Toyota Problems

The model Kluger you are referring to uses an engine with the code-name 3MZ-FE. It uses a timing belt rather than a timing chain, so it requires periodic belt changes. This is especially important as the version of the engine fitted to your car is an interference type. That means that the pistons cannot move freely up and down if the camshafts aren’t also turning and, if the belt breaks while the engine is running, the ensuing collision between pistons and valves will probably destroy the engine.

Toyota recommends a timing-belt change every 150,000km which is actually pretty good compared with many other engines which require a new belt closer to every 100,000km or even less. The other piece of advice is to replace the belt tensioners and water pump while the engine is apart for the timing-belt replacement. It’s a lot cheaper to replace those items at that point, rather than having to open the engine up again down the track.

The MY2020 Toyota Tacoma towing capacity is listed by the manufacturer as 6400kg. That’s been made possible by Toyota fitting V6 versions of the Tacoma with an engine, transmission and power-steering coolers as well as a larger, 130-amp alternator.

The short answer when it comes to differences between the two is "not much". The Prado (or 150-Series in Toyota-speak) has now been on sale in much the same form for more than a decade now. As such, it’s been refreshed and facelift no less than three times, making the ones you’re talking about the Series 4 version.

The thing is, the last major refresh was carried out in late 2017, and since the car continued to dominate its market segment, Toyotas hasn’t really seen the need since to carry out any further refinements or make other changes to the specification of the GXL version.

So, again, the short answer is that there’s very little to choose a 2019 model over a 2018 car. Both were quite wisely updated in the 2017 re-hash, with the GXL gaining pre-collision warning and autonomous braking, active cruise-control, lane-departure warning, LED lighting and a rear differential lock on automatic versions.

The best way to pick which is which is to look at the build-plate in the engine bay as that will give you the definitive answer. Don’t necessarily take the seller’s word for the car’s year of build as the date of first registration is not the same as the build date. Since the trade uses the actual build date when it come to valuing a car, you should too. In fact, that’s the other difference between a 2018 and a 2019 Prado; the price.

A car with a little extra ground clearance is great for camping as it often allows you to get a little farther away from the masses in their caravans who tend to huddle around the shower block at bush campsites.

The Subaru Outback is a good, solid choice and if you can find an independent workshop to service it, you’ll avoid the cost of dealership prices. And you’re right, the all-wheel-drive would be great for gravel roads. Another vehicle to look at would be a late-model Ford territory diesel which is big and clever inside and has the option of all-wheel-drive. The diesel engine is a plus on the bush where that fuel is more readily available (in really remote areas) and gives you more range for big holidays in the mulga.

Don’t rule out things like the Mitsubishi Pajero, either, which won’t be as around-town friendly, but is a proven quantity and is absolutely tremendous off-road. The same goes for a Toyota Prado or Nissan Pathfinder prior to the current model (which is a bit less hard-core adventure).

To maximise the Toyota Highlander’s towing capacity, you need to option the 3.5-litre V6 engine and specify the optional towing package. At that point, you can use the Highlander to tow a braked trailer of 2270kg. Interestingly, even the Hybrid version of the Highlander is rated to tow 1600kg, something that not all manufacturers will allow in their hybrid models. The anomaly with the Highlander, though, is that the two highest-spec models trim-wise aren’t offered with a factory tow-bar option as this would interfere with the automatic tailgate triggering sensors that live just under the rear of the car…right where the tow-bar would be bolted.

Buying the dealership’s paint protection certainly won’t do any harm, Sue, but it can be expensive as mark-ups are often huge for these products. You might do better with an aftermarket paint protection product from an independent specialist. But here’s the proposition I’d be putting to the dealer selling the car: If you can’t, in 2020, sell me a car that won’t fade or have its paint peel off, I fear we are wasting each other’s time. In fact, you could make the same argument for all those dealership add-ons, the upholstery protection, window tint and extended warranties.

Here’s another fact to consider: Regardless of whether you do or don’t buy the paint protection, the car’s finish is protected by the factory warranty just as the rest of the car is protected against faulty parts of poor assembly. Toyota even spells it out, saying that the factory warranty covers every part, panel or factory accessory. So you’ll only ever need the optional paint protection after the factory warranty has run out. Will a paint protection applied now be of any use five years – and a couple of hundred car-washes – down the track? That’s up to you.