Nothing beats a propper "Tonka Toy" Toyota. These landcruisers have lasted way beyond others that were made at the same time. Well worth restoring, cant wait to find out if you have "overspent" with this one.
I would keep this one Matt, there can't be many left and certainly not a petrol one They are far more pleasant to drive than a grumbly diesel.@@HighPeakAutos
The "Propper" Landcruisers were massive beasts designed to cross desserts. This one is a more civilised one better suited to country lanes, but still highly desirable with a petrol engine, and vastly superior to a Freelander.
This was great to watch. Having viewed most of your content, I noticed a difference in your delivery with this one. You were genuinely excited about this car, and it showed. Petrol heads, we're all the same! When I buy a car inevitably it's miles away from home (distance is never an issue for the right one). My wife can tell by my inflection just how happy and excited I am. Love it. 😅
This is going to interesting for me to see how this plays out. My 1998 2.7ltr petrol Prado 1st fault which killed it was a blown head gasket at 285k. I am on my second one, a 2001 3lts diesel Colorado with currently 245k and still going strong.
Hi Matt. Fellow car salesman here. I just love the Land cruisers! On my opinion the best 4x4 ever made. So great yo see you are going to save it ...will probably go on for another 20 odd years. A true motoring classic. You will never lose money on that car
I couldn't believe how smooth that engine ran when you fired it up. It's a brilliant engine. You literally stole this dude. Great buy. You should definitely keep it. And it would be a shame if it went to someone who doesn't value it. This car represents a level of engineering purity and commitment that is extinct today - all landcruisers are built in a completely separate manufacturing facility, far from other Toyota products. It's not just a car, it is one of history's greatest ever machines. The world literally revolves around this car in a big way. We just don't appreciate it here in Europe. It just needs a bucket load of bushings and mounts by the looks of things. That engine will go on for many years.
Ever Recall the Iraq War the owner of a 1980s Toyots Hiace Van was bombed by US jet,the whole body was gone including the drivers cabin,Yet when the driver got out from his safety hideaway put the key into the ignition the old van burdt into Life again,this report and the old Arab owner went viral worldwide,Whst a testimony to Toyotas Engineering feat,truly Legendary!
@@HighPeakAutosabsolutely love it! 😍 There's a home down in Somerset for this when your ready to let her go! Been looking for one for a while and who better to get one off 🤣👍
I don't think you can kill an old Toyota (remember Clarkson tried 🤣) Looked after right, I think they'll outlive you. My 17 year old Corolla runs like a dream and has never needed anything more than regular servicing and consumables. Really looking forward to the follow up video 😁
I so regret getting rid of my Corolla, it had done 200k miles and had only ever needed consumables. It went to Africa where it will probably live another 50 years. I now have a 25 year old Yaris for my kids to learn on, quarter of a century old, as reliable as the sunset!
Hold on to your Corolla! We have a 2021 Corolla self charging hybrid and it's been the most unreliable car we've owned. So far we've had a hybrid system failure, the lights stuck on, heater stuck on full - fan and max heat, rear wheel bearing and it's the worst build quality I've seen in all my recent cars. The RAC man told me they are the most reliable cars on the road, which I thought was a fun little fact whilst stranded. I'll never buy another Toyota. Yours will be the golden age of Toyota and you should keep it serviced and look after it. Back to Skoda for me.
I killed my '88 Corolla on a roundabout in the west of Ireland. However, it gave me good service. Bought for 400 quid, used loads for 2 years. 200 quid a year. Gave it to the scrappie for free. He gave it to a mechanic friend and I saw it back on the road a few weeks later.
we own a 2003 corolla, still runs absolutely perfect. we owned this land cruiser 90 with the 3.4L v6. was a great car! never had major repairs. unfortunately, rust made it unusable/no passing of car control. two years ago we sold it for about the same to someone who repaired it i guess. Luckily for us it had failures on the following spots: power steering, Exhaust, Dashboard, Brakes, and most importantly: the frame rusted through where the tower connects. something only a handful of people are allowed to fix in switzerland. We still miss it:(
I drove my 2002 colorado which has the 3.0L D4-D engine in it to Corsica and back in September. I did 2500 miles in it on all terrains with all types of driving, off roading, fully loaded with camping gear and an awning on the roof rails and averaged 25mpg spending £800 on diesel which isn’t bad all things considered😂 it’s comfortable,reliable,has plenty of power and just feels like it will never let you down. I took a 3 seater recliner to the tip on the weekend (all rear seats removed) and it swallowed it with no problem.I have also had a tonne of bagged soil in it before and again no dramas. As an everyday vehicle for practicality it’s the Swiss Army knife and just can’t be beaten and I love it dearly. You should absolutely keep it as they are becoming harder and harder to find and especially not rusted out and cared for.
I'm 12 days post op for a total hip replacement and recovering on my own at home.watching your vids have done more to help cope with the he pain and discomfort than any amount of pain relive l have taken. Spent most of the evening rolling around in fits of laughter at your adventures thanks for keeping me going in a difficult situation all the best neil
Coconut oil rubbed into the seats once a week Matt , if the cracks are not right through ,the leather will drink it in and look tons better , My 2005 XC70 had serious cracking when i got it in 2014 , after a month or 2 wouldnt even recognise them , leather dries out in time and with the sun , feed them with copious amounts of extra virgin coconut oil
@@SeaJayBelfast yes we are lucky down here, rust isn't even a thing anymore unless the vehicle does a lot of beach work or lives it's whole life on the coast.
Same in the Canary islands. No rot as it's warm but plenty of KMs but when I started looking for a nice 3 door was just before the prices went stupid here.not worth the money these days imho
Fantastic, I’ve had my Land Cruiser J90 Colorado since new from 1997 as well, 3 litre diesel with 147k on the clock and same colour and body as yours! Only failed its MOT once for a dodgy tyre. Wonderful old school motors and so easy to work on.
Fantastic car. Ive just bought a 2007 toyota avensis, a somewhat neglected car, but i had confidence that a toyota could be brought back to battery. I wasnt wrong....sooo well made.
Deep pockets required to run the small Landcruiser petrol. Had two 4.2 diesel Landcruiser Amazons back in the day, 30 plus mpg on a run, no problem. Small lorry engine, no belts or chains, cog driven I believe. Now they will run forever.
My dad had one of these when I was a kid. Just recently remembered the reg out of the blue. Googled the reg and found a link to a blog of a young couple driving that very car through Europe across the Mediterranean and all the way down to South Africa.
I believe the front ball joints are a weak point on this prado. If ignored, front suspension falls apart. I’d double check on that. It’s what’s probably what causing the wheel wobble.
Funny that you upload a video about a older land cruiser as today I saw a 1993 one in green which had a diesel V6.Also your constant posting is to be commended for. Thnx for the great content
This is a really good example I'm a massive fan of these land cruisers they were made extremely well and they will last a lifetime if looked after regular service and general maintenance brilliant buy whatever you decide to do with it 10:47
I took my 1997 Prado diesel from Ireland and drove it to Singapore. 4 years ago.... Some of the world's worst roads and it never skipped a beat. Bushings ball joints only thing that was changed. They are an incredible machine..... Built for life.
@@flyinghedgehog3833 look all over Europe in what ever direction you want to go. Estonia into Russia Georgia Armenian Iran (you might struggle to get in on a UK passport) Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Tajikistan Afghanistan Kyrgyzstan Russia Mongolia China Tibet Nepal India Myanmar Thailand Cambodia Laos Thailand Malaysia Singapore.
A local business owner from my home town had this LC in green with tan interior and no tint of course. I remember it from my early childhood, always parked near the factory and always clean. She sadly passed away few years back, but the car is still there, so LC really outlive you.
The old Toyota engines are bulletproof. The car will fall apart around the engine before it dies. I have a 2008 RAV4 with the chain driven D4D engine. It has 178k on the clock and never had any engine issues. I purchased it with 170k on the clock, took it Toyota for a full service and the only thing that came back was brake pads were at 75% and slight under body corrosion which I’ll sort with some lanoguard in the summer. Other than that, it’s happily driven from the midlands to Lake District back and then to Edinburgh. I only purchased it for my hobby and the occasional tip run, but it puts a smile on my face and it’s care free driving so has now become my daily over my XC60.
Over here in Ireland 90% of jeeps are commercial ( all back seats removed ). Some jeeps get classed as crew cabs and keep the rear seats. That looks in good condition for the year.
The LC Prado/Colorado is sold as the Lexus GX in North America and they are fantastic vehicles. Mine's done 270,000 miles, still drives like new and has never failed me. It was -26⁰c this morning yet its 4.7 litre V8 fired right up and was warming the cabin 10mn later and I was good'n toasty driving into town through the Siberian hellscape that is the Northern Rocky Mountains today. Anyone working through abandonment issues just needs to buy a 90's-00's Land Cruiser to be cured, lol.
We had a Prado that looks like that for 19 years. It definitely had a 90 L tank. You had a full 12 L left in the tank. The fuel light would go on very early, you can do a full 80 km with the fuel light on.
These are fantastic cars Matt. I had one of this model with the same engine that went on all sorts of remote adventures here in Australia, the 3.4 V6 was among Toyota's most reliable engines. Seen many with 400,000+ km on the odo (250k miles) still running like new with no major work. They do like a drink around town though.
I sold Toyota's back in 1996/97 so this was a nice walk down memory lane. The 3 litre turbo diesel went like the dogs (you know what) i think you said Matt that the color was Royal blue. Happy New year. Can't wait for part 2.
Also you need to replace the front lower ball joints if they have not been done as they are a weak point on these. Contact me if you want advice on part sourcing or anything else with these
Nice to see you drive an x5, mine is an X5 4.8iS. 98k miles, lpg gas conversion, new xtrons head unit and I've just installed an id4motion instrument cluster, 4 new tyres and I've tinted the windows. I love my X5
Hi Matt. Australia here. 1998 Prado GXL 3.4L petrol auto. Owned from new, currently 334,937 km. Love it. Will keep it as long as i can. My sons have 2011 Prado and 2021 Prado that have traction controls, cameras, and other technologies. I like what I have. Good Wishes to you with your Prado.
This is a great project 👍 looking forward to you doing what you really do so well Matt, that’s breathing new life into a car and massively overspending while you’re at it. Can’t see this being a particularly cheap one but definitely worth doing and keeping 😁
when you went down for the cruiser i was really envious of you matt, best cruiser for me bullet proof, i would have gladly spent about1500, they are great ,hope you keep it and do a long run. brill buy.
Top Tip, the tyre pressures for nearly all cars are inside the drivers door by the latch on the bodywork for UK cars and passenger's door for others, easier than guessing 😉👍
Good move mate! You won’t regret it. However make sure you get the lower ball joints checked!!! Almost 100% they will need to be replaced if they haven’t been done recently. Otherwise they are bulletproof
i had one of these and a Shogun...both petrol both SWB. Incredible vehicles but the fuel economy on them was horrific. I honestly think a ferry gets better mileage. Looked after though and they go on forever.
Tremendous! Toyota are possibly the only manufacturer that hasn't gone down the toilet for reliability. But those old things are epic - please keep it. When a Strange Rover is being scraped up by the AA, that thing will be going like trooper. Isuzu or otherwise.
These hold so much value here in Ireland, was looking to buy one for the farm couldn't get a decent one for less the €10,000 and that's talking about a 10yr +
If i was the guy who sold you the car Matt i would have kept it for a little longer and bought a little daily Ulez compliant car, Ulez will be no longer soon so he could have kept to his word of owning it forever.
Long story cut short, I'm someone who knew very little about cars and then had the *silica bag* incident with VW / VAG. After that point, also significantly helped by speaking to mechanics and repeatedly watching your reliability video (Japanese - chain belt - petrol - non-turbo - manual), I'm a little better informed to realise how phenomenal are the types of vehicles like the one featured in this video. Toyota/Honda/Mazda well serviced/looked after and from the late 90s early 2000s are the way to go for those wanting to keep things simple Great video once again
I've got a saying, "if you want to make a joke about a Land Rover , make a joke that hasn't already been said a billion times before on EVERY single Land Cruiser / Land Rover video on TH-cam"
I had one of those as my first car. My grandad bought it from new and we did countless family trips all up and down Spain in it, with my parents, my grandparents and me. After passing my driving test, he gave it to me, which was the greatest gift ever. It was built like a tank, I drove it for 7 lovely years and I'm still alive thanks to it. On a rainy day I had to swerve for a cyclist who wasn't looking where he was going, I then aquaplaned and hit a van twice the size of the Land Cruiser. Luckily, both the van driver and I were OK, but both vehicles were a write-off. However, my Toyota was still recognizable, unlike the van which crumpled like paper. I loved every km I did with that car, and one day I will buy another one.
The LANDCRUISERs are loved by people over EVERY single continent. Why you may ask, they NEVER break down. Even with minimal servicing, they are engineered to be very robust,strong,DEPENTABLE as hell...you can never go wrong with a LandCruiser....
Whenever I go shooting I always see these being used on estates, but generally diesel. These are people who could buy multiple Range Rovers but steer clear, same as in Middle East.
Landcruisers are just built different. In 1998 my dad bought a brand new Amazon VX (100 series) & kept it till 2016 by which point he had put 360k miles on it. Litterly nothing ever went wrong with it and i really do mean nothing! Was very well taken care of and maintained to a high standard but also made to work; towing 3-4 tonne around steep exmoor lanes, offroading when needed and long family road trips all round Europe. Was such a good car. He only sold it to buy another brand new landcruiser so he could have all the new tech like sat nav, bluetooth etc. Sold the 100 series to a good friend of his who still owns it today. Nearly 500k on the clock now and its still running strong
Quality bit of kit… far far too good to just auction off. Built to last and will go on and on and on. Especially with that history. That’ll outlast any EV
Prado 90 been driving this since 97. What I like about these old LC cars are the power steering. It soft. But I do notice the fuel economy is really out of date.
I’ve had a Colorado 2002 VX diesel version for 3 years now. It’s a fantastic reliable vehicle and a do-all workhouse. I’m the second owner and will probably keep it until it dies. Reckon I’ll get it Lanoguarded underneath as it’s starting to corrode up n places. No ULEZ issues for me in rural Devon. Great buy Matt.
Driving a 99 Series 90 Prado as my daily drive. Parts are in abundance and cheap. At 360kms on the clock, engine oil is clear and never misses a beat. Toyota built the 3.4ltr V6 to be indestructible. Get the lower ball joints seen to if planning serious off roading.
I just bought a 2000 Toyota Colorado, took out the back seats and built a bed frame and bike rack, sleep perfect at 6.2ft. 190,000 miles, so barely broken in :D
They handle like a water bed on roller skates. A great buy. If you can stop the rust progression then this will last for years and do starship type mileage. I would have happily paid £3k for it. Maybe get up to the snow in the scottish highlands with it?
I've owned a 1KD Prado 95 for two years... This is the car I most regret selling. I've been on a summer trip with it from Verona to Lisbon and back... Extremely reliable vehicles.
I had a 2004 4.0l Petrol "Prado" (the equivalent "baby LandCruiser" downunder) with a 185 litre long range tank. With petrol at NZ$ 2.80ish a litre it paid not to let it get too low. As the NZ Govt taxed about 50% on fuel & played "blame the oil companies" it had to go. However, it had done 300,000km & the only thing outside regular servicing & tyres was a split CV boot. In 300 000km. Everything worked perfectly on it. They go nearly anywhere with mud tyres & large bollocks. Ridiculously fantastic offroad. We got rid of the garbage Govt but I wish I'd kept the Toyota...
Was anyone else who's ever owned one of these [or any Land Cruuiser for that matter] shouting at the screen "Check the rear axle turrets for rot!" when Matt ducked down to glance underneath? Fingers crossed you've found the only one left which hasn't got a rear chassis made of Rhyvita. But I'm anticipating the words "overspent" and "massively" are going to feature in the next installment.
Hi matt, been lucky and recently discovered your channel, have so enjoyed going through your back catalogue of vids, love your delivery style and informative commentary, one of the best, if not the best car channel on TH-cam Thanks,
Make sure to have the lower ball joints inspected and replaced with OEM units if needed. They're reliable but when they do fail, you'll ruin brake lines, CV axles and body work. Very common overlooked failure component on this era of Prado, 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia. 3.4 is bulletproof so it'll last forever.
Hi Matt, noticed you looked in your mirrors, there is a little arrow on most cars on the fuel gauge pointing to the side where the filler cap is. Cheers, Tony.
Aaha! You just found yourself the best off-road toy! Remember that off-road fun you had a few weeks ago, just get set of off-road wheels, maybe a wench, if you really want to go where the biggest boys play, and you have your self the envy of everyone. This baby will go anywhere, carry your BBQ and bacon, over the fire coffee ( tea if in the UK) You may need to explain to those in the office why they may have to work more as you go away for long weekends. Add a good cooler box to the additional stuff. Have a blast!
I can no longer drive, but I love watching these videos, and it’s amazing the change in technology from when that high spec Land Cruiser was made and now. Drivers aids, and a lot of drivers can’t do the basics.
Imagine owning a land cruiser and never cruising the land
😂
Nothing beats a propper "Tonka Toy" Toyota.
These landcruisers have lasted way beyond others that were made at the same time.
Well worth restoring, cant wait to find out if you have "overspent" with this one.
Great point!
I would keep this one Matt, there can't be many left and certainly not a petrol one
They are far more pleasant to drive than a grumbly diesel.@@HighPeakAutos
Not a proper Land Cruiser though this is a prado.
The "Propper" Landcruisers were massive beasts designed to cross desserts.
This one is a more civilised one better suited to country lanes, but still highly
desirable with a petrol engine, and vastly superior to a Freelander.
Its hard to find anything not superior to any LR/RR wheels 😂@Barbarapape
This is the perfect car for you Matt. If only everyone was able to look after their cars so well
lol, it was battered to f*** 🤣
What? No it wasn't
This is well worth restoring and keeping Matt! It's pretty rare to find a one owner example of such a legend!
I agree. I think these will be commanding Land Rover prices soon!
This was great to watch. Having viewed most of your content, I noticed a difference in your delivery with this one. You were genuinely excited about this car, and it showed. Petrol heads, we're all the same! When I buy a car inevitably it's miles away from home (distance is never an issue for the right one). My wife can tell by my inflection just how happy and excited I am. Love it. 😅
I appreciate that!
6:36 Matt: "Will it start?"
Every Toyota owner out there: "Of course it will!".
And it did.
This is going to interesting for me to see how this plays out. My 1998 2.7ltr petrol Prado 1st fault which killed it was a blown head gasket at 285k. I am on my second one, a 2001 3lts diesel Colorado with currently 245k and still going strong.
That’s interesting there’s a 52 3lt colarado with 254 thousand miles at Penrith motor auction next week be interesting to see what it does mate
Awesome 😁
Hi Matt. Fellow car salesman here. I just love the Land cruisers! On my opinion the best 4x4 ever made. So great yo see you are going to save it ...will probably go on for another 20 odd years. A true motoring classic. You will never lose money on that car
I couldn't believe how smooth that engine ran when you fired it up. It's a brilliant engine.
You literally stole this dude. Great buy. You should definitely keep it. And it would be a shame if it went to someone who doesn't value it. This car represents a level of engineering purity and commitment that is extinct today - all landcruisers are built in a completely separate manufacturing facility, far from other Toyota products. It's not just a car, it is one of history's greatest ever machines. The world literally revolves around this car in a big way. We just don't appreciate it here in Europe.
It just needs a bucket load of bushings and mounts by the looks of things. That engine will go on for many years.
Ever Recall the Iraq War the owner of a 1980s Toyots Hiace Van was bombed by US jet,the whole body was gone including the drivers cabin,Yet when the driver got out from his safety hideaway put the key into the ignition the old van burdt into Life again,this report and the old Arab owner went viral worldwide,Whst a testimony to Toyotas Engineering feat,truly Legendary!
Can’t wait for part 2. Love older Prados
Thanks. Me too
Yep it will be great
@@HighPeakAutosabsolutely love it! 😍 There's a home down in Somerset for this when your ready to let her go! Been looking for one for a while and who better to get one off 🤣👍
@@HighPeakAutosI presume there’s no part 2 , did you keep it? And did you massively overspend 😂
@ part 2 coming soon. It was a bigger project than I thought 😂
Road trip to the Ice Hotel, Sweden (Jukkaslärvi, nr Kiruna) to see the Northern Lights
I don't think you can kill an old Toyota (remember Clarkson tried 🤣)
Looked after right, I think they'll outlive you.
My 17 year old Corolla runs like a dream and has never needed anything more than regular servicing and consumables.
Really looking forward to the follow up video
😁
I so regret getting rid of my Corolla, it had done 200k miles and had only ever needed consumables. It went to Africa where it will probably live another 50 years. I now have a 25 year old Yaris for my kids to learn on, quarter of a century old, as reliable as the sunset!
Hold on to your Corolla! We have a 2021 Corolla self charging hybrid and it's been the most unreliable car we've owned. So far we've had a hybrid system failure, the lights stuck on, heater stuck on full - fan and max heat, rear wheel bearing and it's the worst build quality I've seen in all my recent cars. The RAC man told me they are the most reliable cars on the road, which I thought was a fun little fact whilst stranded. I'll never buy another Toyota. Yours will be the golden age of Toyota and you should keep it serviced and look after it. Back to Skoda for me.
I killed my '88 Corolla on a roundabout in the west of Ireland. However, it gave me good service. Bought for 400 quid, used loads for 2 years. 200 quid a year. Gave it to the scrappie for free. He gave it to a mechanic friend and I saw it back on the road a few weeks later.
we own a 2003 corolla, still runs absolutely perfect.
we owned this land cruiser 90 with the 3.4L v6. was a great car! never had major repairs. unfortunately, rust made it unusable/no passing of car control. two years ago we sold it for about the same to someone who repaired it i guess. Luckily for us it had failures on the following spots: power steering, Exhaust, Dashboard, Brakes, and most importantly: the frame rusted through where the tower connects. something only a handful of people are allowed to fix in switzerland. We still miss it:(
I drove my 2002 colorado which has the 3.0L D4-D engine in it to Corsica and back in September. I did 2500 miles in it on all terrains with all types of driving, off roading, fully loaded with camping gear and an awning on the roof rails and averaged 25mpg spending £800 on diesel which isn’t bad all things considered😂
it’s comfortable,reliable,has plenty of power and just feels like it will never let you down. I took a 3 seater recliner to the tip on the weekend (all rear seats removed) and it swallowed it with no problem.I have also had a tonne of bagged soil in it before and again no dramas. As an everyday vehicle for practicality it’s the Swiss Army knife and just can’t be beaten and I love it dearly. You should absolutely keep it as they are becoming harder and harder to find and especially not rusted out and cared for.
Glad the owner brought it you.
You'll do it the justice that this solid Japanese beauty needs to continue.👌🏽
Yep ‘ it will never do what it was built for ‘ just a spin to the hairdresser 🙄
I'm 12 days post op for a total hip replacement and recovering on my own at home.watching your vids have done more to help cope with the he pain and discomfort than any amount of pain relive l have taken. Spent most of the evening rolling around in fits of laughter at your adventures thanks for keeping me going in a difficult situation all the best neil
Get well soon, mate.
Coconut oil rubbed into the seats once a week Matt , if the cracks are not right through ,the leather will drink it in and look tons better ,
My 2005 XC70 had serious cracking when i got it in 2014 , after a month or 2 wouldnt even recognise them , leather dries out in time and with the sun , feed them with copious amounts of extra virgin coconut oil
Fantastic purchase Matt! The old Toyotas were the best, you should try and get more older cars on the channel its nice to see
Hey Matt, examples of these in Australia are still going for 10-13k plus with 300000+ km on them so I think that was a good deal 👍
Unfortunately rust kills them here in the UK. I've been in the market for one for ages and they all tend to be rotten.
@@SeaJayBelfast yes we are lucky down here, rust isn't even a thing anymore unless the vehicle does a lot of beach work or lives it's whole life on the coast.
Never saw a Landcruiser without a towbar!
Usually have chassis rails packed full of crud, and rusted to the thickness of a tin can.
Same in the Canary islands. No rot as it's warm but plenty of KMs but when I started looking for a nice 3 door was just before the prices went stupid here.not worth the money these days imho
My Colorado 3ltr 1999 is my Daily driver had it for years it’s an amazing workhorse 30mpg
Love it
Fantastic, I’ve had my Land Cruiser J90 Colorado since new from 1997 as well, 3 litre diesel with 147k on the clock and same colour and body as yours! Only failed its MOT once for a dodgy tyre. Wonderful old school motors and so easy to work on.
Your bmw has a outstanding recall pal
Fantastic car. Ive just bought a 2007 toyota avensis, a somewhat neglected car, but i had confidence that a toyota could be brought back to battery. I wasnt wrong....sooo well made.
I’ve had 3 Land Cruisers. A 1991 2.5 TD & 2 3.0 TD’s. All 3 door. Most reliable cars I’ve ever owned.
Deep pockets required to run the small Landcruiser petrol. Had two 4.2 diesel Landcruiser Amazons back in the day, 30 plus mpg on a run, no problem. Small lorry engine, no belts or chains, cog driven I believe. Now they will run forever.
My dad had one of these when I was a kid. Just recently remembered the reg out of the blue. Googled the reg and found a link to a blog of a young couple driving that very car through Europe across the Mediterranean and all the way down to South Africa.
I believe the front ball joints are a weak point on this prado. If ignored, front suspension falls apart. I’d double check on that. It’s what’s probably what causing the wheel wobble.
I worked at Toyota here in Hawkes Bay New Zealand when this was new. Bullet proof. Love them.
Funny that you upload a video about a older land cruiser as today I saw a 1993 one in green which had a diesel V6.Also your constant posting is to be commended for. Thnx for the great content
This is a really good example I'm a massive fan of these land cruisers they were made extremely well and they will last a lifetime if looked after regular service and general maintenance brilliant buy whatever you decide to do with it 10:47
I took my 1997 Prado diesel from Ireland and drove it to Singapore. 4 years ago.... Some of the world's worst roads and it never skipped a beat. Bushings ball joints only thing that was changed. They are an incredible machine..... Built for life.
Would you share the route? I'm in KL..
@@flyinghedgehog3833 look all over Europe in what ever direction you want to go. Estonia into Russia Georgia Armenian Iran (you might struggle to get in on a UK passport) Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Tajikistan Afghanistan Kyrgyzstan Russia Mongolia China Tibet Nepal India Myanmar Thailand Cambodia Laos Thailand Malaysia Singapore.
A local business owner from my home town had this LC in green with tan interior and no tint of course. I remember it from my early childhood, always parked near the factory and always clean. She sadly passed away few years back, but the car is still there, so LC really outlive you.
Great video Matt good to see you keeping a genuinely good car alive !!
I try
The old Toyota engines are bulletproof. The car will fall apart around the engine before it dies.
I have a 2008 RAV4 with the chain driven D4D engine. It has 178k on the clock and never had any engine issues. I purchased it with 170k on the clock, took it Toyota for a full service and the only thing that came back was brake pads were at 75% and slight under body corrosion which I’ll sort with some lanoguard in the summer. Other than that, it’s happily driven from the midlands to Lake District back and then to Edinburgh.
I only purchased it for my hobby and the occasional tip run, but it puts a smile on my face and it’s care free driving so has now become my daily over my XC60.
This vehicle is so reliable it could take you to moon and back
Over here in Ireland 90% of jeeps are commercial ( all back seats removed ). Some jeeps get classed as crew cabs and keep the rear seats. That looks in good condition for the year.
My dad owns the same since brand new... Now at 700K.. such a good car this is.... Love these... Hope you keep it... Can not wait for the 2nd part.
The LC Prado/Colorado is sold as the Lexus GX in North America and they are fantastic vehicles. Mine's done 270,000 miles, still drives like new and has never failed me. It was -26⁰c this morning yet its 4.7 litre V8 fired right up and was warming the cabin 10mn later and I was good'n toasty driving into town through the Siberian hellscape that is the Northern Rocky Mountains today.
Anyone working through abandonment issues just needs to buy a 90's-00's Land Cruiser to be cured, lol.
Very cool. We never got the Lexus version here
We had a Prado that looks like that for 19 years. It definitely had a 90 L tank. You had a full 12 L left in the tank. The fuel light would go on very early, you can do a full 80 km with the fuel light on.
These are fantastic cars Matt. I had one of this model with the same engine that went on all sorts of remote adventures here in Australia, the 3.4 V6 was among Toyota's most reliable engines. Seen many with 400,000+ km on the odo (250k miles) still running like new with no major work. They do like a drink around town though.
This used to be the go to car for ex pat families when I lived in Dubai in 2002, used to see them everywhere and they were so practical.
I was just getting bored , then Matt turns up with this gem ! ❤
Thanks!
I sold Toyota's back in 1996/97 so this was a nice walk down memory lane. The 3 litre turbo diesel went like the dogs (you know what) i think you said Matt that the color was Royal blue. Happy New year. Can't wait for part 2.
Never clicked so fast in my life:))
I've been a car dealer for over 40 years matt just like me he can assess any car especially old Toyota these older ones gold
Keep up the great content! Every upload is just as good if not better than the previous!
Thanks!
It's getting harder and harder (no pun intended) to sort the genuine comments from the sex robot comments.@@HighPeakAutos
I have a 96 Colorado am 3rd owner previous owner had it since 1999 and it was his pride and joy and is like new underneath. You will love it Matt
Also you need to replace the front lower ball joints if they have not been done as they are a weak point on these. Contact me if you want advice on part sourcing or anything else with these
Nice to see you drive an x5, mine is an X5 4.8iS. 98k miles, lpg gas conversion, new xtrons head unit and I've just installed an id4motion instrument cluster, 4 new tyres and I've tinted the windows. I love my X5
I love my 2001 3L diesel d4d Colorado. 84k miles, not ever run in yet. I bet you'll keep it because nothing has the build quality like them.
Would love to see you take it for a real test drive up to Scotland and back 👍
Hi Matt. Australia here. 1998 Prado GXL 3.4L petrol auto. Owned from new, currently 334,937 km. Love it. Will keep it as long as i can.
My sons have 2011 Prado and 2021 Prado that have traction controls, cameras, and other technologies.
I like what I have.
Good Wishes to you with your Prado.
Brilliant, after the new year the old and familiar Matt is back! Can’t wait for the inevitable “I have massively overspent “ part 2 video 😂
I hope not but I’ve got a feeling you’re right
My Grandad had one of these in green. Was such a cool car to ride in when I was a kid. He used to tow a caravan across Europe with it every year.
This is a great project 👍 looking forward to you doing what you really do so well Matt, that’s breathing new life into a car and massively overspending while you’re at it. Can’t see this being a particularly cheap one but definitely worth doing and keeping 😁
when you went down for the cruiser i was really envious of you matt, best cruiser for me bullet proof, i would have gladly spent about1500, they are great ,hope you keep it and do a long run. brill buy.
Top Tip, the tyre pressures for nearly all cars are inside the drivers door by the latch on the bodywork for UK cars and passenger's door for others, easier than guessing 😉👍
I'd bet my house he knows that tip already
Good move mate! You won’t regret it. However make sure you get the lower ball joints checked!!! Almost 100% they will need to be replaced if they haven’t been done recently. Otherwise they are bulletproof
i had one of these and a Shogun...both petrol both SWB. Incredible vehicles but the fuel economy on them was horrific. I honestly think a ferry gets better mileage. Looked after though and they go on forever.
I love the Shogun. My parents had those
The perfect reliable car for that price.
Also, the video quality and editing has improved a lot.
Tremendous! Toyota are possibly the only manufacturer that hasn't gone down the toilet for reliability. But those old things are epic - please keep it. When a Strange Rover is being scraped up by the AA, that thing will be going like trooper. Isuzu or otherwise.
These hold so much value here in Ireland, was looking to buy one for the farm couldn't get a decent one for less the €10,000 and that's talking about a 10yr +
Whens part 2??
Where to go, way way up into the Arctic Circle. With just a basic service and winter tyres. To show what a great car a Land Cruiser is.
If i was the guy who sold you the car Matt i would have kept it for a little longer and bought a little daily Ulez compliant car, Ulez will be no longer soon so he could have kept to his word of owning it forever.
You think so? I do hope you are right . I can’t go more than 15 miles down the road and I hit ulez. Can’t afford to see friends / family etc.
Long story cut short, I'm someone who knew very little about cars and then had the *silica bag* incident with VW / VAG. After that point, also significantly helped by speaking to mechanics and repeatedly watching your reliability video (Japanese - chain belt - petrol - non-turbo - manual), I'm a little better informed to realise how phenomenal are the types of vehicles like the one featured in this video. Toyota/Honda/Mazda well serviced/looked after and from the late 90s early 2000s are the way to go for those wanting to keep things simple
Great video once again
As the aussies say “If you want to go into the bush take a Land Rover, if you wanna get back again take a Land Cruiser”
I've got a saying, "if you want to make a joke about a Land Rover , make a joke that hasn't already been said a billion times before on EVERY single Land Cruiser / Land Rover video on TH-cam"
I had one of those as my first car. My grandad bought it from new and we did countless family trips all up and down Spain in it, with my parents, my grandparents and me. After passing my driving test, he gave it to me, which was the greatest gift ever. It was built like a tank, I drove it for 7 lovely years and I'm still alive thanks to it. On a rainy day I had to swerve for a cyclist who wasn't looking where he was going, I then aquaplaned and hit a van twice the size of the Land Cruiser. Luckily, both the van driver and I were OK, but both vehicles were a write-off. However, my Toyota was still recognizable, unlike the van which crumpled like paper. I loved every km I did with that car, and one day I will buy another one.
The LANDCRUISERs are loved by people over EVERY single continent. Why you may ask, they NEVER break down. Even with minimal servicing, they are engineered to be very robust,strong,DEPENTABLE as hell...you can never go wrong with a LandCruiser....
Whenever I go shooting I always see these being used on estates, but generally diesel. These are people who could buy multiple Range Rovers but steer clear, same as in Middle East.
Bear Grylls?! If he was driving it that stop would have been......'Went to Esso but there wasnt enough fuel - so I had to top it up with my own piss'
😂😂
Landcruisers are just built different. In 1998 my dad bought a brand new Amazon VX (100 series) & kept it till 2016 by which point he had put 360k miles on it. Litterly nothing ever went wrong with it and i really do mean nothing! Was very well taken care of and maintained to a high standard but also made to work; towing 3-4 tonne around steep exmoor lanes, offroading when needed and long family road trips all round Europe. Was such a good car.
He only sold it to buy another brand new landcruiser so he could have all the new tech like sat nav, bluetooth etc.
Sold the 100 series to a good friend of his who still owns it today. Nearly 500k on the clock now and its still running strong
Quality bit of kit… far far too good to just auction off. Built to last and will go on and on and on. Especially with that history. That’ll outlast any EV
I worked for Toyota back then and drove these in the late 90s and that one is a stunner. Cracking purchase.
The Mayor of London is a bell
I know but people voted him in which is a worrying thought
Prado 90 been driving this since 97. What I like about these old LC cars are the power steering. It soft. But I do notice the fuel economy is really out of date.
Got to agree with you regarding that ridiculous new law. Nothing more than legalized theft quite frankly.
As a Land Cruiser freak - this is awesome
I’ve had a Colorado 2002 VX diesel version for 3 years now. It’s a fantastic reliable vehicle and a do-all workhouse. I’m the second owner and will probably keep it until it dies. Reckon I’ll get it Lanoguarded underneath as it’s starting to corrode up n places. No ULEZ issues for me in rural Devon. Great buy Matt.
Driving a 99 Series 90 Prado as my daily drive. Parts are in abundance and cheap. At 360kms on the clock, engine oil is clear and never misses a beat. Toyota built the 3.4ltr V6 to be indestructible. Get the lower ball joints seen to if planning serious off roading.
I just bought a 2000 Toyota Colorado, took out the back seats and built a bed frame and bike rack, sleep perfect at 6.2ft. 190,000 miles, so barely broken in :D
How much did you pay if you don’t mind me asking?
My thoughts on ULEZ are basically unprintable.
They handle like a water bed on roller skates. A great buy. If you can stop the rust progression then this will last for years and do starship type mileage. I would have happily paid £3k for it. Maybe get up to the snow in the scottish highlands with it?
Areal breaks are common. There is a replacement to change them and it's a 10 min fix.
My dad had a Land Cruiser and this brings me memories when I was young, it was such a good car.
I've owned a 1KD Prado 95 for two years... This is the car I most regret selling. I've been on a summer trip with it from Verona to Lisbon and back... Extremely reliable vehicles.
My 1996 SWB 1996 3.0 l diesel now has 405.000 km on the clock and it still runs like new. It’s a keeper 😊
Massive improvement in the whole making of the video - from the extra cameramen/women to editing. I prefer this personally
I had a 2004 4.0l Petrol "Prado" (the equivalent "baby LandCruiser" downunder) with a 185 litre long range tank. With petrol at NZ$ 2.80ish a litre it paid not to let it get too low. As the NZ Govt taxed about 50% on fuel & played "blame the oil companies" it had to go.
However, it had done 300,000km & the only thing outside regular servicing & tyres was a split CV boot. In 300 000km. Everything worked perfectly on it. They go nearly anywhere with mud tyres & large bollocks. Ridiculously fantastic offroad. We got rid of the garbage Govt but I wish I'd kept the Toyota...
Was anyone else who's ever owned one of these [or any Land Cruuiser for that matter] shouting at the screen "Check the rear axle turrets for rot!" when Matt ducked down to glance underneath?
Fingers crossed you've found the only one left which hasn't got a rear chassis made of Rhyvita. But I'm anticipating the words "overspent" and "massively" are going to feature in the next installment.
When I used to work, it was necessary to use a 24 hour clock for documentation; personally I prefer a 12 clock as I know when it’s am or pm.
what a gem, these things are pretty much non existant in Belgium as this generation has mostly been exported to Africa
Hi matt, been lucky and recently discovered your channel, have so enjoyed going through your back catalogue of vids, love your delivery style and informative commentary, one of the best, if not the best car channel on TH-cam
Thanks,
Thank you! Welcome to the channel. Glad you're enjoying it.
Hey mate l would love to see you doing a road trip to Scotland to Edinburgh
Still got my collie. Would love to do a video on its restoration. Had it 12years and still working. Amazing motor.
Make sure to have the lower ball joints inspected and replaced with OEM units if needed. They're reliable but when they do fail, you'll ruin brake lines, CV axles and body work. Very common overlooked failure component on this era of Prado, 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia. 3.4 is bulletproof so it'll last forever.
Nice old Toyota hope you dont massively overspend can wait to see what it needs. Such variety of cars on this channel thats what keeps me interested
Hi Matt, noticed you looked in your mirrors, there is a little arrow on most cars on the fuel gauge pointing to the side where the filler cap is. Cheers, Tony.
Most but not all
Aaha! You just found yourself the best off-road toy!
Remember that off-road fun you had a few weeks ago, just get set of off-road wheels, maybe a wench, if you really want to go where the biggest boys play, and you have your self the envy of everyone.
This baby will go anywhere, carry your BBQ and bacon, over the fire coffee ( tea if in the UK)
You may need to explain to those in the office why they may have to work more as you go away for long weekends. Add a good cooler box to the additional stuff.
Have a blast!
Great video, Matt. I liked the genuine smile on your face when you popped into the driver's seat. An awesome old beast, too. Greetings from Hungary 🙂
I can no longer drive, but I love watching these videos, and it’s amazing the change in technology from when that high spec Land Cruiser was made and now. Drivers aids, and a lot of drivers can’t do the basics.
Brilliant, I've run an identical vehicle for the last ten years and love it. By the way they are actually 8 seaters.