The Toyota Landcruiser Owners Club

[garystockton]

Sorry - maybe meant 'You must be Joking' - Leon Schuster (I think) or Jamie Uys movie, Funny People.  Was in one of those ...

Waaay off-topic now  
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I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.
- Terry Pratchett

[Google]

[wildsmith]

[TonyS]

[Michael M]

[Michael M]

[Michael M]

[TonyS]

Hi Michael, go drive the 150, think you will like it.

BTW, Oz have a 6sp manual, more choice all around.
http://www.toyota.com.au/prado/range

[garystockton]

Speak to Crispin re his 6 speed manual ...

Actually, maybe not  
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I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.
- Terry Pratchett

[Crispin]

was going to say.... Manual bad. Mine only 5 speed but still... Traffic driving is unpleasant to be honest. Turbo lag makes it difficult to drive slowly with variable traffic. Either the engine is struggling or it's too jack-rabbit like. Lots of stirring the 'box to make everyone happy.
I really would like to change it for an auto. It's paid for though so I will hang on for a long time.

In being a total cynic ( ), I am not sure what this pic, from the Toyota Aus site, is trying to tell you:


a) Look, even less under board protection than the 120
b) Look how close my gonads hang to the big scary rocks



Still, give me one and I would not decline.
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Cheers,
Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim

[Crispin]

underbody. underbody. underbody.
bloody keyboard.
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Cheers,
Crispin
Have Snorkel, Will Swim

[Michael M]

[quote="TonyS"]Hi Michael, go drive the 150, think you will like it.

I'm afraid I will, which will mean a bit of HP, but I feel it's the way to go for my first Toyota Landcruiser.

[TonyS]

Great thing that.

Just got some good replies back from 4wd action forum in Oz. All positive about it.

We supported the launch in South Australia and got to drive all models. As a 120 owner I can compare vehicle capability directly. The UK spec vehicles have a lot of differences from the Australian versions so unless you tell me which one you have it is very hard to offer direct comment.

But from a general ownership perspective the following observations may be useful
The 150 is stiffer with improved suspension setup, apart from the Kakadu air suspension which is not great, so they ride noticeably better than a 120
Engines and transmission (auto) are improved marginally but the diesel could do with some more Nm's
NVH is still excellent
KDSS is a valuable addition to on and off-road handling
The off-road technology, CRAWL and Mult Terrain Select and the camera setup are natty pieces of technology that actually work


from all accounts, the new prado is at least as capable off the road than the 120 series....particularly if you go with the model with the rear diff lock

it has gone the way of a lot of modern 4WDs though, being fully loaded with electronic driver aids, mostly handed down from the 200 series landcruiser....though i don't recall hearing about any major failures with these systems, nor the earlier versions as used in the high end 100 and 120 series....
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It's all Landies here too. sure, a few people drive toyotas and you occasionally see them in the outback but just about all Land Rovers.

Seriously though, I don't think they're going soft, but definitely more refined. In this day and age, (especially in Europe) very strict emission standards have to be met. This means electronics need to be used to make engines as efficient as possible, and plastics are used to make vehicles as light as possible. It's just how things are going.

Also people are tending to expect more from their cars in terms of mod-cons. Very few base model vehicles are sold to the general public. Most sales to the public are made up of mid range vehicles with a few more creature comforts and someone at Toyota is paid a lot of money to work out what customers expect to be standard and what options they will choose to pay for before looking at something else.

I'm sure you'll be very happy with your Prado, but it's still pretty early days for a new model. A lot of people here wait 12 months or so before going to a new model. It allows any potential issues to get sorted. (eg 2005 D3 compressors, 200 series bullbar mounting)

As far as going soft, I don't think so. Do you get the "Nothing soft gets in" advertising campaign? Youtube it if you don't, good for a giggle.

Let us know what you think when you try it out.
Waz


Hope this gives you a bit more feedback, be good to get another cruiser driver, let us know how you go.

Cheers.

[Michael M]

[Nuclear Chicken]

Mike, where are you based? I an near Newry and use Shelbourne from time to time.


How about using the old LC5 until the new one is available....they can only say no if asked. The old one sounds like mine except mine is an '04 with 75k on the clock. I'd like to be able to get a resher one. The one you drove must have been an Invincible, no? No LC5 anymore.
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'04 KDJ120R LC5. Died 17th Dec 2010. RIP.

[Michael M]