Not sure but in that price range I am going to guess you will struggle for a diesel pajero or prado with even half low k's on it. Serious 4WD in reality the patrol is the only one on your list and for 35K you will pick up a very good low km 3 lt diesel patrol. Around town they are OK, but not in the league of prado or pajero. On the highway probably the Prado is the pick and they are certainly capable of getting most of us into more places than we will ever want to go, just the patrol feels a little safer and more surefooted, I assume because of the wider wheelbase.

you will read lots of bad stories about the patrol motor, but in reality if you buy a 2007 you should expect 200,000+ km of trouble free motoring out of it no problems (which is a lot).

I had a 2003 patrol, did 120,000km and traded it on a 2009 prado. No doubt the prado is a more refined car, but I still miss the patrol off road and with a load behind it.

Can't comment much on the pathfinder other than the ones i have ridden in felt very "cheaply" finished. Pajero I have no experience with, other than some very poor dealer experiences because I was tossing up between it and the prado at the time but struggled to even get a salesman to talk to me at the Mitsu dealership whereas the toyota dealer almost opened my door to let me out.

 haven driven all these vehicles at some stage in the last five years i would put the pathfinder ahead of the rest with the 2.5 diesel out performing the other motors in my opinion but you really cant go wrong if you buy any of these vehicles as there all capable but there is a question mark over the patrol 3 litre as a long term performer. 

 Double posts ???????

We got 2 3ltr turbo diesel Patrols and they are flawless.

Prado
Will do everything you need it to plus way more, :) only thing I'm unsure of is number of seats in them.

Currently lookin at the new 4x4 Colorado. For under $40k brand new top of the range with all the bells & whisltes & a 3lt turbo deisel, seems to be in the range of what you are lookin for. Maybe the dog will havta sit in the tub...lol
Cheers Rob

to me the patrol sounds like it will fit the bill best - easily the roomiest of the options. For the size of the car, I felt the 3L was a little undergunned but it gets there eventually, but its kinda sluggish around town compared to a Prado/Paj and less economical.

I guess it also depends on how old / big your kids are - judging by the 7 seat comment they sound like they are a little too big / old to shoehorn 3 across the backseat?

 your splitting hairs with the prado and pajero. On road you can't go past a Pajero for handling, good fuel economy and not bad range, obviously no where near the Prado with near on 1500kms of range but paj will take you 700kms plus on the highway, easily to the next town. Patrol is a lot bigger and slower but has the room. Pathfinder is also a very capable vehicle.

For pure price you can rule out a Prado unless you want a poverty pack GX. Can pick up a TD Paj for close to 40k in GLX guise in 2007 model, if you can stretch to a VRX it's worth the extra cash for the electrics and the like. Pathfinder dunno but a quick search on the web soon sorts that one and the Patrol well there's plenty on the market so resale will be a bitch which works in your favour.

best of luck mate

For 8 years now, 4 of those where spent in Broome an north of Broome, never put a spanner to it, great off road and heaps more room inside than a Prado or a pajero imo.

Thanks everyone, pretty much along the lines of what I had learned.

Prado - 7 seats, but the best I'll get is a GX (as Brucesta said). Easily the best in terms of cabin fitings etc but probably stretching things. Went to pickles today and a very nice GLX went for $53000!!! The dealer mrgin will be insignificant. All of the used car dealers are telling the same story about the lack of new cars coming out of Japan with the tsunami is impacting on the used car market, anyone confirm this?

Pajero - Am looking at 2007 VRX's in the high 30's, some slightly higher mileage.

Patrol - not so bothered about speed, but the economy is bothering me especially with diesel prices and now reliability is concerning me.

Pathfinder - not as nice a finish as the first two, but cetainly more car for money. Looking at some decent ones in the mid-30's.

Kids are 13, 7 and 4. They fit on the back seat ok, it's just when friends are added it becomes complicated.

Any other opinions gladly listened to.

I wouldn't bother too much about the patrol on economy or reliability. The web is full of horror stories but when you search for the truth it is very very hard to find anyone who has had a major issue with  a 3 lt patrol post 2003, especially compared to Prado injector failures. Patrol may use more fuel, but I would trust it to get me out bush and back over and above my current prado, but given my useage the prado is just a lot nicer to drive day to day.

Economy wise I don't really think the prado is that much better, especially once you put tyres, bar, suspension upgrade etc. From memory my old patrol would get around 11lt per 100 and the prado if I am being very nice with a tailwind is maybe 10.5 so nothing to concern yourself about.

Pajero tank size is actually what put me off it. I like to tow up north and once you ad a boat 80 litres is not much diesel. Towing with the prado gets about 18l per 100

Have been havng the same dilemma. I have settled on the Pajero diesel and picked one up today (2007,  700000km's, manual with the optional diff lock) for 34 and a bit. Looked at a lot though and was going to go to the Pickles auction, but they seemed to have a lot of K's on them.

I looked closely at the Patrol, but in the end I decided to get the Pajero as I have an 89 4.2 D Maverick ute (GQ Patrol) and I'll keep this for launching off the beach and fishing trips with the boys (If you met my mates, you wouldn't let them near your good car either).

Either way, I don't think you can go wrong if it checks out mechanically. The Pajero's third row of seats is cramped but it uses a lot less fuel and has a very good factory warranty (five years) but the Patrol is bigger.

From a dealership in Wangara mulie?

Yeah mate, the white GLX. I traded in my old AU Fairmont as it doesn't lke the offroad stuff like it used to. Seemed like a decent deal.

 I believe you had just finished the test drive and were negotiating the trade-in when I got there to have a look.

Nice motor, good price as well.

 personally i would go for the patrol. All my research says , cheaper to buy, cheaper to fix (if needed) , cheaper on fuel for vehicle of that size, has the seating you require and not too bad off road. in the end , its your choice as its your money, well the banks realy

There's a couple of decently priced Patrols with low k's on carpoint if you're interested. I hadn't got around to checking them out yet when I decided on getting a Pajero.

I'd agree on most of those points Russ, the main reason I got the Pajero is that the Grey Nomads reckon the Paj soaks up the bumps better on the unsealed stuff and the fuel figures are very good in the Pajero.

You cannot make Horsepower out of fresh air in an Automotive sense.

Patrol and Landcruiser have a full trucklike chassis which equates to a very strong 4WD.

For what its worth, my 2003 Pajero T/D towed boats consistently, (including 2.2tonne), I did 250,000ks, and it never had any issues, not even a wheel bearing, 9to 9.5l/100k city and country.  It was used for country runs and gravel roads and mud retrievals from creek beds etc. No problems with "strength". Up to 2009 they have 125kw, same as current Prado (127kw), the new NT Paj (second hand about 40K +) now has 147kw.  I just got a new one and drove it over east and it was a delight using 8.5litres/100km average.  They have the same motor as the older one, just a bigger turbo.  For Paj info google Pajero owners club and select series 4-2 Paj, there you will see issues warts and all.  For Prado info go to Pradopoint and see the problems they have.  I don't know the other sites for info, my choice was Pajero or Prado. Manheim sometimes has 2009 NT Pajs for under 40K ex East.  Good luck..........

We just bought the 2010 Pradio 3ltre turbo deisel, 6 gear auto, comparing it to the 1993 Toyota Hilux 2.8lte deisel,5 speed manual,  its like getting out of a jet car to a tractor, power wise.  I know new isn't in your budget but I wouldn't buy anything but toyota.  The prado is fantastic on the beach, haven't had to put it in H1 or L2 yet, and that is with me driving. towing fantastic, cruise control brilliant, comfort A1, have to watch my foot on the pedal, as you just don't realise that you are doing over the speed limit in suburban streets, have to back off all the time, two neighbours are going to buy second hand Prado's.  Fuel comsumption is 10.9klms per litre, (on board computer,) 150litre tank, we've only done 3,400klms so not run in yet.  We bought the Prado as we are both 63yrs young and this car will do us for about 20yrs, as the Hilux has done us since 1998 when we bought it, still have it as well.

Was looking at Pajero, Jeep as well, asked a few different friends, and mechanic friends, all pointed me to the Toyota Prado.

It boils down to what you really want, as the dearer Prado's, 2 series up have what you want 7 seater etc maybe be able to buy a good second hand one..

I just towed my boat to Exmouth and back with a 2008 Prado. We averaged about 18l/100km (as Simon C states) sitting on 105kph.

Boat weighs a little over 2 tonne, plus 4 adults and a kid.

The long range tank comes in handy as we only stopped for fuel once on the way back, and that was more to stretch the legs and grab a pie rather than needing fuel at that point.

A mate did a similar trip in a new Patrol a few months back, sat on much the same speed, but used about 24l/100km. But there is much more room in the Patrol, and for the price, they are a lot of bang for the buck.

Thanks bsir, that's quite some difference in the fuel economy even towing a boat.

In the paper, [Go toyota John] And my prado is older with lots of gear on it, But go anywere

Come and have a drive sometime, Or we can go fishing sometime

cheers steve

My mobile mechanic recons they are the highest depreciating 4x4s on the road so you should be able to buy a decent Series III in your price range

Personally, after fixing a few things after purchase, I love my Landy....

You have to consider how mu ch off roading your going to do, if it's a 70/30 split I'd go for the pathfinder,we have one and it handles almost like a normal car plus theres more leg space in the back 2 rows than my pajero. You can also fold down the back seats individually which is a bonus plus all seats can be laid down so theres a flat bed in the back. Highway cruising you'd get between 9 and 10 litres per hundred. I've also got an 06 paj and it's better offload but the pathfinder beats it on road

wait till it shits itself royal like they all do and you will need a second mortgage! john go the prado they arent a bad car