New tow vehicle - which one? Brought a Jeep GC in the end.

[Neil]

For the lads with Jeeps and Prados what is tyre life like.
My Kluger has 19" rims/tyres and I can only push them to just over 30,oooklm. One of the guys at work has a VX Prado with 18" rims/tyres and has only put one new set on in 4 years about 75,000klm now and I think he changed them about 55,000klm.

 

[BigSkiddy]

The only other thing I could think to offer is now that you've narrowed it down to those 2, try and take both for another test drive with your van attached and all the family in the car, then see how YOU like driving each one.
You will be the one driving it whilst towing and there will be a difference between the two.

If you do this you'll choose the Jeep.

 

[Holden_man]

For the lads with Jeeps and Prados what is tyre life like.
My Kluger has 19" rims/tyres and I can only push them to just over 30,oooklm. One of the guys at work has a VX Prado with 18" rims/tyres and has only put one new set on in 4 years about 75,000klm now and I think he changed them about 55,000klm.

Hi @Neil,
Still have original set on the Prado at 55k. Getting close to changing. Should get to around 65-70 I think. I want to pull the road set off before heading to the state wide panda meet at the corner in September so should work out good for us. I wheel align every service.

 

[Sunny]

Hi mate,

I have a fleet 2012 GXL Prado and another consideration to add to your list is the great online forum PradoPoint!
It is just as handy as this expanda forum is for info but based solely on the Prado.
I can't find an online forum out there with the depth of knowledge on Jeeps and there owners feedbacks like the forum for the Prado.
It may seem like a small thing but to have such a pool of experiences/info at your fingertips certainly made me more comfortable settling into a Prado.


I traded my tyres in on delivery and fitted 5x Cooper AT3's 265/70/17
Rotating 5 tyres every 10k and I am at 61k (mostly highway k's) with over half tread left, more importantly tyres feel just as grippy now as when they went on!
Coopers put a 90k warranty on that spec tyre also...

 

[bigcol]

there is also http://www.lcool.org/forum/index.php
they also have a lot of info for the Prado's
as well as (USA Forum, but helps sometimes)
http://forum.ih8mud.com/

for the Jeep -
http://www.jeep.com.au/blog-news/752-jeep-forum-australia-discover-these-great-untapped-resources
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/vbindex.php
or
http://www.wranglerforum.com/

there are others, but they are the ones I have previously looked at (secretly like the old CJ5 I had when I was very very young)

 

[Matty4]

For the lads with Jeeps and Prados what is tyre life like.
My Kluger has 19" rims/tyres and I can only push them to just over 30,oooklm. One of the guys at work has a VX Prado with 18" rims/tyres and has only put one new set on in 4 years about 75,000klm now and I think he changed them about 55,000klm.

I have just ticked over 30K on my original 20" Kumho's, pretty much suburban and a few country trips. I have also been up in the Vic high country a couple of times along some very rough and rocky tracks, with no chipping evident. This may be just luck but I was very cautious about picking my lines. I reckon I'll get another 15K out of them. Others have reported getting less than 30K, and some getting over 60K, so i guess it all depends on how you treat them, same as with any car and tyre combo.

Depending on which model you go for (18's standard on Laredo, 20's on Limited and Overland) you can option the Offroad Adventure pack which gives you the 18's on the Limited and Overland and then exchange the Kumho's for something like the AT3's or BFG AT etc.
There's not a great deal to choose from in an AT 20" tyre.

I'm in the process of getting a second set of 18's with some AT's or MT's for offroad use, and keep the 20's with decent road tyres for around town.

Another great source of info in an online forum is
www.jeepgarage.org
US based so has a massive following and there is also a dedicated section for export owners, with plenty of us Aussies on it.
http://www.jeepgarage.org/f73/

There is also anything and everything you need to know here..
http://www.wk2jeeps.com/

 

[Matty4]

None of the dealerships (2 off) have had any with tow bars on them.

Try another couple of dealers, I'm sure if you let them know you're shopping the 2 and it will come down to this, they will oblige.

 

[Barra]

Hi mate,

I have a fleet 2012 GXL Prado and another consideration to add to your list is the great online forum PradoPoint

I traded my tyres in on delivery and fitted 5x Cooper AT3's 265/70/17
Rotating 5 tyres every 10k and I am at 61k (mostly highway k's) with over half tread left, more importantly tyres feel just as grippy now as when they went on!
Coopers put a 90k warranty on that spec tyre also...

I've just bought a 2013 new look GXL Prado and was thinking about changing the tyres. Was the changeover price much or don't you get much for the original tyres?

 

[stuartcarr2002]

I've just bought a 2013 new look GXL Prado and was thinking about changing the tyres. Was the changeover price much or don't you get much for the original tyres?

I get D40 navaras with 17's done at work and we get the local tyre shop to do it. To do a change over to Cooper ATR's cost $790. This is for 5 tyres.

 

[Sunny]

I've just bought a 2013 new look GXL Prado and was thinking about changing the tyres. Was the changeover price much or don't you get much for the original tyres?

Anywhere between $150 - $200 per tyre was offered by the tyre shops. I was out of pocket $1000 after changing over. The LT Cooper AT3 were $395 each.

 

[cruza driver]

@Neil the next dilemma after choosing between the Prado and Jeep is which colour goes well with the van

 

[BigSkiddy]

Bit more info for you. No revelations though.
http://www.caravancampingsales.com....ta-landcruiser-prado-2014-42028?WT.seg_4=NEDM

 

[Holden_man]

Hi @Neil,
One thing we do like about our Prado is the factory long rang tank. Towing we get around 800-900km range. We found on our travels that extra range gave us better choice at which centre to refuel. We stuck to refuelling at major centres. One negative is the tanks don't like filling right up. Must take a little bit to equalise the tanks. I have gone back to top up the tank and got an extra 10 litres in. Without towing I have driven from Cairns to Brisbane without refuelling, that's around 1700kms

HM

 

[taz]

@Neil, go the Prado. As @Holden_man said, the twin tanks are great.

We've had Prado's since 2000. Now on our fourth & not one issue.

In Tassie there are 5 Toyota dealership shop fronts, compared to 2 Jeep. Something to consider if you plan to go bush.

I've always been involved with heavy mining equipment (Caterpillar) & I am yet to see a Jeep being used in underground or surface mining operations (all Prado/Hilux/200 series/78 series).

Tyre life. We always get 60k out of the standard dunlops.

All the best with your choice.

Taz

 

[AndrewC]

Can't beat the tojo's. This is what happened to mine today after someone didn't see me stopped. Tojo 1, bt50 nil!

 

[Holden_man]

bloody hell mate thats some hit.

 

[Barra]

@Neil if anything does happen to he prado there will be parts for it. The Jeep isn't as common, especially if your outback and the unthinkable happens

 

[Bluey]

@Neil if anything does happen to he prado there will be parts for it. The Jeep isn't as common, especially if your outback and the unthinkable happens

@Neil I have a friend from Ireland and he says over there they are called THE INVINCEABLE get on it giddy up !!!!!!!
prado all the way just wish the seat would go back a bit more

 

[Matty4]

You can also get an aux sub tank for the Jeep, giving you more fuel carrying capacity than the Playdo.
150lt vs. 168lt.
http://www.longrangeautomotive.com....cturer_id=49&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=214

You just need to have the factory Mopar towbar fitted, not a Hayman Reese one.

The only thing going for the Prado IMHO is the 7 seat config.
The power and torque figures alone would turn me off.
127kw vs 184kw, 410nm vs 570nm.

I also think a fairer comparison is the GXL vs Laredo. These are essentially both the base spec private buyers cars.
Just using the official websites for pricing the Jeep comes in $15300 cheaper, no contest really.

 

[DRW]

I can get from Willcania to Peterborough SA around 480K on a full tank towing at 105 to 110KPH with the Expanda on the back, if I slowed down to about 90-95K I know I would get at least 100K more, who needs extra fuel on board?
As for tyres the Khumos on mine are at 40K and just about had it, looking at Toyo's at the moment but will have to adjust my driving style as these are fairly expensive.
@AndrewC bloody shame about the cruiser, you must be a little peeved at the moment. I hope the repairs don't take too long, cheers