Oh my God!!! What to do?
Submitted: Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:24
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Member - Hagar (SA)
Afternoon every body.
Advise is sorely needed with my current cunundrum. What am I to do?
As the "proud" owner of a 10/2002 Nissan GU III 3.0L Patrol, that have given us absolutely no problem to date, since bying it new (now at 100 000km), I can not help feeling very apprehensive regarding its longer term reliability. In light of the many horror stories of blown engines and not just the earlier models, is it now time to cut our losses and buy something else?
Today looked at a Toyota 100 GXL 4.2TD (auto) with 115 000km for $Au 43 000, resulting in a change over figure of $ Au 20 000, (Trade-in $24 271 loss approx $30 000 in 4.5 years). The question now is: Is pease of mind worth $20 000, or should I spend the money on the Nissan if/when it happens.
Come August, we are going to the north of W.A. and knowing Mr Murphy, if is is going to blow, it will surely happen then, leading to a costly retrieval back
home to SA.
So please all you wise folk, help me out, give me advise, steer me on a safe course.
Thanks
Allan
Reply By: Member - Blue (VIC) - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:27
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:27
Almost sounds like you've made your mind up and just want someone else to reassure you spending $20k now is the right move...
As a non pootrol owner I have no opinion here, just reading between your lines.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Hagar (SA) - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:46
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:46
Oh no I have not. $ 20 000 can buy a lot of time away, I am just poo scared of the thing blowing up at a VERY wrong location. Around
home (somewhere in SA) is not so bad, but far away with camper in tow loaded with our things is a completely different story. I really like the car, it has done all we ever wanted, it economical (14km/L towing at 100km/hr) comfy etc. BUT, recovery (?) fight with Nissan (?) and related cost may end up near the same.
Allan
AnswerID:
225087
Follow Up By: On Patrol (Aust.) - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:39
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:39
Hagar (SA)
You appear to be a victim of the scare mongers on this site mate. 10/2002 means ser III, that means enlarged sump capacity 8.2 litre's that means not susceptible to the earlier problem of oil getting to pistons.
Think about this, a Landcrusher of comparable features etc could cost you $15000 to $20000 more than the equivalent Patrol, you could buy a lot of Chev diesel V8 for that and still have a stronger car!!!
It's your call, my 3.0ltr has over 150000 on the clock with absolutely no hassles (12/2002) as are thousands of other 3.0 owners.
Colin
FollowupID:
486053
Follow Up By: Angler - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 23:39
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 23:39
14K/L towing!!! Mate that is remarkable economy, My 3 litre is lucky to get 9 or 10K/L without towing on the highway. With that sort of economy I would keep it. It's a rare one, and it's a series three anyway.
Pooley
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:16
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:16
Hi On Patrol - do you tow with yours and if so, what weight?
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 16:35
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 16:35
Buy a Sat Phone and worry no more. If it goes bang call someone to come get u, if it doesnt go bang call SWMBO and tell her u love her. Either way its a win win situation
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Follow Up By: On Patrol (Aust.) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:21
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:21
Gday Motherhen
Just a trades-man type trailer converted to
camp kitchen and camping gear, as far as I know its around the 750Kg???? Why do you ask mate.
Hagar
As for the Landcrusher option you might worry about your front diff away from
home. Not intended to bag any one brand rather to highlight that they all have an Achillies Heel of some sort.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:50
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:50
Hi On Patrol - coz when we go outback, pulling more than 3 tonne - must stress the motor more.
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Follow Up By: On Patrol (Aust.) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 18:22
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 18:22
Motherhen,
Nah, do you think so!!!! LOL.
Try leaving the curlers and hair drier at
home, that might help a little, LOL
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 18:44
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 18:44
Nah - they don't weigh 1/1,00th of the
tools and books HE brings. Anyway, i don't need curlers, I keep my hair straight.
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Follow Up By: On Patrol (Aust.) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 19:40
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 19:40
Oh DER
If you've got the
tools you need the books to show you how to use them!!!!
And if got the books you need the
tools to do stuff!!!!
Sheeeesh, Women!!! they know nutthin. LOL
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 19:51
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 19:51
HE is the driver, repairman; hence the tools - but SHE (me) has to help him with it all, then reads books so he has an excuse to pretend he's deaf and ignore me while i do all the cooking and cleaning etc.
SHE (me) is the navigator, trip planner,
cook and dish washer, cleaner, laundry washer, shopper, menu planner, photographer, diarist, all by herself with no help.
Men - they are so helpless!
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Follow Up By: On Patrol (Aust.) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:05
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:05
You know what to do now Motherhen!!!!
Leave him at
home and get yourself a toyboy that can fix things and wash up and
cook etc etc
Easy.
Happy trails guys.
I've got to go back to the kitchen now, and then later, "her indoors" will probably want S3X, and me with a headache and all, crickey, goodnight.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:40
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:40
Good one, On Patrol;)
Apologies Hagar for the mini hi-jack of the thread - may your Patrol continue to give you good service, as most of them do.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:40
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:40
Thats the funniest diatribe I have read for ages hahahahahahahaha
MH I hope your hand gets better too
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:50
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 20:50
Ta Bonz - we have a public hol tomorrow so it has an extra day for the swelling to reduce before i go back to work. At least i can still talk on ExplorOz with one hand.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 21:29
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 21:29
Hi Mutha, I was reading that info on an address you provided a week back. I read there that it took a 23 footer to 'approach' 3 tonnes. Not an 18 footer! Must be heavy books. Mind you I had posted a while back. Hope you two are
well there but don't drag the BT too far.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 21:48
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 21:48
Hi
John R - Ours is 2.2 TARE on the licence. Add 2 spare tyres, 2 gas bottles, 3 or 4 AGM batteries, 240 litres (kgs) of water, generator with ULP and box on a-frame, tools, fishing gear, clothes, food, small appliances, oh yes, and a box of books i can hardly lift for 'HE' to read. This lot would add up to approaching 1 tonne fairly easily.
Regards, Motherhen
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Reply By: gompy - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:53
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 15:53
Don't be scared, I am convinced that 99% of all the 3.0l patrols never blow an engine!! in any case you've got the series III, which should be oke!
AnswerID:
225089
Reply By: live4theweekends - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 16:51
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 16:51
We were just faced with the same sort of thing. Our 92 petrol GQ has 260,000k's on the clock and we are heading from Vic to SA, NT, QLD, NSW, ACT, Vic over a 3-4mth period. The old girl has gone strong so far and was it worth spending $25,000 to upgrade? Plus the extra expenses and time of fitting the fridge and brake controller and UHF etc etc again. We decided if we upgraded we couldnt afford the actual holiday so we had the motor pulled down (needed something looked at anyway) replaced welch plugs, head gasket, all new hoses and fluids, fan, aircon service,new radiator, leads, plugs, carby kit, valve seats(?) (
bore and pistons like new!) etc etc about $4500... a lot cheaper than $25,000. No guarantee it wont have a problem but then if you buy another secondhand vehicle you still have no guarantee.
Have a great trip :-)
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Motherhen - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:32
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:32
Hagar - you wound just like my husband! Doesn't want to risk something going wrong in the never never, and feels it risky even with the 2002 model (now over 125,000 kms, some of it towing heavy caravan). Not having the $20,000 grand, we have not as yet traded to something different or put in a V8; the only real options. Murphy usually sits on my shoulder ready to pounce where ever we go. We took the risk and did 19,000 kms last year, including Tasmania, and all went
well - Murphy stayed at
home. We fitted EGT gauge and boost gauge to make sure we don't stress the motor to blow up point. Will get the MAF sensor changed before we take another big trip with the 3 litre. Most of them don't blow - lots of them still on the road, despite the many first hand tales of series I, and rumours of more recent editions blowing. I don't know the kms we could expect to get from the hi-tech motor - I'm sure nothing like the old fashioned truck motors.
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:18
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:18
oops - typo - you SOUND like my husband. Hope you're not wounded LOL.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 16:36
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 16:36
you stab we bleed - its the way of the force
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:55
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 17:55
Nah Bonz - I'm the wounded one here. Last weekend a heavy grain bin lid blew down on my hand. It was recovering - amazing no broken bones - then yesterday same hand got stung by a bee - so swollen i can't even type with it.
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Reply By: Chucky - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:40
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 18:40
for 20 grand you could drop in a 6.5lt v8 diesel. Sell your motor and you will have plenty of change left over.
And you will be able to tow no worries at all.
Go on, you know you want too.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: goingplatinumcomau - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 21:39
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 21:39
hi chucky
Not a bad idea put in a 6.5 liter v8.
Sell the 3 liter as no Doubt there will be a hot market for blown 3 liters out there people wanting a patch up to flog the Nissans of before the market becomes Saturated with 2 nd hand one's.
I have heard there is an adaptor plate being made to fit a Perkin's into the nissan to replace the 3 liter it amazes me they never put a perkins in to start with.
On the other hand if you dump the nissan and get a Toyota you would be better of longterm as there id No Futcher for Nissans in this country.
Regards Jon
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:22
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 13:22
We got a quote from Brunswick Diesels when ours was around 80,000 kms. It also included changing auto gearbox. No change out of $20,000 after considering trade in motor at around $4,000. No trade in offered after 100,000 kms (they have no confidence in the motors lasting after 100,000 kms, even in the latest models). Still a bit of a gamble at how good the motor would be from them.
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Follow Up By: whyallacookie - Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 14:46
Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 14:46
I bet they don't (especially when someone is standing in front of them with those km's)
Brunswick get a good rep but at the end of the day they are a business and anyone talking to them is a potential customer.
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Reply By: Andrew(WA) - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 22:05
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 22:05
Hagar
Sell it privately. You'll get $30,000 + with full history 1 owner etc.
I'm doing the same thing myself.
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Reply By: Eric Experience - Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 22:09
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 at 22:09
Allan.
The risk of the motor blowing in the wrong place is pretty low, much less than 1%. The motors fail by over heating a piston, the most likely cause is over boost due to a failure of the air flow meter. If I wear in your shoes I would fit a boost gauge and note the normal boost under varying speeds and conditions, then if something odd happens to the boost you can drive carefully until the problem goes away or you can get it fixed. Much cheaper and you get to keep one of the best touring vehicles ever made, no I don't own one but have always been very impressed with them on trips with others. Eric.
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Follow Up By: Flash - Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 16:26
Monday, Mar 05, 2007 at 16:26
Allan, got to agree with Eric.
I would never ever own a turbo vehicle without a boost gauge. NOT EVER.
Whether a hose comes off, a waste
gate sticks (yes I know the ZD30 uses a different system ie: variable vanes), a sensor fails or whatever,- it pays to know.
I'd love to know how many ZD30 failures have been caused by something going astray in the turbo/fuel department.
And BTW underboost can be bad on some motors too, as on many it will cause overfuelling and therefore high EGT's.
If it starts to misbehave out bush one can drive the engine very gently till the problem is fixed.
Cheers
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Reply By: Member - Hagar (SA) - Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 01:26
Sunday, Mar 04, 2007 at 01:26
How good is this place!!! Thank you all for your advice. I feel it often helps to broaden the base rather than just my love and I talking things over. I do love the flaming thing (the Nissan) and dont really want the 100 series, otherwise might have looked that way initially but tooooooo flaming dear even back then and they are not free of problems either from all accounts. After all, $20 000 is a lot of dosh, better used for other things not to mention the obvious discusting depreciation of the Nissan (near $30 000 in 4.5years). No, I will stay with it and keep everythig crossed,
well nearly.
Thanks again
Allan
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