Decisions - VX Prado D4D vs GXL 100 Series Cruiser 4.2TD

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

Howdy group - I just joined because I've suddenly taken a big interest in the Prado with the update to the D4D diesel motor and extra cog on the automatic transmission.

I currently drive a 1999 Land Rover Discovery Series II V8 auto and even though it's cheap as chips to run on LPG (vapour sequential injection system), it's got no range for any form of Outback touring, not to mention that successful highway overtaking needs plenty of right pedal, a bit of prayerm lots of revs and a big big margin.

With around $60Kto spend on a new vehicle, I've been looking at the VX Prado (did not want a Grande because of the rear air suspension) and noted that it's also around the same price as a 4.2TD 100 Series LandCruiser but with the more basic GXL level.

My question to you is - why did you choose a Prado over a Land Cruiser? Was it because of the size of the vehicle? The bigger 180 litre fuel tank? Servicing costs?

Am interested to know your thoughts. 8)

Thanks in advance,

Lawrance Lee

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

For me the decision to get the Prado over a 100 Series was based on:

Size - with no kides the Prado is plenty big enough for the wife and I.
Towing - I don't expect to be towing anything even close to 2500kG.
Engine - the combination of the economy and power from the D4D is great.
Resale - With the 200 Series comming soon I think it will reduce the resale value of the 100 Series.

Leachy.

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

Re: Decisions - VX Prado D4D vs GXL 100 Series Cruiser 4.2TD

Prado (did not want a Grande because of the rear air suspension) and noted that it's also around the same price as a 4.2TD 100 Series LandCruiser but with the more basic GXL level.


Am interested to know your thoughts. 8)

Thanks in advance,

Lawrance Lee

Nothing wrong with the rear air suspension if you tow something you don't get the sag in the arse look or feel.

I went prado because with the same $ did not get many features in the land cruiser.
My 2cents

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

Bit confused lawrance, a VX Prado is rrp at 68 odd and a TD auto 100 GXL is over 75 rrp, bit hard to compare with that price difference, unless you mean the 100 v Grande ?

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

Lawrance,
I do a lot of towing, the D4D was the perfect choice, lots of power with great economy.
In fact it has got the economy of a smaller car.
With the 180 litre tank I have made from Melbourne to Sydney & return on the one tank & fuel to spare. (Wasn't towing that trip)

When I go away with work often a Land Cruiser 4.2TD 100 Auto comes as well, we both tow boats of approx the same weight. This becomes a good comparison between the two vehicles, works out very little between the two other than the D4D getting better economy & obviously distance.

When I was in the market for a new vehicle the 4.2 Land Cruiser was very high on the list, but I figured that I really did not need a vehicle quite that big. (In my opinion the Land Cruiser is great choice but to expensive)

Cheers,
Fazza. 07 GXL D4D Auto

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

Bit confused lawrance, a VX Prado is rrp at 68 odd and a TD auto 100 GXL is over 75 rrp, bit hard to compare with that price difference, unless you mean the 100 v Grande ?

Hi XVPrado,

Yes, I know that the prices are not exactly ballpark, but I would imagine heavier discounting on the 100 Series GXL 4.2TD due to it being a run out model. I may well be underestimating the demand for 100 Series Cruisers still, as not everybody wants the additional complexity of two more cylinders and two heads instead of one, etc.

Basically, I guess I'm weighing up the VX Prado vs the 100 Series GXL as these are the two models that I'd be prepared to buy.



In response to the comment re air suspension from Addy, I've read enough anecdotal info about air suspension and offroad use - airbags or compressors can fail but coil springs are generally quite a bit more reliable in the bush. Hence I've not considered the Grande.

I would imagine that the adjustable shock absorbers would cost a lot of money to replace, once they are worn past their effectiveness.

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

Yes, I know that the prices are not exactly ballpark, but I would imagine heavier discounting on the 100 Series GXL 4.2TD due to it being a run out model. .

Are you sure you can still get them?
The second last 100 series GXL 4.2TD in the country was sold about a month ago...

If you don't have extra space requirements, Prado will do you fine, If you are after more space then Cruiser is the go...

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

lc120_man,

To my shock and horror, the 100 Series 4.2TD is no longer available. :evil: I rang the nearest Toyota dealer today and the sales person said that only the V8 is available. Doh!!

Why does Toyota still have the 100 Series TD on their website?

No wonder Prado TD sales are going through the roof. Let's face it - there's nothing out there that is a decent diesel wagon right now.

The Nissan Patrol's venerable 4.2TD is discontinued and most people are not convinced that the 3.0 CRD motor has addressed the burnt piston issue for Patrol. Even if they were happy to try this new motor, the 4 speed auto is another let down.

The 100 Series TD is gone.

The Discovery 3 is extremely hard to obtain. The backlog on orders is just as bad as the Prado, since they have been so popular.

The only other option is Mitsubishi Pajero, but people get a little put off by the NVH on the 3.2 TD motor even though the top of the line Exceed with every bell and whistle is heaps cheaper and there's a 10 year warranty on the drivetrain and 5 year warranty on the whole car.

Grand Cherokee CRD is a beast but too small and resale value questionable.

So no wonder the Prado is so popular at the moment.

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

I liked the price of the D4D - but I mainly wanted the better fuel figures. I get 9 L/100K.

For those of us who are not mechanically minded - what the significance of the "extra cog in auto" ??

[robn Member Find all posts View Profile Close robn]

I think it means that the auto has a fifth gear.One up from 4


Rob

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

well well well, It's amazing who pops up.....
I had better keep this quiet on certain other forums Lawrance :twisted: :twisted:

You can have a drive of my petrol one in Tassie in a few weeks time when we are over there. That might give you a bit of an idea on handling etc.
I would have loved a diesel, but could not wait till the new one was out. For that matter I would have loved the VX, but could not come at the $15k difference at the time

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

For me it was easy as I went looking for a Landcruiser GXL TD as I didn't like the Prado but with all of the extras on the L/C I needed, it came out at $84K and I picked up the Prado TD for $56K. Just couldn't justify the additional cost and now am certainly glad I didn't.

I would be surprised that the L/C was around the $60K mark because I would have bought it at that price because of the larger interior and when I was looking there were a couple available here and a couple in Biloela in Queensland. The pricing of $84K was similar from both dealers. :?

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

well well well, It's amazing who pops up.....
I had better keep this quiet on certain other forums Lawrance :twisted: :twisted:

You can have a drive of my petrol one in Tassie in a few weeks time when we are over there. That might give you a bit of an idea on handling etc.
I would have loved a diesel, but could not wait till the new one was out. For that matter I would have loved the VX, but could not come at the $15k difference at the time

Teehee, mum's the word, Tim!

:lol:

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

I liked the price of the D4D - but I mainly wanted the better fuel figures. I get 9 L/100K.

For those of us who are not mechanically minded - what the significance of the "extra cog in auto" ??

Hi Gunna,

Cog is another term for "gear".

Basically the 120 series Prado gained a 5 speed auto gearbox when the old indirect injection 3.0 TD was replaced by the new direction injection D4D 3.0 diesel.

So this combination of new gearbox with new engine suddenly makes the diesel Prado a very attractive proposition.