Complaint about 100 series saggy arse

Submitted: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at 23:16

ThreadID: 5065 Views:2200 Replies:6 FollowUps:8

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Member - Michael

This is really more of a natter then anything else.I live in Bullsbrook a semi rural town in Western Australia i commute to town every day on my way home at night i am temporarily blinded by oncoming headlights.I have noticed with great frequency that a lot of these badly aimed headlights are from 100 series landcruisers towing small trailers and campers coming back from holidays.Is it just because the landcruiser is getting a bit soft (a comment i am sure will stir a response)that these vehicles cant handle a small amount of laden weight or are there headlights so marginally aimed as to be a nuisance to other road users.I sometimes think they have there hi beam on and give them a quick flash to let them know only to cop an eyeful of spotlights in response.Is it only me has noticed or am i just nattering.Anyway i mean no disrepect to a very good vehicle or there owners just had to have my say MikeGotta get out there. Debbie and Mike

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Reply By: Griffon - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 08:08

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 08:08

Hey Mike - IT'S NOT YOU!!
This is a well known phenomenon. 100's (Tojo's in general) are galloping towards urban domestication these days. I gotta have one for the tow weight, but the Nissan is still by far the better beast for the really serious stuff.
If you want to have a look at the ioo Safari vs Rangie TDI comparo in the 4wd Monthly #52 (April 2003) the 100 does the same thing with camper as you describe
Griff

AnswerID: 20743

Follow Up By: dp - Sunday, May 25, 2003 at 14:22

Sunday, May 25, 2003 at 14:22

getting back to the original question instead of nissan vs toyota rantings it is not just the springs. I bought a new 100 series recently and was flashed a couple of times on the way home from the dealer. The headlight setting is too high even without a trailer on. Out of interest looked at patrol and cruiser and thought both more than adequate for the job I had in mind (mainly towing and dirt roads) ....... However the wife hated the patrol and the v8 is lovely!!! Nothing like a well balanced thought out emotion free decision is there?

FollowupID: 13556

Reply By: tristjo - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 11:53

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 11:53

Yep, mate, Landcruisers are going soft!! There is no doubt about it! All Toyota cares about now is making a soft , lowriding, oversized, overpriced urban status symbol!! Gone are the days of the Toyota making 4x4's that can actually be used offroad without ripping off bumpers, bashing sumps and steering gear, etc, etc. The switch to IFS is just the final nail in the coffin for Landcruiser. But, hey, I would never have bought a Cruiser anyway, because NISSAN has always made better, more reliable, more capeable 4wd's. And it now appears that they are definitley the ONLY choice when looking for a bush cpeable fourby!

C'mon, you Cruiser faithfulls, admit it, Tojo's arn't what they used to be!!

Tristjo.

AnswerID: 20757

Follow Up By: Member - Glenn(VIC) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 18:06

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 18:06

Don't forget the ridiculous placement of the spare wheel! I currently own an 80 series, but I don't think I will upgrading to a 100 series in the longer term.Just Do It!

FollowupID: 13374

Follow Up By: Member - Bill- Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 19:58

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 19:58

Many think the GU is Nizmo's 80 series....Regds

Bill

FollowupID: 13381

Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 14:10

Friday, May 23, 2003 at 14:10

Tristjo,

Thanks to all those little Toyota engineers, and workers, and driver inputs, that they are no longer the same!!!

The FJ45 (?) that I first drove in 1965 would run a distant second, compared to the 79 series turbo ute we've just leased. You can shove the good ol'days, for mine.

The improvements to seats, door catches, window winders, foot room, spring shackles sizes, cooling, economy and power are endless. I'll stay in 2003, thanks.

No doubt you blokes are talking of wagons, just ignore my soapbox antics. Hooroo...

FollowupID: 13450

Reply By: Member - Mal - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 12:08

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 12:08

Michael,
Yep it's true. I own one of them and was constantly getting flashed with two passengers in the back. ARB fitted progressive springs to the back, maintained the same unladen height, and now I don't get flashed.

Yes, new LC's are "soft" but it doesn't take much to harden them up. For real bush bashing you can't beat a HJ60 or its Nissan equivalent but having driven the new Patrols and LC's I think they are after the same market and are "soft". Why the LC? More power and torque.

Mal T

AnswerID: 20759

Reply By: diamond(bendigo) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 21:30

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 21:30

hope my x wife dosnt read this forum.
thats the reason i used to call her land cruiser
looking foward to september(landcruiser park/fraser island)

AnswerID: 20805

Reply By: Member - Dave (Pilbara) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 22:53

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 22:53

Inferior 4wd people and plan cars take note. It is incumbent upon you to raise the suspension of your chariots to allow for the design feature of Toyos.This way you can be high above the magnificent lighting of this exceptional conveyance I personally have fitted poly bags to allow for the extra 5 tonnes of gear the Tojo can take with a marginal droop.

AnswerID: 20817

Follow Up By: Member - Michael - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 23:03

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 23:03

What The!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lolGotta get out there. Debbie and Mike

FollowupID: 13399

Follow Up By: Member - Dave (Pilbara) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 23:24

Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 23:24

Sorry moment of red wine induced madness

FollowupID: 13402

Follow Up By: diamond(bendigo) - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 12:51

Friday, May 23, 2003 at 12:51

5 tonnes what are you carrying.
a couple of landcruiserslooking foward to september(landcruiser park/fraser island)

FollowupID: 13435

Follow Up By: Nordave - Saturday, May 24, 2003 at 11:32

Saturday, May 24, 2003 at 11:32

OK I'll take my tounge out of my cheek now.

FollowupID: 13505

Reply By: farmer - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 10:56

Friday, May 23, 2003 at 10:56

The thing I don't like about the Nissans is their seating. You sit so low to the floor. It makes a big 4wd seem even bigger. The back seats are just as bad. Its been a problem for years. The 4wd mags have said the same. I am 6ft and I even find it hard to look over the hood when out in the bush. The back seat passenger's floor is ridiculous how it drops away near the door. When you watch the nissan drivers driving around town they all seem like midgets. Other than this it is a great looking 4wd and a lot cheaper than the cruiser.
In the latest Overlander they were saying the latest 4.2 TD was not what they wished it could have been. They were hoping for something more refined, say a 4.5 TD as refind as their 3.oL TD. Maybe this will come out in their new model.
At the conclusion to the comparison between the Td cruiser and the 4.2 TD nissan they said that as good as the cruiser is, it is just isn't $10,000 better than the nissan.

AnswerID: 20846