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Well, I've just replaced my rig. My 2003 GX manual Turbo Diesel has just been replaced by a late 2006 GXL 5 speed auto D4D. 
While the obvious attractions of the D4D, newer model etc. have beckoned for a little while the primary motivation for change was the auto. Sadly, my left knee is not what it used to be (I blame too many years of indoor cricket!) and I found myself wincing every time I depressed the clutch to change gears in the old girl. 
Both my Wife & I got increasingly alarmed at the loud & painful "crack" emanating from my knee (usually followed by a loud curse from me!). While for many years a staunch manual man, my cars have increasingly been autos over the last few years, except for "play" vehicles such as the GX Prado and the odd classic Jag (a whole heap of other stories there!). Seems my "manual" days were increasingly numbered & thought it time to replace the manual Prado & take the opportunity to update as well. The high mileage on the GX was also a bit worrying (238,000 kms!). Mind you, it did show me just how great a rig a Prado can be even with such high mileage.
So I did some research into availability, current values etc. I have to tell you that availability is quite scarce in my neck of the woods (regional Queensland) and even on the popular auto trader websites, one isn't overly spoiled for choice even further afield! I did manage to check out a couple of 2004 to 2006 rigs (tidy but often high mileage & over-priced in my opinion) but found D4D models to be scarce as hens teeth (people are hanging onto them!) & hellishly dear when you can find them. Without too much hope, I contacted a major Toyota dealer in Brisbane who I knew to have an honest, helpful reputation and ran into some good luck. While they haven't been getting many in, just that morning a private D4D owner had traded his rig on a new Prado. The salesman described it as an honest family vehicle with low mileage (66,000 kms) in excellent condition. So after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on likely change over (trading my GX), swapping photos, reassurances of the honest condition of the D4D, my Wife & I drove the 700 kms to Brisbane and did the deal!
One of the early sticking points for me in considering the deal was the vehicle colour: nearly all of our vehicles over the years have been light in colour, this was DARK METALLIC GREY (I think Toyota call it Charcoal Grey). However, as stated choice wasn't great and the strong points of the vehicle (including a good deal on change-over price) couldn't be ignored. So here I am, the very happy (& proud to be "grey"!) owner of a 2006 GXL 5 speed auto D4D
It looks almost like a new car & certainly drove like one all the 700 kms back home. It's a stock standard rig with the Toyota tow bar & window tint the only options or additions. My immediate plans are to put on a bull bar (probably ARB Deluxe) & spotlights, which will likely quickly lead to a suspension upgrade (was planning to do that to the GX). So I guess you're likely to see a new rig build-up thread pretty soon!
Here's a quick pic.
Sunday.
While the obvious attractions of the D4D, newer model etc. have beckoned for a little while the primary motivation for change was the auto. Sadly, my left knee is not what it used to be (I blame too many years of indoor cricket!) and I found myself wincing every time I depressed the clutch to change gears in the old girl. Both my Wife & I got increasingly alarmed at the loud & painful "crack" emanating from my knee (usually followed by a loud curse from me!). While for many years a staunch manual man, my cars have increasingly been autos over the last few years, except for "play" vehicles such as the GX Prado and the odd classic Jag (a whole heap of other stories there!). Seems my "manual" days were increasingly numbered & thought it time to replace the manual Prado & take the opportunity to update as well. The high mileage on the GX was also a bit worrying (238,000 kms!). Mind you, it did show me just how great a rig a Prado can be even with such high mileage.So I did some research into availability, current values etc. I have to tell you that availability is quite scarce in my neck of the woods (regional Queensland) and even on the popular auto trader websites, one isn't overly spoiled for choice even further afield! I did manage to check out a couple of 2004 to 2006 rigs (tidy but often high mileage & over-priced in my opinion) but found D4D models to be scarce as hens teeth (people are hanging onto them!) & hellishly dear when you can find them. Without too much hope, I contacted a major Toyota dealer in Brisbane who I knew to have an honest, helpful reputation and ran into some good luck. While they haven't been getting many in, just that morning a private D4D owner had traded his rig on a new Prado. The salesman described it as an honest family vehicle with low mileage (66,000 kms) in excellent condition. So after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing on likely change over (trading my GX), swapping photos, reassurances of the honest condition of the D4D, my Wife & I drove the 700 kms to Brisbane and did the deal!
One of the early sticking points for me in considering the deal was the vehicle colour: nearly all of our vehicles over the years have been light in colour, this was DARK METALLIC GREY (I think Toyota call it Charcoal Grey). However, as stated choice wasn't great and the strong points of the vehicle (including a good deal on change-over price) couldn't be ignored. So here I am, the very happy (& proud to be "grey"!) owner of a 2006 GXL 5 speed auto D4D
It looks almost like a new car & certainly drove like one all the 700 kms back home. It's a stock standard rig with the Toyota tow bar & window tint the only options or additions. My immediate plans are to put on a bull bar (probably ARB Deluxe) & spotlights, which will likely quickly lead to a suspension upgrade (was planning to do that to the GX). So I guess you're likely to see a new rig build-up thread pretty soon!
Here's a quick pic.
Sunday.
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