toyota prado

xenon wrote:Not sure what the Prado's are like in the bush but best place for them I reckoon as I am yet to see a Prado driver on the road that can actually drive properly.

cranky wrote:Reg,

Can I recommend a Lada Niva, small enough to get into tight spots, light enough to not get itself seriously bogged, good on fuel consumption, and if you are not more than 4ft tall you can sleep in the back.

If it should fail to proceed at any time you can always post it home, I heard that some charater in the West has ditched the "Donk" from his and harnessed a Camel to the front.

Sorry about that, my sense of humour has become a problem lately.

cheers Cranky

maka wrote:I have a 2000 model VX prado. I have never put a spanner on it. other than timing belts, fan belt, battery and tyres and brakes.
its pushing 290 000 K's and recon it will do another 200 thou before i sell it.
The oil is still tan colour, and hasnt been changed in a year. I change it every xmas. Filter has NEVER been done , lol Only the fuel filter.
Plugs run good 200 000k before you would even think about replacing them,I thrash it and have only been bogged once in a mud flat up to the window sills.
No one would drive out of mud like that!!!!
I recommend one for comfort. My back is shagged i spent 3 months in rehab last year with a back injury and love the prado seats for comfort even on long trips.
I get around a thousand K on the 2 tanks. 70 and 90 litre i think they are.
They handle well, drive well and are safe to drive.
I am a mechanic by trade, and a truckdriver for a living.
The auto is awsome and tuff as nails. Mine still has the original oil in it, lol.
Auto hubs,traction control, lsd , etc. You can hear it transferring drive to the other wheels when one is off the ground or spinning...
I cant praise this vehicle enough.




thanks macka
as one truckie to another thank you,i too have a back prob and a bit of comfort goessssss a long way these days,you have giving me all the info i need.
because it has to tow a 16ft van as well i like the comforts of home these days guess im getting soft but hell ive done the hard yards.

cheers..reg

I did canning stock route from Brisbane in the late 90's and spent over a month behind the wheel of a brand new cruiser. It drove like a truck but performed very well.
If i did a long trip or the canning stock route i would take an auto Prado without hesitation...
It has minimal body roll it does have a suspension button in it. A second gear take off button etc, takes off reasonably fast from the lights.
It jumps well, lands well/ My jackeroo literally snapped in half, doing jumps!!!!!
I drove speedway ( modified production at archerfield etc) so i can actually drive a little...
I also competed in rallies, so my wreckless prado jumping wasnt overly dangerous , unless the airbags deployed on landing..
It will be the best car i have owned and as a mechanic i have owned everything from transams to toranas.. I have registered over 30 cars by the time i was 30 years old. And when this prado dies i will repair it as it has absolutely no rust spots even after sinking it in salt mud flats when it was new!!! that was 10 years ago, and not a speck of rust.
The paint work from factory has never faded, flaked or peeled. The dash has a great layout.
Driving, there is a small blindspot, but your get used to it quickly.
The rear seats fold up, the middle seats fold forward or can be unbolted for even more room.
Driving room is great , i am 6 feet tall, and have plenty of leg room.
I pulled a 20 foot bertram (2.6 tonne on the trailer) with mine every weekend. No problems for a 3.4 litre v6. And they dont sound tinny like the holden v6's..