jot

Hi am contemplating buying a 200 series Sahara and was just wanting to find out how everyone has found them.. Any problems and alike..

Have heard positives and negatives

I have now done just over 5000k in my 200 GXL TD and have a trip to the Centre coming up (later this month) so will have a better idea after then. So far so good. Love the engine and the overall performance, including towing a fairly heavy camper trailer on occasion. Has used more oil than my previous 2003 TD Hilux (and much earlier 1984 60 series diesel) and hope this settles down as some have suggested will occur. Would rather a manual (my first ever auto in 38 years of driving) but times change I suppose. General interior fit out is okay but my (also) previous) TD 2 litre VW Golf had better features and finish, e.g., fairly ordinary plastics, no controls on the steering wheel despite the radio/CD obviously being designed for these (hence tiny fiddly controls). No power outlet in the boot (are they kidding? - the Golf had one).

What off road stuff I've done so far has been very impressive. I'm glad I have the 138 litre tank, by the way and not the smaller capacity of some of the other 200's.

Overall, an awesome vehicle which I would buy again, but time will tell. At the moment, feels bullet proof and inspires confidence. Good around town too (grudgingly acknowledging the ease of the auto in traffic).

Finally, standard tyres are rubbish - will replace with Coopers after 20k. Had two sets of STs on the Hilux (fantastic) but may try ATRs.

Hope this helps but haven't driven a Sahara.

Steve

Cheers man give let me know how you find it during your trip.. Think my mind is made up to go for it though!!!

Well I'm back after over 5000ks in 9 days. Pulled the camper trailer to Uluru and back, mainly on the tar with some light off road.

Performance was awesome and I was able to overtake easily even at 120 plus (130 limit in the NT by the way).

Cruise control made it very easy and the thing sat in 6th gear at anything over 100ks on the flat.

I didn't calculate fuel consumption but did spend a fair bit. Top price 199.9/litre at Cadney Station, most fuel around 190.

Put a bit under one litre of oil in at Uluru.

Fitted a factory alloy bar before I left and glad I did. Looks a lot better in the metal by the way. Tried to get an ARB snorkel before I went but the waiting time was too long. Maybe later.

Absolutely no problems and very happy with the car, including the dust problems that some have mentioned.

Temperatures up to 37 outside and the aircon was freezing - only used it occasionally.

Didn't realise I had the camper trailer on most of the time.

Steve

I wouldn't even think about it... the 1VD-FTV engine alone is an extremely expensive piece of gear. If anything craps itself, Toyota won't honour any warranty claims relating to the engine/transmission/driveline.

I was told a long time ago that the cheapest thing you put in a car is fuel. I'd be much more concerned about stuffing the engine/warranty than saving a few bucks.

This is not for converting to LPG..........it's LPG injection for added power and torque!!

Thanks, I realise that but it's a high tech piece of equipment that works extremely well (see my other posts re Central Australia recently) and I for one would not be fiddling with it. The standard engine has more than enough performance for towing, highway work, off-road, etc. It's the best engine diesel or otherwise I've ever had or driven.

Steve

Could have instantly told you that those rims wouldn't fit - ADM Camrys are 5x100 stud pattern (same as ST162-205 Celicas, and most 90s Subarus) up until around 2000 I think. Remember that the US got different models to us, also be careful with model years as they are often out compared to us by at least a year or so.

And $2500 is a rip for a set of 16" wheels, I got 16s plus _good_ tyres for my AE102 for just over $1500, you can get closer to the grand mark if you stick with cheaper tyres or more readily available profiles.

watch the hub size as they are different between camry and wrx as well as the wheel offset wrx is about 53 while camry around 35

I wouldn't even think about it... the 1VD-FTV engine alone is an extremely expensive piece of gear. If anything craps itself, Toyota won't honour any warranty claims relating to the engine/transmission/driveline.

I was told a long time ago that the cheapest thing you put in a car is fuel. I'd be much more concerned about stuffing the engine/warranty than saving a few bucks.

This is not for converting to LPG..........it's LPG injection for added power and torque!!

Jpp do a nice set of extractors and high flow Ypipe for the 1MZ-FE however they are hugely expensive and based in the US so shipping costs would be an issue as well.

it would cost well over $2000 AUD to get these :(

http://jpheadersexhaust.com/cgi-bin/jpp6/r...0Toyota+Headers

Another option would be OBX which are far cheaper and are essentially Jpp replicas, but in saying that no one has tested fitment yet and the Ypipe also has a resenator instead of a Cat to cut cost.

A Cat would need to be fitted for it to be leagle and I'm not sure if the oem one would fit :(

Anyway hope that helps a little bit at least :)

thanks for info.....

The TRD parts wont fit an Australian Gen5 unfortunatly.

Your best bet would be contact Whiteline and order through them, they aren't to expensive and are pretty decent quality.

Thanks

hey guys .. this is my first post and first look at this site .. my name is Brady

I have just aquired a 93 model RV 80 series with all the good basic bits like snorkel, alloy bar, steps, Old man emu susp lift, 33" cooper stt's .. Also as i work at North West Offroad in Tassie i'll soon get more bits for it.

Few questions ive got.. i knocked it off at a good price as its got a few kms .. actually 320,000 to be exact.

its this amount of kms ok for the 4.5 petrol motor?

also the oil light comes on when warm but still has oil pressure on the guage.. wats going on there? is it a dodgy sensor?

anyways it would be good to know if theres any tassie members about and let me know what goes on in the local scene.

cheers guys

brady

My 80 series was using a bit of oil so it was pulled down at 350,000kms and it's internals were in great shape, was just honed and ringed and it's done another 60,000 since with no problems.......my oil light comes on intermittantly as well.....pressure and levels are fine.......sensor was cleaned up and replaced........still not 100% and a new sensor was heaps of $'s Yours Jim..

It is available just no one appears to want to sell it

that's my my point exactly. wheels are about the only thing dealers want to stock, and refuse to get anything else.

ditto

who has caster/camber/roll centre adj/sway bars available in Sydney

Thanks Jim.....

does TRD do stuff for this

there's not a great deal of aftermarket support for the gen 5 camry, especially the v6.

you can get a custom exhaust system made from the cat back, but for the headers you'd probably be better off getting your manifold port and polished for a good result.

Thanks........I thought as much , couldn't find much anywhere

has anyone had experience with this. any pros or cons Thanks Jim.....

who has caster/camber/roll centre adj/sway bars available in Sydney

Thanks Jim.....

Are headers/exhaust available and where in Sydney please