90 series buying advice

[James Lampard]

Hi - I am considering buying a Colorado to replace our 110 defender - we definitely want manual diesel - but don't know the pros and cons of the d4-d engine or the earlier version or when it was introduced
Any advice gratefully recieved
James

 

[Shayne]

Manual diesel basically means strong as an ox on all fronts whatever Colorado you choose , if its already covered 100,000 budget for a full service and thats about it . As for build quality the paint on a Colorado is thicker than a landrovers shell

 

[Rob Cowell]

Manual diesel basically means strong as an ox on all fronts whatever Colorado you choose , if its already covered 100,000 budget for a full service and thats about it . As for build quality the paint on a Colorado is thicker than a landrovers shell

I don't know quite how prevalent it is, but cracked cylinder heads can affect the 1KZ-TE. Seem to go somewhere between 100K and 150K miles. Although it's a lottery, they certainly don't all suffer. Budget £1500 for an independent garage to fix. But you can but a replacement head complete with cam, and DIY for about £750.

Haven't heard much bad about the early D4D, although African / Australian users who genuinely get away from it all seem to rate the 1KZ-TE simplicity and reliability. If the head does crack it'll still get you home, even if home is a few thousand miles away.

I have a D4D on my 120, and I don't really feel the engine as being more refined. The whole car is much more refined so hard to tell. It does give me a couple of MPG better than the 1KZ-TE. You can get injector problems on these, and a set of new injectors will cost more than the 1KZ-TE head.

 

[Chris Green90]

I have been around the 1KZ-TE Engine for a while now. I had one in my Surf and now have one in my Collie. They are a good strong engine if looked after well. I would not worry to much about the head if you are looking exclusively for a manual (although these seem a little rarer in the LWB). It seem to be the combination of cooling the ATF that causes problems with the 1kz-te head. Personally I have never heard of the head going and a vehicle with a manual transmission (Touch wood). So as Shayne said with a manual box they are as strong as an ox. Just dont go blocking the rad with lights and overly complex bumper and

Don't let this put you off an auto though and if you do decide to look at one then make sure that the are no signs of previous overheating and swap out the rad for a new one asap.

 

[Shayne]

It's my belief that if its not cracked when you buy it then it won't crack if you get it serviced to include a new timing belt .

I bought my 15 year old collie with 90k on the clock and the only cons i have found since are the seatbelts are crap at retracting (cleaning them with that vanish stuff improves things a little) . The previous owner forgot to include the hydraulic bottle jack in the sale . And it took me a while to notice a short in the indicator stalk meant my headlights were going off when i indicated . And i wish i'd have paid more attention to the paperwork as the bill i was shown for the fitment of a new clutch actually stated it was a "reconditioned clutch" there is no such thing , it obviously came from a breakers yard and died about 1000 miles after i bought it . Thats a £600 fix by Toyota .

But now with a full service done , a new timing belt and clutch i believe my truck will outlast me if i just change the oil once a year .

Ironically as far as driving it goes i can feel little or no difference now from when it had suffered 4 years of neglect .

 

[James Lampard]

Thanks for this advice it is all useful - so reading between the lines , if I find something low ish miles with a decent service history shouldn't go far wrong.
I know of a lwb V reg manual deisel guessing a d4d based on its age well looked after local car but on 190,000 and thinking I would be better to hold out for something with half the miles ,
Not in a mad rush
Cheers Jim

 

[Shayne]

Seems to me theres something of a boom going on with these trucks at the mo , certainly prices have gone up over the last 6 months so i guess dealers are cashing in . This makes finding one with a history you can trust a bit of a lucky dip . I wouldn't be so quick to overlook a local truck even at 190k if you know for a fact those miles were driven on a motorway . These trucks have been known to cover a million miles in OZ with regular servicing !

 

[Graham]

Really I wouldn't put any weight to the miles driven.
Look more for how well it's been looked after, and how the owner has either serviced it himself, or had Toyota do it for him

So does it have to be a manual? or are you just at the moment thinking you would like a manual?
You might be surprised how good the automatics are.

What about early 120 series?
Can the purse stretch that far, for what is essentially, a far better vehicle, and much nicer place to be in.

Ebay 2003,,,120 series,,, £5,500,,,92,000 miles


Gra.

 

[Shayne]

The 120 for me is an elegant 4x4 , my 90 is a rough and ready brute by comparison "far better vehicle" i don't think so , but each to thier own i suppose it depends what your looking for . And although i find most auto's perfectly acceptable to drive i also find driving them bores me to tears , i mention this only coz it might be something that doesn't actually register in the buyers mind until after the initial new toy excitement wears off .

 

[James Lampard]

Hi Graham, to be honest I haven't even looked at one of those - in what way are they better ? Just refinements or reliability as well ?
It will be my wife's car for 75 percent of the time and I will use it to load up with building materials and drag trailers And the caravan around -
As she will be paying for it it will be her choice !!!!
She doesn't like the look of modern cars loves her 110 defender but that doesn't feel safe for the kids as the seats in the middle row are basic to say the least and I have the seat right back so no legroom either
I talked her into buying an 80 series which I have always fancied, went half way across the country to buy one without her - we kept that for one week !!!!
The 90 seems to to tick the boxes in terms of being a little smaller but still looking industrial for want of a better word

 

[sae70]

That's insane!!! £5500.00 for that!!!! I was only having this conversation at Lincomb about the 120's and was saying that within a year or so they will be very affordable compared to late 90's and that I'd started to see them coming up for around the £6500.00 mark, but £5500.00 almost has me reaching for my wallet

 

[Doodle]

Shame you're a bit too early James, I'm not ready to sell mine yet.

 

[chadr]

That's insane!!! £5500.00 for that!!!! I was only having this conversation at Lincomb about the 120's and was saying that within a year or so they will be very affordable compared to late 90's and that I'd started to see them coming up for around the £6500.00 mark, but £5500.00 almost has me reaching for my wallet

That surprised me too.

They usually start at around the £6.5-7k mark for the tired and/or high mileage examples. So that one is either a bargain or there is something that we don't know.......

 

[Graham]

I think there is some thing not right with that one I posted, it is a couple of thou too cheap.
.
.
Well I am thinking of putting my June 2005 year, 120 on Ebay, just to get an idea of what it will fetch.
With a proviso exchange for "cash either way" for a 100 series.
Some thing like 1999 to 2003 year.

Gra.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Personally I have never heard of the head going and a vehicle with a manual transmission (Touch wood).

You have now. Mine went at about 125K miles. Maybe I was just very unfortunate. A bit of light towing - but only a bit.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Hi Graham, to be honest I haven't even looked at one of those - in what way are they better ? Just refinements or reliability as well ?

Other than the engine, I think they should be more reliable. I'm not saying the engine is more or less, I don't know. The 120 looks very like the 90 underneath. Hopefully the changes relate to stuff that didnt last on the 90. I can see the trailing arm bushes are bigger on a 120, and the rear shock mounts dont have the mud trap that makes them rot on a 90. The 120 is much nicer to drive on the road, I think. Smoother and quieter. Not much in it offroad.

 

[Graham]

Other than the engine, I think they should be more reliable. I'm not saying the engine is more or less, I don't know. The 120 looks very like the 90 underneath. Hopefully the changes relate to stuff that didnt last on the 90. I can see the trailing arm bushes are bigger on a 120, and the rear shock mounts dont have the mud trap that makes them rot on a 90. The 120 is much nicer to drive on the road, I think. Smoother and quieter. Not much in it offroad.

.
I would say the 120 is better overall, it has to be, it is a whole new body on a similar updated chassis.
We should only compare the older 90 series having the D4-d engine, (not the tractor 1KZ) to the 120 series.
The 120 is more comfortable inside, and rides more comfortable also.
More powerful, and dare I say, quicker accelarating, with a higher top speed, also more economical, with the auto being more economical than the manual for a surprising change.
Definatly more quieter inside, internally more ergonomic, externally more rounded curves, to reduce wind noise
The "head cracking" I believe was only associated with the older 1KZ engine, with the autos being much more prone to it than the manuals.
I haven't heard of a 120 series, manual or automatic, giving any cooling problems, more lessons learnt by Toyota I guess.
Saying that, they did go through a bad patch with the injector seals, but I guess these have all been rectified now, by way of recall, or done via service interval.

Gra.

 

[Doodle]

Ultimately it's a newer, shinier, plusher and slightly more refined 90 series, as you would expect given the lineage and natural evolution.

Part of the reason why I don't want one... it felt like a lot of money to upgrade for more of the same, whereas the 100 is a clear and tangible change.

However, coming from a Defender it might just blow your mind!

 

[TonyP]

The other big difference is that the 120's have ATRAC (Traction control ) not sure if that included the base lc3 model. Some love ATRAC and others hate it.....

I've had both and as a daily drive and school run car I would take the 120, not sure that I would come to the same conclusion for a off road toy, but that may be due to the cost of 120's.

 

[Shayne]

As she will be paying for it it will be her choice !!!!
She doesn't like the look of modern cars loves her 110 defender"

The 120 doesn't stand a chance unless the wife is a closet Wag , because i'm aware of my less than practical "older is better inclination" i asked Helen what she thought of the 120 before i bought my 90 . At a glance she said your not parking that outside my house