Prado issues.

check out www.lcool.com.au

Land cruisers owners on line

Go for a Pathfinder ! ; )

I am digging in for the onslaught LOL

oops that may be better, should know better than to rely on the memory !

www.lcool.org

Sorry, How do you figure that a 99GU Patrol running on gas isn't fuel efficient compared to a diesel vehicle..?? Whilst I drive a Diesel vehicle it seems to me GAS is by far the most affordable method of propelling your vehicle in the country of Australia. In fact today we are seeing Diesel prices of well over $1.40 and Gas prices of around $.40 cents, so at least $1.00 per litre cheaper..! If I were you I'd be keeping the GAS vehicle.. IMHO. Excuse me if I have misread your thread.

My 2005 TD Diesel Hilux now costs me over $100 to fill. Whilst Diesel vehicles are usually very fuel efficient and more so than GAS, the cost of Diesel is rising exponentially in comparison to GAS.

WAIT till october... New diesel Prado should be out by then....

I have a 2003 TD Grande. It is a great car with the exception of the rear suspension airbags. I have just blown a second one in less than twelve months under absolutely no load. Toyota refuse to believe it is a problem but I have no confidence in taking the car to anywhere remote.
If you are serious about a Prado go for any model but the Grande. All other models have conventional coil springs.
Regards,
Ron Millard

Yes , they are VASTLY underpowered compared to their opposition. They are about to replace the motor , so your resale will fall dramatically when the new one arrives.

I would be looking at a hundred different things rather then just fuel economy.

Gday Pilbara1
I have had one for 9 months and I am not happy with the fuel consumption.
Mine is TD auto and around town it is woeful. Better on a trip.
You have to watch front tyre wear, dreadful, Body cracks on inner guards, CD stacker problems and radion reception problems mainly with tinted windows I hear.
You can try my website as it may be of some help
prado info
I would keep the gas powered car until the new diesel comes out in the prado.
Just my opinion
120scruiser
P.S - Unbelievabley quiet and comfortable car to drive on and off road. They love the sand.

We have a 2005 TD auto Prado. I keep meticulous fuel & other cost records. We have not had a single warranty claim, yet. We chose it because of the 180 litre fuel capacity, good Toyo resale value, and proven reliable turbo diesel motor. Some say the motor is old technology & underpowered compared to the opposition. A few years ago we would have said "wow" to 96kw & 343Nm torque. Compared to our different make 9 y.o. trade in, the Prado has heaps of power, all the performance we could ask, seems to do everything just so easily and mostly always at around a lazy 2000 rpm . Including 50% city driving, 40% pulling 1500kg (gross 1900kg) tandem caravan, and 10% sole country driving we have averaged just a tad under 15 litres per 100 km. We have never had a problem with tryre wear, cracks, CD malfunction, commercial radio reception (I am a qualified ham operator and fairly fussy and we do have extra film tinted windows), so I guess it may be just luck as to what you finish up with, hey?
The one thing I have done is I have fitted a light mesh stone guard between the bottom of Toyota Soverign bull bar and the front cross member 70cm wide & 35cm deep to potect the air conditioner evaporator from small stone & stick damage. On our model the possibilty of water rolling off the front tyre into the air intake has been factory (or dealer?) solved - see the lcoo, website re. this (former) problem. And yes, we do a fair bit of reasonably serious 4WD whilst still respecting our vehicle & investment.
That is our experience so far. You be the judge.

Hi Pilbara1

Next door neighbour here thinks his Prado diesel is greatest thing
out although his wife still prefers there earlier petrol one
because it eas a lot quieter.

We all have different priorites in buying vehicles and I could
never buy a Prado. Its not that it isn't a well made efficent car
nor that I been there when one cracked its transfer case in the King
river on a rock due to poor underbody protection.

No , its for a different reason , quite simply they tip over to
easily, and saftey is a big concern in our descision process.

4wd's rolling over has gone off the boil as an issue but the cars
haven't changed.

Your Gu patrol with a tilt table angle of 48 degrees is significantly
better than other big wagon's by 3 to 5 degreees.

The later prado's are softer and marginally better in rollover.

Get the real story , not just the brochures and consider
carefully.

Robin Miller

Have now done over 60,000km in our TD 120 series manual without any problems.....except for poor dealer servicing. In a remote area I can't just go to another dealer either.

I find the power and fuel consumption more than adequate (I tow an Aussie Swag camper). I have driven the more powerful "on paper" holden rodeo TD and the patrol as we have them for work vehicles. Don't always rely on the paper figures. It compares favourably in power with these vehicles under real driving conditions.

I suggest you test drive a few for yourself.

Over the 60,000k I have averaged 11.6l/100km. the worst is fully laden camper with boat on top in the gulf of carpentaria....15.5l/100km.

My only doubt would be the cost of diesel fuel to buy and additional servicing may make the petrol a cheaper car to run now :-(

Tez