This is aimed at people who have or had a 70 series, I know they are an acquired taste and its an expensive car with not a lot but the lack of intrusive drivers aids is one of the reasons Im so drawn to these cars.

I have a Ranger Wildtrak and to be honest Im not overly happy with it and an opportunity has come up to be able to get a new model 79 dual cab with the V8.

So I am asking myself is it worth it? Because:

-I own my Wildtrak, I owe nothing on so trading it in means borrowing $19-25k
-its the WorkMate (no power window, no difflocks, no USB charge ports) none of that is a deal breaker for me
-my wife cant drive manual. She rarely drives the Wildtrak as it is and she has a scooter for getting too from work. I might be able to finally get her to learn but if not she wont be driving until we get her a new series Prado or a 300 (she wants one of them, just waiting for the new Prado to come out before we make a decision.
- I have two under two the Ranger is already limited on space and these things are smaller still. But we plan to get a Prado or 300.

I know this is the last of the V8s. The writing is on the wall for them and im not hugely interested in owing another 4cyl diesel. I find them to be disappointing and while I get that the 4cyl in the 70 currently owns the V8 according to a lot of "journos" the issue is its a reworked Hilux engine that has had its fair share of past problems and is yet to be proven in its current state.

For those of you have picked up a new 70 series (in particular those 3 of you who have managed to get a V8, what do you think? Is it something I should give some more serious thought too?