Looking at getting a project Prado - Please Help :) (1 Viewer)

[AussieMick80]

Gday Everyone

I am looking at purchasing a 1998 3.4 V6 Prado (automatic) as a Project car. It has 416000 on the clock. I have been told that it has never been off road and I tend to believe them.

The body looks really good. No rust that I can see and the paintwork isnt even faded. To be honest the engine seems to be running pretty smooth, but I have been told it probably needs a timing belt.

Known issue is a possible control arm. The steering is awful and VERY obvious uneven tyre wear on front passenger side.

The inside of the car is pretty disgusting and needs a really good clean.

I am actually excited about this car and pretty keen to pull the pin and buy it. I am in Australia and the elderly owners will take $3000 AUD for it. That to me seems like a good deal, but I am far from good with cars and I plan to use this to learn.

Your guidance will be very much appreciated! What do you think?

Also, Oil looks good, no blow by and not blowing any smoke at all.

Thanks

Mick

 

[Finn1997]

Welcome to the 90 sub forum! I have a 3.0 1kzte Inter-cooled diesel JDM Prado TX. I don't know about the gas engines but I remember reading one of the V6's was pretty bulletproof. I think it was the FE. I am assuming Australia got sub tanks on all models?
My Prado has been sitting in a Irish field for 6 years and has almost no body rust and small amounts of frame rust.
By the looks of it it looks like a good buy. My Prado only has 124,000KM on it from back when my dad Imported it to ireland from japan.

 

[Finn1997]

I'm just wondering what the AUS market options were.

 

[JDM Journeys]

Gday Everyone

I am looking at purchasing a 1998 3.4 V6 Prado (automatic) as a Project car. It has 416000 on the clock. I have been told that it has never been off road and I tend to believe them.

The body looks really good. No rust that I can see and the paintwork isnt even faded. To be honest the engine seems to be running pretty smooth, but I have been told it probably needs a timing belt.

Known issue is a possible control arm. The steering is awful and VERY obvious uneven tyre wear on front passenger side.

The inside of the car is pretty disgusting and needs a really good clean.

I am actually excited about this car and pretty keen to pull the pin and buy it. I am in Australia and the elderly owners will take $3000 AUD for it. That to me seems like a good deal, but I am far from good with cars and I plan to use this to learn.

Your guidance will be very much appreciated! What do you think?

Also, Oil looks good, no blow by and not blowing any smoke at all.

Thanks

Mick

Is this a 4 door or a shorty? Depending on what you have for maintenance records, I'd count on doing timing belt and associated bits, along with cooling system service, and maybe the typical gas engine plugs, fuel filter, etc? Check the CV boots for cracks, esp since these are AWD and so the CV joints are always turning.

And for sure do the lower ball joints. A failure is fairly catastrophic here.