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Farmgate's 2014 150 GXL D4D Build

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  • Farmgate's 2014 150 GXL D4D Build

    Ok, so with a massive 4 posts to my name (probably read 4,000…. more a stalker than a lurker….), I am today starting my build thread. The catalyst has been the selling of my beloved Jeep Wrangler today (images below - sold to a lovely female couple, which I am still coming to terms with).







    Mixed emotions – really sad to see it go, as it was such a fun car – but wow it was a PITA at the same time, and above all, just plane uncomfortable to sit in and drive. I am thinking the Prado might be more suited to what I do. The challenge will be to make it as capable as the Jeep off road (on road shouldn’t be a problem).

    The new car will be my daily drive for work as well as the families (wife and 3 kids under 7) holiday car. Work involves the commute to the city and a lot of highway driving around SE Qld – c.30,000km/yr. Despite this, I am prepared to sacrifice a little on the daily drive to have a great holiday car (I drove a Jeep for 2.5yrs – I know about daily sacrifice….)

    Holidays involve towing the camper trailer general to some off road destination (mixture of beach and bush). Camper is a Lifestyle Extenda – 0.85t unloaded, 1.35t overflowing. Plans are for this car to take us on some trips further afield if we get it set up right (Cape, Simpson, etc) – those distances seemed so difficult in the Jeep.

    So to that end, I have placed an order on a Dec/14 plate GXL Prado, D4D Auto in Graphite. There is a moderate (compared to some on here) list of mods which are somewhat staged to fit in with a renovation at home. The list is as follows:

    Stage 1 – Immediately
    • Done - Leather throughout (gotta have leather in my daily drive) – charcoal with black dbl stich
    • Done - Tint/UV film and paint, leather, plastic and electronic rust protection
    • Done - Toyota towbar (considered HR but I like the rear bumper protection the genuine towbar offers, as I have no intention of adding the weight of a rear bar)
    • Done - ARB deluxe bull bar – graphite colour coded and winch compatible
    • Done - Safari Snorkel
    • Done - Front and rear air lockers and high output pump under passenger seat (tyre inflation plumbed to rear door)
    • Done - Pioneer platform roof rack on legs (rails removed)
    • Done - Rubber and carpet mats
    • Done - 4 year warranty

    Stage 2 – Once I have got it home
    • Done - Replace stock wheels with 2014 FJ Cruiser wheels
    • Done - Replace stock tyres with Cooper STMaxx in LT265/70R17
    • Done - 40mm suspension lift (Dobinsons and Bilstein) including rear poly airbags for camper
    • Done - need to wire - Install IPF900xs driving lights (carry over from Jeep)
    • Install GME UHF (hidden unit (carry over from Jeep)
    • Tray and battery in - need to wire - Dual battery and rear fridge outlet
    • Brake controller (P3) and Anderson plug
    • Awning

    Stage 3 – As permitted/required….
    • Chip and exhaust to improve towing
    • Remove 3rd row seats and replace with false floor and fridge slide/box
    • Winch
    • Bash plates and sliders

    Stage 4 – TBA – All the stuff I will want in future but am oblivious to ATM….

    Let’s see how I go sticking to this plan….

    Expected delivery is on Friday 13th Feb (renamed "Graphite Friday"….) – stay tuned….

    Cheers

    Farmgate
    Farmgate
    Junior Member
    Last edited by Farmgate; 26-02-2015, 11:00 PM.

  • #2
    Hey Farmgate, sounds like a capable rig man and good on ya for making the jump. Might not have to rely on the two women in your old jeep pulling you out!

    what's your thoughts on LEDs instead of the IPFs?

    So the next question is where are you taking it first?

    Comment


    • #3
      Sounds good mate. Looking forward to seeing some pics!! :-)

      Comment


      • #4
        Look forward to the build. Enjoy the 150.
        My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Farmgate , congratulations on your choice ,I don't think you will have to worry how this vehicle performs offroad compared to the jeep(especially with your list of future mods). Onroad it will be a dream to drive. Nice choice of camper as well , we were checking them out as well until a 2nd hand customline popped up with all the fruit.
          Cheers Matt
          2008 120 GX D4D with a few extras
          Rig build here
          [url]http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?33115-Mattfunk-s-120[/url]

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi mate, and welcome. The Prado's pretty capable and will hold its own off road with serious comfort to boot. My mate has a semi worked Wrangler we take on surf trips which is great but since I've had the Prado we now take that on the longer trips

            Comment


            • #7
              Hey mate, got that's same vehicle 2 weeks ago. She's a nice peice of kit. Have pulled the door linings and put the new speakers in her. The new head unit is waiting for the faica from overseas. If you need the pictures of the doors comming apart, let me know. The job is real quick and there is a awsome solution to the install of speakers that I would love to take credit for but was shown myself by a guru swami of all things audio. I look on with interest as most of the stuff bar lockers I have done and am scoping the filter situation for fuel currently.

              Comment


              • #8
                whats the plan with the leather interior and price etc?
                2012 4dr JK wrangler, 3.5" AEV lift, AEV mags, 35" muddies, front/rear arb bars, tjm sliders, pioneer platform and some other goodies

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hey maullman (how do you pronounce that anyway?)
                  IPF's for now because they are only 2.5years old. They are a halogen spot/spread beam combo with the black grills. If I am honest I would say that I expected better from them but in fairness, I could never be bothered to take off the grills before using them....

                  I'll definitely go LEDs once I get a bit more use out of the IPF's (which are starting to show some rust signs already...)

                  First trip will be a camping weekend to Wave Hill Station on the gorge section of Clarence River at Easter - not far away really.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Mattfunk - you sound like one of my 120 driving mates.... ha ha. I think you are spot on - there hasn't been much in the last few years that my Jeep went through and my mates stock 120 couldn't follow (although it's side steps have been restraightened a couple of times...). We always comment that our nerve gives up well before the car does. My biggest concern was the tyre size relative to the size and weight of the car (it has a few kegs on the Jeep) - hence upgrading immediately to 265/70R17's (still weighing up 275/70R17 now that Qld tyre size laws have been updated). I just hope this tyre size still performs well with the engine, transmission, etc (3.5% bigger).

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Mattfunk 120 View Post
                      Nice choice of camper as well , we were checking them out as well until a 2nd hand customline popped up with all the fruit.
                      Cheers Matt
                      Thanks - we looked seriously at the Customlines too - Lifestyle deal was too good to pass up. It has been a great camper - only complaint is its weight, but you cant have it both ways there (ie large and luxurious and light as a feather). Might need to look at wheel/tyre matching for it before the next big trip (or just hold onto a few of my stock Prado wheels).

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Leather is a dealer option but done aftermarket through a non genuine supplier ($2,300). I actually think they do a better job than most of the factory stuff I've seen/owned. Getting them to do door cards and 3rd row - no trace of cloth left over. Colour will be charcoal with a black double stich (considering silver stitch to match dash highlights) and perforated seat/lower back panels. Going to need seat covers for off road though....

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Yeh Kaindog, I cased a VX for a bit purely on the basis that I liked the stereo more.... But that is an expensive stereo if it is the only reason you're buying a VX. I'll see how I go with the stock GXL unit.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Who are you going to use? That seems like a good price.
                            My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by mjrandom View Post
                              Who are you going to use? That seems like a good price.
                              I didn't ask who the supplier/fitter was - I had a chance to look a one they just delivered and it was really tidy. I was going to do myself but the price was better than I expected so I stopped asking questions.... I did the same mod in the jeep through Doyles for almost the same price but excluding door cards and third row.

                              Comment

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