Is this a good buy?

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Hi, first post as I just joined. Looking at buying a 2008 Prado gxl V6 auto

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/beaum...nav/1059352109

Should be about$30k with some wheeling and dealing. Do you think that is worth it?

A couple of questions , done heaps of reading but unsure about these things

What is the difference between this and a 2007 VX. I can get 1 roughly the same price and k's. Main difference I saw was the leather electric seats

The 2008 has factory Gps but no Bluetooth, rear camera or sensors. Can that easily be added later to the factory headunit?

Looking at getting a car with as few k's as possible and new as possible but I have seen a few for roughly the same price but with heaps of k's in the 150 series. Would they be better?

Plan is to keep her a 5years or so and do some mods like bigger/better tyres, lift, rear diff lock and usual interior mods to make her a touring vehicle to tow a camper around

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I'd say between $25-$30K and you're doing well, they're bullet proof as a tourer or daily driver.

Head unit isn't factory, factory unit was not nav and had Bluetooth. Any later model Toyota head unit will fit. '08 is prewired for rear camera, so once you have paid the Toyota tax it's a simple plug in job at the rear door, no need to run a wire.

Stick with the GXL rather than the VX.

I can just make out the traction control button so it must also have the option pack which includes side airbags.

[Guest Close Guest]

Head unit is factory.
Transfer case lever doesn't look like it has H-N-L on it, so I don't think it has the option pack with traction control.

I would get the VX as it would have more safety features and traction control which is very useful.

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Are you sure about the head unit? I had a quick play with it and it was exactly the same software as my Kluger grande 06 that we currently have.

Also thanks for the reply. Where about is the traction control button usually placed? And what other items are in the option pack

The woman that owns it doesn't know much about it. Just drove it to the shops and her work. Never off-road so I say it's had an easy life so far

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

As I'm planning on getting an e locker. Is the traction control going to be needed?

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Head unit is factory.

Nope, maybe a Toyota unit but it is not how it came out of the factory.

Transfer case lever doesn't look like it has H-N-L on it, so I don't think it has the option pack with traction control.

The button under the rag that you can see the edge of is the DAC button, which means it has traction control also.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

This is the factory head unit in that model



This is where the DAC button should be



It will also have a centre diff lock button if it has traction

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

The woman that owns it doesn't know much about it. Just drove it to the shops and her work. Never off-road so I say it's had an easy life so far

Judging by the rubber and then carpet mats in RHS footwell, it has been well looked after.

I'd be wary of the Armorall usage on the dash, they're susceptible to cracking and Armorall won't help.

If you can get it for the right price it's a great vehicle.

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

So that head unit, I should be able to get a Toyota camera. Plug into the pre wire and will work?

What about Bluetooth? I would almost swap this gps unit for a factory unit with Bluetooth as I found the Toyota s/w useless and painful to use compared to google maps on the iPhone

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Yep it's very well looked after. Just had the 90k service from Toyota and the invoice didn't bring up any issues

Seems there are a fair few dreamers on car sales with 05/06 models with double the k's going for the same price as I can get this

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I swapped my factory unit out for a unit that came out of a Hilux, Toyota camera plugs straight in. This unit has Bluetooth built in.

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Does anybody think I should get a high k 150 instead of low k 120? Was there a big improvement

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Ok, so Ive been still searching and found this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2007-Toyo...item3397962d8a

I still have to go and look at it, but compared to what else is available, it looks like a better buy. Very cheap price. I would save about $11k. That is alot of money i could put into mods. Downside is the condition wont be as good, Im sure as the other car. 1 year older and 60K more ks. But does that really matter?

Going by other toyotas I have had, at that many kms would probably need new timing belt and major service including diff and tranny oils, so add another $1500 Im guessing.

[Guest Close Guest]

Nope, maybe a Toyota unit but it is not how it came out of the factory.

Yes, that's what I meant.

The V6 has a timing chain. The diesels have a belt.

[ravenhard Member Find all posts View Profile Close ravenhard]

Ok so this can turn into my car buying blog.

That cheap car I just had a look at is cheap for a reason. I wouldnt touch it with a 10foot pole. Wasted an 1hr of my life but confident on purchasing the more expensive 1 in original post

1 thing I did notice on the cheap car was rust on alot of bits and pieces in the engine bay. Most of itjust surface but on various bolts and nuts and had a look underneath and saw a heap of rust under the radiator support. Seems the car may have been thru saltwater? engine high

Also a few loose and unused connectors on drivers side engine bay. The sale person claimed in was factory unsed connectors, but I dont think Toyota was have left that many loose connectors just sitting there , although I could be wrong?