towing nissan 3ltr??

Submitted: Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 18:56
ThreadID: 78710 Views:3208 Replies:8 FollowUps:3
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hi I own a 23ft 2500kg van and currently tow with a Nissan 4.5ltr petrol. love the car but the fuel makes it very dear to go away would love a 4.2 but apart from being rare there also dear and as it will only tow a couple times a year I was thinking the 3ltr any info or experience would be great.
fuel economy towing and not towing?
early engines blowing up?
early 5th gears dyeing?
can you tow with later 5th gear?
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Reply By: Isuzumu - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 19:29

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 19:29
I will let some one else tell you about the 3.0 Litre Nissan......I would have a look at the Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 3.0 l CRD (Mercedes Benz motor) heaps of grunt but the finish I was told is not as good as a Toyota say, can buy one 2006 80Ks $35Ks worth a look think they can tow 3500 KGs
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Reply By: Robin Miller - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 20:00

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 20:00
My friend towed a 3ton drill rig everywhere for years for work in his auto 3lt GU , and did save fuel till engine went at 195,000km.
I believe fuel use was around 12 by itself up to 16 typically towingl

That wasn't bad - but a genuine comparsion with my 4800 GU showed the petrol to be cheaper overall - what can I say - look at the real total life cycle cost of anything, not the in your face cost at a bowser each week Kaos.
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:48

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:48
Just quietly the legal towing limit for a 3.0auto is 2500kg.



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Reply By: Farquo - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:13

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:13
2001 GU II 3.0l Patrol gets ~11 l/100km not towing and ~12-13 towing a heavy 1984 campervan at 100km/h, up to 15 into a strong head wind.
240,000 km without signifigant problems.
Tows cruising in 5th, no problems.
Original engine, 5th gear.

Sorry Tojo fans, no problems here ;-)
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Reply By: chisel - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:14

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:14
If you are only towing a couple of times a year, do you need to worry about the fuel cost?
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Follow Up By: TerraFirma - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:58

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 21:58
Spot on..! The GU is a great vehicle as is the Toyota 80 & 100 series, Fuel costs irrelevant if your vehicle is miles more reliable than the alternatives. Remember a $5k repair bill somewhere will takes years to get back on fuel savings. For those that don't understand this please examine the Toyota Landcruiser Diesel vs Petrol. The Diesel is more economical however it won't be until 250,000Kms or above until it catches the Petrol for running costs because the Petrol was $10k cheaper. The Diesel off course has a longer range and more torque for towing but is a little succeptible to diesel issues around Australia.

You buy a Jeep or European vehicle and you are faced with potentially higher repair bills and runining costs.

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Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 22:25

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 22:25
Hi Kaos

We towed for with ours a while including touring Tasmania, but being auto, it was only rated to tow to 2.5 t. When we packed up the van for a long trip last year, it was three tonne ON the vehicle (now an F250). The motor was up to the job (ours hasn't gone bang), and is the same motor as in the manual which can tow to 3.2 t. It went smoothly, but slow on Tassie hills. We averaged 5 kms to the litre towing, and 7 to 8 not.

Is you van 2.5 t tare, or fully laden? You could certainly pack a lot into a 23' van - ours is 18' and we try and pack light.

As aforesaid, if you are not towing most of the time and you are happy with the present Patrol, stay with it.

We don't tow in 5th (or overdrive in an auto). They are not towing gears. Gearbox repairs are expensive; even more so if you have to get towed when you are far from home. Fuel difference will not be great. Ours being auto is probably better in OD off when towing, than when it is hunting up and down through the gears if we forget to turn it off, as happened once. Also the boost gauge went crazy until we discovered the oversight; a worry with a 3 litre. It has done around 160,000 kms now with no breakdowns at all.

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AnswerID: 417888

Reply By: OREJAP - Monday, May 24, 2010 at 09:47

Monday, May 24, 2010 at 09:47
Hi Kaos, Towing twice a year. What distance? That could mean twice to the cape or twice to a local camping spot. There are fores and against dual fuel & diesel. I have had both & my view is that both types of fuel can be handy and also a pain. Towing a van like yours with a 80 series on dual fuel 3 to 3.5 km p/L...unleaded 5km p/l. Price of fuel can vary some states ie W.Aust will probably charge up to 3 times the price of LPG in Vic or NSW. My brother in law told me that when petrol prices were high last year in W A he paid $1.89 LPG & $2.15 U/Leaded so it was more beneficial to run his 80 series on petrol. He didn't have the power loss & didn't use as much fuel. He has had the head done twice on the cruiser at around the $5,000 mark each time. His vehicle is coming up to 270,000km. I only tow in 5th when the road is flat & I can still maintain the speed I wish to travel at. If I think that there is the slightest chance that the motor & gearbox might come under stress I tow it 4th especially on hill etc. There are patrols out there that are exceptions to the rules that is, have had no problems however you here stories of well serviced & looked after vehicles that have expired in the motor for no apparent reason. There is a forum (on a separate site to E O) on Patrols if you do a search you can read many stories. My friend just traded his 3 lt Patrol he is worried that it might go bang & it is the best kept vehicle I think I have ever seen. He has never had a hint of any problems. If you can afford look at a T/D cruiser or if you like the dual fuel situation upgrade to a V8 Cruiser or a 4.8ltr Patrol.
AnswerID: 417909

Reply By: PeterInSa - Monday, May 24, 2010 at 12:40

Monday, May 24, 2010 at 12:40
Kaos,
I would look at putting an LPG tank under the floor of your current vehicle,(if you are going to keep it) a mate did this on his GQ, pulled out his original Petrol tank replaced it with an LPG tank and installed a long rang thank for petrol.

Benefits lower cost when not towing in his case 90% of the time and ditto when towing in the eastern states.

Peter
AnswerID: 417927

Follow Up By: Gazal Champion - Monday, May 24, 2010 at 17:55

Monday, May 24, 2010 at 17:55
I agree, keep the petrol and get it gassed especially as the government gives you a subsidy of around $1500 to put it on.

Gas gives you diesel economy (kilometers per dollar) and the performance of petrol. Best of both worlds but of course requires some small compromises like where will you put the gas tank and what does that mean for the spare tyre in some cases.

Range is limited with gas also but the savings more than make up for it.

Duel fuel is the way to go IHMO.

Cheers, Bruce.
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:59

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:59
Have just taken note of my 100 ser Auto fuel figures.

On our trip around the block towing I reckon I got 5.7kpl or a bit over 17l per 100k.

At the weekend I had to go to Caboolture from Coffs.

At or a bit over the speed limit at times I got 9.85kpl or 10.15l per100k going up warm day, dry all the way, includes 200k of running around when we got there.

Coming back wet cool day got 9.84kpl or 10.16l per 100k.

Had a Patrol 3.0 and got similar figures but know which one I prefer to travel in.


I did ALL my towing in 4th gear. Car runs cooler and sweeter then lugging in 5th and hunting up and down constantly.

O/D is made for powering the car only NOT twice its weight.

Not quite what the poster is asking but offering a far better alternative as far as reliability and also resale value is concerned.

I paid $57000 3 years ago with 58,000 on it Now done 140,000 and I dont reckon I would lose much on it looking at prices on the net




AnswerID: 418036

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