School me on GU / Y61 Patrols

[reece146]

I'm toying with importing a LHD Y61 wagon from Europe. Next year they will be available for import under the 15 year rule.

I would like diesel. I've read in places that the 4.2 is more desirable over the 2.8. Makes sense for a work horse vehicle. Unfortunately I'm not sure if the 4.2 was available in the LHD European market. With vehicles being taxed on CO emmissions a lot of manufacturers didn't sell the bigger engines in some markets - or so I'm told. Does anyone know better?

Is the 2.8 considered as rock solid as the 4.2? I want to tow a 5000 lb trailer, will this engine cope?

Otherwise, what else is there to look for on these trucks? I'm ambivalent about auto or manual.

Options packages? I'm guessing any audio/nav packages will be old tech so I don't care about that. I'd like power windows and locks and AC. Otherwise don't care. Leather seating would be ok - it cleans up easier - but I don't care to go hunting for it.

Thanks.

 

[jfarsang]

I'm guessing you're in Canada (15 yr rule)

You want the TD42T without question.

The 2.8 is not in the same class (workhorse) as the 4.2
If you want to tow, don't settle for anything other than the TD42 (particularly the turbo model TD42'T').

You can contact Mardy at amazingautoimports.com . He imports LHD Safari's from Japan/Phillipines

Are you set on the Y61? It's heavier, bulkier and larger than the Y60 which is the Patrol/Safari workhorse.

http://www.amazingautoimports.com/phpwcms/

 

[reece146]

I'm pretty set on the Y61.

 

[RMP&O]

I'm guessing you're in Canada (15 yr rule)

You want the TD42T without question.

The 2.8 is not in the same class (workhorse) as the 4.2
If you want to tow, don't settle for anything other than the TD42 (particularly the turbo model TD42'T').

You can contact Mardy at amazingautoimports.com . He imports LHD Safari's from Japan/Phillipines

Are you set on the Y61? It's heavier, bulkier and larger than the Y60 which is the Patrol/Safari workhorse.

http://www.amazingautoimports.com/phpwcms/

LHD from Japan makes me say ummmmm, what!?

FYI, I have personally viewed a 2002 TD42 Patrol Ute in Panama for sale that was mint. Price tag as $20,000. Many more TD42 in Panama at very good prices. Pretty common to find a 10ish year old Patrol down there with a TD42 in the $15-20k range, with low miles and in mint condition. Not saying the trucks linked are not solid at $15k because if good trucks that is a good price. I am just saying...

 

[Slicky72]

LHD from Japan makes me say ummmmm, what!?

These are likely from the Philippines :ylsmoke:

 

[reece146]

Kinda like over here, the opposite side is what the "cool kids" like. There's a market for LHD in Japan. Or so I've been told.

 

[tacr2man]

As mentioned Td42 is the engine to go for , if its non turbo be very careful if thinking of putting turbo on as they dont handle it well, the two versions have quite a few differences. Some rear axles are semi floating later were full floaters, which is the one of choice . Manual gearbox is pretty bomb proof Check body mountings for rust , the coil versions were much better than the similar suspension on Toyotas. HTSH

 

[reece146]

Do you know what year started getting the full floaters? It appears that all years had a choice of leaves or coils? In an ideal world I'd like leaves in the back and coils in the front but I don't know if that was a configuration these beasties were sold in...

And now I'm getting too picky and will be unlikely to find such a unicorn.

LHD TD42[T] in Europe? Does it exist?

TD42[T] with coils and power windows and locks and AC...

Panama sounds interesting but I have no way of shopping that market.

 

[RMP&O]

Do you know what year started getting the full floaters? It appears that all years had a choice of leaves or coils? In an ideal world I'd like leaves in the back and coils in the front but I don't know if that was a configuration these beasties were sold in...

And now I'm getting too picky and will be unlikely to find such a unicorn.

LHD TD42[T] in Europe? Does it exist?

TD42[T] with coils and power windows and locks and AC...

Panama sounds interesting but I have no way of shopping that market.

FF rear axles in Patrols are very rare. Australia never got them for example. In some markets I am sure they are more common.

I strongly suggest you educate yourself on the vehicle you want before taking the plunge and importing from overseas. There are plenty of books available online for the Patrol, in particular parts books and repair manuals. I would start with Ebay to find those. For general knowledge, parts books are your best bet but be aware if it is an Aussie parts book it will only detail Aussie Patrols.

Another good place to start is two of the largest Patrol forums on the internet....

http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/

It is only the early N/A TD42's that do not like to be turbo'ed, the later versions take a turbo just fine.

I would personally be very wary of European trucks due to rust. But if I was set on Europe, France and Germany is where I would look, both countries are LHD. Most of your European Patrols with a TD42 will be 24v. Nearly every Latin America Patrol with a diesel will be 12v.

The internet is your friend. If I can find thousands of Patrols for sale via the internet then you can too. It is all about how you search.....

I brought up this website which has lot's of Patrols on it in about 5 seconds via google. Oh and this is in Panama. Notice the low KMs of the trucks as well as no rust! Panama is a small country so KMs will be low for the most part. Prices are also very good. TD42s plentiful.

http://www.encuentra24.com/panama-en/cars-auto-trucks-used-car#search=f_make.nissan&page=10


A few of the good exmples I see in just a few minutes of searching....

TD42, lift, 33's, 145,000ks and a solid price of $14,000usd. Not 15yrs old though...

http://www.encuentra24.com/panama-e...r/vendo-mi-nissan-patrol-td42-intacta/1538859

Just to show prices in Panama rock! 2010 Patrol with a diesel for $24,000, this same truck in Australia costs upwards of $70,000!

http://www.encuentra24.com/panama-en/cars-auto-trucks-used-car/nissan-patrol-diesel/1537543

Here is a 1999 5spd, TD42 with 120ks for under $10,000

http://www.encuentra24.com/panama-en/cars-auto-trucks-used-car/nissan-patrol-1999/1461075

A 1998 with 90,000ks, 5spd, TD42 and lot's of extras.

http://www.encuentra24.com/panama-e...ed-car/nissan-patrol-4-2-diesel-4x4-100-por-1

And there is dozens more on just that website alone.

Craigslist also has listings in Panama. On top of this every country in Central America got TD42 Patrols although Costa Rica and Belize have the least of them. Prices are similar through all of CA. I have seen tons of Patrols in Guatemala, Nicaragua and of course Panama. Some countries in CA Patrols are much more popular then say a Cruiser. Others not so much, Costa Rica for example. In the city of Santiago in Panama (mostly a farming community) you will see dozens of Patrols on the street in just a few hours. They are literally everywhere in that area. For years I was looking heavily into importing a Y60 Patrol to the USA when it turns 25yrs old, ie 2013. I have looked into many many countries including Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Japan and Colombia just to name a few. It wasn't until I travel by vehicle to CA I realized how close to home what I want really is. A 1950s Patrol recently turned up in Guatemala and I have personally seen 1960s Patrols in pretty much every Central American country so without a doubt Patrols are not only plentiful in CA they have been getting them for many years.

As I say the internet is your friend!

 

[jfarsang]

In my searching I haven't found a Y61 in europe with a factory TD42T and the NA TD42 is rare. Or rare enough people don't sell them. 2.8 is common but underpowered for towing.

Who cares who has what. If you can't wrap your head around RHD vs LHD vs RHD (no difference), then Phillipines, SA and Europe are your shopping grounds.

I agree about knowing what you want before you go shopping.

Y61's are coils all around.

If you haven't driven a Y60 and Y61 to compare, I suggest you do. They are very different. My 91 Y60 felt like a tank. My 95 Y60 feels like a Y61 because it's a newer (Safari) model and nice and quiet inside.

It will come down to personal preference. I prefer the Y60 after driving both as I won't cringe when I take it into the bush and because the outer shell is less bulky, it doesn't feel like a bloated whale when in tight areas compared to the Y61. On the other hand, the Y61 is more comfy inside but only comes in a low roof. Y60's have both low and high roof. High roof makes a large difference when sitting inside. The 95/96 Safari Y60's from Japan most come factory turbo'd with rear diff locker, 12V system with 24V starter (extreme climates) and a more refined interior/sound proofing that is more along the lines of a late 90's Y61.

Try both and see what you like.

 

[RMP&O]

Spain is also a good country to search in Europe but from what I have seen the 2.8TD and 3L diesels dominate those countries.

Dutch Patrols? Nearly 400 listings.

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto/nissan...nt1.makeId=18700&makeModelVariant1.modelId=25

Japanese sites

http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan car/nissan/safari/?eid=1&fd=Nissan+

http://exchange.goo-net.com/

Colombia, South America sites

http://listado.tucarro.com.co/carros/nissan/patrol/

http://www.micarro24.com/buscar/res...earch[ranges][mileage][to]=&search[cities][]=

New Zealand site

http://www.trademe.co.nz/

Some sites searching Safari is all that works, others both searching Patrol and Safari works. It simply depends what country you are searching in.

There was another Northern European country I was searching in once. The website I was on had hundreds of Patrols listed, nearly everyone was a high roof, including SWB and Y61s. However, it seemed there was a tax law in that country that classified the high roofs as "vans" and reduced importation tax if the trucks were high roofs or something along those lines. It also appeared the majority of the high roofs were done in house in that country yet they were for the most part all very nicely done. If I find the website again I will post it but right now I seem to have lost the url.

Also buy a parts book if you want to learn a lot before buying & importing. Any parts book from the Middle East is good since the trucks are LHD and they got pretty much every version of the Patrol. TD42 12v JDM spec Safaris included. They show all models, options, axles offered, engines offered and so forth. I myself have an Aussie Y60 parts book sitting on the book shelf in mint condition, paid about $75 for it on Ebay.

 

[jpvm]

In Europe all Y61 Patrols were RD28 (2.8 diesel ... read its pretty annemic engine for a 2.5 Ton heavy off roader) equipped (up to 1998) and then they changed to ZD30DDTi (3.0 Turbodiesel, that had many broken block problems in the 1st production years), they never got the TD42T engine, that one was for Australia and Southeastern Asia countries. In Chile we only received the gasoline Y61s (TB45E and TB48DE). In Spain, Portugal, France m Germany m UK, Poland, et. there are lots of Y61...

 

[reece146]

In Europe all Y61 Patrols were RD28 (2.8 diesel ... read its pretty annemic engine for a 2.5 Ton heavy off roader) equipped (up to 1998) and then they changed to ZD30DDTi (3.0 Turbodiesel, that had many broken block problems in the 1st production years), they never got the TD42T engine, that one was for Australia and Southeastern Asia countries. In Chile we only received the gasoline Y61s (TB45E and TB48DE). In Spain, Portugal, France m Germany m UK, Poland, et. there are lots of Y61...

Ugh, not what I wanted to hear.

I really don't want a Y60. I have enough 'wheelin' rigs (see sig) and the Y60 is too "80s" for my tastes at this point. I loved them when I was in Germany but that was over a decade ago.

I want a modernish, turnkey, workhorse touring machine with indestructible axles and a drivetrain I don't have to worry about. I'd consider the gas/petrol engine over the four cylinder diesel at this point.

 

[jdlsantos]

If you want run on road like a sedan and wheeling off road like a tank, go for the Y61, preferable TD4.2, my only complain is the semi-flotant rear axle. Now the big deal is to bring it to North America.

Ugh, not what I wanted to hear.

I really don't want a Y60. I have enough 'wheelin' rigs (see sig) and the Y60 is too "80s" for my tastes at this point. I loved them when I was in Germany but that was over a decade ago.

I want a modernish, turnkey, workhorse touring machine with indestructible axles and a drivetrain I don't have to worry about. I'd consider the gas/petrol engine over the four cylinder diesel at this point.

 

[portal pat]

The Y60 (GQ) is primitive compared to the Y61(GU). The Y61 is also stronger still in the drivetrain (read bulletproof), much better interior and the turboed, intercooled 4.2 is the best engine by far. The amount of aftermarket gear available out of Australia for these trucks is staggering. Not difficult to build a world class off road weapon with bought bits. Yes, they are that good.:Wow1: The semi-floating rear is not an issue. They do not give trouble.