Davoe replied:

depends depends problem with 2nd hand vehicles you have very little idea about previos life. Diesals work most efficiently after warming up so if it has been started driven to the shops for milk then straight back etc etc then that would not be good as it is the heat of the motor that aids combustion (hence the glow plugs when cold) just as if it had 300,000 of hard towing that also wouldnt be good. I would always give more consideration to a low k unit perhaps paying more attention to wheather it was regulary serviced and wheather it blows smoke which could be an indicator of leading to sedentry life. 300,000 is starting to get up there even for a diesal. Sorry I havent really answered your q but in my opinion I wouldnt be concerned about low ks but rather how they were achieved certainly long runs are better for all cars not just diesals. fyi I have driven countles hzj utes with 4.2 motors while in the mining industry which can cop some abuse and I have never even heard of a motor expiring

Member - Jeff M (WA) replied:

Willem, K's are K's are K's. The less the better. I've had two diesels now and both I bought with very low k's for their age. The first thing I did to the both of them was replace all hoses and belts because they had'nt been changed (not enough k's yet) but were 5 years old plus. If you watch out for things like that (just common sense) you won't have a problem. ie A timming blet might need replacing every 100,000km's but if it's 10 years old and only done 60,000kms I'd be changing it anyway!!
Just make sure the oil and filter has been changed on the dot. If the beast has had good oil in it 9 times out of 10 the ol' diesel will be happy for a long time yet!

flappan replied:

Its not only the motor you need to consider though.

I think the lower the K's , with proper servicing , even a town runner , would be preferable to a high K's vehicle.

Member - Des Lexik(SA) replied:

G'day Willie, I also agree that servicing every 5,000 k's is the secret to engine longevity.

Davoe replied:

Me again Willem A 15 yr old 4.2? That would be 1989, Toyota didnt graduate to the 4.2 1hz from the 4l 2h til 1990. Your not thinking of jumping ship are you?

duncs replied:

Willem

I sold an 89 patrol with 385k on the clock. Original owner did very little, second owner ran over 1000ks per week just to get to work plus trips some of which worked the car very hard indeed. Think 4wd mag testing gear. I had it for about 8yrs and was somewhat of a compromise betweenthe first two owners. I used it as a city hack, touring this wide brown land and can it really get up there weekends with the boys.

The engine showed few signs of slowing down but other things started to let me down. Suspension and steering components started to fail in a big way and then a brake calliper fell off. Oh yeah that was fun.

The vehicle you describe sounds like a pretty safe bet but possibly a bit exe.

Good luck
Duncs.

Member - Cocka replied:

G'day Willem
We just got back from a plesant 4 days over your way. Flew to Adelaide with a couple of friends to spend time eating our way through the Barossa. Gee it's dry out that way.
Re diesels and their history. I have a little theory about certain owners and their ability to drive a diesel as it was meant to be driven ie there are those who want them to perform like a high reving petrol eng as that is all they have ever been used to driving. As you know a diesel is basically about torque and can run slowly under load for years, so maybe checking the maintainance skills of a driver and the likely use to which the vehicle has been subjected raises another question in the tapestry of considerations.

Cheers old son.

Bilbo replied:

Willem,

I still own a 1989 Ford Mav trayback ute (as well as 100 series TD Cruiser). I bought the Mav when it had done only 38K kms in 1991. It's now done 220K kms and all of it rough ( I mean ROUGH) bush work as a prospecting vehicle. Being an (ex) diesel mechanic, I changed oil and filter every 5000kms - religiously. It's bullet proof, still pulls like a train, burns no oil, makes a bit of black smoke if you accelerate hard - but the Nissan TD42 motors all seem to do that, in spite of injector changes. I know of many TD42 motors that have done 350,000 kms and still don't burn oil etc and can still pull a brick****house down. Willem, my Mav has had a tough life and I swear by it. It's now been put out to pasture on a mate's farm as a hack vehicle. But I know if I wanted to go from Kalgoorlie to Darwin - cross country - then the MAV is the vehicle I know would do it - and back! Only probs I've had are a drivers side disc brake caliper that persistenetly jams and wears the pad and then the disc rotor - twice it's done it and you don't know it's done till it's too late. That and a few bulbs, batteries and a set of alternator brushes is about all. If I was still out prospecting for a living, the Mav would still be my vehicle. I'm glad I never sold it. I worship that vehicle. It never let me down. Toyotas 'Cruisers are comfortable and torquey -but Nissans are just plain TOUGH.

Bilbo

cokeaddict replied:

Hi Willem,
Just my shillings worth here, Check it out mate, they are amazing cars for what they do. I wouldnt think twice. Just get the price down, 1989 models are going for around 10,000 these days.
I clocked 600,000 on my first one mate, still going strong when i sold it too. Sorry i did now, i miss the old girl.
Good luck mate, im sure u will know if its right for you.
Cheers Angelo

Paul's lot replied:

Do yourself a favour big guy, ask about the service history. the quickest way to kill any diesel engine is to leave the oil unchanged. When you do get on, it seems a little overboard but change the oil and filter every 5000km religiously and don't do 5minute runs all the time. It takes approx. 15 to 20 minutes running to get the iol heated and evaporate moisture and crap. Happy Hunting

Glenn D replied:

Bought a new ( different ) vehicle recently because we are going round Australia. My 84 pajero didn't make me feel too cofident in my driveway let alone up the cape. I really wanted an 80 series but for a few grand more I got a 3lt Patrol with a lot less km's. I know you said you had a limited budget but the whole drive line , suspension , bushes, etc has done the mileage along with the engine, If you know the cars history it makes it an easier question to answer. All things being equal Ireckon go for lower mileage!!