Question for the Pinz owners or those in the know.

[battleborn]

Good day,
Was wondering they say the speed of the pinz are roughly 60mph. Is that because of a governor or does it just run out of steam. They look like very capable off road vehicles but was wondering if they would be a decent on road vehicle as well.

 

[Gear]

I have owned 2 Pinzgauers. A 710m(4x4) and a 712m(6x6). The 710m will easily exceed 60 mph. The problem is the seals on the geared hubs do not like the speed. When the trucks are run at high speeds they tend to have more leaks. The 712m will probable hit 60 mph but it is slowed down by the weight of the extra axle. Both vehicles have the same engine. My person view is that the 710m has a tighter turning radius and is more nimble to drive in town. Parking is easy with this vehicle only being 14' long. The 712m was a lot more forgiving in the corners. Felt as though it was on rails. I actually prefer the nimbulness of the 710m.

I loved the Pinzgauer in town. For extended travel it really becomes a one person vehicle do to the cab noise and slower driving conditions. I still miss my 710m and continue to look for a replacement.

 

[Haf-E]

There is a gearing difference in the 710 (4x4) versus the 712 (6x6) versions which is done in the transfer case. It is possible to swap them between each other - which makes the 710 better off-road and the 712 better on the highway.

That said - it is a 70's era vehicle with drum brakes and a 90 HP engine. It actually goes amazing well for the simplicity of its design. There are a lot of gears, driveshafts and bearings spinning as you go down the road - so a lot to be aware of and to check on frequently as you drive as you don't want to have a seal fail and loose oil in one of the eight gearboxes (or eleven on a 6x6 version).

Its a great rig on back roads doing speeds in the 50s. I've driven mine from the Pacific NW to Wisconsin and to Santa Fe and LA - but you need to have the time for frequent stops for checking fluids and maintenance along the way.

 

[battleborn]

Speaking of maintenance. Can you go to autozone and pick up most parts or are you tied to a importer for all your routine maintenance or repair needs. I go between California and Nevada frequently and there are tons of offroad area I see along my travels was hoping for a simple bullet proof type vehicle that could handle both task. Maybe the Pinz is not the right vehicle for that?

 

[Haf-E]

Maintenance items are easy to get - spark plugs (assuming you convert to civilian type) and filters are in stock lots of places. All else is ordering from one of two suppliers. Most who drive far carry a lot of spare parts just in case.

I'd say a less exotic 4x4 van would be better for highway duty and some off road exploring. If you don't need that much space then perhaps a jeep jku.

 

[peneumbra]

I've driven Pinzgauers as tour vehicles, primarily in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. They're quite capable under those conditions, but I wouldn't want to spend hours of slow, on-pavement driving in one. They're not designed for that, being slow, noisy, and somewhat fragile. You could probably modify one to go faster with less noise, but then it wouldn't really be a Pinzgauer anymore...

 

[ExpoMike]

I was really close to buying a 712 (actually Gear's) but in the end, lack of speed, noise, comfort items and parts availability kept me from doing it. A well done 4x4 van will likely work so much better in every way and if you were ever to sell it, would likely be much easier to find a buyer. Pinz buyers can be few and far between.

 

[battleborn]

Thanks everyone.