Hello from the other side

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

Hello,
My name is vette, and I wold like to say what a fantastic site you 120 guys have.
I have been looking here on and off for a while, and now decided to register.
I have a 2005 120 D4-d
I normally live in Pommyland, but work has took me to Noggieland, Oslo to be precise,
So I drove the 120 here. :lol:
I think it's the best vehicle I have had.
I don't know if there is a spam filter, going to 'cut' out my images, but here go's.
.

.

.
At the moment I have just a front bar, (don't tell the greenies)
Also fitted a set of 265 x 70 x R17 BFG All terrains.
She rides very well, considering her milage.
She is about 40 months old and has almost 325000 km on the clock. :shock:
Yup, you read it right!.
Never stopped once on the side of the road.
Reliability at it's best. :mrgreen:
Oh, and they are good in snow also.
You can just see her on the right,
.

.


'vette

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Why hulllooo there, I am sure one of the Admin team will move this thread to your own Build thread mate Snooowww awsome haha.
When posting pic's chap please keep your images to 800x600 max, to give the low end broadband and dialup peoples a chance to view your shots without making a cup of coffee whilst waiting for them to download :mrgreen:
Love the car park shot, foot of snow and buried lmao! You got a cold start rattle yet ! with those km's thats awsome for 40mths !!!!

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

Re: Hello from the other side

hello Golly,

Yup, 600x800 it is then

I didn't quite know where to post, but 'live and learn - most of the time, (or some of the time :mrgreen: )
Well, despite here huge miles, she is as quiet as a mouse.
None of the dreaded rattle that becomes so many of the D4-d engines.
I only have the standard 87 liter tank, and on a cruise, I can get an easy 800 km per tank is childs play.
Got 800km with quarter tank left once. 8)
She can make her way through a foot of snow, like it aint there,
Found some good size car parks, not cleared of snow,
2 foot of snow, and she is slipping, but still better than walkin'
Low ratio, center diff locked, and rear diff locked.
Easy peasy.

I am looking forward to the 3 foot stuff, that my work mates keep telling me about. I can't wait.

I pulled my mate out of the works car park yesterday.
He has a front wheel drive van and had gone into the car park space forwards in, so his only way out was to reverse.
He had been stuck for 2 days before he asked me.
No problem I said, reversed up to the rear of his van, and slipped on the rope.
I pulled him out effortlessly, then when I seen he put his brakes on, I simply pulled him to the other side of the car park, some 100 meters away.
Only pulling him through say 9 inches of snow. His full 4 wheels locked :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Yes, thats the devil in me. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

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

Re: Hello from the other side

G'day Vette and welcome to PP!

You know, you joined on our Australia Day weekend; a mere 221 years young. Poetic for a new UK member .

Love the colour . At 350K on the clock, yours looks newer than many that are yet to crack the tonne.

Cheers,
LFaR.

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Well hello,

Yes she has been very well looked after.
Full Toyota service history from day 1 up to present day.
The only thing I have had to change was a front c.v. boot at 30000km, and an alternator, because the front bearing got noisy.
The alternator was just 1000km ago.
Several sets of tyres, all else is original.
Auto box is so sweet, as is the center diff locking and unlocking, as is the rear diff locking and unlocking.
Apart from that, she is good to go. Everything works like Toyota designed it to.
I bought it because me and the wife are planning to drive down to Cape town.
Planned for September 2010.
We will fit a large roof rack, so we can put up a roof tent.
I have 4 x roof bars to go on my roof rails.

Here is another Norwegian piccie.
.

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Why hulllooo there, I am sure one of the Admin team will move this thread to your own Build thread mate

Done.

btw, welcome to PradoPoint uk_vette.

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Gees... for a moment there I thought this thread was being posted by a departed Prado owner :shock:

No seriously, welcome uk_vette. This is a great forum and its made even better by the contributions by those from outside of Australia. Look forward to read some trip posts from you and seeing your pics too. :wink: 8)

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Hello Mr. Administrator,
Thanks for moving my post, I am sorry I put it in the wrong section.
Hope were still friends

Hi ntpryce,
Well sometimes I see how lucky and fortunate you guy's are.
Having such a large, diverse country gives you guy's the fantastic opportunity of travel.
When I read some of the trip reports, Down the Murray, Up to Alice, etc, sounds great.

My reason for my drive back to Cape Town, is that I lived there for 16 years.
Also my better half is from Cape Town, and she still has a big family there.
We plan to cut our ties with UK, and re-settle in Cape Town suburbs.
I know SA has it's problems, but anyway.
We have a few routes in mind, not final yet.
We will take up to 3 months to do our trip.
This is 1 route in mind.
.

.
I am working for Siemens Oil and Gas in Oslo.
I am responsible for designing the drilling systems on semi-submersible drill rigs.
Strictly office domained, but do get out to our sub-suppliers around the world to wittness FAT. (Factory Acceptance Tests), Then return several weeks later to observe any 'punch' items are resolved with images.
These things.
.


'vette

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Well hello,

Here is another Norwegian piccie.
.

Welcome Vette!

is that the restaurant up near holmenkollen?

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

Re: Hello from the other side

is that the restaurant up near holmenkollen?

.
.
You just won the jackpot.
yes,
This is Frognerseteren.
Just behind is Tryvann winter Park.
.

There is a 2km, free, public bob sleigh , ice/ snow track from up by Frognerseteren down into Oslo almost.

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

Re: Hello from the other side

G,Day mate, good to see you on the other side. Have often seen your posts on the toyotaownersclub.com, and although there are a few Aussies, including a couple of us Sandgropers on that Forum, thought there would be more cross pollination of info between other countries that have the LC120s and Prados.

Anyway, once again, welcome

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

Re: Hello from the other side

Hello DAZ,

Good to make your aquaintance,

Up here in Europe, we just see how 'short changed' we are as far as being able to get all them great aftermaket parts.

I have made several approaches to Toyota in UK, regarding a second tank.
Yes, the one that is fitted as standard to many southern hemisphere prado's and land Cruisers.

They have ABSOLUTLY NO IDEA WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT !

Second tank, no, never on a Toyota., I even gave them some Toyota part numbers.
Don't exist I was told.

So perhaps I have to buy on in SA or Aus, and ship it.

There are alternative 'underslung ' tanks available, but I wanted the 'read deal'

'vette

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

Re: Hello from the other side

G'day 'vette. Welcome! How have you managed to rack up that many km's in the timeframe?

Also. have you seen 'Long Way Down'. They went a bit different way to your plan but might be worth viewing, certainly will make you want to get going!

Cheers, Nige

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

Re: Hello from the other side

is that the restaurant up near holmenkollen?

.
.
You just won the jackpot.
yes,
This is Frognerseteren.
Just behind is Tryvann winter Park.

Great place up there. great views of the city. and the foods not to bad either though horrendously expensive (like everything else in norway!)

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

Re: Hello from the other side

horrendously expensive (like everything else in norway!)

People say that, but we didn't find it any more horrendous than any other place in Europe. It's all expensive, so you might as well go to the places worth visiting and enjoy it. I'd go back to Norway in a heartbeat. Great place. Especially above the arctic circle.

Michael