MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Jakster1 on October 17, 2014, 07:44:37 PM

Title: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Jakster1 on October 17, 2014, 07:44:37 PM
As the title states but the decision in not an easy one.

Currently we have a 2011 ST patrol with heaps of fruit on it.
It's pretty much fully decked out as a tourer and a very capable offroad vehicle.
Short rundown.. It's got all round and top barwork, ARB suspension, mickey Thompson tyres, UHF radio, lights, cargo barrier, exhaust and engine mods, dual battery's, winch, diff locks recovery points.... Etc etc you get the idea.
We love going real 4wding on the weekend and not afraid to take it up some hard tracks and pick the difficult lines and the bush pinstripes (much to the wifes disgust) are proof of that. We also play while out 4wding looking for the challenging lines just for fun, the young fella loves it!
I can fairly confidently point this thing at almost any track and up anything and be confident that we can get up there and back in One piece.

BUT,

While it is still a nice and comfortable car to get around in general and i quite like driving it, It's the wife's daily and its a handful for her driving around town. It's big, heavy, slow, noisy and uses more fuel than a modern turbo diesel car should.
She loves the fridge permanently in the back, and the huge amount of space to put The kids stuff in without issue.

Now a prado is so much nicer and onroad, friendly, safer, more powerful and fuel efficient and yes quite a capable offroad 4wd but I'm afraid if I sell the patrol that this prado, which will remain fairly standard won't satisfy our love for hard 4wding.

Will I regret doing this??


Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: scarps on October 17, 2014, 07:47:24 PM
Yes, don't do it.


Sub post - all good things come to those who wait, or so I'm told.
Title: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: scarps on October 17, 2014, 07:48:50 PM
Yes, don't do it. You'll miss the Patrol when touring even though the Prado will potentially be better for around town.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: noel_w on October 17, 2014, 07:51:14 PM
Nooooooooooooooooooo

Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Bird on October 17, 2014, 07:56:50 PM
if theres only 2 of you yes do it
if theres 12 of you yes do it.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: D4D on October 17, 2014, 07:59:32 PM
Happy wife, happy life :)

The Prado is no Patrol but you can still have fun in it. On a recent Prado trip they managed to climb Rocky Track in Toolangi with Prados, anybody who knows that track knows it is pretty hardcore. You just need different lines and some thought rather than the point and shoot method you can use with the Patrol.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: duggie on October 17, 2014, 08:11:23 PM
Keep the patrol, swap the wife. ;D


I will go and hide now. :-*

cheers duggie
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: GeoffA on October 17, 2014, 08:21:22 PM
Have you considered keeping the Patrol, and buying a cheapish runaround for your lovely one??

You are the only one that knows what you need, and what compromises you can live with....
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: oldmate on October 17, 2014, 08:26:04 PM
go down to the local shopping center and have a look at the prados, and ask yourself, will I make it over that speed hump in that?

You will find your answer soon enough  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Clouty on October 17, 2014, 08:30:30 PM
Even though I'm a Toyota man.. Keep the pootrol, you'll kick yourself if you sell it..

Mate I had a VX 80 series with all the fruit and sometimes I wish I never sold it...
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Aaron Schubert on October 17, 2014, 08:51:30 PM
Do the math and work it out. It won't be cheap swapping vehicles; you never recover money spent on mods.

The Patrol will be more capable off road than the Prado, but perhaps that doesn't matter?

I reckon you could afford quite a nice second car for the missus and not lose much money, depending on what kms are done

Aaron
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: oldmate on October 17, 2014, 08:54:52 PM
Do the math and work it out. It won't be cheap swapping vehicles; you never recover money spent on mods.

The Patrol will be more capable off road than the Prado, but perhaps that doesn't matter?

I reckon you could afford quite a nice second car for the missus and not lose much money, depending on what kms are done

Aaron

X2
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Jakster1 on October 17, 2014, 09:00:32 PM
So far most are leaning towards keeping the patrol.
I was kinda expecting it the other way around and kinda hoping too.
I know the prado is a nicer drive and will tow better and probably drive on the beach better.
ive spent alot of time, money, blood, sweat and tears building up the patrol and it is such an offroad weapon and I love the toughness of it.
But I have this feeling that if I do it that ill regret it, but as it sees more time on the blacktop I also feel that the prado is a smarter option. (Until we have a boys weekend of 4wding)
I've already been to Toyota but got cold feet after having a few sleeps on it and realising what I might be doing
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Jakster1 on October 17, 2014, 09:11:28 PM
Haha I've been putting off doing the math because I don't want to know how much the patrol owes me and how much I have already lost to depreciation. It's going to be a $20000+ changeover
It's not really a money thing either because I am prepared to pay for a better and more importantly safer vehicle for the family.
Whatever way I go it will be the vehicle we tow the camper with and the safety thing is probably the biggest factor to keep my loved ones safe as possible. Getting a nice second car dosent really cover that issue.

Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: GeoffA on October 17, 2014, 09:14:12 PM
I wonder why you asked the question.... ??? ???
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: oldmate on October 17, 2014, 09:17:20 PM
I wonder why you asked the question.... ??? ???

Friday night entertainment. Better then the crap on TV  :cup:
Title: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: scarps on October 17, 2014, 09:19:52 PM
Friday night entertainment. Better then the crap on TV  :cup:


Sometimes you have to pull the oldies out from the back of the DVDs pile on a slow night.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: oldmate on October 17, 2014, 09:21:39 PM

Sometimes you have to pull the oldies out from the back of the DVDs pile on a slow night.

Yes yes.  That you do
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Jakster1 on October 17, 2014, 09:24:25 PM
No, I really am torn between the decision I just can't make up my mind.

And yes, this s better than the crap on tv
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: muzza01 on October 17, 2014, 09:29:55 PM
I love my Tojo's but keep the Patrol. Maybe you could spend $6-7k and get her a nice run around for town and keep the Pootrol for family trips and the weekend.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Watty2975 on October 17, 2014, 10:54:46 PM
Went through a similar exercise about 18 months ago. Had a very well decked out Patrol with everything. Looked at prados and while nice to drive could not justify the expense in changing a well set up truck for one with no fruit. You have to add into the equation the cost of adding some gear to the change over. The other side is you will still have a 4cyl diesel. To me it made it an expensive exercise. Mind you we ended up buying a 200 series and have begun modifying it. While I love it, I miss the Patrol and the convenience of all the gear when we go away.

Would I still go through the exercise with hindsight.....Yes.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Coiled on October 18, 2014, 06:50:56 AM
Keep the Patrol! You will regret selling the thing that is perfect for your 4wding & camping escapes which I gather are important to you all.

All the coin you lose on the other and will inevitably reinvest into the new rig will easily fund a good second car that the mrs likes and has 5 star safety. If this isn't viable tell the mrs to harden up a little  ;D
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Swannie on October 18, 2014, 07:03:00 AM
If you are going to trade up buy an 80 series mate
Swannie
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Rumpig on October 18, 2014, 07:05:22 AM
If you are going to trade up buy an 60 series mate
Swannie
i think you meant to write this Swannie  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Diesel Power on October 18, 2014, 08:40:49 AM
You can't compare fuel economy as when you put everything into the prado, the fuel economy will be similar, as the vehicles are both 3litre 4 cylinders.
As others said, and what I did, by a cheap to run around town car.
Regards
Angus.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: CRW on October 18, 2014, 09:00:40 AM
I love my Tojo's but keep the Patrol. Maybe you could spend $6-7k and get her a nice run around for town and keep the Pootrol for family trips and the weekend.

Now there is a sensible answer, and I own a Toyota


Cheers
Carl
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: GUEY on October 18, 2014, 09:02:49 AM
For 20k changeover I'd be looking at a small runabout or an engine conversion.
Watch her eyes light up when she is frying the wheels leaving the school pickup with a V8 engine.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: fishfinder on October 18, 2014, 09:30:55 AM
it's a no brainer - sell the Patrol
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Jakster1 on October 18, 2014, 09:45:33 AM
For 20k changeover I'd be looking at a small runabout or an engine conversion.
Watch her eyes light up when she is frying the wheels leaving the school pickup with a V8 engine.

Yep a patrol with a 200kw 800nm V8 turbo diesel would be the ultimate ,that aint gonna happen.
How much diesel does a decked out prado use?
The patrol gets about 14l/100 at the moment and that's everyday with the missus driving but it stays at about that when we load up and towing a light trailer.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: GeoffA on October 18, 2014, 10:48:03 AM
Yep a patrol with a 200kw 800nm turbo diesel.......

No problem....TD42T with some bits.....quite easy to achieve actually.
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: swanny on October 18, 2014, 11:36:34 AM
Defo keep the troll, and discuss buying a small run around for her...all bases covered and sorted this way....
Title: Re: Should I trade the patrol for a prado???
Post by: Desert lover on October 18, 2014, 11:43:12 AM
I wouldn't sell it.... We were faced with a similar decision and decided the small runabout vehicle for in town was the answer.  The Patrol just does the long haul trips and the towing tasks...boat/camper etc etc.   The little second hand Nissan pulsar (one lady owner average of 75 km a week over the time she had it) was the perfect answer to our quandary.....

Cheers,
Sue
aka Desert Lover