Prado grande-great car but beware
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 19:29
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getmethehelloutahere
Out West of
Bourke our 2003 Prado Grande's rear shock died. Thinking I could fit after market shocks I soon found out , no, I needed genuine Toyota shocks because of the Prado air bags that are used instead of coils. This meant shocks coming from
Sydney, and the Prado couriered to the nearest Toyota dealer. An expensive exercise at $630 for one shock, plus labour plus car courier
Reply By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 21:07
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 21:07
Interesting, so what is so different that you must use Tojo shockies. Or, is someone having you on? The Disco has airbags and you can use any make you like.
Tony
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Kimba10 - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 16:55
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 16:55
Hi Tony, the shocks on the grande's like the 150
kakadu's have a controller inside and you can set the actual shock to the comfort you want, the airbags have a seperate controller to raise or lower the rear bags. You can remove it all and run springs and shocks if you want (some people have) but obviously then none of the controls for the
suspension will work........
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 22:45
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 22:45
Thanks
Kimba,
I now know what goes on. Sometimes these comfort things worry me. One more thing to go wrong.
Tony
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Reply By: Member - Outback Gazz - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 21:40
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 21:40
Mate
I don't wish to sound rude but where's the problem ? A 9 year old vehicle with a shock absorber issues - what the ??? Should I bag Nissan because the indicators on my GQ Patrol with 880,000 k's on the clock don't turn off by themselves anymore !!
Hope things turn out well for you !
Cheers
Gazz
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 23:03
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 23:03
Hi
I think the OP was bagging the apparent need for genuine parts (and high price as a consequence)...not the fact that the shocky failed.
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
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FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: pop2jocem - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 23:17
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 at 23:17
Yep, I think you got it in one Greg. And the fact that he had to wait for it to be shipped rather than sourcing one locally.
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 06:42
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 06:42
He was west of
Bourke after all. Hardly the centre of civilisation. And remember the tsanami in Japan and Thai floods.Not long ago. I suspect that Toyota are still having problems with parts supply. Kevin
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Follow Up By: Member - Outback Gazz - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 07:11
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 07:11
Sorry fellas - it must be just me !
When things go wrong for me I just suck it up, laugh and say "crap happens" I have had more major things go wrong than that poor fellows in far more remote locations than
Bourke in my time and I have never felt the need to tell the world about my problems and how much they cost to fix ! The blokes obviously annoyed at what happened but posting his dilema on this great site is not going to make anything better for him as far as his problem is concerned.
I must just have a different outlook on things !!
Happy ( and reliable ) Travelling
Gazz
Ps If I had more time I would tell you blokes about one of my trips where 2 of my brand new motorbikes crapped themselves smack bang in the middle of the Simpson the day after the Flying Doctor carted one of my trip participants off to hostpital with a cracked vertibrae in his neck - Hondas response was - bring the bikes back to
Adelaide and we'll have a look at them for you ! How much do you think it cost me to go from
Adelaide to the desert and back and how long it took ?
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 09:38
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 09:38
Hi again,
He may well of laughed it off, but I think the main purpose of his thread was to inform other Grande owners of the potential of the same thing to happen to them. This is obviously irrelevant to most readers but represents an important function of the
forum, providing information that may be useful to other travellers. I dont have a Grande but found it interesting....didnt see it as a plain old whinge.
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog My Position Send Message
Moderator |
FollowupID:
771747
Follow Up By: Member - kjd - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 10:35
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 10:35
I found the post interisting as indeed other prado owners may have. If one does not have anything constructive to contribute then don't bother us with dribble. Regards Kevin
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 10:46
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 10:46
KJD
The term is "drivel" I believe. Misunderstood by orstrayans as dribble.
The Prado
suspension system is however, purposely made and known to be as such by anyone who ever bothers to look at one.
Not being conventional in design is easily done by the manufacturer but always will cause headaches for owners after a few Km of use.
Other brands do the same.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 11:01
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 11:01
I presume the problem relates to the on-board air-adjustable
suspension on the Grande - that is, it's not a simple shock replacement problem? No doubt there are much cheaper aftermarket shocks available but using them would remove the onboard adjustability. Something to be aware of as the OP suggests.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 11:39
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 11:39
I gotta feel sorry for the OP here. Perhaps he needed to spell it out a bit more.
Point being that if you you're going to take a Prado outback then you might be better off with the simpler GX or GXL that has the normal coilover front end/rear coils/shocks, rather than get the Grande with the unique adjustable
suspension.
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Follow Up By: patrolmann - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:02
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:02
Gazz,
I think you are taking this thread the wrong way.
Try reading it again and maybe lose the attitude.
He was simply letting other Grande drivers know of the potential problems they may face in a similar situation. He was not bagging Tojo,s or the fact that parts had to be shipped in.
This is a fantastic site but sometimes people need to just take a step back and read the threads again before they go off on personal attacks.
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Follow Up By: Member - Craig F (WA) - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:14
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:14
Gazz,
I have just been informed by the OP of a potential issue of sourcing a part. Is this not a good thing? Hence I see value in his thread.
As said before on this site if you find no relevance in the thread click onto the next...
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Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:44
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 12:44
Jezzus there must be worse things in the world to worry about, I don't see the issue. You can use aftermarket shocks, there are thousands of 4WD's using after market
suspension with airbags. You were away on a trip, one shocker is nothing. The outback is a hard place on a vehicle, thankgod you were in a Toyota. LOL
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Follow Up By: Rod W - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:32
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:32
This is OFF topic and to Greg "The Explorer", with a question on where abouts is the Mt
Forrest Conservation Reserve? Thanks in advance.
Rod
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:38
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:38
...In WA just off the
Menzies-
Sandstone Road, 135 km west (as the crow flies) of
Leonora.
28° 44" 35' S 119° 56" 40' E
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog My Position Send Message
Moderator |
FollowupID:
771771
Follow Up By: Rod W - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:57
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 14:57
Thanks Greg. I'm going to be out that way driving across the top of Lake Barlee in a bit over two weeks time so after I've done that I'll venture up that way for a goosygander. It looks pretty neat.
See ya
Rod
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Follow Up By: Member - Outback Gazz - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 18:13
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 18:13
To the OP - Sincere apologies for misinterpretting your post that had a lack of detail as to why you were posting about your troubles ! Obviously I do not possess the same interpretation skills that the other wise individuals who replied have.
Patrolmann - maybe you misinterpetted my reply ( follow up 4 ) where I said "sorry it must just be me" and "I must just have a different outlook on things" It would be a very sad world if everybody saw things the same way and I am sorry Patrolmann but there is no attitude to lose.
See you in the bush ( and hopefully not broken down )
Cheers
Gazz
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Follow Up By: Rod W - Friday, Nov 02, 2012 at 11:13
Friday, Nov 02, 2012 at 11:13
As per above I've just returned from 2 weeks out bush which included the Mt
Forrest. I don't know if we seen the monoliths in your signature block but it a pretty speccy place with lots of iron out crops and water falls (when it rains substantially) and the spring feed creek at the north end of the Yilgarn Ranges. Thanks for the lead Greg.
See ya
Rod
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Reply By: Kimba10 - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 17:12
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 17:12
Christ this blokes not gunna bother posting on here again !!!! All getmehtehelloutahere is doing is giving some people who may have a grande a warning of the potential of what could happen. Your also lucky as the airbag in the grande's is known to come out of its holder then get squashed when it comes back down and blows the bag, common if you take it off road and flex the
suspension in the rear. There is a fix that a bloke on pradopoint who sells the cable to hold in place designed and you never need worry about the bag/s coming off there bottom support again.(see pradopoint.com) No wonder I'm no longer a member on here,(can be abused for nothing without paying for it) was for years but always some one who wants to bag the bleep out of either the question you ask (wether important or not doesn't matter) it may be to the person who is asking or posting about a certain thing. If you dont like the question/post DONT comment, quit easy really.......................................................................
getmehtehelloutahere ask what you like on pradopoint.com as thats exactly what the sites about, prado's, from the very first model to the current 150, if it cant be answered on there, you would be lucky to find the answer anywhere else....and yes I'm a member
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Follow Up By: Skulldug - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 18:43
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 18:43
Kimba10,
I agree. It was a useful post that received a pretty poor reply. It made me have another good think about what I would do if Murphy's Law paid a visit.
Unfortunately, it also made me have a good think about posting on any
forum, not just here. Grumpy "experts" spoil it for all of us.
Skull
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Follow Up By: madfisher - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 21:53
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 21:53
I couldnt agree more
Cheers Pete
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Follow Up By: ian - Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 22:16
Thursday, Oct 04, 2012 at 22:16
This
forum used to do 3 or 4 pages a day. The dic##eads have certainly won and sent participants elsewhere.
Ian
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Follow Up By: Zambezi - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 00:57
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 00:57
Sad day it is when someone has a legitimate problem, and may NOT be mechanically minded, asks a simple question and gets ten tons of manure dumped on him. What a great disservice you guys that bagged him are doing ! Hence the reason I may put one post in two years, or reply to one or two posts in 12 months. Why ? For the reasons one only has to read above. I bet the poor bugger in the Prado Grande wont be back on here - if ever again.Don't blame him.
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 03:37
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 03:37
The issue
Kimba points out of the airbag coming out of its holder is very true.
I have a friend who suffered the issue 4 times before he got rid of the car and went to a 100 series.
On one occasion he was told by some dork at Toyota's head office that it was his fault for taking the vehicle offroad.
Hello!! you market it as a 4wd comes the reply from him.
Prado's are a great vehicle and its a pity the Grande model lets down its reputation some what.
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Follow Up By: Zambezi - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 03:50
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 03:50
The original post was about his shock absorber giving up the ghost - not about any airbags. People are missing the whole point of the subject. The writer spoke about the cost etc of having to get his toyota Shock Absorber replaced etc and NOT about airbags. Everyone going off on a tangent, as usual, and not sticking to the original posting. Personaly, as a Toyota 4x4 owner, I would not by a Prado under any circumstances. PERIOD . Over priced and over rated.
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Follow Up By: Kimba10 - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 07:46
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 07:46
Again just by me adding a short comment in relation to airbags you get jumped on. Yes off track a tad big deal. What, put another post up about airbags ??, And what you havnt gone off track about saying
""I would not by a Prado under any circumstances. PERIOD . Over priced and over rated.""
the original post wasnt asking our opinion on them, the post was about shock absorbers and cost of replacement ???
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Reply By: disco driver - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 00:47
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 00:47
OH WHAT A FEELING
TOYOTA
And people bag Landrover and jeep for the lack of parts/service in the bush.
Disco.
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Follow Up By: Zambezi - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 13:33
Friday, Oct 05, 2012 at 13:33
Believe me, Toyota parts are just as hard to come by, and at one hell of a price. Now buy aftermarket parts from the USA ! 60% cheaper including freight and just the same as the Australian part.
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Reply By: getmethehelloutahere - Monday, Oct 08, 2012 at 22:15
Monday, Oct 08, 2012 at 22:15
Just to clarify. My point in posting was to make other grande owners aware that they could get stuck if their shocks fail, and yes perhaps the GXL is a much better option. Additionally I was not whingeing just warning others so hopefully they won't get caught out like me. The prado has been sensational, stock with no modifications, has been to
Cape York via the old telegraph track, and
Mitchell Falls etc with not one issue. The failed shock was not unreasonable, but given my limitations in mechanical knowledge and time to research every thing about the car I just got caught out with the whole "genuine" parts bit. And Yes, I will post again, as I hope I can be of help to others; and also gain benefit from those generous enough to offer their expertise. Cheers, Tim.
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