Cruiser 200 series

[mini696]

It is definately a "4wd" but by no means is it an "offroader". I was able to have a good look over one at Toyota (even under one on a lift) and there are so many issues I can see without even trying.

For a car which costs $105,000 plus on road (top of the range diesel) you would still need to spend another $20,000 on it to do any form of serious offroading.

There are plastic bits everywhere underneath, things like the transfer case guard will basically act as a shovel, there are pipes and other things under the sills that would be caught easially unless rock sliders were installed, the rear shocks mount very low on the bottom of the wheels (and sitck a fair way out from the wheel itself), the spare wheel is exposed under the car.

The list goes on.

For the price... Not worth it

[Noelm]

OK so I guess you own an ex Army 8 wheel drive then?? because that is a "true" off roader, never seen any plastic on a Patrol or Discovery? no pipes or hoses anywhere under them? I must have seen the wrong models then! I might add I do not own one, but I like to see all sides of any "brand debate" put forward!

[ozscott]

....to a point Noel - I have been under mine many times (both my series one and series ii Disco) and have crunched them down over many hard obsticles that have broken IFS tie rods etc in front and behind me on one memorable trail and never never done any damage to components because they are tucked up. You dont see pipes in either mod hanging anywhere down on a Disco. They eschew bash plates because its all steel box chassis and box cross members as far as the eye can see....then there are the live axles....

Cheers

[ozscott]

For a company - toyo- that spends a lot of money on adds showing their vehicles going bush they have do have some questions to answer. If you look at any 4WD mag back in the series II disco days - 99-04 they have always said that the bushability of the Discos was the best out of all brands. When it comes to tucking stuff up and having what one articles described as an engineer gong mad with railway girders, whatever other criticisms might be made, having anything but a well designed and strong underbody is not one of them

[ozscott]

...although there is no doubt that the D3 does not have the same integrity underneath as the series 1 and 2 discos.

Cheers

[Noelm]

I guess I am just "having a dig" because I can, it just sort of "gets up my shorts" becuase people are saying a certain model is crap, no good off road and all sorts of thing, but have NEVER been in one EVER, one guy has looked underneath one! and that makes him an "expert", I do not say that they may not be crap, they could be the best thing off road since god knows what! but just lets wait and see, until someone who actually owns one gives us an honest, unbiased report on how the thing does go! does not matter what it is, outboards with a 2 stroke V 4 stroke, Ford V Holden, Toyota V Nissan, Dunlop V Cooper, there is never a clear winner, because most are so "brand loyal" that their tunnel visioned rose coloured glasses will not let them see anywhere but straight ahead to their own brand!! almost all products are good (within reason) and you could praise the virtues of your item, but there is a dozen others out there who hate it because it is not their "chosen one"

[ozscott]

I agree with that mate to a large extent. I know that in terms of outright off road bushability and bashability the IFS cars (including the Disco 3) are not the match of the live axle vehicles. Having said that all things are a compromise and the IFS ones should be more comfortable and handle better on road. Personally I would like to drive the 200 series and compare it to a D3 because I am considering scrolling over my Lease car (a Disco 2) and I am not adverse to a change of vehicle, so long as the Toyo has a good feel about it when driving. In the past I thought that felt a bit clinical like a large Camry - thats wholly a personal thing because many people dont care about it, but have always liked driver's cars.

I am keen to drive the Twin Turb Diesel cruiser because its torque is massive and might well cover its bulk well.

I did make a crack at its weight, but if I end up in a heavier boat at some stage that massive weight might work out well.

Cheers

[mini696]

Yes Noel...

I didn't claim it was "crap", I didn't claim I was an "expert", I didn't claim any loyalty to a particular brand. If I did you would know I like Toyota's and Holdens. I never said it was crap offroad, I wouldn't know because I haven't even driven one on the road.

However... Toyota is claiming this to be the "Earths Greatest 4wd" and just at a glance there a many, many obvious things that could be better. Yes those things would make the car cost more, but for a hundred grand surely they could address some of those issues (How hard would it be to put a slight kick up on the transfer case guard?). It wouldn't take much to to make a consumer like me look twice at this car. They can make a toolbox easially accessable in the tailgate, but they can bend a piece of steel plate.

I would never claim any other 4wd previously released to be perfect.

[FNQCairns]

Yes lot's of assumptions but they are based on basic mechanical understanding, IFS is what it is....why would the next vehicle utilising the design be any different??...it wouldn't.
At the very least the vehicle would be touted in marketing as a wonder if there was any difference to speak of
Same goes with the rest of this vehicle, they are following a design concept, a large and powerfull soft-roader is the design perameter, if they were to change that perameter the vehicle will drive less 'refined' and scare away the very market the design was intenrd to woo.

The 200 will be a big. powerfull. comfortable, quiet and refined for what it is designed for ....bit like an all grownup BMW x5 .

Would someone hitch a camper trailer and head off to where they may not see another person for 3 days??? Too right they will, they can afford the 100k for the car then they can also afford a sat phone without a stretch...actually toyota should delete the glovebox airbag for a pop out sat phone anytime the 4wd button is pressed..... This Cruiser is pretty easy to poke a bit of fun at...sorry to anyone that may have already ordered one but it's just a car, boat would be different.

cheers fnq

[Noelm]

hey don't take my comments as personal insult (unless you want to) as I said, I am just "on the other side" because I can be!! done the same in various posts here, regardless of the product, if it appears to be either biased or one sided, I just take the minority side, just for the sake of debate, BUT I reckon the best test for most things is someone who uses one for work, like in a Gov dept, they do not have the emotion attached to their motor,car/4X4/computer, whatever, even "proper" tests by Journalists tend to be "embelished" to make sure they do not offend a maker and therefore any possible Advertising revenue, so there you go, bring on something else to "to and fro" about, I can take it, can you???

[Horse]

Can anyone tell me who won Australian Best Car of the Year again this year in the 4X category

[mini696]

At bit of debate is always great to have Noel.

[sea raider]

Can anyone tell me who won Australian Best Car of the Year again this year in the 4X category

And can anyone tell us the other cars in the category it was judged against?

[Mr__Bean]

Its a personal thing I guess. I have never liked the excess of the 100 series (save for when towing massive weights) and this one just keeps getting bigger (and heavier).

Cheers

I think you will find that is driven by their constant push into the US market.

We in Australia are really only their overflow market.

- Darren

P.S. For the record, on my second TD 100 series now and when this one has its 3rd birthday I look to get a 200 series. Never seen anything tow 3 tonne like them and still have the wife throw it around the shopping cente.

[luckyone]

yeppick my new 200 series up on sat just cant wait sorry too see the old 100 go it was a good truck didnt want to buy a new one but the deal was too good mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmtwo more sleeps