Petrol or Turbo Diesel

[grid Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close grid]

Hi all,
Im new to this site but have been reading most of the post and found it to be very helpful to see the good and bad about the Prado.
My question is (and there will be many answers)
Im looking at buying a new (2007) GXL Prado.... in the next 2-3 months

What is better?Petrol or Turbo Diesel?

At present I have a 98 model Jackaroo SE 3.5 petrol model.I have had this from new and apart from the servicing cost and general wear and tear this car has been bloody great.has never let me down on the side of the road,has never not started.it has never broken anything(on road or 4wding).It has just been a excellent car.
I have done 85,000km in it and have done a few camping trips to Deep Creek Cons.Park with the family.Now i am not a hard core 4x4 (as my wife wont part with the money )But to all that have been to Deep Creek would know of the steep hills to get up and down in the park.Does the Diesel have the pulling power to get up these hills or do you need to rev the engine hard to get it up the hills?I know its not the kW that count its the Nm but i read the kW and the Prado diesel is a bit low on kW.
I have never driven a diesel. Am i right in what im saying(please correct me if im wrong)
I will be towing a camper trailer but is only maybe 700kg fully laden with 3 kids stuff
My first concern about the engine types was when i was reading a 4x4 mag(overlander or 4x4) that had a towing test.They towed a smallish boat on sealed roads(and maybe some hills) and tested the power and times.
If my memory was right it was 60km then accelerate to 100km(all had autos) and the test came back Petrol Prado 10 sec. and the Diesel Prado 30 sec.I thought 30 sec was very slow and that made up my mind about the diesel,but other people have been saying no diesel is very good?

Now i am very confused

I dont want to buy a Prado with the wrong type of engine that i will regret till i trade it in .
Can anybody help.
Thank you in advance
Grid

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Hi grid.

I have the 2005 (old) diesel.

I have no complaints.
As with the new TD i think the kW are close to the petrol now anyway.
So if had the new one I would have less complaints. (less than zero?)

There is both in our club and we are both happy.
just for your info, the petrol owner is updating soon and said he will get the diesel... just wants the change. no specific reason.


So to answer your question, they are both as good as each other. with small differences in power delivery. Petrol might spin up more easily, and diesel might chug up snotty hills slowly easier. But both will get you there.

Jeff.

[Stitch Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stitch]

Petrol or Diesel doesn't really matter, as long as it is PRADO......

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

Just test drive them to make up your mind. I would go diesel (D4D) for the fuel economy and the range....

[HGMonaro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close HGMonaro]

There was a van towing comparision test recently in one of the 4x4 mags using the petrol and the old diesel, the new one is much better in every way, however the old one although slow, got the job done. Also, the van they were using was much bigger than what you're contemplating.

My father-in-law had an old 90 series which had the same motor and he towed a full van (around 2000kg loaded) all over the place without any problems, it was just a little slow up hills. He has just upgraded to a new D4D but hasn't towed the van yet so no report on the improvement yet, otherwise he's very happy with it. Haven't heard his fuel consumption figures yet but all reports on the 'net have it as very good. The major point of diesels and towing is they tend not to use a lot more towing comparatively than a petrol does and since they both have the same tank, the diesel can go further between fills.

I have a petrol, but was willing to give up a few L/100k for the smoothness and instant response compared to the (old) diesel as mine will do the majority of it's work around town! I've driven my f-i-l's D4D and I don't think that criteria has changed, however it would be a lot closer and harder decision. I might go the diesel now... maybe... maybe not...

I don't think you'll have issues with the performance of either. As suggested above, go and drive both, maybe several times as jumping in and out of cars can be confusing, and test drives are free!

Cheers, Nige

[Fazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fazza]

I have just returned from a Power boat training program at Shepparton Vic. I was required to tow a 5 1/2 meter power boat, 2 outboard motors, 50 life jackets a massive amount of educational equipment all topped of with a 5 meter rubber duck on top. All up weight ??? a lot.

As like yourself "GRID" I had the same considerations Petrol or Diesel but eventually purchased the latest D4D auto manly because of the high torque figures & excellent fuel consumption.

As this was to be my first major tow I was interested to see if my reasoning for my choice of vehicle was right.
Result:- Am over the moon as you hardly notice the extra load, the torque from the engine coupled with the auto trans change pattern works brilliantly.(What hills) That is where the torque comes in.
I have not checked fuel consumption for the trip but judging by less than a quarter of a tank used for 550 kms I am very happy.
After saying all of that I have not had the opportunity to tow with the petrol version but am sure it would be a good choice.

Fazza :lol:

[phil Member Find all posts View Profile Close phil]

Don't know if this is going to be a trend now but diesel has been a little cheaper to buy then petrol. At current price my d4d costs $12.60 per 100k's, which is great for a 2 ton vehicle. Done 2750km and still on second tank.
I would like to know the differance in servicing costs for diesel and petrol.
That said buy the model you are going to be happy with it's your car you have to be happy driving it. :lol:
Cheers Phil.

[plochert Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close plochert]

Diesel vs. petrol

After having owned a petrol series 90, I went through the same question a couple of years ago (2004) and settled on the diesel. I am very happy with it and my typical use is lots of towing a horse float, lots of interstate highway and some (little) off-road. Strong points would have to be the comfort, economy and range. Weak points would be the power on hills and the the 5,000 km service intervals. I know the power is much better on the current/new diesel model but I find the service interval a pain and it negates much of the diesel economy. As I have not driven the "new" diesel can't say if I would buy petrol or diesel today - but on my current (2004) model I would probably go back to petrol.

Cheers

Peter

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

Hi plochert.

The new D4D has 10,000 K service intervals now.
Same as petrol????? i think.

Negates the old complaint of extra services than petrol.

. But Grid. what ever you buy, the other half of the family will say " you shouldve bought a *****L instead".

Thats what makes it so much fun..

Jeff

[plochert Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close plochert]

service interval

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that as I have not looked at the new diesel in any detail. A 10,000k service interval sways me back into the diesel camp. Aside from that, for me the debate is a little bit academic because I find both the petrol and diesel variants are such great cars that I am probably arguing finer points rather than fundamental likes and dislikes.
Cheers,
Peter

[Guest Close Guest]

I have driven all 3 now.
Old Diesel: Crap, underpowered noisy smoker.
New D4D: More power and torque than above, but still has substantial diesel noise (Enough to annoy the wife). And the Petrol still way outperforms it in my views.
Petrol: yum, good all rounder, quiet, powerful, fast, makes wife not complain (Added bonus points) .. I'm staying with the petrol motor myself.

[Guest Close Guest]

Grid,
I have frequented the hilkls in Deep Crek you talk about. My mate owns all the dairy farmland down there around Delamere, Dog trap road and even more! :shock:
The Petrol didnt even blink on those tracks, a diesel will do it too with the D4D easily. I class them as a stage 2 track, they arent really that bad.

As a note I towed a mercedes SL500 (Convertible) out of there last year (Blowhole creek track) as he decided he could drive all the way down! The Petrol did that Ok with the added lump of german engineering on the back! (Mind you it re-adjusted the floorplan of the Merc a bit!)

Organise to go for a test drive in both, just tell the dealer/s that you want back to back tests and they will organise it.
If they dont walk away and go to a dealer that is prepared to work for the sale, they will have both as demonstrators on the lot.

[grid Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close grid]

Thanks Team Piggy and everyone else who put there comments forward.

Yes when it comes time to go for a test drive i will drive both to get the feel of power/smoothness..etc.
Deep creek has some good hills and the first time i ever put my car in 4wd was when i went down to deep creek.A guy at work gave me directions and told me it is a great place to stay or just for the day to visit.
My poor wife had white knuckles stuck on the jesus bars while going up/down these tracks,but knowing the jackaroo could do it was no problem but was a little concerned the prado diesel would not have the power to get up these hills(I can hear my wife now.....you fool..I told you to get the petrol :shock: :shock: )I would here it all the way home,and for the next weeks.
yes on one occasion down to blowhole creek i had a guy with his wife and small child(crying because mum was yelling at dad) stuck at the side of the road in a Mazda 323.I don't know what this guy was thinking but his wife was telling him,and she wasn't very happy.the 323 just didn't have the power and grip to get up the hills and his clutch was starting to smoke i told him and his wife to get in there car and steer and i will pull them back up to the top.the jackaroo knew there was a bit more weight behind it but it still did the job no problems.We all got up to the top no problem and no damage.The lady wanted to give me $50 for helping them out but i said no im just glad you and your car are out and everything is ok,I also suggested that they have never made a 4x4 version of the Mazda 323 and it may be a good idea to not try to go down there again as it is clearly 4x4 only.

thanks to all for info and there suggestions.
Grid.