Patrol Info Needed

[Topher7]

Good morning everyone,

Apologies for this thread not being too "tech" involved. I'm in need of some help from the Nissan community. My wife and I are moving to Managua, Nicaragua for 2 years and will be purchasing a vehicle down there. My expo vehicles have always been Jeeps (just sold my 2004 LJ 2 days ago to prepare for the move) but I am very excited to start off in a new platform. I'm debating between Land Cruisers, Patrols, and Monteros.

The Patrols I've found are all (for the most part) diesels with a manual gearbox. I prefer to have a diesel and stick, but again I just don't know much about the preferred years and what to look for regarding the drivetrain. I have toyed with the idea of buying something old enough, 25 years old, to be able to import after our time down there but I'm not set on that yet. The Patrols seem to be less expensive than Toyotas but is there a reason (not as popular)? Opinions are welcome and any guidance as to where I should start researching would be of great assistance.

Thanks!

-Chris

 

[Scott H Murray]

I own a Patrol and landcruiser, if buying a patrol go for a TDi 4.2 and not the 3ltr. The running gear on patrols are bullet proof and they have an excellent LSD in the rear. Go the manual gearbox as they also are built to last.

My Patrol is so good that I do not want to sell it so am keeping it and running two vehicles

 

[Patrollife]

I live in Guatemala and was in the same boat as the original post when I arrived two years ago. I was oscillating between a 70 series land cruiser and a nissan patrol. Ultimately, I went with a 1990 TD42 SWB GQ Patrol and absolutely love the **** out of it! The Patrol is a solid, bullet proof 4x4 vehicle. Now, they will require more maintenance than the Land Cruiser and the parts will be a lot harder to find, but I don't regret for one second buying the Shorty.

I agree with Scott in that you should stay away from the 3ltr. I originally wanted to go with a newer GU model but like you wanted something that I could bring back to the States when I am done living in Guatemala. And also like Scott, I decided to keep my Cruiser. My 2011 FJ is currently on its way down from the States. It`s been sitting at my parent's house for almost two years.

Pic of my shorty....

 

[Patrollife]

I had a Montero in Zimbabwe. Not a fan.

 

[Topher7]

This is great info guys, thanks!

InterFJ - when you speak of more maintenance, what specifically are you referring to? Anything I should specifically looking for with the 4.2 motors? Lastly, just to gauge what I am looking for, what are the thoughts on this one that's listed:

1995 Patrol For Sale

-Chris

 

[Scott H Murray]

This is great info guys, thanks!

InterFJ - when you speak of more maintenance, what specifically are you referring to? Anything I should specifically looking for with the 4.2 motors? Lastly, just to gauge what I am looking for, what are the thoughts on this one that's listed:

1995 Patrol For Sale

-Chris

That looks like a good one, nice TD 4.2, low KM's and a good base to build off.

 

[Patrollife]

^^^agree

Can't go wrong with a TD42. Biggest issue I have with mine is the engine heating up. You will find most GQ owners face similar issues.

Obviously check for any leaking and what the exhaust smoke looks like. I had to fix my diesel pump right away and replaced the clutch. If you add lockers and bigger tires be weary of breaking your CV joints. I've had to replace mine twice, but in all fairness, it was mostly pilot error. I also had to replace my rear diff after a trip to Peten, but that trip was brutal on the shorty, about 100 kilometers of thick mud or "chicle". I beat the crap out of my shorty so it's no surprise when something breaks.

You will love the GQ. I highly recommend joining the GQ Patrol Owners Group on FB. A lot of knowledge to go around and some awesome rigs!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jampatrol]

I have an 89 GQ. I have had it for about 8 years now. I had an MQ before that. As everybody says they are bullet proof, especially with the TD42. The engine and transmission are coming from Nissan or UD trucks. Way overbuilt for the Patrol. They have a stronger drivetrain that the Landcruiser. A gearbox weights approximately 260 lbs.

I have read on other forums where owners have had over 400,000 miles still going strong on the might TD42. I don't think they require more maintenance than any similar diesel vehicle. The gas alternative is the TB42. They require less maintenance but are gas guzzlers. I am getting about 25 mpg, but I have read where others get close to 30. With the TD42s they are slow accelerating vehicles, but by adding a turbo, you will wake up the engine.

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with a Patrol.

 

[Jampatrol]

The Gq went from 88 to 96. The later years are slightly better with a couple stronger bits like the steering box. The GU is more comfortable and has a larger front cv joint.

 

[Jampatrol]

Landcruisers are more popular, from what I understand, based mostly on marketing. Toyota seems to have done a better marketing job on the Landcruiser than Nissan did on the Patrol;. The Landcruiser is in more markets, especially the US. The US had early Patrols, but those weren't well marketed either. Both the Patrol and the Landcruiser have been direct competitors almost from the beginning. I have never driven a Landcruiser, but they are said by some to be more comfortable than the Patrol with, as said before, the Patrol having the stronger drivetrain. Parts also seem to be easier to get for the Landcruiser. Toyotas are in general more highly priced than their competitors. Some have called the difference a Toyota tax. They do tend to have better interior and exterior finish than most. You can't go wrong with either, but if you do a lot of bush bashing, you would have the edge with the Patrol. The lsd is also legendary, almost equal to a locker according the some owners.

 

[Jampatrol]

The Montero is not even in the same class as the Patrol or Landcruiser .

 

[Jampatrol]

This is great info guys, thanks!

InterFJ - when you speak of more maintenance, what specifically are you referring to? Anything I should specifically looking for with the 4.2 motors? Lastly, just to gauge what I am looking for, what are the thoughts on this one that's listed:

1995 Patrol For Sale

-Chris

That's one of the last years of the GQ. It seems to be a higher spec Gq from the picture.. If it doesn't any rust it shouldn't be a bad buy. Check if it smokes. 'They do tend to emit a bit of black smoke under acceleration, but blue smoke is a sign of trouble.

 

[Jampatrol]

At 168000 km, the engine is just being run in. It will give you twice that easily.

 

[toylandcruiser]

I have an 89 GQ. I have had it for about 8 years now. I had an MQ before that. As everybody says they are bullet proof, especially with the TD42. The engine and transmission are coming from Nissan or UD trucks. Way overbuilt for the Patrol. They have a stronger drivetrain that the Landcruiser. A gearbox weights approximately 260 lbs.

I have read on other forums where owners have had over 400,000 miles still going strong on the might TD42. I don't think they require more maintenance than any similar diesel vehicle. The gas alternative is the TB42. They require less maintenance but are gas guzzlers. I am getting about 25 mpg, but I have read where others get close to 30. With the TD42s they are slow accelerating vehicles, but by adding a turbo, you will wake up the engine.

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with a Patrol.

Maybe the tranny and t case together. An sm465, probably the strongest manual you can get in a stand dad truck only weighs 160 pounds. A t18, np435 and so on only weigh about 130 pound. Hell the tranny from an m35 weighs less than your claimed weight. I would need to see proof of a 260 pound weight.

 

[Jampatrol]

Maybe the tranny and t case together. An sm465, probably the strongest manual you can get in a stand dad truck only weighs 160 pounds. A t18, np435 and so on only weigh about 130 pound. Hell the tranny from an m35 weighs less than your claimed weight. I would need to see proof of a 260 pound weight.

Yes you could be right about the weight combined. The transfer case weighs 100 lbs as per this thread. http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?t=15438