Thread: Urgent Advice - Would you buy this 4WD?

Originally Posted by Danny

Nice feedback, we have one here at 150,000 and wanting $21 but it has girly tyres and no snorkel and not and never been lifted at all so I’d agree nothing is the last bargain out there.
Basically a girly one and extremely tidy.


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Sounds exactly like the one I was looking at. Would have felt like a mug if I’d parted with 27k after reading that!!

Ive been extremely happy with my '96. Ive had a great run out of it thus far, but i only paid 10.5k for it, i certainly wouldn't be happy about paying $20k let alone $27k for a vehicle of that age. Its madness.

Originally Posted by GWH

Ive been extremely happy with my '96. Ive had a great run out of it thus far, but i only paid 10.5k for it, i certainly wouldn't be happy about paying $20k let alone $27k for a vehicle of that age. Its madness.

My road going tow and town jobbie is a 99 3.0 T/D manual, 350 on the clock, 100 of that mine, oil, filter and tyres is it so far. Paid 10k. Happy as.

My river and track truck is a 97LWB Pajero 3.5 petrol auto with a locker and some external bits are hiding in rivers about the place.... goes bloody anywhere but hard on gas. Had it near on 20yrs, just petrol, oil and tyres and a lift kit is all it's ever had, it's wanting an engine rebuild now, but just won't actually quit. Be quite pleased if I could get back what it cost.....

Yes, looking at that money, possibly go a Patrol with a TD42 and join the half mil club with just oil and filter changes. Easy to never get speeding tickets then

Fair enough… will have a look around for Patrols.

FYI it was an auto too…


Cheers,
Mitch

Originally Posted by Mitcho

Fair enough… will have a look around for Patrols.

FYI it was an auto too…


Cheers,
Mitch

Mines an Auto too (theyre only a 3 speed auto) But in my opinion the ratios and the auto box is very well matched to the 1KZTE 3.0L engine, i wouldnt want a manual one.

@Mitcho

The best guys to talk to are the guys who have owned and run these vehicles for years. Like @GWH for example. Get in touch with him via private message and have a proper conversation. Some of the comments in this thread so far are spot on about there’s also some crap.

The overriding view that the vehicle you were looking at was overpriced was 100% correct. Overpriced by about 100%!

I’ve run the mid- to late- 2000s 120 series Prado in Australia, both V6 4.0 petrol (1GR-FE motor) and 4-cyl 3.0 diesel (1KD-FTV). I did massive kilometres fully laden in hard-core outback conditions, often towing a 1.5t camper. Conditions way rougher than 95% of what you would encounter here.

The V6 petrol is the best truck I have ever had and absolutely bulletproof. They do massive kilometres in Australia. For instance the railway inspectors ran the V6 petrol Prados for track inspection, racking up half a million km in three years give or take. Nearly all those kilometres were on rough as guts outback railway roads most of which was closed to the public.

The 4-cyl diesel engine appeared in the 120 series in 2006 and is the same as the 2005-2014 Hilux. The early ones (‘06 to ‘09) had the iffy injectors and injector seals that was eventually sorted. Personally I would avoid one of the early 1KD engines.

Real world (combined) fuel consumption: V6 petrol 16L/100km, 4-cyl diesel 12L/100km. We had to keep logbooks and I had access to the fleet data (150 Toyota LVs) - these numbers are the real deal.

If I were you I would do some searches for a 2006-2010 Prado. Have a look at the mileage vs price. Long story short I have put two very good friends into Prado V6 petrols and both mates are stoked with their vehicles and have run them now for four-ish years. The running cost of the petrol is the same overall as the diesel when you factor in servicing, RUC. And it is a far, far nicer drive.

You would be paying give or take $20k cash for a ‘07 or ‘08 with ~200,000km, which is not even halfway mileage to a top end overhaul for the V6 petrol. They don’t have any of the injection or cracking head problems of the diesels, there’s no turbo to shit itself and they are run in a detuned state for longevity.

Brilliant… thanks Flyblown, that is really really helpful.


Cheers,
Mitch

Originally Posted by Flyblown

@Mitcho

The best guys to talk to are the guys who have owned and run these vehicles for years. Like @GWH for example. Get in touch with him via private message and have a proper conversation. Some of the comments in this thread so far are spot on about there’s also some crap.

The overriding view that the vehicle you were looking at was overpriced was 100% correct. Overpriced by about 100%!

I’ve run the mid- to late- 2000s 120 series Prado in Australia, both V6 4.0 petrol (1GR-FE motor) and 4-cyl 3.0 diesel (1KD-FTV). I did massive kilometres fully laden in hard-core outback conditions, often towing a 1.5t camper. Conditions way rougher than 95% of what you would encounter here.

The V6 petrol is the best truck I have ever had and absolutely bulletproof. They do massive kilometres in Australia. For instance the railway inspectors ran the V6 petrol Prados for track inspection, racking up half a million km in three years give or take. Nearly all those kilometres were on rough as guts outback railway roads most of which was closed to the public.

The 4-cyl diesel engine appeared in the 120 series in 2006 and is the same as the 2005-2014 Hilux. The early ones (‘06 to ‘09) had the iffy injectors and injector seals that was eventually sorted. Personally I would avoid one of the early 1KD engines.

Real world (combined) fuel consumption: V6 petrol 16L/100km, 4-cyl diesel 12L/100km. We had to keep logbooks and I had access to the fleet data (150 Toyota LVs) - these numbers are the real deal.

If I were you I would do some searches for a 2006-2010 Prado. Have a look at the mileage vs price. Long story short I have put two very good friends into Prado V6 petrols and both mates are stoked with their vehicles and have run them now for four-ish years. The running cost of the petrol is the same overall as the diesel when you factor in servicing, RUC. And it is a far, far nicer drive.

You would be paying give or take $20k cash for a ‘07 or ‘08 with ~200,000km, which is not even halfway mileage to a top end overhaul for the V6 petrol. They don’t have any of the injection or cracking head problems of the diesels, there’s no turbo to shit itself and they are run in a detuned state for longevity.

FYI we are now locked in to view a 2007 Prado… petrol, auto, 100k kms on the clock. Feeling WAY better about that. And theyre only asking for 24k. Also checking out a ‘05 Patrol with 189k on the clock, although they want a bit more for that bad-boy at 35k.

Cheers,
Mitch

27k wooow you can have my old patrol for that,just kidding.Listen to a few prado guys on here and save yr self 10k or 15k.

I would actually spread your net wider. You do not need to stay with Toyota, Nissan. Have had six 4x4s in last 20 or so years, including couple of Toyotas and a Nissan - and they were not the best. They make some good trucks but you have to judge each model/motor on its merits. Example - the 1GR-FE 4.0 petrol mentioned above is a well regarded donk, but the 1KZ is not. Further - paying $25-35k for a 2000-2008 truck is not necessarily your best value.

One truck I like is the Isuzu D-Max. Good sturdy running gear and a truck sourced 3.0 motor. It is not a recent turbo'd up 2.0 or 2.2 as in later toyotas or rangers. Good reliable rep in Aus where they are used alot, and also known to be sturdy offroad where many modern 4x4s aren't. 2021 truck of the year in Aus - where Ranger having ongoing probs with transmission etc, and Toyota subject to big class action lawsuit for mechanical unreliability - including DPF etc. Point is - this D-Max also is available in full cabin form as the Isuzu Mu-X. Same motor, same strong drivetrain, good comfort, but this is a modern 2015 onwards vehicle. And they are just becoming available on market here in the mid to high $30k price range with under 200ks. That's a good truck - and that's good value. If buying now I'd be looking hard at this model. You are bound to find occasional issues with every model, but this one pans out well in large number reviews. An example:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...7?bof=svH4lK2M

Something to think about...

Originally Posted by mudgripz

I would actually spread your net wider. You do not need to stay with Toyota, Nissan. Have had six 4x4s in last 20 or so years, including couple of Toyotas and a Nissan - and they were not the best. They make some good trucks but you have to judge each model/motor on its merits. Example - the 1GR-FE 4.0 petrol mentioned above is a well regarded donk, but the 1KZ is not. Further - paying $25-35k for a 2000-2008 truck is not necessarily your best value.

One truck I like is the Isuzu D-Max. Good sturdy running gear and a truck sourced 3.0 motor. It is not a recent turbo'd up 2.0 or 2.2 as in later toyotas or rangers. Good reliable rep in Aus where they are used alot, and also known to be sturdy offroad where many modern 4x4s aren't. 2021 truck of the year in Aus - where Ranger having ongoing probs with transmission etc, and Toyota subject to big class action lawsuit for mechanical unreliability - including DPF etc. Point is - this D-Max also is available in full cabin form as the Isuzu Mu-X. Same motor, same strong drivetrain, good comfort, but this is a modern 2015 onwards vehicle. And they are just becoming available on market here in the mid to high $30k price range with under 200ks. That's a good truck - and that's good value. If buying now I'd be looking hard at this model. You are bound to find occasional issues with every model, but this one pans out well in large number reviews. An example:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...7?bof=svH4lK2M

Something to think about...

Boom… something to think about indeed. Nice one… looking now. Thanks again for your time, as well as the other guys. Helping us hugely. I cant belive how good the comminity is here… it is great.

Cheers,
Mitch

Originally Posted by Mitcho

Boom… something to think about indeed. Nice one… looking now. Thanks again for your time, as well as the other guys. Helping us hugely. I cant belive how good the comminity is here… it is great.

Cheers,
Mitch

I'd second the MU-X comment, Ive had two (2015 & 2019) and now a D-max for work and I cant rate it them highly enough. I'm in Apiculture and have towed some heavy weight & climbed some pretty shitty off road stuff and never had an issue. Very comfortable wagon on road too, you'd be much happier tripping round the country in a MU then a 10 year old anything. Your missus would thank you for it!! Back seats fold proper flat too so in real shitty weather you could bunk down in the back happy as.

Yes. Here's another example of the Isuzu Mu-X, the D-Max with full body cabin and comforts. 2015 with just 100ks on the clock for 37,995. Now that's value for a good truck with very modern comforts, modern tech etc. That Isuzu 3.0 is a commercial truck motor and well regarded. Bargain seller down a couple of k or get a 3 year full warranty thrown in and you're away..

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/c...5?bof=BV7btFoH

This is much better value proposition than an older Toyota or TD42 etc ... and I know those trucks. Some of them very over-priced today.

Naki - tell us about the Mu-X. Good reviews, nice traveller, excellent donk, D-Max running gear. Quite keen on one..

No real difference offroad between D-Max and Mu-X. Ute might have more rear departure angle overhang, while Mu-X might sit slightly lower with bigger side bars/steps... Might. You'd have to look. Otherwise same truck and drivetrain. Question of purpose really. If its a worker vehicle carrying stuff etc then D-Max. If its a driver for comfort and travels esp with more than 2 people then Mu-X. Just go look at and drive both - that'll tell you. Friend has a 2019 D-Max with 25k now and loves it. Very economical on road and plenty of zip with I think 6 spd auto? and 175hp.

It is a good idea to differentiate between brand marketing and actual product performance. Often heaps of marketing around a name brand eg 'toyota tough', but some models anything but. Same with rifles of course - you can pay $2+k for a latest ruger precision 22LR setup and its not too precision at all. Or be told you need a flash $3000 centrefire with a Schmidt & Bender on it to shoot 0.5" groups at 100m and wallabies at 250m. Oh no you don't. Good to look for the value performance options.