New Prado diesel or petrol (or not!)

[JasonQ Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close JasonQ]

Hi all, this is my first post

I was wondering if I could get some advice,

I currently have a 2004 V6 Petrol with 185K and I want to by a new Prado in next couple of months, probably GXL.

I'm trying to decide between the diesel or petrol?

I won't be towing, and I plan to get snorkel and bull bar fitted as soon as I buy. Later I want to get lift, better tires, diff breathers, and rear bumper.

I guess my questions are:

1) for water crossings is a diesel better than a petrol (assuming they both had snorkels)
2) Cost per km/range is diesel more economical?
3) Lifetime - I want to get 10 years and at least 200K's trouble free reliability - is this reasonable? - I've seen thing here about injector problems on D4Ds?

I'll be getting the extended 3 year factory warranty when I buy as well...

Thanks in advance, appreciate it!

Cheers
Jason

ps - Alternatives? FJ Cruiser, or wait until I can afford a 200 series V8 Diesel? Wait until later this year for the new 2.8 Prado? - I know this is a Prado forum

[Johno1 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Johno1]

Hi Jason,

Had the same dilemma in 2012 when I was looking for a new 150.
I did some searching on the net and found there is no diffinitive answer, it is personnel choice.

City Toyota in Perth loaned me a diesel for an hour and a petrol for an hour to try out each engine.........the petrol won.

Good luck with your choice
Cheers Johno

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

Current petrol auto is bullet proof if you're not towing. It will cost more in fuel but less in maintenance. You'll always have a smile when you unleash the killerwasps.

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

Current petrol auto is bullet proof if you're not towing. It will cost more in fuel but less in maintenance. You'll always have a smile when you unleash the killerwasps.

Coming from a 120 D4D with chip and exhaust mods to the current V6, I have to agree with the "smile when you unleash the killerwasps", so much nicer to drive!

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Keep what you have till there is something better,
Diesel is cheaper too run even with maintenance, including Injectors at 120k.
I drive both & unless you floor it, they go about the same.
Short trips & offroad in the v6 economy is average at best.
If you do steep decents & climbs, diesel is still better.
The v6 can corrode the aluminium block & require a new block, but not as common as d4d popping their coiter.
The d4d requires Injectors to be checked every service, by an expert! CRD injectors are real wear n tear items.
Expect to change them at 120k.

[JasonQ Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close JasonQ]

Thanks all for the advice

Is the diesel safer/more reliable for water crossings than the petrol? (assuming both had a snorkel)?

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Thanks all for the advice

Is the diesel safer/more reliable for water crossings than the petrol? (assuming both had a snorkel)?

Diesel is more reliable, but the petrol versions coils are pretty well sealed, I would not suggest you went diesel over petrol for that alone.
If you were going to use the engine underwater then eventually one or more of the coils may leak & cause a miss or stall.
Remember it's not a boat & suggest the coils should be well above the water level, or you may have other bigger problems.
Note: just because you have a 1.2mt bow wave on the bonnet, it doesn't mean it's full in the engine bay.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Thanks all for the advice

Is the diesel safer/more reliable for water crossings than the petrol? (assuming both had a snorkel)?

A properly prepared petrol is just as good as a diesel these days. IMO. Nowadays with all the modern electrics they'd probably both die once the electrics/ecus got wet anyway. Landrover with your ECU under the seat, I'm looking at you...

Note though that a snorkel doesn't make you bullet proof if is not fitted correctly. IF you get water into the air intake of diesel you risk major damage due to the higher compression ratio. The lower ratios of petrol's means less chance of major damage.

Back in the olden days diesels were considered 'better' because provided water doesn't get into the air intake a diesel will operate underwater. Try that in a petrol and it usually gave up the ghost once the electrics got wet. Personally I'd be worried if I was running either engine underwater.

If you plough into a deep water crossing with a red hot turbo in a diesel, there is always the danger of the turbo cracking I suppose - though I've never actually met anyone this has happened to. And you should be letting things cool before you dive in. Anyway most water is at the bottom of the hill

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

Love my 120 petrol V6 (05 gxl auto). Yes certainly thirstier then the D4D in all aspects, but like others I like the get up n go of the V6. I only had the 1kz in previous Prado, big difference between that and the D4D. Can't say I've read or seen anything about the corrosion issue of the V6 block but #### would know more about this with his type of work. I'm happy with the economy of mine. It sits around the 16L per 100 on average around town and between 11/12L per 100 open road loaded. Never checked it towing or on the sand, I may cry lol but having the V6 you know all this already. As far as water goes, presuming both had snorkels both would be screwed if the ECU gets wet anyway. Maybe if you got hung up the diesel might be an advantage but I've seen a few prados in petrol with water over the bonnet with no issues. As #### has said, the coil packs, plugs etc are pretty well sealed. I think going from a petrol to diesel you may miss that initial get up n go of the V6 but it's a different feel with a turbo diesel. I certainly drive my V6 different to how I drove my turbo diesel. The old diesel vary rarely went over 2500rpm. I just let the turbo do its job without revving the crap out of it. The v6 has been close to the red a few times on the tacho lol. Love blowing off those boom boxes lol

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

I won't be towing)

There is your answer to the Petrol/Diesel question. Given that, I'd be questioning why get rid of the V6 you already have? A new one will only reduce your bank balance while not doing anything more than your current Prado.

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

Like constantly buying the latest mobile phone. Some people "just have to have" the latest product.

[JasonQ Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close JasonQ]

Thanks everyone, had my 2004 V6 for 4 years now, got it with about 130K, now has about 180K, other than brakes/tires prob spent about 4k on repairs, sump resealing, rocker gaskets, corroded brake shoes, also while getting brakes fixed they noticed that one side rear axle is off center, also things like contaminated rear diff fluid. Not sure of history before I bought it other than had full Toyota service history in book. Came with tow bar so think it was probably used to launch boats in saltwater a lot maybe. Not sure if this kind of costs is to be expected of a Prado of that age and k's.

Also notice at the moment the D4D auto is special driveaway price of $62,990 wheras the V6 auto is $66,500 driveaway... I'm assuming they're trying to shift the D4Ds before the new 2.8TD comes out later in year...

[lst2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lst2]

diesel currently sitting at $1.30 while petrol $1.68 for 98 or 5cent cheaper for 95.
diesel would cost you $195 fill up
petrol $252.
while diesel will get you roughly 1500km in town (averaging 10L/100km) if you went bone empty
petrol would get you 950km in town (averaging 16L/100km)
you would need to spend $397 per tank to get same mileage as diesel.
More than double due to cheaper fuel cost on diesel at current market.
Considering diesel engine Prado hold slightly better resale value. I would personally recommend diesel option for current time.
Upgraded injectors are fitted to current 2013+ onward Prado.
I have drove Petrol version, which is nice with better KW with similar Nm. but I simply can't afford to drive around.

more to add.
diesel will cost you $1300 to get 10000 km or $13000 for 100k km.
petrol 98 will cost you $2652 to get 10000 km or $26520 for 100k km.
given petrol and diesel price doesn't jump up.
Diesel prices are stable compared to petrol.

[lst2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lst2]

Thanks everyone, had my 2004 V6 for 4 years now, got it with about 130K, now has about 180K, other than brakes/tires prob spent about 4k on repairs, sump resealing, rocker gaskets, corroded brake shoes, also while getting brakes fixed they noticed that one side rear axle is off center, also things like contaminated rear diff fluid. Not sure of history before I bought it other than had full Toyota service history in book. Came with tow bar so think it was probably used to launch boats in saltwater a lot maybe. Not sure if this kind of costs is to be expected of a Prado of that age and k's.

Also notice at the moment the D4D auto is special driveaway price of $62,990 wheras the V6 auto is $66,500 driveaway... I'm assuming they're trying to shift the D4Ds before the new 2.8TD comes out later in year...

2.8TD will be implemented to Prado from August. If you gonna buy diesel, buy one with 3L D4D with current offer.

1. 2.8 comes with DPF
2. price will go back up
3. 3L is proven engine, while 2.8 might/most like will have teething issue

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

Buy what ever you want, with 5 years of warranty any issues you may have (but won't!) will be long gone buy then.

Personally if money is no object by a new V6, or if you just don't want to waste money buy a new diesel (wait for the 450nm 2.8 and forget the V6), or if you a really smart and done want to waste money by a near new 2014+ V6 for $10k less than either of the above and forget about the whole running cost thing because you just tipped the scales in your favour on day one of ownership. And you still get a warranty that can be extended.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk