Does anyone *not* like their 150 Prado?

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

Can appreciate your gripes with the 150 but preferring the Patrol? Got to be kidding me.

I too have come over from a Patrol but I couldn't be happier. There are so many things I hated about the Patrol it's not funny. Always the constant fear about the motor blowing up despite the mods to ensure it didn't happen, the ride comfort was appalling (I tried 5 different sets of coils and shocks), the cheapness of the interior (carpets, trim, everything basically), the 80km hour wheel wobble, the chewing out of bushes (Panhard, radius arms), the failing belt tensioners, 4/5 gear synchro, poor brakes, even the seat belts didn't retract properly, And what gives with a great big truck with a small cabin, you can't sit it the drivers seat without the right knee hard up against the door.

I am thankful every time I get in the Prado.

Or the random aquaplaning in the highway in heavy rain, the joys of a solid front end in a truck the weighs 2700kgs with only the driver on board!

And the front brakes were SMALLER than the Prados rear brakes. Very dangerous truck indeed, hence the 1 star rating.
Great in the mud, shit everywhere else.

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

My last car was a 2005 TD 4.2 Nissan... Sold it for 52k and it wasn't a huge jump in price to a new altitude. The patrol we now call a truck.. The gearbox was a pita. It was a great touring truck, capable... But was a truck. The Prado on the other hand is easy to drive, park, comfortable, and when I take it off road, it's capable. With a 2" lift and bar and other bits, I love it. Would never go back to the patrol. If anything, I'd get a second hand 100'or 200 series.

[Black Mamba 2014 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Black Mamba 2014]

The only gripe that I have with my Prado is that it's very needy, as if it was talking to you and asking you to buy it some stuff.

I swear I heard it say "please buy me a nose ring (winch), I need new shoes dad (tyres), does my arse look big (replacement bar), I need to do more squats (suspension), I feel dirty and I haven't even gone out (shopping trolley that needs a wash)".

Apart from all that, I am glad that I bought one.

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

Not totally on the subject .......

I'm about to get a different perspective on Prados. The last 10 years I've owned two 120 V6 Prados, a 2003GXL & a 2009 GXL. Both were great units and quite capable off road. I chose the second 120 over the 150 primarily because of the smaller size fuel tanks and too much electronics on the 150.
I've just sold my 2009 Prado and purchased the new "Titanium pack" LE Patrol ( Pat Callaghan special ). It's been 35 years since owning my last diesel but I wanted a change and something with a solid axle as I'm planing to be more off road, than on.
I'll never bag the Prados and if I could have kept mine along with the Patrol, I would have. I'll also still be following this forum with interest as a lot of people have helped me out with info over the years.
Bazza

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

And tony buhagiar glad he bought one as well

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/...n-fiery-crash/

"The only thing that saved me was that I had a Prado and the police said that."

Feeling safe when driving the Prado ...

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

Wow. Doesn't look too bad for a 4x rollover


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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

Can appreciate your gripes with the 150 but preferring the Patrol? Got to be kidding me.

I too have come over from a Patrol but I couldn't be happier. There are so many things I hated about the Patrol it's not funny. Always the constant fear about the motor blowing up despite the mods to ensure it didn't happen, the ride comfort was appalling (I tried 5 different sets of coils and shocks), the cheapness of the interior (carpets, trim, everything basically), the 80km hour wheel wobble, the chewing out of bushes (Panhard, radius arms), the failing belt tensioners, 4/5 gear synchro, poor brakes, even the seat belts didn't retract properly, And what gives with a great big truck with a small cabin, you can't sit it the drivers seat without the right knee hard up against the door.

I am thankful every time I get in the Prado.

LOL Exactly the same here that left hand pull drove me nuts like you done it all but still pulled to the left ended up back with Toyo (90 series) probably the best car EVER for me............

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

Not totally on the subject .......

I'm about to get a different perspective on Prados. The last 10 years I've owned two 120 V6 Prados, a 2003GXL & a 2009 GXL. Both were great units and quite capable off road. I chose the second 120 over the 150 primarily because of the smaller size fuel tanks and too much electronics on the 150.
I've just sold my 2009 Prado and purchased the new "Titanium pack" LE Patrol ( Pat Callaghan special ). It's been 35 years since owning my last diesel but I wanted a change and something with a solid axle as I'm planing to be more off road, than on.
I'll never bag the Prados and if I could have kept mine along with the Patrol, I would have. I'll also still be following this forum with interest as a lot of people have helped me out with info over the years.
Bazza

They are bloody good value. But then I just remind myself of the glacial performance and I'm good.

[Australian Member Find all posts View Profile Close Australian]

Sell the Prado and buy a Patrol. It's not like the issues you are complaining about will magically change.
As others have said - life is too short! On the plus side - you should be able to offload the Prado pretty easy.

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

I have had 3 Prados over the last 16 years, a 90series, 120 series and now a 150. I have loved them all.

They have all had different good points and different bad points but I wouldn't consider buying anything else.

16 years of trouble free motoring, you can't beat that.

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

Still here, still with Prado!
Thanks all for your input, and I find it very interesting reading what the differences between the different prados from a first hand owner perspective.
I think that I could make a bold statement that most people here do not appreciate all the electronics in the 150 as much as the original designers did, and that that is one of the biggest gripes - not unanimous of course!
I have also found it interesting the problems that some of you had found with the Patrols - and fair enough (except if you bought a 3.0L DI - that is just a silly thing to do) for most!
Even more interesting that one is voluntarily going from a prado to a patrol, and the reasons for it, and I think that those similar reasons is why I like the patrols better.

Thank you all for a great overview of what you think on the subject!

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Regarding the keyless entry on the 200's...... The GX version still req's a physical key to start it, but I still assume it would have have all the annoying bells/buzzers though.....

So, why didn't you go for another patrol, from what I can see, the appear to go for similar prices as an equivalent prado??

I can see where you are coming from with most of your arguments, they are mostly opinions, which you have said, and it just appears, in my oppinion, you didn't buy the car you really wanted.

I personally love the fact that my Prado doesn't feel like a patrol or old cruiser to drive. I came from an 80 series, so have had the "tough, unbreakable, real 4wd" and am really happy with the Prado. The way I see it, is I can now only get 98% of the places I used to be able to, but i can get to those places cheaper, quicker and in alot more comfort.

Was your old patrol a ZD30 or a TD42? If it was a TD42 you wouldn't be happy with a newer ZD30 until it was modified, and if you had a ZD30 I am really surprised you don't like the Prado.

I guess at the end of the day, if we all liked the same car, and had the same needs out of it, the only car the would exist is the Prado

It sounds like you really are unhappy with the spec Prado you got, you say you don't like the electrical stuff in it, yet it feels like a poor mans 4wd, that is probably the one thing i dont really get. To me, and remember this is my oppinion, the GU feels like a poor mans landcruiser, the comfort level of a brand new GU is similar to that so the 100 series, released in 1998, and the early GU compares with the 80 series. These are all "real 4wds" with truck axles in the front. If this is what you want you will never be happy with a "pretend 4wd".

I understand if you can't for whatever reason, but it sounds like you should just buy a GU Patrol, they don't have any of the things you dislike. They are a good car for the most part, but they just aren't as refined as the Prado. Remember though, the Prado you bought is the entry level, which compares to the DX Patrol, which still has steel wheels and no flares. I've got no idea what there comfort level is like inside.

Most of the things you don't like about the Prado also carry over to the 200 series, like the electrical gizmos, the keyless key, the "pretend 4wd", etc. i dont think you would of been happy with that either.

In short, I think while both as have there pluses and minuses, you really sound like you bought the wrong car for what you want. Life is to short to "put up with something". But if you are prepared to I think the little Prado will surprise you with how capable it is for a IFS.

Whatever you do I really hope you can see past the little annoyances you have with the car and enjoy the Prado as much as we all do.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

And probably my biggest gripe is: WHAT IS WRONG WITH USING A BLOODY KEY TO START A CAR!? the keyless start is the biggest wank that I have ever come across.

For our other car keyless entry was one of my wife's top requirements because she got used to it on the Prado.

• You need a key to start it - and to lock it

PM me to make arrangements

Regarding the keyless entry on the 200's...... The GX version still req's a physical key to start it, but I still assume it would have have all the annoying bells/buzzers though.....

I still prefer my keys

link: Keyless cars 'increasingly targeted by thieves using computers'

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

yeah I like the key, if we have to got the point in life where getting a key out of your pocket to start the car is too hard I reckon its time to cash your chips in and move on. Judging by some of the treads on here around the keyless entry and start it seems they cause more issues than they solve.

Cheers Andrew

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

My 150 has an aftermarket alarm added to the factory fitted alarm. Will have to see if that is sufficient to prevent a crook pinching it using an external computer.

Might have to invest in adding a tear gas canister, funnel webs and a taipan, or never leave the garage !!!