Downgrading from 120 to 90, your advice?

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

I am thinking of selling off my 5 Door 120 and replace it with a 2 door 90 series. He car is a 3 Door 5 speed 1998 and has been maintained by the dealer, it has a total of 120,000 KMs on the clock. What problems should I look out for? Did these cars require a timing belt change?

Cheers.

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Re: Downgrading from 120 to 90, your advice?

I am thinking of selling off my 5 Door 120 and replace it with a 2 door 90 series. He car is a 3 Door 5 speed 1998 and has been maintained by the dealer, it has a total of 120,000 KMs on the clock. What problems should I look out for? Did these cars require a timing belt change?

Cheers.

What engine is in the 90 series (diesel, petrol 6cyl or 4cyl). Here in Australia, the timing belt change was different for our 1996-1999 (every 100,000km) and our 2000-2002 (every 150,000km) 95 series with the 3.4litre V6 motor. I've never been sure why, as they are the same motor.

The steering rack can tend to need replacing if the vehicles had a quite a bit of offroad work (corrugations) from 100,000-150,000km mark. Seems to happen on quite a few, but not all. At 120,000km you may want to think about replacing the clutch as well. It may not need it, but think of it as preventative maintenance.

Apart from that, there haven't been any other regular faults to look for. Just check all of the usual thing you look for on a 4WD.

Note: These comments are based on the 5door 95 series as delivered here in Australia. Hope it helps.

John

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

Hi John,

Well it is a 1998 3 Door with a 3.4 Litre Engine. The car has never been used off road, so many of the typical problems are abscent. It has all of the options, sunroof, etc., and everything works. The clutch engagment point was quite low, so yes, I think it would be wise to replace it, and I think the shocks are on their way out. As for the timing belt, it had never been changed, I assume it is a belt, and if that is the case, it must be changed ASAP. Would you know if this is an expensive job?

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

Another question, do they make lift kits for the 90 (95) series cars? What is the average price? I just bought one for my 2002 RAV4 and it just transformed the car I would be very happy with an ARB kit.

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

It is a timing belt on the 3.4litre v6.

Cost is hard to say, but as a guide; Mine was done by my local mechanic. At the same time I replaced the water pump (preventative maintenance again. Easiest to get to when timing belt off, etc), and also flushed the radiator and replaced the top/bottom radiator hoses. It was about AUD$850 for me.

If the suspension setup is the same as the 5 door, there are plenty of suspension options. Lovells/Bilsein OME(ARB), Tough Dog, etc. You'd have to be sure it's the same as the 5 door though. Knowing Toyota, I'd imagine it is. Easiest way would be to get your local Toyota spare parts guy to check the part numbers on the stock springs/shocks. If the part numbers for the 3 door and 5 door are the same, then the aftermarket stuff for our 5 doors should fit fine.

I have the OME suspension lift (from ARB), that give me about a 50mm lift. They do light/medium/heavy springs for the front and rear depending on load, with shocks to suit. I've got medium on both ends, as I have a steel bullbar/dual batteries up front, and have a loaded drawer system, water storage, etc in the rear all the time. I can't remember the cost, but I think it was about AUD$1400 plus installation from memory.

Oh yes, get the stone guards for the rear shocks (same as for an 80 series cruiser). The rear shocks are in front of the rear axle and can cop a hammering with stones/rocks flicked up from the front. The guards clamp onto the shock tube and help protect against damage from this.

Hope it helps........

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

Thanks for the great advice, would the dealer sell these guards?

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

Thanks for the great advice, would the dealer sell these guards?

If you mean Toyota dealer, probably not. I got mine from ARB, at the same time they fitted the suspension.

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

Sale is most probably off since I discovered that the car is 1996 and not a 1998 as I had previously believed. I think I still made a darn good offer at $7,350 (USD). Although it is in great shape, it is still 11 years old!

Any thoughts on the price?

Cheers.

[prado4x4 Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado4x4]

A bit hard to comment on the price, as most of us will only have the Australian market to compare it too (and all our vehicles are overpriced - due to import duties/tax).

A 1996 GXL 3.4litre 5sp manual 5door 95 series averages a sale price of around AUD$10,000 to $15,000 depending on condition, kilometers travelled, etc. 1996, was the first year the 95 series prados were introduced into Australia. They GXL sold new here for about $45,000 in 1996.

In Australia, there was the original release of the 95 series (1996-2000), and an update model (2000-2002). If your vehicles are the same, than I would imagine the specs, etc for the 1996, are the same as a 1998 anyway.

I guess only you can say if the price is OK for your region though. Are there others for sale that you can compare the price to ?

John

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

Very tough to do here because traders are very secretive about prices and we have no databases like the Red Book or Edmond's or Kelly Blue Book, etc. The price is within region of others I have seen, give or take a couple of years. Two issues: 1) it is a relatively low mileage car (121,000 KM in 11 years) and, 2) it has never been off road. The owner came down to $8,000 USD, I guess I will go for it given that I would have to pay more than double to get a 3-door 120 series with a smaller engine.

Cheers.