Thread: Long term cost of ownership :Discover 4 vs Prado

I just sold a 28month old D4 SDV6SE for $67k

Bought in 2012 for $85K

Lost $18k but picked up nearly $28K in depreciation.

Resale is good if you sell them with warranty.

Originally Posted by chuck

I just sold a 28month old D4 SDV6SE for $67k

Bought in 2012 for $85K

Lost $18k but picked up nearly $28K in depreciation.

Resale is good if you sell them with warranty.

What did you buy Chuck??

Just had another 'Toyota' moment while doing an alternate job for the company this week. Earlier on it was a twin cab Hilux, this time it was a single cab Hilux with tray - 4WD.

While towing 1.8 tonnes up a steep hill (out of Lilydale for those that know it), it started raining. Only doing 40KPM in a 60 zone, and the back end starts slipping on me. I back off and it straightens up. Accelerate very carefully up out of the 60 zone into the 80 zone - now doing 55 when it steps out again, but much more violently than before. Lucky there was no one next to me in the other lane, or I would have got them. The tyres on the vehicle are almost new, but the real problem is not much weight over the rear wheels so very low on traction. I can't imagine trying to tow several tonnes with a vehicle like this - it is bloody dangerous. When will Toyota catch up and get into the 70's and have all wheel drive on these things....

Can't imagine how dangerous these things are with 3 tonnes on the back.

Just logged a safety report with the Manager here - He's all in a flap now as he thought it would be safer to tow it with that bucket of poo, rather than my Dunny Door. I know what I would have prefered...

Oh, what a feeling....

What an amazing response to my original question .........

'Strange that in a thread about cost of ownership no ones yet bought up depreciation ?'

In a quite informative thread about 'Long term cost of ownership' I would have thought that after 110 posts the subject of depreciation would have come up and had hoped for a sensible discussion on this issue. Unfortunately this was not the case.

Depreciation is the loss of value of an asset over time and is a real cost to the buyer along with rego, insurance, servicing, tyres, fuel etc.

Statements such as this

Originally Posted by Tombie

Crazy... Buying a vehicle for its resale..

totally ignores the issue (depreciation) and the inference that to consider financial loss as a crazy one I find quite absurd and irrelevant to the consideration of depreciation.

Whilst an individual may not be concerned about the cost of depreciation it is still relevant to the TCO of an asset and it's a shame that bringing this up appears to 'hit such a nerve' .

As for...................

Originally Posted by Tombie

....................... Drive a vehicle I'm not happy with for 3-5 years because I don't want to lose as much money as I may lose driving something I'm really happy with and enjoy.

I can only assume this statement refers to the examples I gave of four people who have happily owned and driven their 4WD's for 10 years or more, 1 Disco, 2 Patrols and 1 Landcruiser. IMO quite arrogant (and incorrect) to assume that (because they're not D4's) the owners have kept their vehicles as they 'had to' to avoid financial loss. If I have misunderstood your thrust here I apologise.
In fact the Disco was sold as it was no longer needed as it had been replaced with the larger and more off road capable Oka which is better suited to our needs. The Landcruiser was replaced primarily to tow a 2.5 tonne caravan more easily. The owner of the 4.2l Nissan reckons it's the best 4WD ever invented and he will probably be buried in it. The 3l Nissan owner is looking to trade up soon and will probably wish he'd bought the 4.2l when he gets a trade in price.

Are you serious..................

Originally Posted by Tombie

....................... Or ironic... Selling a vehicle that's in "excellent condition", losing 30% of its value and buying another new version....

Strange as it might seem there's 10+ years of automotive development between the last of the 100 series and the current 200 series, plus wear and tear. Improvements in occupant safety and a more powerful motor/better gearbox suited to towing were the main reasons for the upgrade.

Most people would be pleased, no, ecstatic, to get a trade in of better than 2/3 of initial purchase price on a 10 year old 4WD.
Then again, if depreciation/trade in value is irrelevant why not just throw the old car away when it's time to upgrade ?

Originally Posted by TerryO

As for 4.2 Patrols, ....................... the slowest heap of noisy smoke belching camel dung I have ever had the misfortune to follow on a trip.

Haha, my (4.2 Patrol) mate had a real good laugh at this one. He reckons that comparing the old NA 4.2 to his 'enhanced' 4.2 TDi has about the same relevance as comparing his old Series diesel to a V6TDi.
This was just before he expanded on his opinions of "plastic fantastic electronic go carts...........etc. etc" , quite derisory really and not appropriate to a D4 forum.

Seriously though, depreciation is a REAL cost and should be treated as such when calculating cost of ownership.



Deano

If the trailer's load was high (tall) or even just concentrated above the axles then perhaps the nose weight reduced too much on the slope, possibly even causing the trailer to become rear-heavy.

Originally Posted by bacicat

Just had another 'Toyota' moment while doing an alternate job for the company this week. Earlier on it was a twin cab Hilux, this time it was a single cab Hilux with tray - 4WD.

While towing 1.8 tonnes up a steep hill (out of Lilydale for those that know it), it started raining. Only doing 40KPM in a 60 zone, and the back end starts slipping on me. I back off and it straightens up. Accelerate very carefully up out of the 60 zone into the 80 zone - now doing 55 when it steps out again, but much more violently than before. Lucky there was no one next to me in the other lane, or I would have got them. The tyres on the vehicle are almost new, but the real problem is not much weight over the rear wheels so very low on traction. I can't imagine trying to tow several tonnes with a vehicle like this - it is bloody dangerous. When will Toyota catch up and get into the 70's and have all wheel drive on these things....

Can't imagine how dangerous these things are with 3 tonnes on the back.

Just logged a safety report with the Manager here - He's all in a flap now as he thought it would be safer to tow it with that bucket of poo, rather than my Dunny Door. I know what I would have prefered...

Oh, what a feeling....

Reading your post brought back so many memories when I had my SR5, you are right, though you do get used to it and drive accordingly.

There is no mention of wether the Hi-lux had any load in the back or not, but with all respect to tow with a single cab tray top if it was unloaded is sort of asking for it -irrespective of brand, include in that any of the Falcodore utes as well, everyone that I know always has a couple of sand bags in the rear corners of all of them unless loaded.

Back to the original question ownership costs, no question it will cost you heaps to own and drive an upmarket vehicle, between the 3 properties around us in the N.T. There are probably 15/20 V8 cruisers (all tray tops), the neighbour is on his 3rd FF Rangie, there is no comparison in the running costs, or the reliability if the are worked.
None of us have a bitumen road within 200klms, and there are no speed limits, while my D3 if much nicer to travel in, I can not keep up with the nephews in their cruisers on give and take unmade roads, and I have no doubts that it will not do the distance in comparison on those tracks.
The only problem with the cruisers is that all of the V8's needed injectors around the 150/200K mark (discounting shockers and brakes) with the exception of the above 4 of our cruisers now have over 200k on them trouble free driven by everyone.

Back to the original question, yes a D3/4 will cost you more, but so will a Merc/BMW compared to a Commodore ! How much extra do you wish to spend on your set of wheels for a lot more comfort and character ?

Standing back !

DD

P.S. None of our 6cyl TD's ever needed injectors, only have one left with over 400k on it still runs fine.

Originally Posted by Graeme

If the trailer's load was high (tall) or even just concentrated above the axles then perhaps the nose weight reduced too much on the slope, possibly even causing the trailer to become rear-heavy.

Not a high load - it was a Dingo loader on a trailer, but after reading your post, I realised the trenching attachment wasn't on the front of the trailer like it usually is, so it was missing a good 100Kg in front of the axles that it would normally have - could well have been a contributing factor. It's still the first time that has ever happened. No such issues like this with the Rangie's I usually tow with. - Old or new.