Does anyone *not* like their 150 Prado?

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

Yeah, it is me that isn't happy with the prado - the missus likes it, despite thinking its a pretend!
Unfortunately when we were looking around, the minimum we could find a 200 was for about $56k, and that was a 2008 with over 120000klm on it - as I said, that was when we were looking, they may have come down from that.

[reggie426 Member Find all posts View Profile Close reggie426]

They've dropped a bit, but don't be put off by a big diesel '08 at 120000kms, that's just run in. The average for a car is about 20 thou a year so that is normal. Cars with low k's are prone to more problems because they don't get driven, seals don't stay lubed etc

[MelbournePark Member Find all posts View Profile Close MelbournePark]

The 200 GXL mirrors don't electrically fold. I couldn't get the 200 up my driveway with the mirrors out (due to electric gates down the driveway and it being an old house). But the cheapest Prado has electrically folding mirrors. Ridiculous that you have to buy a VX just to get the electric folding mirrors on the 200, when they are a probably $100 cost.

$75K too for a new 200 diesel GXL IMO all up ... which though is $15k more than a GXL Prado with more fruit on it.

Incidentally, with the Prado mirrors on the first series of 150: when you pull up, hit the mirror fold button and they fold in. Then hit the off button for your Prado. Then hit the mirror fold button again. And nothing then happens - they stay folded. Then when you come back and push the start button, the mirrors automatically fold out. Looks nice and automatic ...

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Can bet your life the mirrors are worth a few grand to replace !!! Cheers Steve

[yachty Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close yachty]

Isiman,
mate I kind of agree with you. I have had my facelift 150 series for a year now and I dont have anywhere near the attraction to it that I had for my Patrol. I have just taken mine to Coral Bay, it towed a camper effortlessly, fuel use was about 11L per 100 (the Patrol would have been 18L per 100) it is super comfortable. but taking it up around the dunes and over the station roads it just wasnt very good. I was there with a 79 series ute (V8) a 4.2td Patrol and brand new BT50 and a triton. even with the lift kit and heavy duty springs she hit the bump stops earlier that all the other 4wd's. I cant seem to get the traction control to turn off even when the light says so on the dash. although I am getting used to that.
I have had Toyota to turn off every bell and ding that they can which as far as I can tell is the seat belt alarm and thats it. which is good as I prefer to have my belt off when doing beach stuff.
I dont really know how to describe it. The Prado makes sense to me to own. Its comfortable, doing 14hr days in it isnt too bad, it is very good on fuel, my wife actually doesnt mind driving it. I dont have heaps of money so I will live with the choice of 4WD. I have made it far more battle ready (bullbars bash plates and rock sliders) I think Aussieandy is right there isnt anything wrong with getting to 98% of the places I used to go, the comfort trade off far outweighs the ability to hit tracks at 70km like I used to.
so I suppose to sum it up I bought the Prado as I couldnt afford the 200series and the 79series ute or wagon is just ridiculously priced for the options you get (or dont get) the 3.0L Patrol isnt an option for me as I couldnt bare to go from a 4.2td down to a 3.0L. so it left the Jeep Cherokee or Wrangler or the landrover discovery or 130 The Cherokee is a bloody good buy but as I am leasing the vehicle the resale has to stay high and Jeeps are pretty bad at holding their value the wrangler isnt built very well (my brother in laws brand new one's doors dont close properly without slamming them) and the landrover stuff is either difficult to modify (larger fuel tanks on the discovery are pretty difficult) and the 130 is a bit like a farm truck not too disimilar to the 79 series.
So for my use the Prado makes total sense to me and thats what I think about when I get a small hint of buyers remorse.
have a great day

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Interesting observations. My sons barely legal 4.2 iTD Pute cannot go where I put the 150 without locking its diffs. Comfort and drive ability and performance are in another class altogether and that is with the Pute running 16 pissies of boost and a bmf intercooler. None of my Prados have been cars that filled me with wonderment and immense satisfaction just from ownership but they also have gone wherever I wanted effortlessly and never made me think they would let me down (hiccough with the injectors on the 120 notwithstanding). As for comparing the 150 to a 3L Pwagon the latter has more comprises than I am prepared to live with as a daily drive. Disco or Jeep? Well I would rather give up 4wding. We assessed all the competition before buying the 150 and while it isn't perfect it doesn't do much wrong either. Throw a few $ at it (as you have to with any of the current crop) and it is very capable. Maybe something else next time, definatey if the D4detonation issues continue as they have from 120 to 150. It won't be a single or dual cab ute though, got one each and do a few kS in them and I far prefer the Prado. Well I prefer the GTS but I can't 4wd or tow with that.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Interesting observations. My sons barely legal 4.2 iTD Pute cannot go where I put the 150 without locking its diffs. Comfort and drive ability and performance are in another class altogether and that is with the Pute running 16 pissies of boost and a bmf intercooler. None of my Prados have been cars that filled me with wonderment and immense satisfaction just from ownership but they also have gone wherever I wanted effortlessly and never made me think they would let me down (hiccough with the injectors on the 120 notwithstanding). As for comparing the 150 to a 3L Pwagon the latter has more comprises than I am prepared to live with as a daily drive. Disco or Jeep? Well I would rather give up 4wding. We assessed all the competition before buying the 150 and while it isn't perfect it doesn't do much wrong either. Throw a few $ at it (as you have to with any of the current crop) and it is very capable. Maybe something else next time, definatey if the D4detonation issues continue as they have from 120 to 150. It won't be a single or dual cab ute though, got one each and do a few kS in them and I far prefer the Prado. Well I prefer the GTS but I can't 4wd or tow with that.

Ditto

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

Whoops, haven't had a look at this one for a while.
Again, thanks all for their responses, and it is interesting to hear peoples thoughts.
Also, there are no auto-folding mirrors on the prado GX...

[Kev7762 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kev7762]

Isiman,
mate I kind of agree with you. I have had my facelift 150 series for a year now and I dont have anywhere near the attraction to it that I had for my Patrol. I have just taken mine to Coral Bay, it towed a camper effortlessly, fuel use was about 11L per 100 (the Patrol would have been 18L per 100) it is super comfortable. but taking it up around the dunes and over the station roads it just wasnt very good. I was there with a 79 series ute (V8) a 4.2td Patrol and brand new BT50 and a triton. even with the lift kit and heavy duty springs she hit the bump stops earlier that all the other 4wd's. I cant seem to get the traction control to turn off even when the light says so on the dash. although I am getting used to that.
I have had Toyota to turn off every bell and ding that they can which as far as I can tell is the seat belt alarm and thats it. which is good as I prefer to have my belt off when doing beach stuff.
I dont really know how to describe it. The Prado makes sense to me to own. Its comfortable, doing 14hr days in it isnt too bad, it is very good on fuel, my wife actually doesnt mind driving it. I dont have heaps of money so I will live with the choice of 4WD. I have made it far more battle ready (bullbars bash plates and rock sliders) I think Aussieandy is right there isnt anything wrong with getting to 98% of the places I used to go, the comfort trade off far outweighs the ability to hit tracks at 70km like I used to.
so I suppose to sum it up I bought the Prado as I couldnt afford the 200series and the 79series ute or wagon is just ridiculously priced for the options you get (or dont get) the 3.0L Patrol isnt an option for me as I couldnt bare to go from a 4.2td down to a 3.0L. so it left the Jeep Cherokee or Wrangler or the landrover discovery or 130 The Cherokee is a bloody good buy but as I am leasing the vehicle the resale has to stay high and Jeeps are pretty bad at holding their value the wrangler isnt built very well (my brother in laws brand new one's doors dont close properly without slamming them) and the landrover stuff is either difficult to modify (larger fuel tanks on the discovery are pretty difficult) and the 130 is a bit like a farm truck not too disimilar to the 79 series.
So for my use the Prado makes total sense to me and thats what I think about when I get a small hint of buyers remorse.
have a great day

Pretty much how we came to the decision to buy ours, plus living in central QLD at the time nearest dealer for anything other than a Toyota or Mitsubishi was 300 plus km away.
200 series was 25k dearer for less equipment.
Not a fan of the look and the facelift has made an ugly duckling look even worse, but the addition of an ARB bar improves it somewhat.
They drive well on and off road and suit what we want out of a family car down to a tee.
Gotta say that if I didn't like it I wouldn't have bought it or I'd sell it and that's not likely to happen even when the lease runs out at the end of the year unless I can pull a promotion that comes with a car allowance.

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

This seems like a strange thread, on a Prado specific forum.

Looks of the vehicle? (my opinion) Who cares? I'm driving it - not looking at it... Saying that, I don't mind the appearance of the 150.

I'm a progressive type of bloke, so I am really enjoying the fact that although I bought the base model GX, I have (as standard) keyless entry and ignition, A/C, Bluetooth connectivity (a MUST), Cruise control (would NEVER own a car without it!!) reversing camera (another MUST!!), 150L fuel capacity and a well finished interior.

What I didn't like as much, was the Toyota Link "apps" - not really all that useful. I have just added a Navman GPS and that does what I need it to. I also didn't like that I cant turn the headlights off. sure I can click the switch over to the parking lights but it dims down all the interior lights. I just got over it and moved on.

I really like the ride quality, and the comfort over long trips. So far I've been up to Noosa (from Syd), down to Melbourne, and done a Snow trip.

I have driven older 4WD's (Tractor like performance and ride). I have also owned two Hilux SR5's ('05 & '10) - Prado is far superior.

I reckon if you are paying $55K - $60K for a vehicle, It needs to have some creature comforts and modern technology. Its not 1985 anymore... The manufacturers have moved on.

[storm4x4 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close storm4x4]

It needs to have some creature comforts and modern technology. Its not 1985 anymore... The manufacturers have moved on.

What the guy said above is pretty much spot on we aren't living in 1985 anymore vehicles today are gonna continue to be packed with electronics and computers that do all the work for us. Toyota recently just announced their new hydrogen car that does about 480 kilometers and takes about 3-5 minutes to fill up. Whether people like it or not what we fill our cars up today will change because of rapidly advancing technology once a few things come together. On the looks of the Prado I think the 150 & 120 look great with the interior being its strong point compared to other 4Wds.