80 series cruiser or prado?

[Boost_4_Life]

anyone here had much experience with both to be able to compare? Hiace Supercustom needs to be replaced. I do a lot of towing and wouldnt mind doing some low key 4wd tours. Need plenty of space for all the rally gears. And i'd love to be able to throw a matress in the back like we do in the van, but prob not able to is my guess...

so, like a '96 prado with 1kz, or go for an 80 series cruiser with the 4.2 diesel...?

I've only driven a prado, never driven a landcruiser. Are the cruisers as hugely thirsty as i would imagine they are?

lets argue GO.

[RedMist]

Unless you have a hell of a good enclosed trailer....


... you'll miss the van!


My pick.... DYNA VAN!
Was very close to picking up one before I went super nova and bought an Isuzu Giga... (but still can't find enough space for everything!)

[strx7]

do you tow the starlet? either will tow it well. a 80 series cruiser has slight more room than the prado as the prado is essentially a smaller cruiser body fitted onto a surf chassis. a 4.2 turb deisel cruiser, fitted with a 3 inch exhaust and small front mounted intercooler will hardly notice a starlet on the back. they arent that thirsty. around town or towing expect 600k's on 75-80 litres. on a journey not towing you shouldget 700-750km.

[fj40cruzapete]

80 if you want to do abit of 4wding mine goes great

[coupekiwi]

Prado is a car with big suspension and more space.

Cruiser is a truck.

Dads 80 series has done 550k and nothing has gone wrong at all.
They pulled the turbo to bits thinking it must need something by now - it was like new.

[fj40cruzapete]

[fj40cruzapete]

[RedMist]

Compromise... buy a Dyna and.... a real offroader.

[Boost_4_Life]

you are an animal mr redmist

I agree i will miss the van immensly, we use it for camping a fair bit. But it really is a horrible vehicle to drive on long trips. I'd love to do a bit off low key offroading/tours, so im leaning towards the proper cruiser. The trailer has a decent storage compartment and ill be putting a tyre rack on it, so i guess its not really a huge deal. i should weed out my rally stuff so that i only take what i actually may need anyway!! My crew is too inept to be taking too many spares.. If its that bad then the car goes on the trailer and off to the pub, anyway being a simple starlet it never breaks

Might go have a drive of a cruiser and see how they go. I still firmly believe that the prados have no more room than a surf. Ok maybe a bit of extra height, but not that much more space...

[S T E A L T H]

If you're looking at 80-series really depends on the vehicle in question.

They came out with 3 motor versions.

1HZ - 12 valve SOHC non-turbo
1HD-T - 12 valve SOHC turbo
1HD-FT - 24 valve DOHC turbo


If you can swing the 20k+ for a decent 24-valve 80, go for it. The 80-series has a solid front axle whereas the Prado has independent suspension I believe. The Prado isnt a bad bit of kit though, pretty capable off road still and anything powered by a 1KZ tends to go like the snot. But once you drive the 80 series 24-valve I think things will become pretty clear