06 Navara has let me down for the last time.

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 18:59

ThreadID: 44174 Views:4355 Replies:15 FollowUps:12

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Member - extfilm (NSW)

Hi all,
Had a great weekend for the majority of it...... Saturday went to Baal Bone and saw some nice views although there was one section that was rather steep going down. Had the truck in 4wd low 1st and the thing almost got away on me........ I really should have been accelerating down in 1st low.
The second dissapointing thing was up on Stockton beach on Monday. Took a mate up there who has never been 4wding before in his Rodeo. His tyre pressure was at 20psi and made it up at Lavis Lane with no worries. I had to let the pressues down to 12psi and I still struggled. I felt rather embarresed as he knows I have been through the Simpson and heaps of 4wding around Australia. And yes it took the Navara 14 trys to get up Big Red and the tyre pressure was at 10 psi in the end. My 03 Hilux has never had a problem with either Stockton or Big Red :)
After having warranty issues with Nissan into the bargain I have decided to get rid of the piece of poo......... I bought it 10 months ago and have decided to go back to Toyota. Looking forward to getting the new 70 series Landcruiser.

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Reply By: Gronk - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:10

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:10

You sure that 4wd is actually working ???

Didn't think that there would be a great deal of difference between say a Navara, Rodeo, Hilux etc ?? Not what your describing anyway !!!!!

AnswerID: 232603

Reply By: V8Diesel - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:17

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:17

I hear ya. I eventually got fed up with the Patrol steering wobbles and gave my first and last Nissan the flick.

Very happily back in a Cruiser these days.

You get you pay for.

AnswerID: 232606

Reply By: Wisebyname - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:24

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:24

OH WHAT A FEELING.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself LOL.

Seriously, it's a shame the warranty issues you had otherwise you would probably not look to change, ?
The down hill run at Baal Bone applies to many instances, so thats taking each track /vehicle as it is on the day.
Tyre tread and pressure can be so different in diff' terrain. Sorry for stating the obvious, you obviously have expeirience.
Good luck with the trade in, 70S ehh..................hmmmmmmm..................

You'll take better pic's as a Toyota driver anyhow
Enough..........

AnswerID: 232611

Reply By: PatNav - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:25

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:25

Hi I know what ya mean about givin the sand hills a few goes but that was the fist time on stockton beach i found it hard work on the 4By ,but what i did notice that every time you go to a place you have been befor you will find it harder or sometimes easyier,the 2nd time on the beach for me was like the freeway up an down hills no probs it was dry as ,and windy too but for some reason the 4by went better,I put it down to the terrain is always different ,an i think ya mad to go back to a toyota Nissan Has STRENGHT!!!! It will also tke abit to get use to the IFS an the different gearing's but when u work it out you will star to find that you will go just as hard as the others
Cheers

AnswerID: 232613

Follow Up By: dan-the-man - Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:36

Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 at 19:36

nup. those navaras drive like a lamington with a steering wheel. spongy

FollowupID: 493502

Reply By: Member - 'Lucy' - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 00:43

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 00:43

Weeeeeeeeeell! I am gobsmacked - a dud Nissan and the owner going back to a Toyota.

Who would have thought such a thing.

AnswerID: 232659

Reply By: Black Beard - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 07:19

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 07:19

Changing badges won't improve your driving abilities...

AnswerID: 232675

Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 08:14

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 08:14

yeah thanks mate..............Had no worries on the same tracks with my 03 Hilux, 85 Forerunner..... As a matter of fact have taken an 83 Subaru to places where I know this Navara would struggle. Maybe this one is a dud but I did the right thing and at least tried it and shared my money around. Now I have first hand experience with both and can offer a true opinion :)

FollowupID: 493556

Follow Up By: Member - Russell H (WA) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:28

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:28

I'm with you extfilm. I've driven all manner of fourbies for work, most recently a Pajero, but been in toyos, patrols, defenders, rodeos, rolluxes, prados, you name it. I've bogged them all - but only on rare occasions and although the Paj was a piece of poo for other reasons, it never required the shovel. But now.....

The boss has got a couple of Navaras and on my first run through a place where the Paj used to breeze through, down she went. Extricated myself and half an hour later I'm back in the poo again. Shovel required on both occasions! (I don't do shovels...)

Anyway digging has become a feature of the job. I hate the Navara with a passion and it makes me glad that I'm finishing working in that job in six weeks from now - I think I would quit rather than drive the bloody Navara. The thing handles like a wet sock. The gearing must be all wrong or something. I dunno, I'm not a bad driver so it's got to be the vehicle.

FollowupID: 493587

Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:27

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:27

Hi
I dont know your abilities as a driver, sounds like you have no confidence in
your nissan, you didnt say if it was petrol or turbo diesel,
Our 2006 ST-R has not let us down, re dune driving, even towing up dunes,
I havent driven the latest tojo hylux, but I recently traded a 97 mod tojo hylux
diesel,it was a very good truck, but it couldnt tow our 2.5 tonn caravan,
OH I forgot to mention my wife drives a 2004 FORD EXPLORER and that can
tow up dunes as well, I was fortunate to do the DUNCANS 4WD driver training
course, I thought I knew every thing to know about 4wd driving since 1980,s
but I learnt in most cases the driver is the problem not the vehicle.

HERE ENDS THE SERMON

Cheers
Daza.

AnswerID: 232709

Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 12:34

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 12:34

Hi Daza,
It's a turbo diesel 3l. I do have confidence in it every time I go on a trip and will still have confidence if I can get to Papunya and the CSR in July, but that will be it's last trip with me. I know that if something does happen I can get myself out of a situation. The main thing that has left a sour taste is Nissan Customer Care. My 03 Luxy is a 3l diesel and has breezed through everything I have put it through. This Nav has struggled quiet a bit and the low range just didn't seem as low compared to the Lux. I am not too keen on the shape of the new lux and that is why I went for the Nav.
I have not done a course yet but I hope to do one in the next 2 months and I certainly admit to not knowing everything there is to know about 4wding but it does help that I own a Bobcat, 2 excavators and have driven backhoes for a few years on building sites. I'm also a motor mechanic by trade.
Maybe it is my driving but I am comparing this truck to places I have already been to in my luxy and forerunner.

FollowupID: 493602

Reply By: goingplatinumcomau - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:30

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:30

Hi
Yes Nissan's are geting the Worse Reputation out there i dread to think what the resale will be for the Unfortunate owner's when they face reality and go to sell.

After talking to the vehicle Auction's they stated the Nissan's are not bringing any money as there reputation has preceided them and

AnswerID: 232710

Reply By: goingplatinumcomau - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:32

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:32

AnswerID: 232711

Reply By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:34

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 11:34

Mate that is very dissapointing to hear...always a shame when an owner has no confidence in their vehicle....dumbstruck as to why, the Navara is just as capable as any Rodeo, Hilux, Triton etc...they are all basically the same with nothing outstanding between any of them.

I have taken a brand new Rav 4 to stockton and the only trouble I had through Lavis was the ground clearance....front bash plate would continuously dive into the whoop-de-doops till you hit the dunes then it was like a freeway!

My Isuzu mates and I drove all over that place like it was a freeway in a configuration not real different to you...IFS and 2.8 -3.1l turbo diesel on all tryes from Dunlop Grantreks, Coopers ST and Serengeti MTs. Strange.... your Navara should be fine!

Have you jacked it up to ensure you are truly locked in 4wd or watch as you drive so all wheel are spinning? It does sound like there is something amiss...shame to sell up and then fine out one hub wasnt locking or something similar.

Goodluck with it

Matt.

AnswerID: 232712

Follow Up By: Stu-k - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 14:41

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 14:41

Of course you had no probs in the Rav......its a Toyo.....LOL

FollowupID: 493625

Reply By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 14:46

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 14:46

Haha Cute!! Deluded but cute!

lol
Matt

AnswerID: 232736

Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 15:31

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 15:31

Sorry to hear about that, my Navara did " Big Red " first go, last August , and the sand was incredibly dry and deep, not an issue.
Goes anywhere you basically point it.

By the way, talking to a "cockie" last night at work, and he had a look at the new V8 Tojo Utes. In his opinion they are basically a " soft-roader " and he is glad he got his ute replaced just 18 months back , when Tojo still made "Tough Utes "

Now that was spoken be a Nissan Driver

Cheers Mate Bucky

AnswerID: 232749

Follow Up By: Stu-k - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 15:56

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 15:56

From all reports the new cruiser is pretty well the same apart from the motor.....guess the v8 must be soft lol

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Follow Up By: Member - Lance S (VIC) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:02

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:02

I'm with Bucky here, did Big Red in July last year FIRST GO, 2004 model and hasnt missed a beat. Recommend it to anyone.

cheers, Lance

Home Away from Home

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

FollowupID: 493645

Reply By: Member - Littleborgy (SA) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:23

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:23

I just noticed in your rig profile that u have mud terrain tyres... could this be the problem for your difficulties?

Cheers, Brad

AnswerID: 232777

Follow Up By: Member - Littleborgy (SA) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:24

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:24

Sorry, that should read "could that be the cause of your difficulties"

Cheers, Brad

FollowupID: 493652

Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:03

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:03

Hey littleborgy,
I was wondering when someone would notice that. Although the fronts are getting quite bald.
I have thought about the mud terrains digging in and that is more than likely to a big part of the story on sand.
It does not explain why it almost got away from me in low first going downhill in terrain where muddies should perform :(

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Reply By: Granpa Joe - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:42

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:42

Give her a go with a bit of weight in the tray, enough to get the suspension working. A friend of ours turned up for a play ithe a couple of weeks ago in his new hilux cab chassis and was spitting wheel spin front left ,rear right you name it ....it was doing it. After shoveling about 200kg of sand in the back it was transformed into something resembling a decent 4wd as the suspension was working and the wheelspin had stopped. He had a lot of weight over the front axle and none over the rear axle with nothing in the back.

AnswerID: 232789

Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:51

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 17:51

I have a 200 litre fuel tank on the back and it was full for Big Red. Plus carry mininum 120litres of water. That, I think equates to approx 320kg. Then there is all the recovery equipment, tools, a second spare rim, another spare tyre casing, fire wood, camping stuff etc....... I estimate I was carrying around 600kg plus.........

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Follow Up By: Granpa Joe - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:16

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:16

How about a better tyre and rim selection then, the tyres you have in your pics are a very low and narrow profile even in comparison to the hilux in your pics. Most standard tyre profiles leave a lot to be desired for sand driving qualities especially stiff commercial tyre profile packages as they don't allow for much of a bagging/ float effect.

Just a positive sugestion buddy.

FollowupID: 493667

Follow Up By: Member - extfilm (NSW) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:39

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:39

Both the Hilux and the forerunner have 205's, the Nav has 225's. But as I said in an earlier post it is not just sand driving. In the Gardens of Stone NP, driving downhill in 1st low, it almost got away on me. I am under the impression you have more control if you can accelerate down a hill and use the engine to brake it. The hubs were definately locked, was the first thing I checked at the bottom

FollowupID: 493676

Reply By: Bware (Tweed Valley) - Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:53

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 at 18:53

Lack of engine braking in a diesel in L1 can't be blamed on driver ability.... even if it is a mechanical issue that can be fixed, it's easy to see that you are over it. There's no point living with something you're not happy with; life's too short!

AnswerID: 232802