Truckster (Vic) replied:

Ouch $1000 for 2 bonnet hinges??

But once fixed it should be good for another 4 yrs?

Member - Pesty (SA) replied:

Vince if you are going to travel the outback, and many other not so car freindly places, get something a bit more robust a pathfinder is not designed for heavy outback travel either, in 4 years you will be back on here saying its buggered as well.
There are a whole range of dual cab utes, and Prado, Pajero, type vehicles and of coarse Patrol and Cruiser if you want them to last.
If you are into Holden/Isuzu what about a t/deisel rodeo dual cab ute, designed to handle the tougher trips, and yet easy to drive at home, and a motor thats has good grunt and is economical, and made by one of the biggest deisel engine manufacturers in the world, cant be all that bad.
That way you are not overloading a small vehicle and then putting it over rough corogations etc., which will destroy any smaller type vehicle.

Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) replied:

I thuoght the Frontera was made by Isuzu. I think the Pathy is a good choice if you don't want a big 4x4by, just ask truckster.

Member - Pesty (SA) replied:

May have answered your own question Vince, 360,000 against 80,000 , if you need a tougher truck but want better ride, go back to your rodeo and have a set of suspention seats fitted or suspention bases for the seats that are there.

Mark replied:

Iv'e seen cracks in Patrols and Cruisers as well, particularly after extended use on corrugations.

My current GQ Patrol (275 000 km) has body cracks - on the rear and side doors below the glass, and a 250mm long crack in the passenger side floor where the footwell joins the firewall, The chassis (not mine yet) can also crack near the panhard rod mount and the upper rear coil spring brackets. The inner guards can also crack. (mine havent yet)

80 Series cruisers - many earlier models are showing body cracks at the base of the C pillar, visible only when the rear doors are open - these are a good indication of how an 80 Series has been used.

My mates 75 Series Cruiser ute had lots of cracks in the cab up around the turret after 300 000 km of use by a gas exploration company.

My leaf sprung 45 series l'cruiser ute had numerous cracks in the chassis around the leaf spring mounts and in the middle behind the cab with less than 180 000 kms (lots of corrugations)

Suzuki Sierres will develop cracks at the base of the A pillar from rough roads.

Most people would be amazed how much a vehicle body flexes on corrugations and cracks are inevitable in time. I'm surprised most vehicles last as long as they do given the shaking that corrugations dish out.

So, you're in good company.