We are in the high Lux built by grounded right now,
Genuinely is built by grounded this there's a wicked feature that I'm keen
to show you on the back on the tray.
Yeah, I reckon you'll love it being a being a Ute guy.
Yeah. I think you'll like it.
We'll get to that a bit later when we walk around.
I have literally jumped from the front door in my house inside
the passenger seat of this car.
Now we've got a bit of a this is a cool episode coming up. We're on our way
We're gonna we're gonna run this like a normal episode. Yeah amongst and how quiet is it in here?
It is pretty quiet. I hope the I hope the audio quality is okay
Yeah, please forgive us if it isn't we'll do our best. Yeah, we are genuinely driving around in a 2026 Toyota Hilux
Yep, which is sponsored by a tough dog in time out of mind you just still going with tough dog in time
I'm almost 100% sure that the tires on this car were fitted by
Knowing how knowing how quality grounded do yes, and I know that they'll be looking at some tough dog suspension as well
Yes, obviously grounded they do massive dongers
They got big quality quality products quality quality dongers as we've always said mate size does matter now
I think we should I think we give a little quick update on I'm sorry a quick background on grounded and what grounded is there's
Grounded so they are a construction and infrastructure company focus on the mining and resources sector
Great crossover for us with the footy club as well. So I know Paulie quite well who's right up there at grounded
Great Paulie Paulie. Yeah, Paulie Natoli. I think they build mining camps accommodation villages
They're modular portable buildings. They so they do the full project
Delivery so end to end they handle design construction
installation refurb relocation of buildings
They do civil and site infrastructure works remote project expertise and they emphasize
Creating liveable communities
For workers in remote areas, so they're basically building mining camps. They are so everything from the gyms or rec areas
Obviously the accommodation where they're staying
Yeah, if you're a FIFO high chances, you're staying in a grounded condo and we're grounded
Area
But it's a great great nine people play on words there. Yeah, they're logo
I don't know if you can stand on your honor
You've got the grounded hat on but you've just got grounded on it. They're logo is a g-spot. They call it
They call it the g-spot. Yeah. Yeah, but good people
They've lent us another background they've lent us the 2026
Hilux now Jaden will give you a run around the car as part of this podcast to
But basically a little background on the Hilux so it's a grounded of it's not it's quite stock
But not exactly like it's the perfect. I would say weekend is set up. Yeah, it is. So we've got a ninth generation
Hilux, it's a 2.8 liter the 48 volt hybrid. Yeah, so we've spoken plenty about that
Probably nothing really new in this in this car compared to the older Hilux is the 8th gen and all that
Will by same dimensions the exterior front and rear was designed by Toyota Australia's Melbourne team
So that that's a little bit. That's good. I think that's quite cool. And that's become
The same uniform in over 150 countries. So that's just turned off. There we go. That's the 48 volt in action
So what what I was doing there was I didn't have my foot fully pressed on the brake
I had it enough to stop and it came up with a little oh, there we go. And we're off
It came up with little
Notification on the screen in front of me the dash which has actually got a lot of pop-ups and stuff on here
So it can be a little bit overwhelming, but came up said push push brake in harder to activate
Automatic stopping right or engine off when you stop and that yeah
Did you just tap it in a little bit once you took your foot off the brake did that start it immediately?
Okay, so I even put it on the accelerator. That's the 48 volt motor. That's the 48 volt motor there
Yeah, that's helping out that lag time. Yep. Yeah, exactly. Which is pretty it's pretty nice. The other thing as well that I
Think we've we've noted down that's changed in the Hilux is is now that we've got electric power steering instead of hydraulic
Yep, we're an electric power steering. Do you feel that you can feel it
I was coming straight out of the high other the wagon the 76
I drove the 76 straight to ground and picked this up. Yep, and what a change it is gone from a wagon to a Ute
Obviously, obviously it is that I'm not saying it's this to like break ground or anything like that
But you you didn't you feel it a lot. Yep
That's something that's new to the Hilux it's new. Oh, yeah, the electric power steering is yeah, and you knew new
Implementation, you know what I think that was part of the reason I
Chose but the steering in the Ranger when I bought that in 2017. Yeah was just unbeatable at the time
I felt maybe not unbeatable. I don't know I could try it every single car or youth on the market
But the steering in that because that that has been electric power steering since 2015
Yeah, okay to yeah, sorry that the mark too, but that that is
Yeah, but I think there's always the case for maybe horses have been a little bit more agricultural
But I think I don't feel like there's anything agricultural about this
No, it'll do all that. It does not feel it. It doesn't feel it
And this interior, which I'm sure you'll get a look at too. It's it's extremely comfortable. I'm not sure what model this is like
Spec no, but it's a trim is beautiful. I like I kind of like this the screens
Massive, yeah, you think it's seven eight inch. I think it's a 17-inch display big size big size, and you know
It's a size matter. Let's not let's not get it. It's size matters. Everyone knows
But it's a beautiful screen and super easy to connect up with the with the Bluetooth, which is just a normal feature
I was sure that's my most cars. Yeah, this is car play through blue. That's cool. So on
In my car, I've got I've changed the display of the the head unit
To an aftermarket one. Yeah, but I still have to plug in to get to get a car play. Yeah, this is Bluetooth
That's I like that a lot. Yeah, I agree. I agree
But it also feel I don't know it feels like the Hilux is kind of Toyota and everything if they're getting modernized
They're city drivers now
These cars are designed for city people. Yeah, it'll get out and get around no doubt about it at all
Like they're still high Hilux Rangers all those cars are still yeah elite cars
You can't you can't get much better. That's why they're so popular. Yeah, especially for driving and stuff
But it genuinely does feel like a much more modern modern. Yeah, I like like they finally come up to to where they should be
Yeah, that kind of stuff. I don't know. Now this is gonna be a normal podcast. So I want to get through
No, no, this is what it's about. We're driving the Hilux. Oh, there you go. Yeah
So does that the aircon still stays on everything? Yeah, that's what it helps me to that's that's the whole trick to it. So it shouldn't
Yeah, that shouldn't lack at all. Yeah foot off the brake and it's on again instant roll. Yeah, like it now
I've got a quick one. Yeah tough dog tip of the week tough. So I'll do quality suspension
So here's a quality tip for our quality listeners from me a quality bloke. I didn't want to say
No, no, well, you are you are now our quality listeners while we're waiting to turn here
You mentioned last week in last week's episode about checking your suspension
before the winter
Down south here tracks get a bit muddy
Good time to do a bit of maintenance. This is beautiful from a good wave. Good wave. Yeah, great wave. Um, I
Notice the car behind me didn't wave
Should we um, no, they're not a four-wheel drive
Just go just make sure you know your wave next time. Um, so anyway, this this tough dog tip is around winter camping
Yeah, um, rather than anything to do with the vehicles or the way we draw up
Whatever is winter specific camping because we are coming into that time. You're still 28 degrees here, but beautiful day today
I'm assuming over east. It's starting to get a little bit cooler. Yeah down south. So
Winter camping tip. I've got a three for you. Okay, three three tips. Yeah three
It's and they're about sort of staying warm. Okay, stay warm while camping in winter. Yeah, or sleeping mainly. Okay. So first one is
30 to say 30 to 60 seconds of really light exercise
So maybe some squats and push push ups few laps the car star jumps
Yeah, before you jumping to it jump into the sleeping bag
Obviously don't want to stimulate yourself too much where you can't actually put the head on the pillow and go to sleep
Yeah, but before you jump into the sleeping bag
You'll generate a little bit of body heat, right?
If you do that right before you jump into your sleeping bag
You trap all that warmth in from your body rather than letting it dissipate into the air
So you just you generate a little bit of body warmth little then get trapped into your sleeping bag if you've got a decent quality sleeping bag
Yeah, okay, so that's one if you think you're gonna be fresh it's not you don't want to get sweaty
No, it's your body will generate a little bit of body heat for you. That's one
The second one is sleeping dedicated sleep socks
So dry socks equal warm feet if you sleep inside like slightly sweaty or slightly wet socks from throughout the day
Yeah, you haven't planned ahead and packed enough
That wet will suck the heat out of your body
so it's
It makes sense to go to bed in a dry pair to keep your feet warm because you know if your feet are cold
Or your feet are warm it normally is a good tell for how the rest of your body feels. Yeah, so
If they're slightly sweaty or slightly wet don't wear them into your sleeping bag because that will suck the heat away from your body
I like that dry pair of socks sleeping and sleeping only
Yeah, keep them dry and the last one is you'll notice when you're sleeping in the cold and you just leave your phone or
potentially a head torch like your battery
Battery is drained and killed faster by the cold air
So you'll notice sometimes when you put your phone in the side of the swag you wake up in the morning
It's just gone from 80% to 15% and you have not used it
That's because the cold will drain your battery much faster than a normal temperature. So I did not know that
I thought the cold would have protected it a little bit. It does feel like that
So if you sleep with those in your sleeping bag, then you just you save those batteries a little bit longer
Especially stuff like your head torch where you don't have a battery level. It's actually just
The batteries in there they will suffer a little bit too from being cold overnight
Yeah, and so they don't like the cold weather. So another one there for if you need to charge in the morning
And you're not maybe moving camp where you don't have the greatest 12 volt set or set up to charge your phone back up
Yeah, don't put it keep it in your sleeping bag
Keep it in your sleeping bag next to your body where your core temperature will keep it a little bit warmer
What if there's a bag or something you can throw your phone in?
I thought that yeah, maybe a box that could put your phone in a sock something of that nature
Fresh sock. I reckon if you go let's go straight go straight through here. Can we go straight through there?
Let's get to Butler or we could go right and we'll go to go to that reserve. Yeah, we'll do that. Yeah, let's do that
Good tips mate. I like those
So there's a few ones for when it gets a bit cool because you're waking up this morning and yesterday morning a little bit cooler
Little bit cooler feel it. You got a jump run over here in Perth. So
But you can take it
I'm sure we called grounded they'd built us a little ramp or something to get over now as we go to pull up at
This park. I think this deserves a bit more time a bit more love a bit more love
But I'm gonna talk about it now. Yeah, okay, do you reckon?
The gila the gila. Oh, yeah
Let's have a quick chat through the gila before bow gets in and then we'll we'll do so I can't get through
Okay, straight. That's right. The good thing about the Hilux is it goes anywhere. It goes straight
Around a bit
That might the steering in this is
It's a really smooth it's a really smooth
It's a perfect car to do every single
Yeah, it is well, I'm not doing it out of the 76 tell you that no steering on that. There's a fair bit of play
Right, so on the radar, let's get through this quick. You have a guest coming. Let's be cool
So it's called this is things called the gila galaxy battleship 700. It's a Chinese vehicle
It's a car. It's yes. It's a concept on its way to production. So it's not so sorry
It's not just a concept anymore. It's actually it's the thing becoming a thing. Okay, the gila gila
So it's about g e l y gila. I'm pretty sure that's how you pronounce it l y. Yeah, so basically this thing is
Being built to rival say it's a Chinese brand. It's been built to rival
This this vehicle, but specifically he's been built as a bit of a 300 series
It's a similar bit similar to the tank
Okay, like the Bronco that they're doing now
Yeah, it's it's around that so you can go and have a look at what it looks like
The gila galaxy battleship 700. I think it's something else in the child
Yeah
So the gila, so the thing about this car that sparked my interest when I was having a look
Was that the all-terrain system is supposedly a i generated
No, what what do you mean? So it is it's actually a little bit if you go straight
I think there's a park in here coffee if um
It's so to me extremely confusing. I was like, what what do you mean by that? But
Apparently the vehicle when when you are off-roading will continuously read whether you are what terrain you're in so whether it's sand
Whether you're in mud whether your water
Rocks whatever it might be so it's continuously reading the sort of terrain that you're on and what the vehicle requires
And it will automatically adjust the torque split between wheels
the suspension height
the steering angle and
Whether or not it's so it's a hybrid delivery
So it's a hybrid vehicle hybrid power delivery. So whether it needs
Electric boost or whether it petrol delivered. So they're using it to impute the generation
But it's not a it's not a soft rotor. They're they're trying to spruce this up as a genuine four-wheel drive. So
um ladder frame chassis low range gearing locking rear deer for adjustable ride height so that they like it's
Legit land cruise of patrol stuff they're sort of saying
It doesn't look like that when you see the car. It definitely it looks more of like a
250 prato spec bit square a bit square
Take may you know the old
soccer mom car right for one of a better term
But that is what they're going. It's got the crab walk with the four-wheel steering can do a tank turn and they
It's controversial. So it might not make production. They're saying right. They reckon it's got a swim mode
A swim and it can float through water at eight and a half kilometers an hour
If it gets a little bit too deep for the 800 mil weighting hot depth. Is this real you've got a this is a boat
No, no, this is written up by many unless it's going on April Fool's Day
But no, this is but there's a genuine season April Fool. It's already been tested in the snow and desert dunes in china
It's not April Fool's day physical switches to engage
Modes manually. So they've got like rather than like it's a very heavy ai tech car
But they've kept manual switches a bit like a land cruise or almost
Yeah, that mixture and that feel like the grenadier
a little bit. Yeah a little bit
They're targeting a similar market to that Defender 300 series Bronco those sort of things
Um, and they yeah like like I said at the start and then obviously pronounced Geely Geely Geely Geely. So that's uh
That's a little bit on that and I think it's
I think it's so see whether or not it works whether or not it in australian conditions. The concept is wicked. The concept is wicked
If it makes it it makes it
I don't think it'd be very popular here right away, but or at all to be honest. Yeah
But I think it's pretty buddy cool. I guess the interesting conversation is around the use of ai, right?
Yeah, well that that that's why you're gonna trust that
I don't trust ai at the moment
With everything like you're double checking you're going through things you're asking it like
Help on research that you've already done. Yeah, this is I mean that's the way I use it
yeah, if it was controlling my car
And selecting modes based on what it thought was best
I hope that works really well. Yeah
It could be but I have some concerns about it. I don't know. I don't know but anyway, it's
It's that's an on-the-radar thing. Yeah. Oh, that's a great idea right after you know, it's I just I've never seen that before
That's what they're pumping out. They're pumping up this ai tech. Yeah
But that's yeah, who knows I like it. I think it's a really good on the radar. That's not yeah
Well done for me. Yeah, so hopefully we do have video that actually recorded, but we'll have audio at least
um
Should we go get bowie then should you bowie before this?
If this is gonna shut down. Yeah, let's go get bowie
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Here he is in the front seat Bo Allen familiar familiar with this podcast
Just having a look at his chopped chopped 80 series
Which is unbelievable. I didn't know I was home belly
Uh, yeah, I got it. Um yesterday. I vote spin at G turbo for a bit. So yeah, so talk to us about what's going on there
Because part of the reason that we're doing this is one jade and I like we're doing a podcast in a car
We can't just sit in that whole time and talk to each other
And two is I told jaden that the
80s in
the shop
And I thought maybe you can't get around so we'll pick you up and go for a drive
But it's there. Yeah, you need anywhere to
Come through mate come through. Yeah wait wave and then just give him away. If he waive he'll waive. Yeah. Yeah, good
It's a very good boys. Well done
Um, yeah, well, I picked it up from G turbo yesterday. Um
I've got
the hd
Hg h333. I don't know some new turbo I've got on there. Um
And just waiting to get it tuned and in a new fuel pump. So waiting on that
I'll send it back over there and the boys have been good. So
Hopefully get a couple more ponies out of the old girl
Yeah, and that was so the issue like you you sent it in just for the new turbo tune
And then they realized that a fuel pump was no good. Yeah. Yeah. So obviously the
Whatever fuel pumps on it. It's we haven't really
Um stuff around with that one too much. So yeah, uh, she's not
Not up to standard. So yeah, we'll get a new one and um, we'll go from there without the original fuel pumps
Well, we're not sure funny story. Yeah, I don't it looks brand new, but it's definitely not
I think it's been tinkered with by someone other than us and we don't really know what's going on. So yeah, right. Oh, yeah, that's to just
Getting you on I reckon. Yeah, so you run the through because you were you were thinking about selling the old girl
Yeah, why I was talking to the old man about it for a while humming heron. Yeah, um
I just thought now if it's worth a worth a buck
Before it shits the bed, which it won't but
um
Yeah, I'm just a little upgrade and not have to worry about cars, but
I'm only 20 so
What was my advice to you
Never sell it. Yeah, never sell that. Yeah. No, it's a cool car. I do like it. But yeah
Yeah, it was probably looking upgrade, but I've just put a bit more money into it now. So yeah, hang on to it for a little bit longer
Well, we'll we'll put you in this soon and then we'll um
See this might yeah, maybe this will swing. Yeah, but um
So you got newtie boy at home too. We probably should have thrown newtie boy in the car
But we're running out of a little bit of room in here, but he's got the so the boys are riding to it at the moment
Hey, yeah, newtie's put his a bit into his as well. He's just um come back from a
Um a joining or just out of Perth actually, but yeah, he's got new lifts and new tyres
Yeah, some new rooms as well canopy on the back looks good. Yeah, we're top 10. Yep
No, he's got the whole setup
He's looking at doing a bit more like draws and stuff like that as well
So he wants to get hutchy
He's one of our other teammates to help him with the draw system. He was just saying and um, which is cool
Hey, this is nice. It is. This is really nice to draw. It's a little bit the back. There's not a lot of room
Yeah
Kind of taken up a lot of space here. You might be able to see your own balls
Yeah, you're probably right now through that through that gopro, but size doesn't matter
No, it's it's knees are up around your neck
It's kind of um, you've got a bit of go too. Yeah, I still don't feel like if I'm really honest
Like I know we're not here to sell high luxes. I don't feel like it's got as much as the ranger
Go on continue that thought. Well, I just I don't know if it does if still
Driving it as a passenger. It didn't feel agricultural at all, but driving it still does feel a little bit
I'm not sure if that's because I'm used to
All right, oh no
Let's talk about yours, mate. You got the unleash 79 now. We can talk about it. I thought you'd never ask
No, it's I actually got asked today. Is it like how do you find driving it around the city?
And I'll be honest. I was kind of looking I know last week's episode we spoke a bit about like
Not, you know fuel prices and all that going on
Having a run around car or not or downgrading to one car between two people that sort of thing
But I'm half looking at maybe yeah getting a run around a
Proper. Yeah, maybe like the cheapest thing I can find like an e-bike
Maybe I can find cars cheaper than e-bikes. Yeah, you probably can 100% I can but have a look at this boys
I wish you could flip the camera around like rip a day. It is a beautiful day
Bowie's fortunate enough not to live too far from the beach and I thought why don't we go down to the beach
See if we can find bow or missus
Possibly down the water here. Yeah, that's like a PT the young PT
But uh, I do this is this is like driving this around not having to worry about
Shifting or anything like that. I've got I kind of enjoy that aspect of driving
Mine around now, but there's also
This is so comfortable. How do you find the city driving compared to like the big trips?
I feel like city driving is a lot more with a manual like yeah, no doubt. Yeah, I think though like as well Perth is so
Perth is quiet compared to the rest of like
You know if I was driving that around melbourne, I reckon I'd be in trouble
Yeah, like even on a weekend in melbourne. I feel like it's busier than Perth on a weekday
Yeah, probably yeah, so I reckon like the yeah
Perth's probably the best place to be able to do it or Adelaide's probably similar
Darling, but like the other major cities you'd yeah, I don't know if it would be the go if you were living right in the heart of melbourne, but
Yeah, just driving this around like you do
It's easy, isn't it like you're not having to think about too much except looking at the road and
Stopping at a red light. So I know definitely this is quite nice
But I do I do find a little bit. It's a bit a bit luggage. Maybe it's like a little bit
Okay, but it's coming out of the 76. I thought this was very yeah, maybe I'm being maybe I'm very good
A lot the interior interior is good. Oh, it's real nice real nice
So mate, have you been away lately camping fishing? I know the boys are doing a bit. Oh, no, not really
Your car's been in the shop. Yeah, I've just been bunking in with newtsy to be honest. Yeah, just helping him with him
Yeah, sort of had my car away for a while. So yeah, I haven't been doing too much
Got any plans like mid-season boys. I know it's a long way away, but
Yeah, we might actually be going to look at a boat the sarbo. We
So, yeah
Well, newtsy newtsy's onto it
But a couple of other boys might jump in really what sort of art
It's a fiberglass
Like a real old one. Yeah, there's like a 42 stroke on the back just something like
That'll get us out and about yeah
Fix it when it breaks it off
That's that's what's about a couple of the boys aboard a tinny. I know a lot of the boys are by looking at buying boats
So we've got like a lot of our teammates the bow. We obviously for those that haven't probably watched the first one with bow
We um, we played footy together. Yeah, we go dive in a bit more deeper to his 80 series because it's an absolute weapon
But so a lot a lot of the boys like I was saying before
So newts has got kitted out for me now the highlights like a lot of the boys are right into it
And at the moment fishing as well. So like boys are just on a day off or afternoon off. They're just
Jumping in this tinny
I think a few of them went in on it or they're just fishing under the canning bridge
Like they're just going anywhere they can to throw a line in
I reckon we had we had a breakdown as well. I reckon one of the boys got stranded for a bit
Really? Yeah, what happened? Um
Well, I don't know if you're saying like bake some fridge and crossing I didn't didn't they get stranded for like three hours on their tinny
Did they? Yeah. Yeah
Yeah, so I never talking to grassy about it. It was obviously down here bikes, but oh
Yeah, couple hours gone by in the tinny couldn't start it. Oh, no, it was a bit cheery. Was it cheery told us a similar story
Chewy chewy got stuck on a jet ski just out here. I think you're not to call it mate
No, when he was on the potty tortoise or was it in the tin getting um
The boat ran out of fuel
At the mood beach. Oh, that's right. Yeah, that's right. It's all like oh, there's worse places to run out of
You pull you can't be out of the mood
Dumb all your fuel was a massive get
We will eat just the whole way past your boat
early trail
No, it's good. I'm loving how much the boys are renewed at the moment. Like it's actually
it's been um
It's good to have something that's safe. I'm doing I'm doing less
Than anyone and I've got I'm apparently hosting a podcast about for driving all the boys are not more than me
Um, should we get bowie in the front seat driving? Yeah, let's do that. Let's pull in here
Out of an 80 series into a 2026 hylux
We've finally convinced you now
We took three minutes down great
Yeah, I don't think you can really be 80 80s. Actually, you know what we spoke about last week bowie
Uh, no, you wouldn't because it's actually not out yet
Yeah
We actually um, we spoke about getting like a podcast car. Yeah podcast car. Yeah, like that. We could
Go back home take yourself back home, mate
um
That we could like take on trips do potties out of like this like
It's the podcast to buy him a daily driver. No, I was happy to put my own money into it
Um, sorry, marley come to try to get out of here. I can't see much coming
You got a few but
You can't boot it in the hylux. I mean, I said it was a little bit sluggish. I'd probably was being a bit harsh
Yeah, good. Yeah, clear
Sweet as
The steering is nice. I'll go it is nice. Hey the steering is the first thing that stands out. Sure
Can't really boot it along here. It's the speed limit. So yeah slow
Electronic power steering there bowie
Yeah, I wouldn't know what that is
Yeah, I think for all of us coming out of our cars and driving this is like
Yours would be nice wouldn't it Doug? Oh mine's yeah, mine's pretty good. Uh, just like it's not like this. Yeah
So what is this? This is brand spanker. Is it brand? How many k's has it done? Has it got that there?
Um
Yeah, three seven eight seven there brand
It's not I say
Comfy. Yeah. No it is. No, it's cool. Plenty of room in the front. Anyway. Yeah
Struggling back there. That's huge for you
Yeah, 100%
You know best part about like being in my car and taking soli for a drive, but so he's obviously back passenger side. Yeah
Like if I need to reach back to grab his dummy
Yeah, I'm close enough. It's so close. Yep. Whereas in Laurence car. She drives like she's in a Tiguan Volkswagen
It's so far away. There's so much space in it in the back seats that we can't reach from the driver seat
Never would have thought space in the back would be a negative, but you put it like that
Yeah, well, it's not like it's gonna be much better for when he's a bit older, but um
But yeah, it's funny because in the in the land cruise of this massive car. It's like he's like right on top. Yeah
It's really funny. How's the comfort in the 80 series?
Yeah, it's pretty good. Um, obviously it's like 30 odd years old. So uh
No, the drivers one when you slide in and out of them for 20 years
They the foam like dies on the side. So we got it like reshaped and refoamed. So they're all pretty comfy
Um, it's pretty loud, but no it is comfy
I think I've molded the seats to what I want. So
Have you got the questions? Yes, let's get them up questions. Bowie. We put up a little story and we got a got a few in mostly from
Yeah
Um, are you good with a tattoo gun?
Yes, talk to me about this and yeah, I did one today actually. Did you on newt? Yeah, no, I wouldn't be on me
Um, yeah, what? Yeah, go through that. What are we talking about? What you've got a tattoo gun?
Yeah, so we've got a tattoo tattoo gun of Teemu
All of 30 bucks, but it's probably done nearly 10 tattoos now. Um,
I don't know. I've got a couple up on my tiktok, but Jadon's um, Jadon's looking for some
Fresh some fresh ink. Yeah, we're pretty booked up, but I mean pretty booked up. Yeah, I'll fit you in
Um
No, yeah, we just oh, we get a bit bored sometimes and
I don't know take some on a footy of it. Just sounds like a fun house
Set up the studio and absolute pad and go ham on the on the tattoo gun all the fourbies out of the front and tattoo on each other
Yeah, good
What um, what tattoo would you give dango?
79 series on the ankle
It's
Brendan Burke's favorite beer to take camping
Oh
You can answer this. Yeah, I'm not I'm honestly not huge on beer. Um pro athlete any any more
Well, yeah, I don't know probably
Jim van, so there you go cut all these questions. I love it. Just beep out everything every answer
Yeah, Jim, very funny as
I've been stitched up with these questions. That's pretty funny. Why me too
What walk us through the thoughts on the chopped 80 series whose idea was it originally?
Um yours or your old man?
Uh, well, yeah, we didn't chop it. Um
But it all started, um
When we're doing the cray pots
The old man's 200 was in for a service and we needed obviously we're close friends with the previous owner. So
Um, we borrowed it to tow the boat down each morning to the pots and I just sort of
I don't know fell in love with it there. I just always like like going in it. I don't know. It was it was old
It was good. I just
Yeah, I like those sort of old looking cars and sort of just grew from there and when I heard it was sort of up for grabs
I was
Hold on it. So
beautiful
Yeah
Another one on the 80 series from gav. What would you do differently if you started the build again today from scratch?
Um good question
Let's say you've got it chopped
Yeah, you've bought it chopped and then you bought it not chopped. Would you chop it again?
Um, I actually wouldn't mind the the wag inside of it. I think eventually I'll probably put
A canopy on the back so
Um, I actually know best of both worlds, but
Maybe keep the wagon
Could you do anything differently for like you've obviously got it chopped you bought a chop?
Is there anything on the build that you do differently?
Oh
Probably not differently. I think we did it pretty well. I just took our time
But yeah, maybe a canopy on the cards, but that might be a little addition. Yeah, cool
Um
You went custom on a lot of that stuff didn't you like you and your old man? Yeah, well, obviously old man's
by trades and mechanics, so
Yeah, he's helped me out with a lot of that
Teach me along the way, but
um, like all the labor and stuff was basically done at home and
I'm just tinkered with it. Obviously there was stuff we sent it the shops to do but
Yeah, probably saved a lot of time and money doing it ourselves
So what do you where do you draw the line between like custom fabbing stuff custom making stuff and then buying stuff off the shelf?
Uh, well, like for example, like the hood lining that was all pretty cooked. So
Um, obviously like dad knew somebody that did like hood linings and stuff
So that he did that but then sort of the door cards. I went around to um, some like
What do you call them like scrappy like other joints and sort of ripped apart another 80 and got some door cards and
Um molded the two and got the best out of both. So like I did that myself, but yeah, I wouldn't attack a hood lining
It'll probably end up just falling down
Fair um
In any gear that surprised you
Better or worse
Um, I've got west coast suspension. Oh, we can't say that. Can we? No, you can. Yeah, I can. Yeah, I've got west coast suspension
In the car and that's sort of that was like the cheaper option, but I've had no issues with that. That's um, it's actually been great. So
still a comfy ride and um
Yeah, that's done me really well actually
Lee, uh
Nathan, what's the
Nah, it's not different Nathan. Uh, what's the bucket list trip that you haven't ticked off yet?
And what's stopping you from going on it? I need I need a
Like a better camping setup. Obviously it's set up right now just to sort of be a car
And and get me from a to b but I need sort of some power in the back either like a canopy or
Some fridge set up just in the back. Um, but once I do get that set up in the near future. Um, anyway, really I've to be honest
I haven't really
um
Explored that much. So I was pretty interested in the trip you did Doug, but yeah, um, that's pretty hardcore. You'd need a good crew to go
so
You anything really where you've grown up. You've been pretty spoiled for choice having you like locally just to go
Hit the dunes. Yeah, we used to ways to not walk hills and that it's like half an hour from home
So yeah, like yeah, you just straight into it. Yeah, basically. Yeah, no, the beach is good. Love the beach, but
Beach over bush
Oh, well, yeah, it's a good question. Um
I don't know
Either or I reckon if you found a nice bush camp like next to a river. Yeah a little water. Yeah, that'd be nice
I like that too. Yep. Yeah, great
This one from Nathan this time. It is the right Nathan. Is there a modern four-wheel drive?
You'd consider switching to big ups or see
Yeah, probably a 79
Or a 200 and obviously pretty sought after cars, but I just love them. Obviously they've still got I'd still go for the v8 option
So, yeah, good motors still a still a cruiser
obviously ones are you and ones are
A wagon so you'd weigh that up and I don't know figure out what you
What your best suit was but probably one of them too. I reckon your setup's wicked dug. That's that's cool
And the old man obviously out of 200 so we still have 200 familiar to that. Yeah, no, they're good cars
um liable so I saw a
Double dump like exhaust 200 before the massive kenworth like
Being here and it was like it was like, yeah, it was pretty nice sounded unreal
And last one as we pull into the driveway from as a do you think the full driving community is getting too obsessed with
Tech and comfort or is that just the natural progression?
Oh
um
I don't know. What do you reckon? I'll switch that one to you
Is that on yep, I'll put the handbrake on yeah
I don't think we're getting too obsessed. Well, I just spoke about it. This is the natural progression
I'd say I'll just spoke about an ai
Yeah, full drive system
Why well, I as like I was researching this morning
There's a full drive system. They're building in china in this car called a Geely
um
Yeah, battleship 700 or something like that
There's the answer
Um, no, it's like it's like a so the car will read the terrain that you're in and adjust your like
drivability to what it needs so like
Drive to the wheels suspension height
um
Whether it's ev powered or petrol powered what it needs at the time like all of that
Yeah, that's that's extreme that yeah, that's it's more of a they reckon
It's actually in production at the moment, but oh, I've got to be foot in the pedal. I reckon
In my mind does there are yeah, I'm the same
I think we're all of a grants that
We're probably love the
Keep it simple. Yeah, but I think the community is a whole. I reckon is
Enjoying the tech side, which I think needs to be embraced to a degree as well
Yeah, I think there's new school for drivers who enjoy the tech and having the comforts and stuff
and then there's old school for drivers who just enjoy having
Wind up windows and just having the accelerator in front of you. Yeah. Yeah
Option but you can't you can't like I definitely prefer that I wouldn't
I wouldn't do the gun barrel with this much technology. I can't even do a traction control. Yeah, like
It's pretty nice. No, it's nice for comfort and all that. I'll do the gun ball and I don't know mate like
Now that I've done it all the tech stuff
I don't know if all the felt confident doing it the first time in in one of these or even my ranger
Yeah, but I reckon now that I've done it. I think you could
Oh
We're here anyway. Thanks, Bowie. Appreciate it. Thanks for coming for a drive having a little run in the highlights. Thanks for picking me up
No worries. Save me a couple dollars
Yeah, thanks to ground. I won't be doing it tomorrow. All right, so we dropped Bowie off Bowie's done
Bowie's down in Bowie down to the beach. That was nice. That was nice. It's a beautiful day in WA for um for that
Yeah, you couldn't um very nice need a more relaxed boat than Bowie. I don't reckon. He is so chill
So chill. Such a good man. Yeah, um each time I've he's time. I've seen him out. It's he's just
Chatting about forward driving with him and how his car's going and all that and it's just it's perfect
Good amount of knowledge for like a 20 year old a on you can't believe he's 20. Yeah, you forget
Um, but no shout out to shout out to Bowie and yourself for jumping on today and making the time
I know it's your day off. No, so for you boys to do that. That's that's wicked. Oh, it was nice. Now, um
I want to just readdress what I've said before about this band of its luggage
We actually were in zones where I probably couldn't speed up. Yeah too much. Uh, gave it a little kick just in one of the back streets then
It's not too bad
It's pretty it's pretty decent. Yeah, you did say like we're off the lights here
Like it's it's actually there if you put your foot down it goes. It's there. Yeah, um, I was probably driving a little bit
Of course, which is which is fine too, but I reckon I've probably sold a bit short and didn't actually give it a crack. So yeah, um
It's yeah, it's better than what I thought. No, it's good
It's only a little like 2.8 liter four cylinder like it's not a massive engine. Is it so like you're expecting a little bit of
Give from Ronny. Ronny loves the Prado the Prado and the 76. Yeah, um, true
Or maybe a bit of different gearing, but it's good. Yeah, it's actually quite nice and I I think it's comfortable
Um, I like it and I think this the grounded one looks sick. So yeah, I agree. Um, and it's got yeah
New wheels new tires. Yeah suspension on it. I'll probably a two inch. I don't know exactly what suspension is. Yeah, I think it's yeah
I think it's really standard two inch standard. Yeah, so it's a car. It looked like a tough dog suspension to me
It's got some yellow down there a bit of yellow and yeah, but I didn't have a good look at it
Yeah, two inch two inch lifts. I would say maybe a three
Yeah, so it's it's got a few upgrades on it
Yeah, 17 inch wheels on 265 the tires look more aggressive than what
The 265 usually does. They're very aggressive. I didn't actually check the brand of tire that they're running there, but um
It's it yeah, nice car. I've actually enjoyed driving this around so
um
Would I be in the market for one?
probably not but I'm also
very
You'd be happy. You'd be happy as Larry driving this round. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I was saying before with
Bolly was just the technology. I don't I don't feel comfortable with all this
Technology I had to think there's a lot that can go wrong, especially those corrugations on the gun barrel. I think
What it did to our cars and Ronnie's grenadier
Sending all those sensors on and stuff. I don't I'm not a huge
There's a bit more to play with you in there fanning of that but
There you would make this
You would send this across the gun barrel. No worries. I think it's fine and it's quite simple
Like when you think about it, it is pretty simple. It is it's there's not a whole lot down here
There's a dial for your mode select. So that we're not going to play around with that. Well, we're moving right now
Yeah, you've got different things, but it's um
I think it would be simple enough
so
I agree the the four-wheel drive button is an interesting one. Yeah, it's not really a button
It's a roller to go from too high to four high to push it in and go to four low
Which we won't do. No, it's a bit driving
But that's I've not seen a not seen a button like that before. Yeah
Anyway, it's the gear stick
You know the four-wheel drive gear stick and you go from
Those I like those
Well, we need this. Yeah, I do
I'll tell you what though this when you when you are like again, I'm speaking about my ranger
That's okay. I've had experience in when you're driving at the right speed and you just
You know, you can click from too high
To four high. It's just a simple turn of a dial or a click down this little roller
It's pretty nice. That is that is pretty nice. I can't it's pretty nice. I can't hate on that
Yeah, I mean you can do it still in the in the manual. Obviously you just
You clutch it and off you go, but we lost that again. Yeah lost it completely. That's all right. I know we're still there
How does um, how does it compare to the ranger?
Can you compare it?
Yeah, I mean you have to rangers and highlights compared each and every day. Yeah. Well, you've now you've
You've also owned a higher ranger and now my range it was 10 years or nine years older than this
Yes, so they have come along too. Um
This is comfortable feels really sturdy stable the steering is really nice. That's quite light
Which the ranger has always had so
I'm a I'm a ranger fan
Yeah, I'm a ranger fan. So that's just me but this is a great car
You can you can tell yeah, like to just to drive this on road
We're obviously not off-roading, but this is it's a very nice car
But those brand new rangers that that screen they're all they're all offering a similar thing
The thing about the ranger that I like is that they've gone to
um
A six-cylinder engine
Um, so I think you know, they're a heavier car because of the bigger engine, but um
I like that about them
So that that's yeah three-liter six-cylinder
And I like that. So yeah, that's me. Um
But yeah, this is bloody perfect. It is like oh probably
Said it was a little bit safe at the start, but it's it's not it's it's fine. It's this car
Again, like for a lot of us
We're not on the road full-time to drive this around where we are now through the suburbs and city streets and yeah
Want to take it off-road on a weekend? You couldn't go wrong
No, you can't you can't this is a
It's a great modern you yeah, I would say it's a great modern you and there's a reason they're so popular
Yeah, yeah, so I think maybe we might have to lie. I was powering off again
Sorry about the video and this one guys
Maybe we'll lay her in the shots of the car
Stuff in
Yeah, sorry about that. We are
Running a go pro and it is
Very very hot here. Is that usually happen?
Hey, that usually happen with the go pro gets hot. Yeah, it gets real hot and starts to shut down. Yeah
Yeah
Go on give us a run around
Just thought I have a little play get a brand new Hilux, you know, yeah, give us a quick run around of your of your Hilux
Yeah, so we've got uh, we've got the grounded Hilux
2026 it's the
48 bolt hybrid
motor so
ground have been
kind enough to lend us
The Hilux today just have a little run around we picked up Bowie had a chat did a podcast out of it
Um, it's a it's a real nice car. I mean, it's um, you know, it's it's a modern new Hilux got everything you could want inside
All the comforts, but a walk around and have done with it is it's just a nice
It's an SR5 model, but they've thrown some wheels and tyres on it. Um, got the roller on top
It's all pretty clean and neat
But with a little bit of that stuff that we spoke about being the perfect probably weekender
Whilst you're driving it around the city for your for your daily drive, but um
So basically what they have done is this is the roller I was chatting about. Um, it's from
Roller cover the hsp youth lids
Hello snack pack youth lids
interesting
But this is really not like so you can how do you do it off the key?
Double tap the unlock double tap the unlock button
And away it goes so
That's pretty nifty. I like that. Um, I think this is a pretty good option for
A weekender like that keeps your gear nice and dry. It's got this built-in light when it's pulled back for for night time
Um, but it's it's pretty practical. I mean you you're not putting a lot of stuff on top
You could put a rack on here to utilize the space up above there, but obviously for grounded. It's a company car
Um, it's probably not used for camping. So
But you sort of got a few few options there. It's got the buttons up here as well. So I can shut it
Just off here
I think what are the car lock actually?
There we go
Open the car back up a little work. Um
I like this similar to the ranger this obviously not been put in
And I don't know if this comes with the sr or the sr5, but the tub step is um, I think that's just a practical feature
It comes on the hylux
So they've got fuel rims. They're 17 inch rims the wheels
And the tire they've gone road venture
Rt's so they're
265s
They look aggressive but they look quite aggressive for for what they are
It's not overly big pretty standard, but it looks it really goes well, especially with the black flares
That that is nice. I like the look of that
Side step standard. Obviously you got your grounded branding
And then this is the part that I was really skeptical about up the front is
This this front end. I didn't know if I was sold on it
When I when I first saw these hyluxes come out
I don't know if it's the tires
And uh, and the rims that are making this look better to me
But I am I've come around to that front, especially from that angle that you see and right now
I reckon that it looks pretty sharp. It looks good. It looks sort of half aggressive
Without being overs
We're chatting with the boys if you're going to put a bull bar on this
Does all of this come off?
Because that's quite deep. It is deep
So you you'd be pulling off quite a bit there, but I actually really like the look of it as it is
I mean like I said, it's a grounded company car for what it is doing a lot of its work around here
I don't think you need I I wouldn't put a bar on this
I really like the look of that and then the front grill is the other part. I was skeptical on
And I don't know what it is about this one if there's I don't know if there's a different trim or what it is, but I quite like
how that comes up so
Yeah, I mean it's a
yeah
Brand new hylux 26 has done 3000 kilometers. We've taken it for a drive. It's got enough go. It's comfortable
all the tech you could want
Nice big screen in the middle, which I think is what a lot of people are wanting these days
Throw a set of tires on it a lift. It's got a two inch lift. We're not too sure about what's underneath it
But we're shooting it's a two inch lift and I think it's come up a real treat. So
appreciate it grounded for um for letting us to car for a day and run to the podcast out of it and
I don't mind the idea of a
Of a rolling podcast. No rolling podcast is might be the way to go might be uh
Oh
You big on it now, aren't you? I'm big
Anyway, the ground of the hylux
I've been a pleasure to drive thanks to grounded for um for giving it to us to to lend and and drive around for a little while
I'll get a feel for it. We've been chatting about it. Never sat in one. So that's perfect. Um,
But I'm yeah, I think it's a great car
this looks nice in the ground vehicle and um
Yeah, I'm pretty happy with it might to be honest. Yeah, I've been impressed with it so far. It's it's very similar to driving ronnie's prado the 250
Uh, and also he's 76. Yeah feels very similar. Yeah, as it should they're both new Toyota cars. Yeah, um
But nothing too much tech for you. Nothing bad. Nothing bad. But no, look, it's just because I'm used to the 76, right?
I've got roll down windows. I don't have central locking. I don't have a lot of stuff going on
but
Yeah, coming into this is a bit different. Yeah, but I don't mind the tech like obviously tech is good as long as it holds up and it doesn't
Like that tech is not holding up. That tech's not holding up. But as long as it as long as it lasts and
Doesn't hinder your full driving or anything like that then you know, I'm happy with tech. It's magic. I think it's great
Like it's comfortable
The space in the back is what I don't like about utes. Yeah
That's any ute though. It is any ute. It's every ute. So
Yeah, other than that, I think I think it's been fun driving it around
48 volt is that is that something that's going to last or is that something that's on its way out?
Obviously we've got the electric highlights coming up towards the end of 26 or
Into 27 depending on where you are
But yeah, it'll be interesting to see what that one's like like like we said at the start
This is just a facelift
Highlights basically it's a yeah, there's not much that's different to any other high luck. So
Tell you what the brakes feel nice. It's just a good car. Press it in harder
Oh, now we're moving again. Apologies, but we it just breaks. No, it does. It does break nice. Yeah, it does
It does
Anyway, thanks grounded wrap up. Thank you. Thanks grounded. Thanks dago. Thanks bow. Thanks tire power. Thanks tough dog
Um, see you guys next week. Hooroo. Cheers
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About this episode
A relaxed drive-and-talk session in a 2026 Toyota Hilux (48-volt hybrid) with Bo Allan, hosted by the 4WD Podcast crew. They tour the Hilux’s modern cabin, big infotainment screen, and key changes like electric power steering and smoother stop/start behavior. Tough Dog gets a winter camping tip segment focused on staying warm (exercise, dry socks, and keeping batteries in the sleeping bag). Off to the side, they debate AI-driven 4WD tech via the Geely Galaxy Battleship 700 concept, then wrap with Bo’s chopped 80-series build talk and a quick look at the Hilux’s roller cover and grounded styling.
Different look on the show this week as we take the Grounded Construction 2026 Toyota Hilux for a spin with Bo Allan and chat AI 4WD's, updates on his chopped 80 series and more!
The 4WD Podcast powered by Tyrepower. Recorded at BackChat Studios built by grounded.