet was not apparently one of the design criteria!

Lots of fun however and extremely capable off road of course. You've come to the right place for advice too.

Congrats on your good judgement...to buy a Pinz!

I personally love the sound of a Pinz especially with all the lockers engaged pinned back in the drivers seat and scrambling up the side of a mountain..always get a kick out of seeing an animal that cant run away simply because he cant believe you are actually there...and have that holy crap are you kidding look on their faces

There are gear noises and engine noises. Engine noise(whining) is usually almost eliminated by replacing alternator bearings(before the fan hits and shatters). Use quality sealed bearings only,(FAG,BCA,Timken), do not use cheap bearings.

I have a diesel conversion....yes a conversion! Big 5 Cyl OM602 with a fabricated cover...and even that is not loud (my UAZ diesel is louder).....but what can be a bit scary is after you change all the oils for modern thinner oil you will find that at speed and on the overrun even in a good, well maintained vehicle the transmission will have a lot of little pieces of backlash that add up to a whole.....which to me sounds much like a big industrial lathe with all its shafts running at full tilt....its a sound unlike!!! well unlike any other vehicle I have driven and I have driven very many different vehicles in 15 Years in the Army and another 15 as a Heavy Truck driver.