Patrol v Landcruiser

If you buy the nissan

Patrol with: live axles, 3.0 TD, 130 litre tank, barn doors, spare on rear door, external roof gutter, 7 seats, 354 Nm (450 Nm if I add a DTronic), ~$50k new

Make sure it is well Insured so when you Burn it or leave it in Redfern with the door open key in ignition.
Make sure there is no replace vehicle clause in the Policy as you will want the money to go buy a Toyota.

Be the worst Nightmare car burnt out and they give you a replacement 4 Clyinder Nissam :(
Then again it is not Rocket Science 4 Clyinders or a 6 Clyinder

What sort of an Idiot would put a 4 Clyinder in a Vehicle that size ......... Well i suppose they give you the option of not buying them ?

Shane

Hey i've got a Ford Explorer is that opening a can of worms ?

You're best bet is to go & drive them both & that will make the decision for you.

They are like chalk & cheese after having driven them both.

Cheers

Darryl

Both have + and -

If you go the Patrol in Diesel go the 4.2. Lots more reliable than the 3.0.
If you go the Petrol 4.8, they are thirsty.

If you go the Cruiser Diesel Price them and once your out of hospital from heart failure, drive them.

The Cruisers are from $15,000 more to start with. No better in reality, but they only have crap IFS on them now. They not a bad car if you like driving a bread box.

$15,000 buys a lot of accessories..

Both cars have different seating and power characteristics, as someone else said, drive both and see what YOU think first.

Search there are a trillion threads on this!

G'day Mate,
I own a 3.0 TD PATROL 2000 model and had the same dilemma 3 years ago. I've been happy with it - contrary to what you read about them blowing up around 100,000 (check archives). It's beaut to drive, really good on long trips - around town a bit sluggish off the mark until turbo kicks.
Fuel consumption is unreal - close 30 mpg on trips and that's not nursing it. on the downside it's jerky in slow going because on the touchy throttle and has what i call turbo lag i.e a short flat spot at certain revs.
When i bought mine i couldn't go past the value - all set up with bars, wheels, ABS, duel airbags for under 50K.
I also have a 3.0 L Hilux 98 model which has 400,000 - have just put new clutch and gearbox in. Have owned it since new but it has had many drivers for work - tough as they say. it's the second HILUX I've had - previous 2.8 did 330, 000 without a problem.
I'm a real Toyota fan and if I made the decision again I'd get a 4.2 in either - probably the TOYOTA because of the resale but would definitley not pay for the factory Turbo but buy the 4.2 GXL and fit a good after market turbo.
If money's not a problem go for the real deal.
Cheers,
Ruts

Cruiser's don't have 180 litre tanks as standard. Its 145 litre on the non turbo and 141 on the turbo.

I'd buy the live axle non turbo GXL as you will never be happy with IFS ground clearance.

Don't be fooled into comparing list prices either, Toyota will drop $1000's off their prices while Nissan won't. The real difference in similar vehicles (you can't compare a 3.0 with a 4.2) is neglible.

Suggest you have a good look at the 3rd row seat folding and removal mechanism's also and you won't buy the Nissan.

Hi if you are going to spend $70k on a Cruiser then you got enough for the Nissan Patrol TI 4.8 got ours last year July 2003 brand new for $64,500 and came with ARB fron bar Spot Lights Rear Tow Bar tint windows Bonnet Proctors and wind deflectors also incl sound proof and rust protection just could not beat the value anywhere, the Patrol has been great since and would not part with it dives around town and off road the best, dont forget that when you get the Toyo at $70k then you might have to spend $10K to add the things that will take it off road such as spare wheel carrier front bar etc etc etc.
Good luck Going soon can't wait

It's been said a few times already here, 15 K can buy a lot of accessories and you will have to buy at least some. I've heard good reports about the 3L GU and towing. It pretty well suits everything you want it for. I've not actually been in a recent 100 series cruiser so I can't say why they're so much more expensive, I just know that the a GU is fine enough for me. The TI is definitely an option in my opinion when comparing to a cruiser as the interior is so much better (you even get a sunroof) and it has rear diff lock making it in my opinion, a better off road vehicle.
Cheers, Mark.

I went through the same dilema only 3 months ago when replacing my standard 4.2 diesel 80 series. After a lot of research and test driving I now have a manual 3.0TD with ABS and could not be happier.

The differences between the two are well documented already, but note that the cruiser has 424Nm standard and Nissan has 354Nm. I have fitted a dtronic and it now has 420Nm . It makes power right from idle and fixes the off-idle lack of power when towing.

I looked at a standard 4.2 Toyota after having such a good run with my non-turbo standard 80 series, but you cannot get a factory turbo or ABS brakes on it. When looking at the aftermarket turbo, I was told catagorically that I would have NO warranty on the engine AND the drivetrain if I did this. As I tow my offroad van regularly, I would not have a non-turbo diesel again, just simply not enough power for relaxed towing. Could not bring myself to spend $55K, add say $5K for a turbo and have NO warranty.

Also, did the research on blown 1HZ motors and as this is an indirect injection motor there has been quite a few cracked precombustion chambers. This is caused by too much boost and if one seeks the power you reduce reliability (and the 1HZ is a very reliable motor in standard trim).

I did not want the nissan 4.2TD motor at a $6K price premium over the 3.0TD, even though it is arguably the most reliable motor available. I prefer the modern design of high pressure fuel rail, multi valves, electronic controlled injection etc... as its FAR more effiecient. But then there are MANY who prefer the tried and proven mechanical design that can be fixed in the bush. Each to their own here...

There is a lot of doom and gloom about the 3.0TD motor, but its has been upgraded to overcome the problems of the first series 3.0TD, mainly pistons overheating. The "new" motor on the GU includes more oil sprays and galleries, upgraded pistons, more sensors etc. When you look into which engines actually died, the vast majority were ex-government (police, fire etc..) that had a high probability of being driven hard right from cold and/or otherwise abused. There are few original owners who had problems (check out the Yahoo GU patrol group). There has not been a failure of a genIII motor with holed pistons to my knowledge since.

As for price, I work for one of the largest companies that purchase many millions of dollars of fleet vehicles. The best fleet deal I could get for a 4.2TD cruiser was $67K drive away (NO extras) compared 3.0TD $49K drive-away with ABS safety pack, roo bar, tow, snorkel, spotties, seatcovers. Although I was in a position to be able to get the 4.2TD cruiser, I could not justify it to myself.

I made my decsion and do not regret it for one second. I am glad I talked to actual owners of 3.0TD and did not listen to those who's "brother mates uncle grandfathers cousins sister" had one that blew up. Virtually all 3.0TD owners passionately support their vehicle, and its only non-owners who knock them, probably jealous toyota drivers justifying the extra $18K they spent...lolol. Just look at the sheer number of 3.0TD Nissans on the road these days, they are everywhere!!!

I hope you are happy whatever way you decide to go. Both are very good vehicles and you need to decide based on what suits YOUR needs and budget

Cheers

Mark

Mark
Nissan 2003 GU 3.0TD

Mike_S,
Like the others it's your choice, it's whatever you feel comfortable in. I changed my 4.2TD GQ three months ago for a 3.0TD 2000 GU, despite all the negative stuff I'm very impressed so far, touch wood no problems. I towed my camper trailer down the beach two weeks ago before the dealer warranty expired to give it a go, no problem at all, and it was hard work, very soft. I took a few L/C's out for test drives, I like the fold down doors at the back, but apart from that I was getting a lot better bang for my buck sticking with a Nissan Patrol, I like my gadgets, and now I can at least afford some of them and have a 2000 vehicle, with the Cruiser with the extras I was looking a a 97 - 98 model and a few more K's and non turbo.
As Truckster says there is a "truck" load threads about this stuff if you have a search, plus there's a lot in the fourby mags if you want to read it. Over to you good luck. Keep the shiny side up

Mark,

Better take another look at your fleet deals. I got a 100 Series TD with auto, air, bullbar, alloys and towbar for $68,000 18 months ago. No fleet or company deal - just a straight sale from a Brisbane Toyo dealer (I didn't ask for the bullbar or alloys - they were on it when I took delivery).

Hi Mike

Reckon you should go for a petrol Patrol. Stock, traditional and reliable.
Diesel is costlier, not good for short trips, higher maintenance and have technical problems in one form or another. Fuel prices do not give you too much incentives either way, think of the grunt from a petrol engine.

Good luck

Wil

IMHO......Toyota throughout the range (Prado vs Pathfinder, LC vs Patrol, 75 vs Patrol ute) are 10% better vehicle for 30% more money.
Regards,
Brad.

TI models are not for me for the bush if you get the red mud in the carpets youll never get it out I would stick to the dx model easier to clean wot ever you decide youll be travelling. The toyo and nissans have there faults they dont like building perfect cars because we got to fix them, gives them more monee?gu bush basha

I have the gu 111 4.2 td and happy with it but if you go the nissan specify what tyres you want not mums taxi tyres

steveimagine a 03 gu 4.2tdin the picture
as i am having trouble sizing the picture

Jesus man just buy a 3.2 td pajero. More power than the pair of them. You dont have to put up with space sucking rear fold up seats and crap road handling. The Pajero will take you 99% of places the others will go and you get traction control and stability control standard even on the base model. They eat the sand. Dont discount it.

All I can say is dont pay 70 K for the GXL TD Landcruiser , you can get them alot cheaper than that Venus Bay

Go the 100 T/D it's magic.!!!

I paid less than 67,000 drive away with Auto, tow bar and Cooper ST's without fleet discount. You just need to hound the dealers and they will come good.

Johnny