What to buy: 120 series or 150?

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

Hi all,

This is my first post. I’ve been lurking for a while – partly because I haven’t bought my Prado yet (hence the ‘Dreamer’ tag).

I’ve had a plan for some time that includes buying a Prado. I retired about 12 months ago and bought a camper trailer to drag around this great country of ours. I fitted the trailer with Prado 120 alloys and Mickey Thompson ATZs so that I would have more spares options when I bought my Prado.

I was convinced that I would be buying a 120 series, but I’m now considering a 150 series and would like your views.

Whatever I buy I will be modifying. My wish list includes; Bull bar with winch, 2” lift, front and rear air-lockers, dual batteries, snorkel, diesel chip, 3” exhaust, drawer system, fridge and a few miscellaneous bits and pieces.

My reasons for going with the 120 series include:

• Larger fuel tank.
• Better looking (subjective I know, but I think the 150 series is butt-ugly)
• Cheaper purchase price (I’m looking for a 2008-09 D4D with under 50,000kms)
• I’m not keen on buying a new vehicle and then doing up to $20,000 worth of mods.
• My trailer wheels are the wrong offset for the 150 series.
• The mechanicals on the 150 don’t seem to be much of an improvement on the 120.

My reasons for considering the 150 series include:

• Newer vehicle, better chance of warranty still in force.
• More to choose from – low mileage 120s are getting more rare by the day.
• Less likely to get stolen – because they’re so ugly ☺

Am I missing something? Should I buy a 150 series?

Any comments will be much appreciated, thanks.

Dreamer.

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

I would personally go for one of the last 120's as all the problems were ironed out and now the 150 is in a new learning curve. Not that i have either but i also have no intention of getting rid of the 90.

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

A low km late model 120 series will probably cost you more than a brand new vehicle at the moment. So if you don't mind waiting for a new one, thats definitely the way I would go... Infact, it's exactly what I did.

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

I had the choice and went 120. Proven technology, heaps of after market options, less teething issues.

and of course much better looking

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Same engine in the late 120 as 150 (different mounting position of intercooler). Same bugs as late model 120 (more or less). The 150 looks a lot better than a standard 150 when you cut the nose off and put a descent bar on the front. Still looks weird along the sides and rear but you would get use to it. With the issues in Japan erlier in the year I believe there has been no production and hence the waiting list is building. Same applies to the 200 series.

If you do go a 150 then changing over the rims isn't hard or you can seel tyre and rim on here. Would be plenty of tackers. Good choice with the ATZ (provided it's the 4 rib and not the 5 rib).

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

If you do go a 150 then changing over the rims isn't hard or you can seel tyre and rim on here. Would be plenty of tackers. Good choice with the ATZ (provided it's the 4 rib and not the 5 rib).

I for one, need an extra 5 or 6 150 GXL wheels so i'm sure others do too.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I specifically traded my first 120 series (2005) on one of the last 120 series before the change (2009), in fact if the dealer can be believed I probably got the last white, diesel GXL in the country, so I am a little biased. Looking at you pros and cons list, it seems that you still have your heart set on the 120, for me whilst I think that the 150 is a good vehicle, from what I read, I don't think it is any better than the 120 series apart from slightly better claimed fuel figures.
The real downside of any later model vehicle and the Prado is no exception is that they are all getting more and more electronic gizmos on them that have the potential to fail, If traction control, and KDSS and whatever other goodies the specific model you may look at has; are positives in your eyes, then maybe lean towards the 150. I note that you mention lockers so I imagine you wouldn't want traction control.

It's probably a toss of the coin job really depending on exzctly what suits the individual, in my case I would still hope for the coin to land on the 120 side, and when it comes time to move on from my 120 series I don't think I will go for a 150.

Cheers Andrew

[Thurbie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Thurbie]

Hi Dreamer

I'm on my second 120 and when its lease is up at end of year I was leaning to extending the lease rather than upgrading to 150 series.

Then a lifted 150 with similar tyres parked next to me as shown below and swayed my opinion. The slightly smaller fuel tank on the 150 had been a factor until I realised that its really only an extra jerry can and a half and when its all said and done its pretty hard to find gaps betweens fuel locations in the vast land of ours that would test even the 150's range (even towing your camper).

Regarding your camper's 120 size rims, given I suspect you're only considering putting one onto your vehicle if caught short, so might be worth doing a search here to see if anyone has worked out if they fit the rear of a 150, as I believe the front calipers might be the issue. My camper's rims are different offset to my 120 but I know the campers spare fits on the Prado's rear if I ever get multiple punctures!

With regard to thievery (despite appearance) the 150's now have an alarm as standard for GXL and up (and immobilisors across the range).

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Good luck as whichever way you go, you'll be buying a great vehicle.

Regards,

Gerard

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

I would suggest like any car drive them both and see which one your bum prefers. If the 120 is a better car than the 150 because the 150 has teething problems then the better car must be a 90 series prado ? Yes the fuel tank is slightly smaller but the fuel economy is slightly better which helps bridge some gap. I love the 120 I love the 150 (also love he look) yes my Kakadu has some electronic gizmos and believe me I found out yesterday first hand they work and work well. My 150 went places a 120 didn't because mine was feeding power exactly where it was needed. The electronic gizmos are not cutting edge latest technology it's been around for some time and I had great faith Toyota have designed it and executed as well as Toyota normally do.....if all that did fail out bush then engage the centre diff and rear difflock and off you go. Either way pick one and I'm positive you will love it.

[tassie tiger Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close tassie tiger]

HI Dreamer

This is left of field a little but bare with me.

Seeing as you are going to spend a fair wod of cash and obviously are going to use it why not look at getting a 120 v6. There are still heaps around and if you can source a country vehicle even with high K's then you should get a bargain. IMO people tend to worry FAR too much about high k's. Sure if its a city car then thats not preferable but a country car thats done 150k is probably tighter than a city one with 50k's (talking rural blacktop not high k dirt roads)


Add a supercharger - power power power - and all your goodies and you would still save some $$ over a new 150.

[Dreamer Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dreamer]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the thoughts.

It looks very much like a 50/50 call. There doesn’t seem to be an overriding argument for one series over the other.

I guess, at the end of the day, it may well come down to what individual vehicles are on the market when I get my finances sorted.

Whichever way it goes I will be far better equipped than I am at the moment – I’m currently dragging my 1500kgs of camper trailer around with a manual petrol Nissan X-Trail. It’s doing a reasonable job but I’m severely limited in where I can go.

And to Tassie Tiger; thanks for the advice but I’m set on buying a diesel.

Thanks,

Dreamer.

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

My 120 is due for payout in October, it is the very last of the "pre D4D's", so still has 4 speed auto. I have been kicking this question around for a while also. My Prado has done 92k in almost 5 years so has plenty of life left in her, it is completely untouched, except for Cooper ATR's. I have driven the 150, the Pathfinder, the Pajero, (and the new BMW X3) but still can't work out what it is I am getting better than what I have already in the 120. The obvious things to me are Bluetooth, more airbags, traction control, rear air-con for the kids. I only drove the Pathfinder and Pajero to satisfy myself that the Toyota badge was still the best choice to make. When driving the TD 150 it felt stronger, but not sure if it was that much better. I reckon the 5 speed auto was more indecisive that the 4 speed.
If I kept it, I might upgrade exhaust, suspension and get a new audio system with Bluetooth, touchscreen and rear camera.

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

Hi Dreamer,

IMHO I believe the 120 is the go. They look stunning both inside and outside and are very similar to the 150 without some gizmos, which by the sound of your mods and budget, you wouldn't have trouble adding to the 120 to spec it up to the 150. At the moment 120's are very expensive, I bought mine 3 weeks ago and got an absolute bargains for a virtually new one. It is a 2007 with the old knobs (not climate control) but it was in showroom condition with 50,000 on the clock and most of the must have goodies already installed (uhf, bullbar, lights, towbar). It has bluetooth and mp3 player and with the price difference of what i bought and price of a new 150 you can buy ALOT of toys!

To narrow it down:

120's eclipse the 150 in the looks department
features are fairly similar, whatever is missing in the 120 can be bought with your saved cash
120's have a bigger tank
same engine (although 150 is a touch more economical)
150's have a massive waiting list

Other than that it's obviously up to you!

Stick with the 120, you won't regret it!

Cheers,
Loz

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

Looks are certainly subjective though prados never grabbed me UNTIL the 150 came out then I liked them. I always look at look at it if I can afford the newest model buy the newest model, I can't think of many manufactures the spent millions of dollars to make the new model a step backwards. Give it a couple of years as well and resale will be higher on the newer model.
I always find car forums a hard place to get an unbiased opinion as 120 owners say get the 120 and 150 owners say get the 150 surprise surprise lol.

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

You've probably bought something by now but I'll throw in my ideas .
I've owned a 120 GXL and a 150 GXL and I reckon the 150 is a better vehicle . The overall driving experience is better in the 150 I feel but it does have a different brake feel to the 120 , maybe a bit over assisted .
The front seats are a definite improvement over the 120 and the new rear door locking bar is a big improvemrnt .
Having the revesing camera and trip computer is a bonus . I wonder if it's better not having the extra HI/LO gearstick as the 150 has a rotary switch for this purpose . Problem I can see here is that the 150 cannot select neutral in the transfer case so you wouldn't be able to flat tow it , but you can select lo range without locking the centre diff which is now selected by a switch .
Cheers

Ross