Time to join the prado club?

[beattun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close beattun]

I do apologise, I realise there are 50 million similar posts on here, but this seems to be a very helpful community so I'll hit you with my question and see how I go!

Myself and the missus and 3 year old have been on ONE camping trip, we took her Hyundai i30 (instead of my VY Commodore), grand car and all that, but yeah we struggled with all the gear.
So while we were sitting there at the campsite in Hall's Gap I'm looking at all these rangers and navaras, landcruisers etc and I says to her, how the feck are all these people affording 60 - 80 grand cars?

Anyway, long story short, we inherited her dads 2006 Holden Rodeo with canopy, I've since wired in the second battery isolator (Isuzu diesel motor 215k on the clock), it's pretty rough, wouldn't pull the skin off a sausage (got a shit auto box in it) and it stinks of cigars and cigarettes and I can't get it any cleaner than it is, it's an absolute pig to drive and I've been driving it for 8 months now and enough is enough.
I do 5-6000 kms a week in a kenworth bdouble, I'd much rather get out of that at the end of my week and get into something a bit more luxurious, but also something versatile to pack up with the camping gear, fridge, battery box, etc, the boxes I need ticked are, I need something nice to drive, and it has to have power, I put my foot down in the rodeo and it just starts laughing at me.

Budget I think is around 25-30 grand, I should be able to get 5-7k for the Rodeo hopefully.

Might be the wrong place to ask, but all signs are pointing to Prado, do I need Prado?
Patrols and Pajeros are on my list but they just don't look as nice and anyone I know who has a Prado keeps telling me it's the best car they ever owned.
Any tips on the best model / year / diesel / petrol etc?

General use will be about 160kms round trip to work 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes once a week, and then the odd camping trip away, no crazy stuff just probably within a 500-1000km radius.
Location Geelong.

Thanks in advance!

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

Prado is a good choice, I’m in the market at the moment to,

the in-laws have one and it’s lasted them 10 years and still going strong with regular maintenance, there’s is a prado 120 with the 1kd d4d about to hit 400,000km

ive looked at patrols etc too but can’t you see maybe with over 250,000km? So makes me think too unless it’s the 4.2 wich is getting a bit old for me ... I’m actually looking at holden Colorado 7’s too? Have model 2015-16 with less then 50,000km selling for 25-30 also they have a smaller motor but produce 500nm tourqe,

but we are still deciding as we do love the prado but for 25-30 in Perth we can either get a high km 150 gxl 2010-2012 or a low km “100,000km” Gx ex fleet 2012-2015 some are half decent too... we have driven the 150 and it’s very comfortable and the gx has all the features of a VX 120 but with less km and a newer car.

for you as you don’t drive much in your car ? I’d consider a petrol will save you money In the long run with servicing etc and doing less km too,

but saying that even the 150 petrol prado hold there value for a gxl so again almost better off with a 2012-14 gx diesel. Try get the 2014+ with the face lift a lot nicer inside and the bugs from earlier models are gone too

[beattun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close beattun]

Thanks Gurilla, I think 2014 might be pushing it a bit budget wise, I found a lovely looking V8 landcruiser within budget, really need to consider power so probably a diesel won't be the best choice anyway.

[Guest Close Guest]

v8 Cruiser will eat prados all day on power, far superior vehicle if your talking the 200 series.

[IanLR Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close IanLR]

See my response to Dangerbarnett earlier today. Your budget is well over what the redbook says my 2007 120 vx diesel is worth at 235,000km. As i said earlier i would sell mine with a clear conscience in the expectation that it has years of life left.

ian

[IanLR Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close IanLR]

Another few bits - i think the consensus these days is that a modern petrol like a prado is much the same in terms of lifetime cost as a diesel. The lower capital cost and servicing cost of a petrol versus the higher capital and service cost of a diesel offset of course by better fuel economy means you have to own the diesel a long time to break even. And the very significant advantage of a 120 prado is the 180 litres of fuel in 2 tanks. And if you wanted to be paranoid and alarmist after reading the current hot topic in multiple magazines (dirty diesel epidemic) you would go petrol rather than common rail diesel.

ian

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

A very underrated vehicle in your price range would be a later model Pajero as well. Having owned both 2016 Prado and a 2009 Pajero, I've got to say I'd prefer the Pajero - and with it's resale far less then it'd be worth looking at for your money for sure. The only reason I went Prado was due to the 6th and 7th seats being far more useable in the Prado (the Pajero are certainly kids only) and because in 2016 the new engine for the Prado came out (or 2015) so I thought I'd rather that than an older Pajero motor. But going second hand, I'd go a Pajero unless you need the seats in the back or the slight increase in 4WD ability... (I went everywhere in the Pajero I went in the Prado - although the Prado felt it could go a little further but really have a look at whether you're going to use that).

[IanLR Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close IanLR]

Agree about Pajeros - i had 3 before my Prado. I went Prado mainly for the diesel and the 180 litre fuel tank. Also i wanted more adjustment in the drivers seat as i was having neck and back pain at that time. I also got the VX as that was the only way to get all the fancy electronic traction and stability control. I certainly didnt need or want the leather seats. I am not a hardcore 4wd bog um bash em brake em so i have never seen a situation where the pajero wasnt as capable as the Prado.
ian

[beattun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close beattun]

Thank you for the comments, some great tips there, I have been looking at pajeros but just can't fall in love with the shape of them, theyre too boxy and narrow looking, but I should probably drive one and see how I like them.
My uncle in Ireland imports cars from Japan as a bit of a side job / hobby and he's telling me in Japan diesel is DEAD now, so going forward that's something to consider.

[beattun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close beattun]

I'm an interstate truckie so diesel is everything to me personally, but I'm definitely starting to consider petrol.

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

I'm an interstate truckie so diesel is everything to me personally, but I'm definitely starting to consider petrol.

Ha! Yeah, and after more than 20 years of owning a diesel 4WD I never thought I'd own a petrol, much less be stoked with the decision and very surprised at the petrol costs. Isuzu seem to have their DPF and drivetrain sorted (except front CV joints - but every car has a fault and those can be upgraded unlike a DPF) - an MUX perhaps?

If you do go petrol, for shits and giggles take a Y62 Patrol Ti for a spin. Nothing looks ugly with a bar put on it, and the stupid rear lights can be replaced with the ones sold in every other country...

[beattun Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close beattun]

Alright then I've done it, 2010 GXL, pick her up Wednesdsay!