Nissan Patrol choice

Sorry thats the 17 inch wheels on the ST wagon

Paul

Hi paul, I have an ST patrol, which also has electric windows and ABS, on top of the other things you mentioned, and I now wish I had got the standard DX.

Yes, I love electric windows, except when the keys aren't handy and it starts to rain, getting the internals of the door wet are a good way to stuff up electric windows, and the windows rattle like crazy if they are only wound down 3 or 4 inches. Also, that improved sound system you mention isn't that great ! It also fills the whole dash. I am thinking of putting in a good CD - tuner, which will give me room to fit a UHF in the dash instead of behind the centre console, where it is now.

Better seats and carpet are also on the ST, but Mine now has red dust on parts of the interior near the rear doors, and its proving to be difficult to get out, but the biggest thing I don't like about the ST is the plastic flares on the wheel arches.

I have had to replace the left rear flare already, and the two pieces cost me over $700, at trade price !!!! Also, unlike the 80 series cruiser flares which seem to resist scratching, mine are all scatched from the overgrowth on bush tracks etc; and I'm unsure about being able to rub them out with fine wet 'n dry. Although I have seen them painted with good results.

The DX doesn't have these plastic bits, and also a bonus for me would've been the 16 inch split rims. I don't mind 'em at all, having had a 45 series tojo with splits.

The main reason I ended up with an ST was the auto box, which I don't think you can get in the DX, and all the second hand DX I looked at were thrashed !

In the end it depends if you want the vehicle to be mums taxi, or if you are going to fit it out with storage systems & shelving, and basically give it a really hard time.

Cheers,

Muzz

Go the ST, get it detailed once a year, and enjoy the extra's, 16" aftermarket wheels will fit for your offroad tyres, and dual airbags have to be worth the expense, as Im sure none of want to be the driver that got away unscathed, sitting in a hospital explaining to our passenger how much money we saved when we ordered the car without airbags.......

Paul,
All the extra bits on the ST represent good value when you see the diff in price between the two models. The resale is better as well. I've managed to keep the ST reasonably clean over the last 5 yrs, despite some rough treatment, and mats will keep your carpet safe. Wish they'd bring out some non-metallic colours in the paintwork, tho; metallic does not go well on thickly overgrown tracks, and white is so, well.., boring. Have occasionally seen a plain red one, but that's not listed in the colour schemes. Agree with the comment on the plastic wheel arches - they break and are very expensive. Having had split rims, now seem to prefer the steel safety rims, tho with the new 17's, I did run into a guy recently in a rental who had a 17" tyre go in the Kimberly, and it was going to take over a week to get a new one in for him, and that was flying it in. He drove back to Kununurra on nil spares. Scarey!
Gerry

Guys,
A bit late but Cooper have ST in 10ply 17 inch to suit new Patrols. Just be sitting down whenyou ask How much?
JR