Hello there,
As I've just registered (see introductions thread in the general section), I thought I would introduce my little Prado and say hello to the 90 series crowd!
It's a 1996 Prado RZ SWB automatic, 3.4 V6 with electric sunroof, windows and mirrors, aircon, bullbar and towbar.
I picked up the Prado at an auction (Turners for those in NZ) when I was looking for a 4WD. Having never owned such a verhicle, I thought it would be best to get something cheap and tinker with it - rather than buying something new and shiny where I'd be too afraid to take it off-road. I bought the car in August '08 when fuel prices went through the roof as I thought it would be a great time to buy a petrol 4WD. And it was, as no one in the auction was interested in the Prado so it was quite a bargain! (Similar aged Prado's are now going for quite a bit more!)
The car originally was bright green with silver panels but it was imported by Toyota NZ from Japan and painted a kind of gunmetal grey and received some kind of stickering on the rear windows (incl. the rear door).
I'm not quite sure how to describe it, it's like a fine mesh and has the words "Prado" on them.
I've never seen any other 90 series Prado with the same colour and that window covering mesh-stuff until a few weeks ago, I saw the large 90-series with the exact same colour, bullbar, alloys and window covering.
It was rather freaky - it was literally my Prado's bigger twin sister! Would anyone on here either own or have seen a similar 90-series Prado and perhaps know what this is all about? I'd love to know more about the history of my car
Anyway, I was execpting the car to be a bit of a dog - as it was dirt cheap and no bidders - but it is actually in really good nick. It's been running beautifully, I've put about 40K on it (bought it with 114K on it) and it gets its service every 6-months at a Japanese 4WD garage around the corner. (Which is owned by people who always have their hands covered in grease and oil .... in other words, people I actually trust).
The other day my aircon stopped working, I can hear the pump etc kicking in when I turn it on but it no longer coughs out cold air so I assume I just need to get it refilled.
No mods yet altough I am looking to put some better off-road tires on it, probably go for some Hankook RT03s. I will get some recovery hooks fitted so I can do some more off-road trips with my neighbour who owns a 85 Landcruiser.
(and no I am NOT the dude with love handles and the surfboard :mrgreen: )
As I've just registered (see introductions thread in the general section), I thought I would introduce my little Prado and say hello to the 90 series crowd!
It's a 1996 Prado RZ SWB automatic, 3.4 V6 with electric sunroof, windows and mirrors, aircon, bullbar and towbar.
I picked up the Prado at an auction (Turners for those in NZ) when I was looking for a 4WD. Having never owned such a verhicle, I thought it would be best to get something cheap and tinker with it - rather than buying something new and shiny where I'd be too afraid to take it off-road. I bought the car in August '08 when fuel prices went through the roof as I thought it would be a great time to buy a petrol 4WD. And it was, as no one in the auction was interested in the Prado so it was quite a bargain! (Similar aged Prado's are now going for quite a bit more!)
The car originally was bright green with silver panels but it was imported by Toyota NZ from Japan and painted a kind of gunmetal grey and received some kind of stickering on the rear windows (incl. the rear door).
I'm not quite sure how to describe it, it's like a fine mesh and has the words "Prado" on them.
I've never seen any other 90 series Prado with the same colour and that window covering mesh-stuff until a few weeks ago, I saw the large 90-series with the exact same colour, bullbar, alloys and window covering.
It was rather freaky - it was literally my Prado's bigger twin sister! Would anyone on here either own or have seen a similar 90-series Prado and perhaps know what this is all about? I'd love to know more about the history of my car
Anyway, I was execpting the car to be a bit of a dog - as it was dirt cheap and no bidders - but it is actually in really good nick. It's been running beautifully, I've put about 40K on it (bought it with 114K on it) and it gets its service every 6-months at a Japanese 4WD garage around the corner. (Which is owned by people who always have their hands covered in grease and oil .... in other words, people I actually trust).
The other day my aircon stopped working, I can hear the pump etc kicking in when I turn it on but it no longer coughs out cold air so I assume I just need to get it refilled.
No mods yet altough I am looking to put some better off-road tires on it, probably go for some Hankook RT03s. I will get some recovery hooks fitted so I can do some more off-road trips with my neighbour who owns a 85 Landcruiser.
(and no I am NOT the dude with love handles and the surfboard :mrgreen: )
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