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

[Dutchy1 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dutchy1]

Turning 37 this month, so not old by any means, bought our 09' D4D a few weeks ago and must say both my wife and i firght to drive it. Yet to take her on the open roads yet as she's in getting a new nose job in the form of an new BB and DBS and electric brakes for towing the van and a few days down at Pondalowie Bay at christmas time.

Dutchy

[reggie426 Member Find all posts View Profile Close reggie426]

36 and into my first Prado, picked her up last night. So on the 5th Dec 2012 I officially became an old fart.

However, when I was young, I've had, in order:
1976 180B Wagon POS
1971 HQ Panelvan
1971 HQ Panelvan (the second one, dont ask...)
1976 HX Ute (308 on gas, my first V8)
1984 Gemini (killed it in 6 months, personal best)
1976 HX LE Coupe
1983 VH Commodore SLE
1997 Hilux Xtra Cab (first and last diesel)
2004 Rav4
2003 Jeep Cherokee (Baa Baa Black Jeep....)
2006 Holden SS Thunder Ute (best car I've ever owned and for sale now if anyone interested...)
2011 Toyota Prado V6

and I've had the stereo out of every single one of them, Prado's next!

[timw87 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close timw87]

im 25 an have an 08 D4D GX, but I do get a few laughs about the "family wagon" from blokes I work with

prior to that it was a GUIII TD6 and before that a GQ

[justin1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close justin1979]

I've just turned 33 and love my prado. All my mates have dual cabs etc but my prado goes further than all of theirs including the d4d hilux. I love mine and since putting bigger tyres with black rims etc its looking the business!!

Cheers

Justin

[toddy Member Find all posts View Profile Close toddy]

I picked ours up when I was 25. First brand new car... washed every second week for the first 12 months... not so committed now though.

Clicked over to 31 and the car still performs flawlessly (Stradbroke island/Cape York/Weipa)... Best investment ever made. As for the old fart comment, it's more about a practical vehicle IMO and young people and practicality don't usually go together.

Cheers,

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

I don't know how many times my mate have bagged on me for driving a "soccer mums" car haha. I'm 18 and I'm driving a 2004 turbo deisel 120 series.. I'm wheeling in luxury and comfort, and well they are in old peices of crap that let them down almost very time they take them out. I get up stuff they can't, they get up stuff I can't, which is the same for any group of cars.. I myself have easely kept up with big lift and muddies on 80 series, and all the time the prado kills Hilux in capability. Poor prado are always overlooked as a young guys car... Every time I take it out pe an im on little roadies . people ask me why my parents are Letting me thrash there car , and I'm like -___- it's mine. Proud of being unique and proud of the prado. Rey are a very underrated machine !!!

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

I don't know how many times my mate have bagged on me for driving a "soccer mums" car haha. I'm 18 and I'm driving a 2004 turbo deisel 120 series.. I'm wheeling in luxury and comfort, and well they are in old peices of crap that let them down almost very time they take them out. I get up stuff they can't, they get up stuff I can't, which is the same for any group of cars.. I myself have easely kept up with big lift and muddies on 80 series, and all the time the prado kills Hilux in capability. Poor prado are always overlooked as a young guys car... Every time I take it out pe an im on little roadies . people ask me why my parents are Letting me thrash there car , and I'm like -___- it's mine. Proud of being unique and proud of the prado. Rey are a very underrated machine !!!

The first time I saw you bashing that thing at Newnes, I was thinking exactly the same thing... do the parents know what their car is going through!! hahaha

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

Hahaha see! ^^ same thing when I went to yalwal I got asked by a bunch of motorbikes when I hopped out of the car after dusties hill, your mum know what your doing with her car??

Looks like I need a new playground your like the 3rd or 4th person that has seen me thrashing the prado up at newenes on this forum haha

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

When I first started reading this thread I thought "you beauty I might be the oldest" but at 57 I am waaaaaaaaaaaay way short of that!!

Interesting reading what people have had as cars through their lives, mine (none too exciting), all purchased new are as follows

HQ Holden 1973
Toyota Cressida
Mazda 626
Nissan Navara (yeah I know a heap of shit)
Toyota Camry
Holden Dunnydoor
Holden Calais (V8)
Honda Accord Euro
Prado 150

Just 9 cars in almost 40 years, and I know NOT a life of 4WD's like many of you (I'll have to blame the Minister of Finance for that, one 4WD was enough for her!!!...funnily she now loves it...so work that out!)

BUT you can add a few motorbikes in there as well, so whilst not as many cars as some I haven't been slouching about not having fun as well.

And going back to the original question, I would think that the Prado is viewed by many as a "Soft Roader, perfect for dropping and collecting a bunch of kids to and from school, but a car that Dad can play with a bit at weekends".

Are we viewed as "real" 4WDers......by many, I don't think so, I have even had Landcruiser owners suggest to me that "your car isn't a real Toyota 4WD just one of those play things" but I'd challenge any with that opinion given my Prado has done the Simpson Desert crossing last year, Cape York this year and will be doing the CSR next!! NONE of those could be in anyway considered 'soft".

But def "Fully Sick" (whatever that actually means?)

[Paul1972 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Paul1972]

Im 39 and after a year of careful deciding what 4 wd to buy the prado won, i love it.
Just got back from dargo high country, and around victorian high country, the prado is more than capable.
We got trapped in some hairy places, but the machine got us out.
Altough ive completely destroyed a brown davis front underbody protection

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

Im 39 and after a year of careful deciding what 4 wd to buy the prado won, i love it.
Just got back from dargo high country, and around victorian high country, the prado is more than capable.
We got trapped in some hairy places, but the machine got us out.
Altough ive completely destroyed a brown davis front underbody protection

Makes you wonder what would have happened if you had the standard "tin foil" toyota underbody protection

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

""Altough ive completely destroyed a brown davis front underbody protection"" Jeez Paul you must have been giving the girl some stick to destroy one of their plates. I had one on both previous prado's (swapped from one to the other) and while it did get a few knocks here and there it certainly stood up to it, Reckon I would have holed the sump if I didnt have it but it was still in probably 90% of its original condition when I sold it still attached to the 2nd prado. What tracks were you doing to destroy the guard ??.....Cheers Steve

[Paul1972 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Paul1972]

I dont know what tracks i was on, the sign posts were not there half the time, i did get a bit of air and landed smack bang on the front of the guard, which bent it out of shape completely, i went to tighten the bolts up and they just fell out, but the front two bolts just had fallenout on the road, could i bend it back into shape or should i buy a new one?
Im worried the threads of the bolts might be damaged, could this be a problem.

[clint1992 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close clint1992]

Hope i'm not considered an Old Fart at 20 :P but shorty's might give of a different image.
Have driven a Patrol ute for 3 yrs but got sick of having no where to throw stuff and it keep dry so had a canopy on it for a year but that made driving it unpleasant especially parking in town and at 6 foot 3 really needed more leg room for long trips and had always wanted a SWB 4wd. But then i'm probably a bit of an odd 20 yr old as i don't drink or smoke, which is how i justified spending so much on a new prado.

[SOL Find all posts View Profile Close SOL]

Hope i'm not considered an Old Fart at 20 :P but shorty's might give of a different image.
Have driven a Patrol ute for 3 yrs but got sick of having no where to throw stuff and it keep dry so had a canopy on it for a year but that made driving it unpleasant especially parking in town and at 6 foot 3 really needed more leg room for long trips and had always wanted a SWB 4wd. But then i'm probably a bit of an odd 20 yr old as i don't drink or smoke, which is how i justified spending so much on a new prado.

Welcome
You could get plates with "zimmer" on them!! LOL.

SOL.