Currently towing with a MN triton. Bit sluggish uphill and looking to upgrade in the future. Anyone towing with a Prado? Positives/Negatives? Any other suggestions?
Cheers Craig
Cheers Craig
14' Series Vehicle Upgrade
- Thread starter Craig and Leanne
- Start date
Pajero will do that weight everyday of the week no probs and you will save a fortune over a Prado price.
What are you towing?
Yep Prado is 2.5 ton (2500kg max ball 250kg)
Ya not wrong there.
I'm towing with a 2015 Prado 3.0lt auto, van is only a baby 12ft Expanda weighing in around 1500kg loaded and the Prado has no trouble doing the job. I am a bit bias towards the Prado, with our current one the 3rd I've owned.
Love the things that you don't get on many other vehicles like the extended range from the standard tanks, the room under the bonnet to work around the motor including space for a 2 nd battery without re-arranging things. Plenty of gear available to customise to suit your needs.
Ours is only a GX 5 seater so no unnecessary back seats and can save $10k over the 7seater, hard to find these days with most manufacturers.
An advantage the Prado over Pajero for me is the solid axle/ chassis arrangement, no alignment tyre scrubbing issues associated with weigh over independent rear suspension. Ours does have an aftermarket suspension upgrade to firm the vehicle up, suiting my usage needs.
Although ours tows our van well I wouldn't want to tow 2.5 tons with one but then again I wouldn't want to tow a big van full stop. Big vans call for big vehicles something that weighs at least equivalent or heavier than the van.
I agree that the Pajero is a great vehicle with a great motor, had the same motor in my old Triton plumbers ute, sounded like a tractor but was reliable and great pulling power.
Love the things that you don't get on many other vehicles like the extended range from the standard tanks, the room under the bonnet to work around the motor including space for a 2 nd battery without re-arranging things. Plenty of gear available to customise to suit your needs.
Ours is only a GX 5 seater so no unnecessary back seats and can save $10k over the 7seater, hard to find these days with most manufacturers.
An advantage the Prado over Pajero for me is the solid axle/ chassis arrangement, no alignment tyre scrubbing issues associated with weigh over independent rear suspension. Ours does have an aftermarket suspension upgrade to firm the vehicle up, suiting my usage needs.
Although ours tows our van well I wouldn't want to tow 2.5 tons with one but then again I wouldn't want to tow a big van full stop. Big vans call for big vehicles something that weighs at least equivalent or heavier than the van.
I agree that the Pajero is a great vehicle with a great motor, had the same motor in my old Triton plumbers ute, sounded like a tractor but was reliable and great pulling power.
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We've got a Colorado 7. Upgraded from A Triton and never looked back. More comfortable, more torque and better fuel economy.
Reasonably priced as well
Reasonably priced as well
We tow a 2014 14.44-4OB with a 5 speed auto petrol 120 series Prado. Our Prado has BFG AT's, steel bar, snorkel, aux battery, 2" OME lift etc etc so that gives you an idea what it does to the fuel economy. Around town on soccer mum duties the wife gets 18L/100km but she has no idea on sensible driving. When towing around 2T I get 23L/100km but tow at or close to the speed limit and try to keep up it up hills within reason. You read lots on forums where people say it does it with ease and maybe I am still in shock 2.5 years after coming from a soft floor CT but I wouldn't like to tow a bigger van. I am seriously looking at a PX2 Ranger as whilst the Prado is "comfortable" with our size van I reckon there is a vehicle out there that can do it easier without going to a LC200 or Y62.
Don't get me wrong I love our Prado and have had it since new and has been faultless but it might be time for a change with this size van.
Don't get me wrong I love our Prado and have had it since new and has been faultless but it might be time for a change with this size van.
@MDS69
you sound the same figures as @dagree - samies Playdoh - just he has bigger Van
so I am thinking its probably your driving style mate (dont shoot me..........
)
the Playdoh's are a very good unit (I wont have one as I am too big...........) and surprisingly capable tow vehicle
(dont let @dagree know I said that - wont hear the end of it)
you sound the same figures as @dagree - samies Playdoh - just he has bigger Van
so I am thinking its probably your driving style mate (dont shoot me..........
)the Playdoh's are a very good unit (I wont have one as I am too big...........) and surprisingly capable tow vehicle
(dont let @dagree know I said that - wont hear the end of it)
I have a 150 series prado that is towing a 16 foot expanda OB and it does it really easy- Fuel consumption @ 14L/100. Plenty of power on hills and on the freeway cruises at 105km/hr.
My parents also have a 150 series that they legally upgraded to tow 3.0t with a 300kg ball weight. Their van weights about 2.9t and their fuel consumption is 16L/100 but cruise speed for them is about 95km/hr
My parents also have a 150 series that they legally upgraded to tow 3.0t with a 300kg ball weight. Their van weights about 2.9t and their fuel consumption is 16L/100 but cruise speed for them is about 95km/hr
Gotta love the "room under the bonnet" why wouldnt there be with a 40 year old 4 cylinder tractor motor, and 'long range tank" because they were built when economy wasn't an issue, I could go on but I won't, it all depends what you want to tow, if you want a ute or a wagon and how much you want to spend, the choices are endless and I don't envy you one bit, good luck @Craig and Leanne
@MDS69
you sound the same figures as @dagree - samies Playdoh - just he has bigger Van
so I am thinking its probably your driving style mate (dont shoot me..........
the Playdoh's are a very good unit (I wont have one as I am too big...........) and surprisingly capable tow vehicle
(dont let @dagree know I said that - wont hear the end of it)
Oh I am sure that your right about that.
A good friend purchased a PX2 Ranger about 8 months ago and a dual axle OB StarCraft a few months before and recently travelled from the Blue Mountains across the Nullarbor to Perth and back and reported avg fuel consumption of around 15-16L/100. His previous ride was a lifted and barred up aftermarket TD 100 series doing around 24L/100. He said the Ranger was a much nicer vehicle to drive feeling fresh after a long day at the wheel and pulled the StarCraft with much more ease than the LC100.
I drive a MQ Triton for work (2WD) and a MN for 6 years prior to the MQ and I love getting the car on boost and just motoring up hills where the petrol car is so much different.
Yep new motor first introduced in 2007 for the Prado but happy with Massey ferguson reliability. Happy to service an engine with the oil filter in a assessable location on the top side of motor housed in a bowl that drains spilled oil back to the oil drain point, happy to change a fuel filter without doing a yoga move, did I mention the room for the secondary fuel filter, air compressor, dual battery, diff breathers, easy access to run cabling. If I run into trouble when travelling, I am more likely to find a dealer to assist in regional towns.
Economy, just got average 9.0 litres/100 km on a run down to Gunnedah and back . Bullbar/ winch roof racks, suspension lift allterain tyres.happy with that given a touring range around 1200km. Recent trip down to NSW Blue Mts Towing van with 2 kayak on car roof averaged 13.5lts, knocks that touring range back to approx 1000km. The touring range gives peice of mind buying fuel at larger high turn over diesel suppliers rather than smaller regional service centres who like to charge a "country tax" for fuel.
For me touring I'm happy with the Prado but if I was to change it would be to a Ranger ute, but after spending a lifetime driving Utes for work I'm happy to take the comfort of a wagon .
Well my Colorado will drink your mates Ranger under the table @MDS69 , I'm sure it thinks it's a Cruiser the way it slurps while towing Big Mal, hopefully improve once I hit the flatter country.
maybe your one of them people with too much in / on the car and Van @Drover
just kidding
the economy quoted by 99.995% manufacturers is never able to be replicated in real life
so
I dont worry about economy too much (after all, my Patrol pulls my Van at 15.5L / 100 when loaded for Bear) which is way way better than some
just kidding
the economy quoted by 99.995% manufacturers is never able to be replicated in real life
so
I dont worry about economy too much (after all, my Patrol pulls my Van at 15.5L / 100 when loaded for Bear) which is way way better than some
Those specs sound very familiar @MDS69 expect mine is an earlier model with the 4 speed auto! Around town I average 14 - 16/100L but that includes a lot of freeway/highway driving. Towing the 17.56.2 OB I couldn't say as the only times I have worked out the consumption it had been a combination of towing and not but averaged between 19 - 23/100
Edit: Forgot to mention it's petrol model!
Our van has an ATM of 2433KGs but loaded it is around the 2350KGs mark (Well was last time I weighed it
). I feel comfortable towing it with the Prado but would like to go bigger just to get that bit more weight in front of the van.
That's pretty good fuel economy!! My new PX2 with a steel tray and 300kg in the back all the time averaged 14l/100 for the first 20000kms. Has now come back to 11.5l/100.
I can see that jumping considerably if I put 2.5t behind it, closer to 18l-20l per 100.
I was disappointed on the first fuel millage but was happy to of seen it drop after a few Klms.
Yep... I'm a Prado convert. Went from an MN Triton to a V6 Prado.
I tow a 14.44/4 and it does it with ease. No mods on my rig .....economy towing is around 15l per 100 kms
I don't push it and sit on around 90/100 kmph.
Mine is a 2003 with a 4speed auto.
In my opinion they are a comfortable and reliable tow vehicle that are very capable off road.
I purchased mine just over one year ago with 67,000kms on the speedo, one owner for a tad over $20k.
There are some great rigs out there, and you don't have to pay a fortune if you are happy with the good old reliable V6 4.0lt petrol.
Good luck with your search:tea:.
I tow a 14.44/4 and it does it with ease. No mods on my rig .....economy towing is around 15l per 100 kms
I don't push it and sit on around 90/100 kmph.
Mine is a 2003 with a 4speed auto.
In my opinion they are a comfortable and reliable tow vehicle that are very capable off road.
I purchased mine just over one year ago with 67,000kms on the speedo, one owner for a tad over $20k.
There are some great rigs out there, and you don't have to pay a fortune if you are happy with the good old reliable V6 4.0lt petrol.
Good luck with your search:tea:.
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