Rob,
You have to look at this from several angles.
1) Will you have to pay import duties on the new vehicle? Check this
out because many Africa countries charge enormous amounts (in excess
of 100%).
2) How was the used vehicle treated? If it was well treated it should
be OK, but if it was used rough, it's probably knackered.
3) Does Toyota in Zambia have the equipment/spares/knowledge to
service thw new one. You don't say where you're going to be, but you
don't want to have to go to Lusaka (or South Africa for that matter)
just for a service. This is a serious consideration as diesels require
servicing every 10,000km or 15,000km. If the new one is all
computerised, it is VERY likely that no-one in Zambia will have
suitable diagnostic kit for the vehicle.
4) Full time 4WD is more convenient, but let's face it, how much of
the time are you going to need it. You can drive all the way from
Johannesburg to Nairobi in a 2WD vehicle, so a part time 4WD is more
than adequate for normal use.
Regards,
Marc - Johannesburg
On 9 Jun 2005 02:51:30 -0700, "rob" wrote:
>
>We're moving to Zambia in a few months and we want to buy a Prado; my
>wife works for an aid organization, so we can buy a new vehicle from
>Toyota-Gibraltar -- customized for Africa / "extreme climactic
>conditions". Alternatively, for just over a third the price, we've
>found a 95 (75,000 km, KD-KZJ78W-MET body ) Japanese import already in
>Zambia looking for a buyer. We can afford the new one, but it is a
>lot of money that will be lost over our anticipated 3+ years in
>country in terms of new vehicle depreciation and probably higher
>insurance (assuming we don't get the next post in another
>right-hand-drive country). On the face of it, and I am a novice
>4-wheeler, it seems like the 95 would provide 95% of the enjoyment of
>the newer one -- a friend with a 94 Japan import Prado in Zambia is
>150% happy with hers, she test drove the 95 and reports it is better
>than hers.
>
>My current concerns about the 95 are the 95/96 changes I've been
>reading about. In 96 they switched to full-4wd from part-4wd, and I
>find books (like an english-language owner's manual) on Amazon covering
>96-02 but nothing else. The vehicle would certainly be used for daily
>school commutes with the kids, but we're buying because we intend to
>do lots of cross-country on the weekends and holidays. I'm
>anticipating bad and washed-out roads as opposed to more enthusiast
>dune climbing or super-offroad action. I don't understand what
>"part-4wd" means for the older Prados -- it clicks in automatically
>when a wheel starts to spin, shift into it, or "dirt road coming
>honey, let's get out and fiddle with the hubs" ?
>
>Besides the extra money, the main drawback that I can see of the new
>one is the (probably small in Zambia) carjack risk.
>
>Both vehicles have similar accessories - bullbar, central locking, AC,
>etc. Both are 3.0l diesel, manual transmission.
>
>I'd really like to read your response on my dilemma one way or the
>other.
>
>thanks,
>
>rob.
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