New Diesel D4D - VX

[rosco5 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rosco5]

Hi All,

Well there has been some discussion about this on the forum, so I though I'd create a post if anyone has any questions as I picked up my new VX D4D Diesel yesterday

Some history, I have previously owned a 90 series V6 Grande and most recently had a GXL V6 Petrol which I have just traded for this new one.

First impressions at just 30km (not 30,000km):
- Smells nice....love the smell of a new car :-)

- Diesel still REALLY sounds like a diesel when you are out of the car. Very truck like as compared to some of the more car like diesels around which may not apeal to some.....HOWEVER it is surprisingly quiet when the windows are up. They have done a great job of this.

- No changes to the body which is great. I have been able to keep and refit all my accessories from my old Prado such as Towbar, Bonnet & headlamp protectors. I have also bought a Piranha battery tray which is for the old diesel and it fits perfectly.

- Power is great. Has plenty of get up and go around the city and compared to the petrol I don't feel like I am missing out or gaining anything really. Obviously a good combination that despite it has less power than the petrol, it also has more torque.

- Getting used to the 5 speed auto (I had an earlier 4 speed petrol). It does like to select very high gears and cruises in low revs. This can cause the rear view to vibrate at certain revs.....must be a diesel thing.

- Have not done any freeway driving yet....looking forward to that.


For those who may be asking....I chose the VX for a few reasons :
1) Really missed rear air conditioning in the GXL which we used to have in the old Grande

2) Wanted the extra safety feature of Vehicle Stability Control as we use the car for long trips including highway

3) Did NOT want air suspension.....I have a phobia about it. The most likely time for air suspesion to fail is with a family of 5 fully loaded to the roof, with roof basked full and bikes or trailer on the back with on a rocky and hard to navigate terrain. Can't imagine the pain of having a suspension failuer at this time and have heard of some sirbags bursting or hoses coming off and effecting suspension. Plus it is expensive to upgrade.

4) Undecided on whether I like the standard simple Limited Slip Diff with gearshift diff locking on the GXL as compared to the button lock variant on the VX which I believe does not have the LSD due to the fancy DAT stuff. Will need to go offroad to test this.

5) Would rather have portable GPS than a very expensive fixed one.

Anyway, happy to answer any questions from people interested in the new model.

Regards
Ross

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

Great news, I bought the same (VX 3.0 D4D Diesel Auto Charcoal Grey) yesterday. Don't know delivery date just yet.

Did you have to wait long for your VX, weeks, months?

These new turbo diesels seem to be so popular because my car dealer sold his only demonstrator after a few days of it arriving! I was lucky enough to test drive it before it was sold.

Never looked at Prados before but was very impressed with it. I was very surprised to be going 80 when it felt like I was cruising at 60. It's just so quiet and you seem to lose the sensation of speed. First time in this new model Prado so I cant comment on previous models.

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

so, the question is, how may beer vouchers did you part with for the new beastie/s ?

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

Sounds great - congrats to the new diesel owners.

The Prado really is a colossal vehicle - one of Toyota's best.

I must confess to keeping an eye out for the new Landcruiser next year - more room than the Prado but hopefully a more Prado-like (read modern) interior and drive than the ancient 100 series Cruiser.

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

Hopefully not too far off-topic, I read today about the new 2007 Crusier, according to the carpoint website:

"Potentially the most interesting powerplant is a new twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 common-rail diesel with projected outputs of 224kW and 580Nm. There will also be a 4.0-litre V6 (the same unit used in the Prado) and a 4.7-litre VVT petrol V8 with around 210kW/427Nm.

Transmissions choices will include five- and six-speed manuals, as well as a new six-speed Tiptronic-style automatic."

[blw Member Find all posts View Profile Close blw]

While we're heading off topic

A full write up of Toyota's next models can be found in the 6th December
GoAuto News, its a good read...

http://www.mellor.net/mellor/mellorweb. ... o%20e-News

[rosco5 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rosco5]

Update

Ok. For those following the topic I have done some freeway runs this week from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

I am impressed. I really love this Turbo Diesel having only ever had a petrol before. It is interesting how easy it is to forget just how worn components become after just 4 years having come out of one car in to basically the same with a differnet motor I realised that the suspension, brakes, everything is so much tighter in the new car compared to the old but basically same previous one.

But back to the TD. On the Freeway it was FANTASTIC !!!!

Drives quietly, pulls away effortlessly, cruises beautifully at speeds beyond the legal limit and has heaps of get up and go for overtaking. As I am still running it in I have not been driving it hard and I still have not ever felt the need to really hammer the accelerator as there always seems to be plenty of power in the lower rev ranges.

I think the comparison between the petrol and diesel is now very difficult. Previously the petrol performed so much better that it was a performance vs economy decision. Now I think it is just a personal preference as performance is so similar.

A few people have asked me about what I paid. Personally I don't feel right publishing this in a public forum as Toyota Sales people need to earn commissions as well so they have jobs to sell us the next model Prado. Suffice to say, you should never pay retail, negotiate hard , get extra's thrown in and get more than one price as it could save you thousands ;-)

I also make it a policy to never buy tint, paint protection, rust protection etc from dealers as they charge through the nose and you can get it cheaper elsewhere if you want it (I never bother I can look after the car myself). Anything they try to sell you after you have signed the contact is usually overpriced and mostly unneccessary in my opinion.

Regards
Ross

[Talshanic Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Talshanic]

Re: Update

I also make it a policy to never buy tint, paint protection, rust protection etc from dealers as they charge through the nose and you can get it cheaper elsewhere if you want it (I never bother I can look after the car myself). Anything they try to sell you after you have signed the contact is usually overpriced and mostly unneccessary in my opinion.

Regards
Ross

Thats a very general statement, and not always applicable. I secured a protection package for my new GXL at a price i was happy to pay for one, and more then competitive price then buying direct secondly, and thirdly, came with better guarantee's then direct deals too. Depends on your location, if your in a more commercialized area where competition is plentiful, there is every chance you could be right in saying better deals could be sought, but not always the case.

[rosco5 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rosco5]

OH.......and how could I forget.

10,000 km service intervals. The service book has even changed to reflect this :-)

Ross

[Talshanic Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Talshanic]

Slads, you could well be right if you bargained hard at each place and had time to waste doing so. But from the tyre kicking i have done for previous vehicles not many business houses want to budge off the listed price for their services down here no matter what game they are in. Why Coffs Harbour businesses are so well patronized by us. And then the running around organizing pick up and drop off of vehicle doesn't fit into my line of work well, so as i said in my previous post, Toyota's package, the price and guarantees suited my circumstances.

On the "Almost" note. She has arrived at the dealership here and would have been ready for me to collect tomorrow but I will be away so Monday or Tuesday it is now. Love the Flinders Red colour luckily, and first couple of items will be a snorkel, and uhf. See what happens from there, got a few things in mind but have to see how much i get for the old chariot as to how much i have to spend. Already organised change over of tyres to Goodyear Silent Armour 70 series for $45/55 each boot.

Regards,
Joe.

[SSbaby Member Find all posts View Profile Close SSbaby]

Re: Update

Ok. For those following the topic I have done some freeway runs this week from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

I am impressed. I really love this Turbo Diesel having only ever had a petrol before. It is interesting how easy it is to forget just how worn components become after just 4 years having come out of one car in to basically the same with a differnet motor I realised that the suspension, brakes, everything is so much tighter in the new car compared to the old but basically same previous one.

But back to the TD. On the Freeway it was FANTASTIC !!!!

Drives quietly, pulls away effortlessly, cruises beautifully at speeds beyond the legal limit and has heaps of get up and go for overtaking. As I am still running it in I have not been driving it hard and I still have not ever felt the need to really hammer the accelerator as there always seems to be plenty of power in the lower rev ranges.

I think the comparison between the petrol and diesel is now very difficult. Previously the petrol performed so much better that it was a performance vs economy decision. Now I think it is just a personal preference as performance is so similar.

A few people have asked me about what I paid. Personally I don't feel right publishing this in a public forum as Toyota Sales people need to earn commissions as well so they have jobs to sell us the next model Prado. Suffice to say, you should never pay retail, negotiate hard , get extra's thrown in and get more than one price as it could save you thousands ;-)

I also make it a policy to never buy tint, paint protection, rust protection etc from dealers as they charge through the nose and you can get it cheaper elsewhere if you want it (I never bother I can look after the car myself). Anything they try to sell you after you have signed the contact is usually overpriced and mostly unneccessary in my opinion.

Regards
Ross

Ross

Great feedback! I'm following this thread with great interest as I'm considering going the D4D but in GXL guise.

Interesting to read your comments regarding RRP! I will see what I can do. I don't know if I should say this but I'm also considering the Pajero GLX... and obviously price will be a major factor in the decision making process although the Prado is my wife's first choice and she will be driving it 80% time - mostly suburban/fwy driving, no offroad.

Keep the writeups coming!

Cheers

[Talshanic Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Talshanic]

Well i picked up my new bus Yesterday, my new tyres have arrived and will be fitted on Thursday then for some touring and playing to see what she is like. Pretty happy it has a bit of a growl to it like a diesel should, and the turbo is more noticeable in the manual then the auto we test drove which i like. I must admit to the point Rosco makes about the ducted a/c, the VX model is probably worth the extra money just for this feature alone, but unfortunately for me no manual option with the VX. Barely got to slip it into 6th on the run home, but i get the feeling the extra cog will be quite useful crawling around in low range from what i could feel of the ratio's on road.

Anyways, time will tell. Have to change my sig now.

[rosco5 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rosco5]

Ok so this is my last post on this until after 8th January as we are taking it for a spin with the family. Mostly freeway with some dirt road this trip and plan to clock up about 3,000kms.

DVD screen strapped to the seats for the 3 kids in the back. Thule 4 bike hinged rack on the rear. Fridge mounted in the back. Rhino rack on the roof loaded with fishing gear, boogie boards and all the other crap we take with us and ready to rock'n'roll. Feeling excited....I love long road trips. Even better in a new Prado :-D

Will be interested to see what mileage we get as we will be loaded to the brim. I will report it back here.

Still nothing I don't like about the car...very happy. The worst thing I can think of is that the VX has power seats which work when the ignition is off and the kids think it is some kind of joy ride......I think they race each other from vertical to reclined while the car is in the garage :twisted: , so everytime I get in the car the seats have moved. But that's about it......if I was smart I would lock the doors.

I won't get a chance to do any real off-road until our Easter trip.

Regards
Ross

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

silent armour tyres 265/70/17

My first post, new gx d4d automatic coming late january, looking for some feedback on silent armour tyres, think I will change tyres on delivery of vehicle, my trips are cape york every year fishing, thanking you Friar

[m999999 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close m999999]

I drove , I like , I want !!!!