JDM Overlanders for the US! Land Cruiser Prado Kzj90 and Kzj95 Buyers guide and review. LC90

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Күн бұрын

Please subscribe to the channel so I can keep bringing you great content! We recently imported some Land Cruiser Prados from Japan and have been having a blast with them off road! I figured I’d share some info and tips for those out there interested in buying or importing one for themself!
Until a couple of years ago, you could not own a 90 series Prado in the US but as these trucks are now over 25 years old, they are legal for import from Japan!
A couple of things I should mention, these two trucks are technically 5 and 8 seaters. I didn’t make that quite clear in the video. Additionally, the transfer case selector has the options of 4H, 4HL, N and 4L. The 4H is for normal AWD while the 4HL is for the AWD with the center differential locked (off-road use).
#landcruiser #prado

Пікірлер: 67

@motodabz1175 5 ай бұрын

Great video! I bought the KZJ90 last year and it's been the most enjoyable vehicle I've ever had. I'm from New Zealand.

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

Right on!

@mohammeds5458 Ай бұрын

For Americans, this Prado is the same as the 3rd gen 4Runner, but with full-time 4WD.

@GhostSpeedShop Ай бұрын

And a higher roofline, lower floors, etc.

@donevanausborn4015 10 ай бұрын

I honestly can’t decide wether I want a 90 or 95, the one thing really pushing me towards the 90 is the wheel base, there are just some things only that short wheel base can do compared to longer wheels bases

@GhostSpeedShop 10 ай бұрын

Yeah you can’t go wrong with either

@sczullkjengker8380 Ай бұрын

Still driving this one

@NCbollado 3 ай бұрын

Hello! Excelente video, thanks! Have you change the steering rack?? I ask for it and it is extremely expensive. Do you have any advise about this?

@GhostSpeedShop 3 ай бұрын

I would change mine myself if needed. It’s not that big of a job if you get the parts yourself. I would shop around to find a reasonable price for install.

@eyeflynoosa 7 ай бұрын

i own the kzj95, when I bought it I had to replace the lower ball joints, totally shot and about to collapse. the lower control arm bushes were also shot and were a nightmare to replace, I had to cut the lower control arms out with an angle grinder. the bushes bolts were rubber welded into the arms. then after a few years the head cracked in 3 places, i bought a cheapy ebay head $1000 , and it seems to be okay for now, unfortunetly the turbo blew as soon as i started the engine after the new head was installed, unknown cause no oil i guess, so I had to pull half the engine apart again to remove the turbo, that was a fun job, replaced it with an eBay cheapy, $160, it's doing the job, for how long is anybody's guess, apart from that its a treat. 450,000 km on the clock

@GhostSpeedShop 7 ай бұрын

Damn, sounds like what I had to do to my hilux!

@eyeflynoosa 7 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop lots of fun for the home mechanic, anyone thinking of buying one should expect a cracked head at some stage, 1KZ-TE engine, and to keep a close eye on the ball joints, catastrophic failures are common

@GhostSpeedShop 7 ай бұрын

Meh. Depends on the mileage for the ball joints. I always suggest spending the extra money for the oem lowers. That’s all I’ll run. The heads are interesting, I have a buddy who just imported a kzj95 with 60k miles and the head cracked the first time he took it on the highway, yet there’s guys with 400k km on the original head. 95 percent of the cracked heads on the 1kz-te are from injector issues so I always recommend having the injectors replaced or rebuilt. Avoid the Chinese injectors too. Over 200k km, I’d look into replacing the radiator. It seems like the end tanks on the Toyota radiators start leaking around mileage across all platforms from the 90s/ early 2000s.

@eyeflynoosa 7 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop interesting. I was thinking radiator maybe, The heater core seems clogged as I'm getting no cabin heat, could be a fuse. Do you think injectors cause the head cracking problem?

@GhostSpeedShop 7 ай бұрын

I do, I think the injectors fail and the cyl gets too hot. It’s a well documented issue. outside of that, overheating can cause it too but that’s easily avoidable and pretty rare. The plastic valve on the firewall may be broken that switches open for your heater core.

@Carsaddiction 6 ай бұрын

Awesome review. Any insight what rare oem options to look out for?

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

Look for rear e locker, jump seats on the 5 door, rear ladder, double battery setup and there seems to be a factory winch option but I’ve never seen one on the Prados. I have seen them on the hilux surfs though.

@Carsaddiction 5 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop does the e locker have a visible button on the dash?

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

Yea, it’s a round dial knob to the right of the steering column.

@sczullkjengker8380 Ай бұрын

I installed a break booster in mine

@Mrobbs21 8 ай бұрын

Awesome vid. Just picked up a 95 here in Florida. Searched everywhere without any luck. Could you please tell me what is red and clamped under the glove box? I seem to be missing that. Thanks!

@GhostSpeedShop 8 ай бұрын

That’s a road flare. They are required in all vehicles in Japan. Most manufactures moved to LED versions but it’s a safety thing.

@Mrobbs21 8 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop thank you for the quick reply. Looking forward for more content!

@GhostSpeedShop 8 ай бұрын

Of course! I’ve been modifying the 90 series quite a bit so you may find that video interesting when it comes out!

@Baxter4kUHD 8 ай бұрын

did u buy the manual green prado from mints Auto sales?

@Mrobbs21 8 ай бұрын

@@Baxter4kUHD Blue Manual 1KZ-TE

@jeremyaustin4760 6 ай бұрын

Hi. Ive been tryin to find the mg clt relay (ac relay) location on this car. Would you happen to know where its located?

@GhostSpeedShop 6 ай бұрын

Isn’t it in the fuse box under the hood?

@jeremyaustin4760 6 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop it is. But there's more than one fuse box under the hood.

@sambroadwood4889 5 ай бұрын

Theyre a good Truck. me and My grandfather own a V6 each VZJ95R in Australia. High, High Locked, Neutral, Low Locked, as the transfer case. Really want a Kzj90 but theyre are or need to be imported.

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

Did Australia not get the 3 door model?

@sambroadwood4889 5 ай бұрын

Yes and no. We had to import them, they weren’t a standard AUDM (Australian Domestic Market) but standard AUDM Prados were the 5 door (95) with 3 different motors, 5VZ-FE, 3RZ-FE (4 cylinder petrol) and 1KZ-TE. The Prado 90 series also came with a 1KD-FTV in the EUDM and the JDM models.

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

I think the only diesel option was the 1KZ-TE. To date I haven’t found a single 1kd prado.

@sambroadwood4889 5 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop there weren’t many 1KD but they are around. Rare but there.

@GhostSpeedShop 5 ай бұрын

Interesting.

@user-lh8di1dg7s 9 ай бұрын

Who did you go through to get the Prados to Hawaii? 🤙🏽

@GhostSpeedShop 9 ай бұрын

I have a close friend who imports

@habtamud37 Ай бұрын

Great video, what’s the gas mileage you’re getting on the 4 door?

@GhostSpeedShop Ай бұрын

4 door for 20-22mpg

@dixitpatel87 9 ай бұрын

Are parts available in usa? If something goes wrong?

@GhostSpeedShop 9 ай бұрын

Some yes, everything frame down is available. There are some companies that Carry 1kz engine parts in the US but they are very easy to get from Japan.

@remlap42 Ай бұрын

the rear jump seats are actually a 3 seat bench, so its an 8 seater

@GhostSpeedShop Ай бұрын

Right, for small people

@Mohibmotors 10 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤

@uniquepedregon1545 10 ай бұрын

❤❤❤

@GhostSpeedShop 10 ай бұрын

❤️❤️❤️❤️

@guku0701 7 ай бұрын

Whats the mpg like?

@GhostSpeedShop 7 ай бұрын

Gas engine version; 19mpg Diesel engine; 24-25 mpg depending on driving habits.

@Bill-px2dk 10 ай бұрын

Need a Jeep comparison

@GhostSpeedShop 10 ай бұрын

Can do in the future!

@remyausborn 10 ай бұрын

The two door is better 🙌🏼

@GhostSpeedShop 10 ай бұрын

I agree!

@sczullkjengker8380 Ай бұрын

That's very rare

@Red1996Bull 7 ай бұрын

What's the weight difference between the two?

@GhostSpeedShop 7 ай бұрын

The 3 door version weighs about 3900 lbs while the 5 door version weighs about 4200lbs

@sczullkjengker8380 Ай бұрын

Seems yours are modified to only use 1 battery only.

@GhostSpeedShop Ай бұрын

No, two batteries in parallel.

@user-gw9rv8xn5q 4 ай бұрын

Kzj95 will seat 8

@GhostSpeedShop 4 ай бұрын

Potentially, not all kzj95s have the 3rd row though.

@user-gw9rv8xn5q 4 ай бұрын

@@GhostSpeedShop there not called kzj95 there called kzj90

@GhostSpeedShop 4 ай бұрын

What? Kzj95 is the 5 door model and kzj90 is the 3 door model. The 3rd row seating was an option but didn’t come on all kzj95. I’ve owned both, I have a great deal of knowledge on them.