Car dilemma

[Smirke]

We are in the process of deciding whether to spend money on the BBB (get the proper clutch, not the mickey mouse one it has now, 2, new tyres, etc) in prep for our big trip next year (doing the gibb and top of Oz).

OR

selling the BBB and getting a landcruiser 200. Have had some prices (huge differences in dealer discounts - like $5000!!!!)
My question is....

What would you do?

We have had power issues with the patrol, as well as clutch ones, but when ordered it did get some upgrades. (raised, HD suspension, 170L fuel in total, polyairbags, a s@#t load of 12V, 2nd battery, bulbar, spotties, etc). Obviously the 200 would not get all the accessories as the patrol, but it would get the essentials (bulbar, towing stuff, 12V, cooper tyres, bigger sub tank).

Money wise, its apparently an extra $240/fortnight.

Also, for those with the 200, can you increase the size of the sub tank without removing the spare. I have been told the main can't be touched. Don't really want to spend an extra $1700 getting the tyre mounted on the back.

 

[NoWorries]

I would go the 200
for every one who raves about how good there patrol is there are 5 that hated it and went to a 200.
I have never heard of anyone selling a 200 to buy a Patrol (probably has happened though)
I would have gone for the 200 but the wife would not let me spend the extra 50k over what we spent on the Paj.

 

[MDS69]

As much as I love our Prado and as much as I would sell a kid or two to own a 200 series it sounds like your Patrol is set up for how you want it. It is easy to spend other peoples money and say get the 200 series which is what I was about to do but it looks to be a fairly young vehicle still. If the extra $6.5k a year isn't a stretch then go for it but only you can work out the financial side. I would imagine the 200 would do it easier though.

 

[Dobbie]

With the Patrol you know it's foibles!

And you have it set up the way you want it.

We also have a Patrol...almost stock standard...and did over 18,000 kms earlier this year, much of it in searing heat and it performed beautifully. Not fast, but it chugged along happily on tar and handled some pretty rough terrain and ended up having a clutch problem when we got home. We had clutch replaced with the non Nissan heavy duty one and think it set us back about $2800. At 20,000 kms we were not impressed either though I think backing the van up a sloping driveway contributed to the problem.

Also we have friends and rellies who have the Cruiser 200 and hate them. One has had Discovies...3... before and drives them hard so, when he needed to ditch the Disco he went for the 200. No end of trouble and has had to be towed home twice. Mind you, I wouldn't buy one of his second hand as its done lots of off road work.

For some reason, he's most impressed with our Patrol!

 

[Bluey]

I went the 100 series so far its very good not as complicated as the 200 great motor 6 cyl turbo 12 around town 14 on the flat towing rapid tuning box power is great

 

[burnsie]

Tough decision @Smirke............You have had a few problems with the Patrol since picking it up, a cruiser would be great but as mentioned above will come with some added costs etc. Probably one of those decisions you guys will have to make yourself, but it is always great to see everyone's comments about what you should do.

BTW, We may even bump into each other on the lap next year , Jacob keeps asking to catchup with your boys again.....

 

[BigSkiddy]

$240 a fortnight is a lot of extra coin...a new LC200 would be nice though...yep it's one of those decisions you can only make.

 

[jeff]

"Money wise, its apparently an extra $240/fortnight." That's a big chunk of money in itself, but on top of what you are already paying, I'm glad it's you not us. If you put the extra into fixing the things that annoy you on the Nissan (say $5000) you would have the car you want and only be "stretched" for 42 weeks

Jeff & Rae

 

[dagree]

This is going to hurt saying this being a Toyota owner person but........... I would spend what is required on the "Triple B". As others have said it is virtually setup to how you want it and it won't (shouldn't?) cost you an extra $240/fortnight!

And......... It's a great looking beast

At the end of the day the final decision is yours but if you can afford the extra $'s to pay for the 200LC and accessorize it "Go for it"

 

[Smirke]

Yeah, the extra $$ isn't something we want, especially as we still could lose our house. Sent an email out to get quotes on a few accessories so we can evaluate the costs better. Looking at a 200 to see what's in it in terms of 12V. Just don't want another underperforming car.

I agree with you @Dobbie . The clutch can't handle reversing the van, especially uphill. And we happen to live on a hill. I mentioned to hubby the othe day that this clutch feels like it is on the way out too, so we will be onto number 4 in the space of a year if we keep it.

@burnsie , would be great for a catch up while on the road. Keep meaning to download the photos Toby took and send them to you. We leave July 1 for a dash to Broome. Still trying to work out a bit of an itinery so we can prepay some places.

 

[crackacoldie]

Not very often I'd say this, keep the BBB, 240 a week pays for a lot of extras on holidays. If you go a HD clutch and use low range to reverse up hill it should last a lot longer. And as previously mentioned, it is set up for you.

Can't believe I'm trying to talk someone out of a Toyota :doh:

 

[Smirke]

Thanks for all of this. Our decision is made harder as we don't actually own the patrol. We salary package it, and the lease is up this time next year. Just not wanting to spend a lot on it if we swap it. (Also have a difference to pay out if swap it now.)
Hmmm. Too much to think about tonight. Thank goodness holidays start tomorrow!!!!

 

[Bluey]

Could you make the patrol an auto ??????? Still got heaps of coin in you pocket reco box for my cruiser is about 3500

 

[Smirke]

Could you make the patrol an auto ??????? Still got heaps of coin in you pocket reco box for my cruiser is about 3500

No @Bluey . We have the 21-64 OB, and she's a heavy girl. (Just under 3.1 tonne fully loaded).
This is also the worry. With the 6 of us, the car loaded up , usually just us, snacks , drinks electronics but with the added extras piled onto the car, and the van loaded (probably overloaded when we do the coral bay trip every April) we are probably pushing the patrol too close to its limits. We got the manual as it tows 3.2T whereas the auto only pulls 2.5T.
Geez, just one powerball would solve this problem. Ha ha ha.

Must say, I never really thought about the weight issue before, but with a lot of people on here talking about it I have started to wonder. I'm sure we were over the limit when we had our swan being pulled by our territory.

Can see the pros and cons of swapping cars as well as keeping the patrol. Both are pretty equal.
Hopefully we will get some quotes in today, then I get into the number crunching scenario.

 

[JaycoQ]

If you can afford it go the 200. We've had Patrols in the past both diesel and petrol all auto. As our vans got bigger and heavier, now in a 2015 20.64.1 the patrol had to go. My Ranger does a great job towing but the wifes 2015 200 is a totally different experience. Compared to the Patrol it's a lot less truck like, both driving and noise. Go for a test drive, you'll be sold.

 

[Smirke]

If you can afford it go the 200. We've had Patrols in the past both diesel and petrol all auto. As our vans got bigger and heavier, now in a 2015 20.64.1 the patrol had to go. My Ranger does a great job towing but the wifes 2015 200 is a totally different experience. Compared to the Patrol it's a lot less truck like, both driving and noise. Go for a test drive, you'll be sold.

Thanks for that @JaycoQ . Was offered a test drive in the new 2016 model, but didn't want that to influence the decision. I expect any big diesel 4x4 to drive, park and sound like a truck, so am not concerned about that side of it (hubby is though, he very rarely drives the patrol because of it).
Went and spoke to the guys at ORE yesterday (Andrew got your email @bigcol ) we had a good chat. Good to know that Melville Toyota use ORE to do all their work (Toyota told me this). They were flabbergasted over the trouble we have had with the patrol (including the way some accessories were added by other reputable 4x4 accessory places before pick up) they also said they'd "look after us" with any accessories we would like to do. (I thought that was nice)
So, we are seriously thinking about the swap now (probably 70% convinced). But only for the stock standard car with tow pack, electric brakes, tyre swap, and possibly bullbar. It's a shame Toyota can't get the economy down to 7L/100km, then luxury car tax doesn't kick in until $75000 and we would only pay $250 LCT. As it doesn't, it kicks in at $63184.....damn!!

 

[bigcol]

for $250 a week, you could pay for a Duromax & Allison 6 speed auto fitted in 2 yrs...................

6.6L of diesel porn.........................
11L/100 towing at 140km/p/h (so I was told, by a guy who fits them)

 

[achjimmy]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma ? I am sorry I am just not a patrol fan anymore. they are trucks and there gutless. I mean really they are having issues reversing a van but are so called indestructible off-road!!!!
The 200 doesn't drive like a truck btw. It may not be as refined as a disco but it's not the lumbering fourbie of years ago. If you really like the patrol think about the conversation. @bigcol mentions or even just a LS7 chev. My Boss has a GQ with LS7 and gets 12-14s!!! He also has a 2015 landcruiser after selling the duromax 2500 Denali! The landcruiser can have a 70litre sub in place of the 35litre factory sub and it keeps the spare, it's just a lot of money for an extra 2 jerrie's worth is my bitch.

 

[Smirke]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma ? I am sorry I am just not a patrol fan anymore. they are trucks and there gutless. I mean really they are having issues reversing a van but are so called indestructible off-road!!!!
The 200 doesn't drive like a truck btw. It may not be as refined as a disco but it's not the lumbering fourbie of years ago. If you really like the patrol think about the conversation. @bigcol mentions or even just a LS7 chev. My Boss has a GQ with LS7 and gets 12-14s!!! He also has a 2015 landcruiser after selling the duromax 2500 Denali! The landcruiser can have a 70litre sub in place of the 35litre factory sub and it keeps the spare, it's just a lot of money for an extra 2 jerrie's worth is my bitch.

Thanks @achjimmy . Agree with the sub. Caryard guy said the same. $1900 for the sub swap which would give just over one Jerry can extra. I could never justify that. After removing a few accessories and extending the lease to 5 years, it comes out to about the same as what we are paying now (an extra $30/fortnight) which is reasonable. Hubby wants to do the swap, I'm in the swap it one minute, keep it the next phase. Ah crap. Why can't these decisions be easier?

 

[Dobbie]

Santa might bring you an easy decision though it's sounding more like a cruiser.

The sums appear more attractive.

Good luck!