Buying a diesel 120 auto Prado, what to get for towing?

[Claws Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Claws]

Hi all, new member here, I have a 97 80 series petrol/gas auto and absolutely love it but we are doing a lot more trips towing a 2t off road caravan and the 80 gets a bit thirsty... Although not as bad as some of the figures I have seen quoted from some of the petrol Prado boys...

Anyway we are planning a trip around Australia and thought a diesel may be a better option for us both for fuel availability in remoter areas and economy while towing the van.We are looking at getting rid of the wife's Ford Territory and buying a 120 Diesel Prado auto but the more I read and having driven a few I am not sure if it is such a good decision so really need some honest feedback from owners and their experiences.

We test drove a couple of 2005 autos and found them to be severely lacking in power between 3rd and 4th, particularly when kicking down to overtake... at 100kph it seemed to take forever to accelerate to 120 and that was just with 3 people in the car so I assume it must be woeful towing a 2 ton van. The dealer didn't have a 120 D4D 5sp so we drove a 150 D4D 5sp auto VX and while a much smoother auto its acceleration was only marginally better. My cousins 2002 3.0 auto Patrol has better pick up and a mates 6sp manual Ranger leaves it for dead.

We have found a 2008 D4D auto GXL with 230000 k's on the clock, pretty much standard bar a ARB deluxe steel bullbar for $25000 which is in the ballpark for how much we want to spend however we have read some horror stories about the D4D engine. Are the stories true? Do these tow a 2 ton van ok when loaded up for a trip and what is the power/economy like? ... I have read figures of 18-20L per 100k's towing and at the price of diesel would cost more than my 80 towing on gas. Would a 6sp manual be a better option and how do they fare towing heavier loads?

We have pretty much ruled out a 1KZ auto but maybe a 5sp manual would do better as we hear the older engine is less prone to detonation... Really hard decision and we want to get it right so as not to end up with a car we aren't totally happy with.

Appreciate any and all help and advice.

Regards, Claws

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

IMO,

The 1kz, is great & 5 speed is the only way to go if you go 1kz. But not good for towing 2tonne.
If you are towing manual is better, but only go 6 speed manual in d4d if you are staying on the blacktop.
The thrust bearing & snout don't like dust & mud.

The d4d 120 is best for the job! It's the best vehicle out there!
Those horror stories are true! But only because manufacturers like Toyota are relatively new at CRD.
They didn't, & many still don't know or seemingly care about the right way to look after them or improving them, at least not in a hurry.
The horror part is a very small percentage. Because of the horror you are able to buy a Diesel 10k less than it would have been 3 years ago.
Eg; the 25k you are looking at, would have been 35k+ for same Klm's.
The good news is there is a company out there who is helping to sort out these issues.
That's baileys diesel group. They have gone ahead & done the impossible!
All you need is a set of the baileys injectors in there, they have a DLC coating on every moving part, which eliminates wear & helping in preventing the over fuelling issues, preventing horror stories.

Have a diesel specialist check it out for you. Change out injectors etc ASAP.
Every set of injectors that has not been fitted with baileys is a potential horror storie.

Note: injectors are wear & tear items, always have been, more so in CRD's, but not so much now because of BDG.

[CaLLaN 52 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close CaLLaN 52]

The D4D motor is getting a bit old now, although I'm surprised your cousins Patrol seems better, the Nissan 3ltr is only 117kw & less torque than the D4D's 127kw & 410nm torque. Tows a 1 ton camper ok until the road slopes upward, always nice to have extra power, most newer utes have more power than the D4D Prado.
But I love my 09 120 D4D Auto.

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

If it was seeming under powered, perhaps the MAF sensor needed cleaning.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

I've a auto 1KZ, towing a loaded 2 tonne caravan up a hill, you would have to have your rego money in your hand as your renewal would be due when you got to the top! Personally I'd wait a year or two but it may be difficult for you?? There is talk the D4D production longevity is nearing the end. Whatever, if this happens prices will always be cheaper with the arrival of the new engine(?) but the D4D auto would cope admirably for your needs.

[Claws Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Claws]

So would a 2008 auto tow 2t ok and what fuel economy should I expect? Would a 2008 with 235000 klm still have its original injectors or would they have been replaced during servicing? Would the replacement be in the service records?

We will be paying cash for it so hopefully have some bargaining power, if we can get $4000 off the price and install a set of Baileys injectors, have oil pick up screen checked and cleaned, all filters and oils changed and install secondary fuel filter and catch can.... Would it then be a good reliable engine for remote touring???

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

"" if we can get $4000 off the price and install a set of Baileys injectors, have oil pick up screen checked and cleaned, all filters and oils changed and install secondary fuel filter and catch can.... Would it then be a good reliable engine for remote touring???"" My answer would be yes. Now this may sound like a dumb question but have you weighed the van at a weigh station seperate to the tow vehicle ?? Only reason I ask is a lot if the time what the specs say or salesman tell you is often way out when inquiring about the weight. Then add water to the tanks all the gear (aircon if not included in spec weight etc) and may find your nearing your tow limit with the Prado being 2500kg depending on towball down weight ??.... Cheers Steve

[BB84WA Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BB84WA]

My 08 D4D auto tows my 1.9T Expanda with no worries. Easily sits on 100-105kph on the flat left in D and I knock it back to 4th for the hills and usually drop down to 90 as I am never in any hurry and don't push it too hard. Seat of the pants, I found after getting a 3 inch exhaust it deals with hills much better. Would love a manual sometimes when towing though. With a lift, tyres, bullbar and roof top bag, I can easily make the 1000kms from Perth to Carnarvon on one tank with plenty to spare. Heading north to south though, no chance as I always seem to get a strong headwind.

Compared to a mates '12 3L manual Patrol, the Prado feels much better. A Patrol is heavier with less power and torque. I get to 120kph fine when not towing...anything after 130 starts to become slow progress.

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

The 1kz simply won't handle a 2T van. The 1kz is anything pre and also including 2006 make. I had 1500kg of Kimberley Kamper on the back a few years back and it was too heavy in my opinion.

In terms of knocking 4,000 off the price, I say "good luck"! I doubt any seller would move that much. But you can only try. I do find it interesting that in order to have a decent D4D you need to spend so many $$ on engine components. You could do a LOT of kms in a petrol version before you had spent 4k more on petrol. Assuming a 25000km trip, with fuel usage at 13L in the D4D and 18L in a petrol, you would only spend 2k more on fuel in the petrol version. So, you would have to go @50,000km before you had spent the 4k extra in petrol that you are going to spend immediately on trying to fix potential D4D faults! Seems ludicrous to me...

[Guest Close Guest]

You could do a LOT of kms in a petrol version before you had spent 4k more on petrol. Assuming a 25000km trip, with fuel usage at 13L in the D4D and 18L in a petrol, you would only spend 2k more on fuel in the petrol version. So, you would have to go @50,000km before you had spent the 4k extra in petrol that you are going to spend immediately on trying to fix potential D4D faults! Seems ludicrous to me...

I think the range between diesel and petrol will also come into the buying decision - especially travelling remote. It might mean having to carry jerries for a petrol vehicle or none for a diesel.

[brilie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close brilie]

I think the range between diesel and petrol will also come into the buying decision - especially travelling remote. It might mean having to carry jerries for a petrol vehicle or none for a diesel.

I have a 1kz 2003 gxl auto with chip and find it great for towing a 2.4t van we did wa last year with 17.4lt per 100 av for 18851km as the other guys have said a little slow up hills but on the flat will easily sit on 90-100km, i have now cleaned out the throttle body and intake manifold and installed a catch tank now getting 16.1ltr per 100km the car runs smoother and has more pick up.

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

I think the range between diesel and petrol will also come into the buying decision - especially travelling remote. It might mean having to carry jerries for a petrol vehicle or none for a diesel.

But with a 2tonne van on the back, will you really be going to many places that don't have fuel? Granted, crossing the simpson or something, there can be range issues (and you wouldn't have the van here). But, for the majority of folks, you'll at least pass through a town of sorts every couple hundred kms when you're on your trips, and if you really are doing a long haul without fuel on that odd occasion, you plan ahead.

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

I have a 1kz 2003 gxl auto with chip and find it great for towing a 2.4t van we did wa last year with 17.4lt per 100 av for 18851km as the other guys have said a little slow up hills but on the flat will easily sit on 90-100km, i have now cleaned out the throttle body and intake manifold and installed a catch tank now getting 16.1ltr per 100km the car runs smoother and has more pick up.

Agree with you mate, Mines not chipped and we have done 30,00kms (20,000 towing) travelling oz. we are maxed out towing 2.5t. I'm not sure what tow vehicle would hold 100km/h up some of hills we have travelled ? ours is a 5 speed, tow in 4th and rarely go back to 3rd on hills unless its a doozie and usually sitting up the back of others driving the other vehicles you guys speak off :/
best fuel has been low 19's and worst with a head wind is around the 23's. I usually sit on the 100km which isnt the sweet spot for fuel economy while towing,
probably could do better with a decoke which i didnt get done before we left. heading into the 300k soon for our rig.

No you wont go from 0 - 100km/h in 5 secs with the 1kz but saying it's not up to the task is a misleading comment imo.

Goodluck with your trip mate.

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

A lot of helpful hints here, but I would suggest you simply look for a vehicle with a towbar.

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

ours is a 5 speed, tow in 4th and rarely go back to 3rd on hills unless its a doozie and usually sitting up the back of others driving the other vehicles you guys speak off :/
No you wont go from 0 - 100km/h in 5 secs with the 1kz but saying it's not up to the task is a misleading comment imo.

Goodluck with your trip mate.

OP specifically asked about the autos (4 speed)

The 1kz, is great & 5 speed is the only way to go if you go 1kz. .

Like #### said if you go a 1KZ only go for the manual (5spd). IMO I would not like to regularly tow a 2.5 tonne weight uphill behind my unchipped auto!