![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dixonarchive.com\/motorblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/prado_2003.jpg\" "\\"120")
<\/p>\nOriginal Posted September 2008<\/p>\n
Comparisons
When you drive other cars you get an appreciation of what is good about car and what isn’t.\u00a0It is not often that you get in a car and say that this is a must have – it hasn’t happened here either. It takes time to appreciate the better parts of any car. Every car is appreciated by someone no matter how bad (for what ever reason) it is.<\/p>\n
In this context the Prado is completely inoffensive to own and drive.\u00a0Only those who are anti-4wd would object – but they have their own issues. In normal daily commuter drives it handles as well as any other modern car on the road. It would go as far to say that it actually understeers LESS than most.\u00a0However when pushed hard it ultimately handles only as well as any passenger car. The body roll and brakes are the main causes of the handling short fall.\u00a0It is not a race car it is a family commuter.\u00a0As for refinement and livability it is state of the art and better than almost anything you’ll try.<\/p>\n
For example after driving the latest Holden Commodore SV6 or Ford Falcon XR6 your rear vision is just as if not more restricted despite being lower and the rear mirrors are still too small. Forward vision is fine just like the Prado.\u00a0Handling feel was certainly an improvement as expected but not as obvious as you’d expect. It definitely does not show on the road during commuting drives. Comfort was good and build quality too.\u00a0I guess I’d be happy to own one of these too in that regard.<\/p>\n
However issues on the other cars like weird warning light for the engine and frayed cords made these cars not a convincing choice at this time. The engine vibe and fuel consumption of over 15 litres per hundred for the week didn’t help.\u00a0Maybe because it was the ‘sportier’ Commodore SV6 version.\u00a0However the Falcon XR6 didn’t have any problems for the week and is the better one to get it used less fuel at about 13-14 litres – it just felt better.<\/p>\n
Upgrading
Since the car is out of warranty we have reached the point of deciding whether it is worth keeping for a few more years or to trade it in for something else.
As you can tell by the recent updates to the site we’ve been looking that the competitors!
A number of factors have lead us to the final decision:
– GFC (Global Financial Crisis)
– Lack of new models
– lack of compelling financial deals
– There is nothing wrong with the car
– Still fits the purpose of why it was purchased.<\/p>\n
So the decision is to keep the Prado until at least the next model is released and revisit the question again then! In the mean time at least one of use will be looking for a new car and so more comparisons for the website.
\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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