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My mate is in the process of buying a second hand 4x4. I'm no expert, but I have worked on cars before and know a thing or two. To cut a long story short he's looking at buying a Prado not being convinced by my arguments about value for money on the Paj.
He organised a test drive this evening of a Prado GX 05 model. While driving he says to the car agent "I want to try and put it in 4 low to make sure it goes in OK" to which the agent says "I know a place, turn left just here". We turn left on on the right is some dirt with some nice dirt tracks. A bit surprised my mate says "OK do we go onto this?" to which he got an affirmative response. We cruise off onto the dirt now in 4h and I'm thinking OK obviously this guy does this often enough in these cars. Not 50 meters in we start sinking into the sand to which the agent asks "have you done any 4 wheel driving before?" - my mate says "no". Agent says "OK let me take over. He confidently hops in and proceeds to stall it a couple of times.
I then decide to interrupt and say you probably want it in 4 low. He sticks it in and goes backwards and forwards several times, doing more or less the right thing, except trying to get onto a mound with some grass on top, he gets us totally and utterly bogged. The belly is flat on the sand.
I then ask "Have you done any 4 wheel driving?" - he responds "No". Doh!
After lots of shoving and pushing in our collar and tie work attire we get nowhere.
They then call their mates who pitched up in a Patrol with what I can only call a frayed old bit of yarn! Needless to say it only snapped several times before a passing 4x4 with a winch got it out. Thanks whoever you are! A lot of assumptions by everyone got us into a pickle, the agent assumed that my mate had done 4x4ing before, my mate and I assumed that the agent (being so confident) did this often.
Well, we didn't buy the car surprise, surprise!
I couldn't help but think that my Paj NS would have got through no problem. There is only centre diff lock on the Prado GX and pretty much nothing else to help. The Paj at least has traction control too. My mate seems to think that any car would have got bogged in that, all I can do is to drive through in my Paj and show him.
I guess he could put in an after market diff lock in and that would help significantly. But I can't help but feel that he is getting an inadequate 4x4 and that for the same money he could buy an 06 diesel Paj that has traction control plus many safety features. It's no accident (excuse the pun) that that the Pajero is the only 4x4 to have a 5 star UCSR safety rating. The Prado GX in my opinion is a body with wheels, an engine and pretty much nothing else. Tough and rugged as can be, but is it really up to the off road stuff? The price goes up significantly to get the Prado with the goods.
Perhaps I have Paj coloured glasses on. What does everyone else think?
and no, before you ask, the tyres weren't deflated...
He organised a test drive this evening of a Prado GX 05 model. While driving he says to the car agent "I want to try and put it in 4 low to make sure it goes in OK" to which the agent says "I know a place, turn left just here". We turn left on on the right is some dirt with some nice dirt tracks. A bit surprised my mate says "OK do we go onto this?" to which he got an affirmative response. We cruise off onto the dirt now in 4h and I'm thinking OK obviously this guy does this often enough in these cars. Not 50 meters in we start sinking into the sand to which the agent asks "have you done any 4 wheel driving before?" - my mate says "no". Agent says "OK let me take over. He confidently hops in and proceeds to stall it a couple of times.
I then decide to interrupt and say you probably want it in 4 low. He sticks it in and goes backwards and forwards several times, doing more or less the right thing, except trying to get onto a mound with some grass on top, he gets us totally and utterly bogged. The belly is flat on the sand.
I then ask "Have you done any 4 wheel driving?" - he responds "No". Doh!
After lots of shoving and pushing in our collar and tie work attire we get nowhere.
They then call their mates who pitched up in a Patrol with what I can only call a frayed old bit of yarn! Needless to say it only snapped several times before a passing 4x4 with a winch got it out. Thanks whoever you are! A lot of assumptions by everyone got us into a pickle, the agent assumed that my mate had done 4x4ing before, my mate and I assumed that the agent (being so confident) did this often.
Well, we didn't buy the car surprise, surprise!
I couldn't help but think that my Paj NS would have got through no problem. There is only centre diff lock on the Prado GX and pretty much nothing else to help. The Paj at least has traction control too. My mate seems to think that any car would have got bogged in that, all I can do is to drive through in my Paj and show him.
I guess he could put in an after market diff lock in and that would help significantly. But I can't help but feel that he is getting an inadequate 4x4 and that for the same money he could buy an 06 diesel Paj that has traction control plus many safety features. It's no accident (excuse the pun) that that the Pajero is the only 4x4 to have a 5 star UCSR safety rating. The Prado GX in my opinion is a body with wheels, an engine and pretty much nothing else. Tough and rugged as can be, but is it really up to the off road stuff? The price goes up significantly to get the Prado with the goods.
Perhaps I have Paj coloured glasses on. What does everyone else think?
and no, before you ask, the tyres weren't deflated...
(my car) SOLD.
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