What would you do ??

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

In the process of getting a new kitchen put in (don't ask how much, bloody ridiculous), had the bathroom redone, obviously the funds are a little low. Now I'm debating wether to remove my vehicle for been up for sale as I was selling it mainly to get another 120 but a VX. I wanted the dual air, traction control mainly and obviously a few other options the VX comes with. I was going to buy my mates but he has decided he is going to keep his for a bit longer and I would have been getting it fairly cheap as I would have only been paying the trade in price he was offered. My wife has put it to me, either keep what I have for another 3 to 4 years and then said I could jump to a 150 V6 GXL OR sell what I have but not getting any more $$ to buy a VX. So I put it to her then I want a rear locker (2 grand) then I will fit OME all round (which I have just havnt fitted it) same with snorkel and cargo barrier sitting in my shed which I was going to fit all up to a VX. Am I better to keep what I have which is my GXL 05 with 118k on it as nearly new, OR sell it and get a higher klm VX but with the extra's and I wouldn't bother fitting a locker as it will have traction control, and would be looking at roughly $1000 change over figure (RTA cost) which would be half the locker ?? ....150's sounding good in the long run, but not sure I want to wait 3 to 4 years !!!!! Bloody houses................................Cheers Steve

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

Better the devil you know I say.

Yeah, a VX would be nice (climate control, etc.) but I reckon put the $$$'s into more mods.

And 118k ain't very much, especially for a 05. Everyone is so scared of putting a few kms on cars these days!

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

IMO...
A 150 is better than 120, but you can't wait, so...

Lockers are better than Traction Control.
Assuming your car is reliable; the car you know is better than the one you don't.
Lower KM's is better.

So... go the mods!

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Hi there Madkore, mainly got low klms as I only work 8k each way to work and most of the time take the wifes car on her days off hence the low klms. We us the prado for long distance more so then the wifes due to comfort. And Glen ""Assuming your car is reliable"" yeah mate has been so far (touch wood) bar normal servicing which I do myself the only issue has been the drivers seat which has just decided to get a noise in the back rest of it but that is the only thing. Has been brilliant so far. That is also my wifes answer, better the vehicle you know then one I don't..........Cheers Steve

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

In 3-4 years there will probably be a model that has superseded the 150 series....

So maybe worth the wait!

I agree, probably the devil you know and put a few $$$ into it to get it to where you want it, then maybe go for the new "180" series in a few years??? (Now there's a can of worms!!!)

Cheers,

Jeff

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

Your cargo barrier will not fit in a vx or grande they have a totally different roof lining . There are features on the vx/grande that are totally useless ie .down hill descent button , 2nd start button , the sat nav system is only good for steering you to toll rds so you can rack up a nice account , other than that its dinosaur technology and not very accurate and costs $300 to update the disc in the system for which you can buy a vastly superior aftermarket system , but you have to have it stuck on your dash or windscreen , I hate that . As for lockers vs traction control , hear this , they will BOTH fail you at some point . It just depends on whether you are old school or new school and how good you can drive . Both sides can bullshit about which is better . As for a leather interior , they look great until they look crap . And they look crap surprisingly quickly ,unless your anal retentive . Having said all that , I love my vx/ grande and wouldn't step back . Cheers

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Hi there Kav, yeah I forgot about the VX's and grande's having side curtains. What don't you like about the down hill assist "".......Cheers Steve

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

It is waaaaaay to fast in my experience. Locked in low 1st too fast. More of a marketing gimmick than useful 4wd option in my experience. Hard decision. The rear air is great for the kidlums. Traction control is great as is VSC. Lockers are good too though.

Anyway to answer your first question, get rid of the spark plugs.....

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Depends what you are going to do with it and how often.Any well- driven 120 prado WILL go anywhere in Australia BUT if you plan to spend your life in the High country copying mountain goats then the lockers will be good. My '06 VX V6[with 110km] has had no trouble with the Canning, the Simpson or a week + in the High Country. Traction control works fine in all of those places and the stability control has never been intrusive but has been useful a few times when enthusiasm outran traction. On the insane downhill the downhill descent control IS a little fast for my liking [and noisey] but gentle brushing of the brakes or even stopping completley for a second or 2 brings it all back into line. Mine is a late 05 build and has no factory sat nav. and has velor upholstery. if it was me I would keep what you have and go for a significant upgrade to a 150 in another 50000 km or so. Like me you appear to not be doing high KM so the petrol is not costing a lot so not much to be gained by updating to a diesel which may have dodgy injectors. Stick with your V6 for a while and put lockers in IF you are a high country regular or into rock climbing elsewhere- remember they give you nothing on road .Neil

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

I have a 2009 120 Grande, Kav is just having a dummy spit (bad time of the month). The prior was a 90 series and I watched people update for 10 years. Te choice I had was get a 150 or get a 120 grande cheap. easy choice and the saved cash went into lockers an a myriad of other extras.

I plan to go back to standard after having it for 10 years.

Stay with what you have, do the mods and upgrade in 3-4 years. You won't regret it.

mlc

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Cheers Guys, seems to be a majority to keep what I have. I have removed it from sale and will wait a few years for the 150. Now have told the wife to hand over 2k for a locker................Cheers Steve

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

.......... As for lockers vs traction control , hear this , they will BOTH fail you at some point . It just depends on whether you are old school or new school and how good you can drive . Both sides can bullshit about which is better .........

Yes, lockers can fail (both of mine did, apparently from installation fault, but who knows), but there's no doubt that lockers out do traction control in serious offroading. One technology uses brakes to create intermittant traction, whilst the other's physical lock creates a smooth and constant traction. I guess it might depend on what surface you're driving, but on rocks, there's absolutely no question that lockers win.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

There are a couple of locker options now. ARB which can have problems with the installation and from lack of use, TJM have an air locker too which they claim doesn't suffer from the same seal issue but I haven't looked to be sure and E lockers (I guess they are available for the 120?). My quick research is that the air lockers are a bit cheaper and I guess you already have a compressor. I have had both an ARB and an E locker before and I like them. Preference is E locker only because I had a seal fail of the air locker.

Aside from the tongue in cheek dig at spark plugs I think you have done the right thing. I have only driven 100km in the 150 and a few things are different like it has a nice tight body (younger model obviously!), steering is lighter, lots quieter but we could have and would have kept our 120 another 18 months if I hadn't had an initial run in over the out of spec injectors.

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

Nah no dummy spit here .luv my grande ,just telling it like it is . I forgot about VSC, that's gold when outback touring and enthusiasm overtakes sensibility . The DAC system just uses the brakes to slow down your rate of descent , you already have abs so if you know how to use a brake pedal then the system is a waste of time and does exactly what a brake pedal does , although you can take your foot off the pedal and say look at me no feet . I've always found it to be too slow down hills requiring you to touch the accelerator , which then drops the system and launches you down the hill with gusto . As for TC vs lockers , I haven't broken any CVs or diffs yet, what's your tally up to now glen ,take that as a light hearted dig glen , I know they both have good and bad points .