The rising price of vehicles

Not sure where you get the Info that a Toyota 70 series vehicle is a specialist vehicle, quite the opposite it is a generic work vehicle a bit like the Defender (even same basic dash as a Defender) and many dual cabs, but extremely overpriced for what it is. $70-$80k is the base price. Even the single cab ute by the time you get it on road, with a tray etc approaches mid $80k, the dual cab is closer to mid $90k add a decent work body and it is well over $110k. Recently spoke to a guy that bought a new one albeit modified and it cost him $150k.
There is no real reason for the 70 to be as expensive as it is, apart from they sell high volumes to companies so can overinflate the price.
But having said that LR have also gone down this path with the Discovery that was a mid range 4x4 for the average person to now being a yuppy soccer mom vehicle for the wealthy.

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Originally Posted by steane

The merc and 70 series are specialist vehicles and there isn't much to compare them to on the market as far as strength goes. They are built to work hard and the volumes are small, so the manufacturer can ask silly money.

DC Utes are pretty affordable IMO, if you don't get sucked into buying a Ranger Wildtrack. Top of the range Triton is a steal, lower spec Amarok is well priced and even the recently released bottom spec V6 Amarok looks like good value. HiLux SR5 auto with luxury pack can be had for low 50s which isn't too bad IMO.

Depends what you are wanting to buy I guess.

i'd argue that the Puma Defender offered the least value for money on the market at the time, if you start looking at specs/features/safety/NVH etc.

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Originally Posted by CraigE

Not sure where you get the Info that a Toyota 70 series vehicle is a specialist vehicle, quite the opposite it is a generic work vehicle a bit like the Defender (even same basic dash as a Defender) and many dual cabs, but extremely overpriced for what it is. $70-$80k is the base price. Even the single cab ute by the time you get it on road, with a tray etc approaches mid $80k, the dual cab is closer to mid $90k add a decent work body and it is well over $110k. Recently spoke to a guy that bought a new one albeit modified and it cost him $150k.
There is no real reason for the 70 to be as expensive as it is, apart from they sell high volumes to companies so can overinflate the price.
But having said that LR have also gone down this path with the Discovery that was a mid range 4x4 for the average person to now being a yuppy soccer mom vehicle for the wealthy.

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I consider the 70 to be specialist because it's built to do one thing and that is work. Being good at one thing is the definition of specialist. Like them or not, it's the strongest platform available, it's geared low to tow and/or haul a load, it's designed purely and simply to work on properties and in mines. It's not in anyway an all rounder like the lighter duty Thai/Argentinian/etc DC Utes.

Driving one on the highway for any length of time is a painful and expensive experience but they aren't really designed for that sort of use, even with their recently improved gearing.

Toyota price the 70 in part at what they know people will pay, because it's only competition is a 120k Mercedes. The other consideration they have is the cost of the ongoing development (which they keep to a bare minimum but it still costs) of what is now an old style, dare I say specialist, type of vehicle with a very limited market in the scheme of things.

Single cab GXL list price is around 64k and 67k for the double cab plus the 2.5k a/c scam. I'm a bit perplexed as to how onroads and a tray add 20 to 40k to the price.... I don't doubt you could spend a bomb trying to turn them into a civilised tourer, ie auto, re-gearing and getting them to work well off-road, as they aren't really suited to recreational use straight out of the box. IMO...others are welcome to theirs.

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Originally Posted by steane

, it's designed purely and simply to work on properties and in mines. .

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Too right, mate[biggrin]

I was looking for a amcap rated auto diesel 3.5t towing / work vehicle under 45k. Isuzu dmax SX was the pergect fit. Defender never got a look in for safety sake basically. Dmax was not comfortable enough for us and unfortunately got moved on although it did everything else perfectly.
Since bought the l322 for towing and resurrection of the county with auto conversion is ongoing. I too couldn't believe the cost of some of the vehicles on offer, none of which i could honestly live with.

Jc