"Prado's are for old farts..."

[reida1991 Member Find all posts View Profile Close reida1991]

A mate today I hadn't seen for a while was quite amused by my choice in vehicle. He laughed and said "My grandparents have one, they're pretty soft..." I told him to F/O.

However, this got me thinking a bit about our vehicles and my perception on what the average age of owners were here on the forum. I hazarded a guess at perhaps 35-45 years. Mature yes, but definitely not old.

I'm 20 myself, perhaps a baby in terms of ownership of this sort of vehicle. One thing I do notice is that in terms of 4WD choice, people in my age group are looking to older dual cab utes, cab chassis patrols and cruisers and 80 Cruisers and GQ as a general rule. Why are they overlooking vehicles like the Prado?

I know for a fact that you can pick up a reasonable condition early model 90 series for under $10k. I know mine is a capable machine off road and I can keep up with my mates comparatively modified 80 series.

So why don't we have many young PPer's? Is it the IFS front? Is it the perception of a soccer mum car? Or is it simply the intent to build up or buy a vehicle destined for a life as winch justifier.

4x4 Action gave a fairly positive rap for the 90 in a past issue. This mag claims a wide readership of all ages, yet most of us gen y are buying gq and 80 series cruisers, dropping in 6 inch lifts, big muds and going backwards and forwards between the bank and the bowser.

I for one am happy with my choice. I get good economy and range, have had relatively few problems and haven't had any trouble finding bits and pieces to improve it. Furthermore, it should last me a long time.

I'm interested on all your thoughts about this, simply as a point of discussion. Are our cars daggy?

So to this mate, I said "what are you driving then?"

"VT Commy mate" "With 20s and a 3 inch exhaust..."

Righto then, 'fully sick'.


Cheers,

Reidy

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

I'm also a young bloke. I'm 28 and have a Prado I've owned a whole array of bogan mobiles (v8 dunnydoors and falcons) and when I grew out of the rev head stage and got sick of never having a licence I looked into buying something more practical.
The choice for me was easy it went something like this:
1.Has to be a Toyota for quality and resale value, that narrowed it down pretty quick.
2.Couldn't be a V8 or a petrol engine because I was sick of, as you put it driving between the bank and the bowser.
3. I was left with a Lux or a Prado to choose from. I looked at the prices between a SR5 dual cab and a GXL prado which where very close and weighed up the features.
4. Prado has 5 speed tranny, more power, more comfort, 4 wheel disk brakes, better wheels and better everything. So a Prado it was.

So to answer your question Reidy I don't think Prado's are daggy. I think Prado's make sense logically. After all common sense isn't common and I've realised you actually do get wiser as you get older.

[Beast2h Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beast2h]

I'm 26 and my wife and I have had our Prado for about 7 years, I love it you can get in it drive 12 hours and still feel pretty good its more than capable off road and leave my 75 series for dead off road. when I was younger I had the opinion it was a "soft" off roader until we brought one.

it would be interesting to do a poll on age groups on here.

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

it would be interesting to do a poll on age groups on here.

There was a thread on this a while back, http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...hlight=members

Definately not for old farts, I am a young 42 although a 20 year old might think 42 is an old fart!

Cheers Andrew

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

Reidy

I fit in your demographic at 43 years old. I was never really a car guy, though I have a 'flash' car partly for work, I much prefer the Prado even though strictly speaking it's my wife Bec's.

In fact our Prado is the first 4WD we've owned, and it's hands down the best 'lifestyle investment' we could ever of made.
From heading up Bribie Beach or heading out with the SEQ Crew on the weekends, to touring the Outback as per our upcoming trip it;s opened up a whole new world to me and my family.

Trev

ps. No, not daggy

[wastegate Member Find all posts View Profile Close wastegate]

Great question Reidy .......

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

44, one 4 year old, younger wife 36, 3rd prado, like others been there done that, ex chasers, turbo's, bikes, boats, then I got married and it all stoped lol.....Definately dont feel like Im 20 and personally couldnt give a rats ar** what people think about what I drive. Unfortunately havnt had the $$$ to do any more to the 120, reno's, saving for holiday to Fiji in a August, snowys in 4 weeks. started off with the prado (90 series V6 grande) after having a hilux duel cab, while it was great off road and very reliable it wasnt comfortable, steered like a truck, brakes were crap, but loved the power it had, NOT, 2.8D non turbo so after been left at every hill while away doing the high country the wife said thats it enough is enough I want some with go, comfort, some thing that stops and isnt scared of going up a hill along come the prado at first to my negative response. Well on our 3rd one now and while this one hasnt done off road stuff, yet, the other 2 certainly did and I was extremely impressed with there off road ability, comfort and they stopped especially when towing...Have a soft spot for the mitsi pajero but reckon the prado's got the wheel flex the mitsi doesnt for more of the rougher stuff off road. I certainly miss traction control on this one but when $$ allow a locker will resolve that problem.Cheers Steve

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

Reida you've made a very good point there.

I'm 25, and have owned my prado for just over 12 months. I've owned 2 sedan commdores, 2 VE utes and when I was on my second ute I was pretty pissed off that I could only have 1 passenger, the thing was too low and scraped every speed bump and that I couldn't take it hunting.

So I looked into 4wd's! I was always one who wanted something semi-new (4-5 yo max) so that made the choice smaller as I hada budget. Lots of my mates have hiluxes gq's etc and make fun of my prado. I looked at the 100 series but my dad had one and it was thirsty (15L/100km) diesel.

The hilux looks shit inside and the nissan patrols are just as thirsty as the 100 series if not more. The only choice left was the prado as I think it's a very capable offroader.

As a matter of fact on my first offroad trip with the hilux and the gq I was the only one who didn't get bogged (with highway tyres on). Was fun pulling them all out with their 33" muddies

Overall I'm quite happy.

The only problem I see with being so young and being into 4wding is that the majority of other 4wders are 'older' with families, wives etc. Makes it hard joining a 4wd club. As nice as the older people are, it's a little hard to cope with their wives and kids, when you're a single professional. Would be good if they had an under 30's club

No offence to anyone who has kids and a wife, I reckon its great and want to be there myself one day, but I hope you can see why it would be awkward for me to go on a trip with other families.

+1 for the youngens

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

Lorenzo, I was in your position once and I know where your coming from BUT you will find you would be welcome to any of there outings and Im sure you would be made welcome. I had some great times and you will find there will be others that come along in the same position as your self and make some good mates...... Im talking most 4wd clubs and can certainly bet that any days out you have with PP members you would be certainly welcome, its just wether you like young kids running around. Even before our little one come along I always loved watching the kids getting filthy, and having fun........and stacking it on the sand dunes at Stockton Beach including the oldies like myself doing things that only kids should be doing like coming head first off a toboggan (spelling) lol...............Cheers Steve

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

I am in my mid 30's and this is our 1st 4wd and as others have said it has been the best lifestyle investment we have made.
Married and 2 kids,7 & 5 and about to leave on our 1st long trip this Tuesday for "The Cape".
Same response as many others here:skyline,commodore were nice but had always wanted to get out and see the real world and as such places that the previous vehicles wouldnt get me to.
The club we are members of have many families varying in age and demographic as well as younger memebers(under 30) who frequent the trips.
budget was partially there but i preferred the overall look of the 120 over the gu patrol back in 2009.
i was considering a 100 series but once the wife saw one it was quickly binned whereas the prado at least got the nod.

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

I'm young: 22.

I've had heaps of other vehicles, but my main vehicles have been my old hilux, and a new 70series ute and a magna.

As the magna started to die I realised I needed something that did both jobs: carried stuff and drove long distances (as I do about ~100,000km a year).

Couldn't afford a 200 series and the 76 is only manual so went with the prado.. It's a great vehicle and I'm super happy.

I do get asked at uni sometimes why I bought it and I just say it's the best value for money new 4wd you can buy.

Having a ute sucks: all your stuff gets wet.

[Aadrian Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Aadrian]

Great thread.

I'm late 20s, have owned a hatch, a hilux, and recently traded the hilux for a prado because of the growing family.

Fantastic choice, and definitely not daggy. Although where I live in CQ, you could say the prado is the new A%%hole (or Commodore) - everybody has one...

Have not been on anything rougher than roadworks in the new car, but have driven, bogged and winched a work prado on numerous occasions. The only downside I can see is that the weight of the prado means it does seem to sink into soft ground alot sooner than a hilux or smaller 4WD will.

[adamr7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close adamr7]

40, and had 4wds (and just about every type, make and model of car) all of my life. Had Prados for the past 7 or so years, and before that a couple of hiluxes. Kids on the way was one of the major deciding factors when I bought my first 120 series. Having been around 4wds for so long, I can say that the Prado is certainly one of the most capable all round vehicles on the market. It has the added bonus of being very comfortable, and has great resale. Regardless of age, I think its a great choice.

[shamozzle Find all posts View Profile Close shamozzle]

Great thread. I'm 32 and have had the 150 for just over a year. I traded up from a 94 surf ssr-x Ltd which was a cracker of a car and great value compared to the Aussie built sr5 Hilux at the time or the 4runner. There was just no comparison between the grey imports and what was available at the time. It had the 1kz-t and a 5 speed manual and went just about anywhere I pointed the front wheels in the 8 years I owned it.

Eventually the time came to upgrade and although I was swaying towards the 120, I got a great deal on a brand spanked 150 and couldn't pass it up. It's amazing jumping out of the surf and into the Prado, the advancements in technology can really be felt and I'm bloody happy with the vehicle.

I guess some opinions of the Prado can be linked back to Toyota's original marketing campaign for the 90 series, you remember? The city dwellers all dressed up nicely heading out bush to be scared by the frilled neck lizard when they get out of the car. The other one where the women is driving over large bumpy roads on the city, that sort of thing. As the say opinions are like ar**holes, but I bet a lot of people are surprised with the Prados off road ability and levels of comfort it maintains whilst out there in the rough stuff. A lot also enjoy the comfort and lack of cabin noise getting to those destinations when compared to a GQ biscuit tin.

Cheers,

Chris.


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[spitfireslw Member Find all posts View Profile Close spitfireslw]

im 25 and been there with the fast car scene but recently relised how great it is to have a new reliable car that i can go hard off roading then jump into it and drive 5000ks with out a problem.