The love affair is over.

Submitted: Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 08:38
ThreadID: 13412 Views:1697 Replies:5 FollowUps:6
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My love affair with my 2000 Fronteria may be comming to an end. Had it in the smash repairs yesterday to have some small body cracks around the air filter box welded up. When I picked it up i was disapointed to find I still had a rattel in the front of the dash. Out with the work light to find that both bonnet hinges were about to let go.
There are a lot of cracks in the pannel where the hinge joins the bonnet.
Word from the local smash repaires is that it can not be fixed, neet a new one for $1000 plus.
Has anyone else had problems with body panels cracking.
We were due to head of to Bridsvill in 2 weeks, so it may be a good thing that all the roads are closed by rain.
Vince
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 13:26

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 13:26
Ouch $1000 for 2 bonnet hinges??

But once fixed it should be good for another 4 yrs?
AnswerID: 61493

Follow Up By: Vince NSW - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 13:54

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 13:54
Thats the silly part. The hindges are of, the bonnet is stuffed. My main worry is what else is going to fall off.
May have to look for a path finder
Vince
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 14:08

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 14:08
"May have to look for a path finder"

CALLING ERIC.. CALL FOR ERIC...
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Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 14:23

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 14:23
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.
AnswerID: 61498

Follow Up By: Vince NSW - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 15:28

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 15:28
Hi Pesty
Have had 2 Rodeo's. 1st one dod 360,000 we had it for 10 years. 2nd 5 years. The boss said she wanted some comfort, so the fronteria. It's done 80,000 and over 40 % on VERY bad dirt. We live in the Blue Mountains but on the worst piece of road in OZ.
Two years ago we did the big trip out to the Rock , then Mereenie Loop, Old Andado, Oodnadatta, Birdsvill & home via Cameron Corner, and the worst piece of road we struck was the on leading to our house.
May be I have the surspention a bit to solid.
Vince
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Reply By: Member -Bob & Lex (Sydney) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:42

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:42
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.
AnswerID: 61522

Follow Up By: Member - StevenL - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 18:49

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 18:49
The first Frontera when it came out was virtually a wagon version of the Rodeo. I had a Rodeo pickup at the time which was a really good ute but the 2.6 four pot auto was really really thirsty.I had a bit of a look at the Frontera. The front end seemed to share panels and the dash looked very similar. I didn't get as far as the engine.

Don't know about the later model though...

Steven
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Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:44

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:44
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.
AnswerID: 61523

Follow Up By: Vince NSW - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:53

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 16:53
Well as I have to spend the money on the new bonnet. Final cost $1187.50 including painting, I will have to keep it for a while yet. I have only just put a new set of BFG AT's and sunrasias on it plus a suspension lift, so SWMBO would kill me if I wanted a new truck.
While I have you Pesty. How long do the tracks in the north take to dry out. We are due to head to Birdsville on 24 of this month.
Regards
Vince
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Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 17:13

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 17:13
If its only rain and not flooding most are closed so they dont get chopped up so from a couple of days to a week or so.
Keep an eye on the Transport SA web site ( sorry cant do that auto link thing that some smartbleeps do) where road cond. are posted or call Ruth at Birdsville C/Park for word of mouth info.
Dont forget EO cuppas at Berri, Blyth, Kadina, Peterborough on the way through.
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FollowupID: 323001

Reply By: Mark- Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 20:20

Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 at 20:20
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.
AnswerID: 61565

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