New Landcrusier GX 200

Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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I'm getting toey enough, thanks @yabbietol ...........................and here I was yesterday looking at price of RM Williams covers and thinking mine will last a few more years and finally after looking at that wagon of yours I will have to go and give The Ute a good polish.........................
 

yabbietol

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2014
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Queanbeyan NSW
Polished and washed the LC200 when brand new in the first couple of days of ownership and plan to polish and carefully wash about every 6 months. I did not get the very expensive Toyota paint protection, based on advice from a good friend who is a professional car detailer. His advice was was to wash and wax with good quality product about every 6 months. We did did this with our NW Pajero for 3 years and the paint finish looked really good when we sold it. Previously I was not very systematic about waxing cars and the paint finish did suffer. I tend to only wash cars when they are really dirty, but now consider a good polish a couple times a year just routine car maintenance.

This time I used this fancy expensive liquid wax on the LC200.
http://www.meguiars.com.au/polish-protect/ultimate-liquid-wax/

After a bit of reading and asking a mate who is a MX5 car "buff", why his cars always look really nice. He explained he uses only Meguiars products. Therefore, I have used Meguiars hard wax in the tin and car wash for about 4 years. It works well, but the wax in the tin is difficult to put on. This new liquid stuff is very easy to put on and buff, so far it seems to work well. After each trip I get out the pressure washer and do a quick wash of both van and tow and water is still beading on the LC200 after a few months.

I know there are some other quality wax brands, its seems this is one area in which the expensive stuff works better than the cheapo waxes. There are some even more expensive very good professional waxes around, but Meguires products work well. I am sure many people on this forum have their favourite waxes and polishes. My dear old uncle a WW2 digger who is no longer with us, used to wash his old holden with only water and kero every week, it was always very clean, but he did wear through the paint on the bonnet and other flat surfaces after a few years.
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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If you keep a good polish up to them it makes the washing so much easier, especially getting the mongrel locust splats off, as someone who keeps his vehicles till nearly stumps, resale doesn't apply to my stuff but keeping the thing looking good for years keeps me happy but if I have to drive thru a lot of brush I don't hesitate, found Porzalak wax would handle the wattle scratches very well..................
 

achjimmy

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Jan 24, 2011
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I've used meguiars three step for years. The wax is canubra and certainly not hard to apply. Nothing is as good as when you strip and re polish the panel with bush pin stripes on to to find them disappear ! . It's not cheap but then painting panels isn't.
 

spiderpig

Active Member
Nov 7, 2015
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Canberra
I've used meguiars three step for years. The wax is canubra and certainly not hard to apply. Nothing is as good as when you strip and re polish the panel with bush pin stripes on to to find them disappear ! . It's not cheap but then painting panels isn't.

Gotta agree there. We use turtle wax on the Paj these days and bush/branch scratches polish straight out.
 

yabbietol

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Sep 2, 2014
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Queanbeyan NSW
Just back from a trip with our Kedron van and used our @Stone Stomper for the first time. After much stuffing around with couriers (not Christians fault, just crap courier) we got it delivered and fitted before the trip. After talking to the very helpful stone stomper expert by email we got it made running from the rear of the tow to the front of the Kedron fitted stone guard. This configuration worked well.

The supplied stone stomper attachment for the tow bar and McHitch worked well. We were really surprised on how little dust settled on the back doors of the tow after kms of dusty roads and tracks. After we got to Gluepot in SA renowned for its fine red dust, which quickly turns to mud if it rains. We unhitched and drove around without the stone stomper and van, and a huge amount of red dust settled on the back step and doors of tow in about 5km. This was along many of the same roads we drove in on with the stone stomper and little dust on rear of tow. This keeping the dust down on the van and the tow is a really good feature of the stone stomper. Getting in and out of the back of the tow around the stone Stomper was really easy, we mostly use the LHS barn door and all you did was unclip two of the "hooks" and access was easy, if you wanted both barn doors open you just stood on the back step of the tow.

Overall the stone stomper was not cheap and delivery problematical, but when you see how well made it is and how well it works it is well worth the money. If I did it again I would try to get it factory fitted at Glenelg in SA. I had a couple of people approach us and ask about them and did not hesitate to recommend them and given them the contact details. If you drive and tow on dusty dirt roads well worth having a stone stomper.
 

yabbietol

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2014
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Queanbeyan NSW
Just returned from a trip to Central Australia, the crusier just got past 73,000km and we had the 70,000km service done by Toyota in Alice Springs very expensive service, as first not fixed price service and also needed new front brake pads (first set on LC200). However, really impressed by Toytoa dealer in Alice, very efficient, quick and the work seems very well done. So if in Alice and need a service suggest try the local Toyota Dealer, but get ready for $$. Also you need to book in about 10 days ahead which is not bad considering they have a local monopoly.

So far the LC200 is running well and the upgraded suspension of King's Springs and Ultimate Shocks is still working well towing on very rough dirt roads. Tyre pressures with our Toyo AT2 tyres (which also are working well) that seem to work best are cold 30psi front and 35psi on rear (single axel van 45psi). Stay under 80km/h and usually run at 60-70km/h, but sometimes slower depending on conditions.

Stone Stomper is still working and doing its job well, even after couple of years of rough use, good Australian made quality by Christian @Stone Stomper
 

wapoyoc475

New Member
Jun 15, 2023
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victoria
Suspension now upgraded fitted Carrolls Springs (Kings) and Aussie Ryder Shocks (Ultimate Suspension). Tried very hard to keep all Australian made and succeeded. Got them fitted by a local suspension Workshop in Queanbeyan (Align Right) all up ~$1500 with wheel alignment. Have not towed yet but have driven a few km on some local roads and its seems a lot more solid and stable.

Upgrade budget is now spent a bit over ~ $10K, in a few weeks.
Tyres $1K + Air Bags $0.6K + Draws, Fridge slide, ½ cargo barrier $2.7K + Smart Bar $2.5K + Suspension $1.5K + Water Watch $0.9K and Catch Can (Pro Vent) $0.5K

Now all we have to do is fit recycled LED lights and recycled CB.

In the future splitting the two batteries may happen (~1.8K), but enough $ spent for now.
Now we have to get out do some travel.

It sounds like you've made some great upgrades to your vehicle! With the suspension upgrade, new tires, air bags, drawers, fridge slide, cargo barrier, Smart Bar, water watch, catch can, and future plans for LED lights and a CB radio, you're well on your way to enhancing your vehicle's capabilities and comfort for your travels.

Investing in quality Australian-made components and getting them fitted by a reputable local workshop is a good approach to ensure durability
 

Guesty

New Member
Jun 18, 2021
25
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Adelaide
It sounds like you've made some great upgrades to your vehicle! With the suspension upgrade, new tires, air bags, drawers, fridge slide, cargo barrier, Smart Bar, water watch, catch can, and future plans for LED lights and a CB radio, you're well on your way to enhancing your vehicle's capabilities and comfort for your travels.

Investing in quality Australian-made components and getting them fitted by a reputable local workshop is a good approach to ensure durability
Good to see Chat GPT has made it into the forums as well...
 

bigwax

New Member
Nov 28, 2020
7
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Tennyson S.A.
Finally have committed to a new tow, I really liked my NW Pajero and it towed my ATM 2.5 tonne Kedron legally and really well. However, we felt a larger tow would be good and at our stage of life (retired) we are travelling a lot more.
After much research and negotiation we decided we could afford the very basic 200 series GX model designed for commercial buyers, many dealers are reluctant to sell this model and keep trying to up sell to a GXL or even a VX. If looking for 200 series the GX while basic has most to of the important stuff, ANCAP 5 star rating, 6 speed auto and V8 diesel.
It comes only as auto, diesel with 5 seats and vinyl floors and rear barn doors.
Hopefully we will pick it up early August. It will come from dealer with tow bar, tow wiring a RedarcTow Pro Elite and little else. As funds become available we will install cargo barrier (1st priority), side steps, storage draws, driving lights, etc.
Now the wait begins.
The most important thing to be aware of with the 200 series 1vd engines is the potential engine failure if the oil filter tube is not re-inserted during an oil change.
 

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