Toyota Land Cruiser Problems

Toyota Australia spokesman Stephen Coughlan says a filter change is part of the 40,000km service. He also says the most likely cause of your problem is dirty fuel, which is common in remote areas, and agrees a spare filter is a good precaution for any vehicle tackling a long run in the Outback.

Most 4WD utes are able to tow two tonnes or more, and they will deliver the fuel economy you appear to want.

Talk to your dealer about getting the latest version installed. The version you have was most likely the latest available when the vehicle was built or the GPS produced.

Toyota's super-conservative service intervals — like its tow ratings — are a pain but the company is not money grabbing. They have just about the cheapest capped-price servicing plan in the business and in many cases will give you six services for less money than you'll spend for three with another manufacturer. They also have a better reputation for reliability than the Europeans and the parts are cheaper.

I’ve done some digging and Toyota has always had 10,000km service intervals, which can be annoying despite value in the capped-price servicing. Company spokesman Mike Breen says if you have a “doctored” service book he would be keen to investigate for you.

You could jump in and drive away, but I would recommend you take the time to run it in before putting it to work, particularly if you're planning on going on a long caravanning trip. Run it to the first service before doing any heavy towing with it.

I would take the Touareg over the Discovery but the real outback towing champion is the Toyota LandCruiser — which gets a big tick from me — because of its bulletproof reliability and Toyota's service network. The badge is not as prestigious and it will cost more for a fully luxury package but the 200-Series 'Cruiser is still The King.

Toyota Australia spokesman, Steve Coughlan replies: “From our records, Brighton Toyota has reported a very light vibration at speed consistent with when the torque convertor lock-up clutch engages. To fully understand the issue we will arrange for one of our Technical Field Managers to contact Mr Jeffrey and assess the vehicle. A member of the team will contact him to set up a meeting”.

The LandCruiser is bulletproof and the top choice for towing and outback travel. That also means you have to spend more to get one.

The towing rating is the main thing you need to get right, and your need to tow a horse float with two horses means you need a heavy four-wheel drive, like a Landcruiser or Patrol. Either one will be up to the towing task, and could be driven by a novice, but would be chore to drive around town.