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Decisions, decisions - GU vs 100

11K views 27 replies 19 participants last post by  carlos8126 
#1 ·
Hi folks

New here, and I'll no doubt make people post replies they've typed before but...

We're currently trying to decide on a replacement for our old, slow, but reliable as death & taxes 2.5 intercooled Pajero. It's an '88 but has only 117,000ks on the clock, though it's slow as a wet week on the road, it's never failed to get us to & from any place we wanted to go. Would just like some more urge and more space.

So the choice is: GU or 100 series? (yeah, I know there'll be some bias on here ;) )

Looking around I hardly see any TD42T's on the market, so I've been looking at ZD30's. But I am very aware of the issues that surround this motor, especially at the model years I'll be looking at for around $25K.

The Patrol has barn doors at the back which is what I want fro practical reasons and live axle front - which I also want.

For reasons best known to Yota, barn doors were only provided on the "standard wagon" - what the? Do GXL driver's all have telescopic arms to reach over the dumb tailgate?

The only other real issue with the 100 is the front diff (I'm only looking at live axle examples), their 4.2 being a reliable old lump...but now I'm thinking that fixing a diff looks a lot cheaper than rebuilding a ZD30...

Anyone here had both?
Cheers
Mike
 
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#2 ·
If i said what I personally think, I'd be banned. haha

http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10900

Read that.

Then go take each example for a drive and decide which one you'd rather live with. Horses for courses IMO. They both may be similar vehicles but at the same time they also manage to be so different.

If you really want to be fair with them, there's also plain TD42's around in the GU's. Rare but they exist. Most of the 98 to 2000 diesels will be the RD28T and after that the ZD30DDTi.

Cheers
 
#4 ·
Hi 2 rocks,
I’ll answer this post because I get a new 4.2 100 Series Cruiser every year at work. That’s why I bought a Patrol!
The main reason was ride comfort and quality of finish, although I’m sure that many a Toyota owner would strongly disagree. Of course price was a consideration, but so was appearance.
Every time I get a new Cruiser, I have to adjust the rear doors so that they close without slamming them as hard as I can. I’ve never had a mechanical issue with one, but I’ve never had a mechanical issue with my ZD30Di Patrol either and that’s done 98,000k’s. I get a new Cruiser every 50,000k’s. I notice that by around 50,000k’s the Cruisers start to loosen up and get sloppy in the steering and suspension, but to be fair I do carry a lot of weight.
Problems with the 100 series are few and far between, but I find them uncomfortable to drive compared to the Patrol. Interior finish is no different, but look underneath and the Patrol is far superior without all the suspension arms hanging down to catch every obstacle you’ll drive over. I use mine to drive over railway tracks and getting stuck on a railway track isn’t an option. I’m sure the Patrol would do it better.
 
#5 ·
I was in the same boat a few years ago!

Wanted a large turbo diesel wago with live axle front end.

The 100series is a good vehicle, but either you go with the base model which is awful comfort wise, or you go the GXL & lose the live axle & will have to live with the independant front end! That is why I went with the GU.

The other thing to consider is the new 79 series cruiser with the V8 Diesel. It is now offered in a 4 door wagon (troopy version), & if you want a basic bush vehicle this would be my choice over the base model in the 100 series.

Otherwise you could hold off for another 12 months & wait to see what Nissan bring out to replace the GU
 
#7 ·
i got both - intercooled GU ute coil sprung and a 100 GXL 1hz with aftermarket turbo.

the landcruiser seems a littel more polished to drive and seesm better put together. this may be due to the lighter axles and diffs. the extra unsprung weight of the patrol makes the body shimmy when driving over corrugations and road irregularities. The cruiser is noisier that the patrol at 100km/hr. the motor sunds like it is working harder (that's before annd after the aftermarket turbo) Offroad the cruiser is more confortable and the rear end is more supple. However i have broke a few Cv;s and front diff in the cruiser (double diff locked)

the patrol has heaps better torque down low compared with the 1hz (before and after turbo) > it also feel bulletproof off road so i probably drive it harder and on tougher tracks . Double locked again and nothing significant broken yet.

lastly cruiser has better passive safety if you want to crash into a concrete wall. 4 stars ANCAP for the cruiser and 3 stars for the patrol. the report for the patrol is a littel concerning.

I don;t calculate fuel consumption but patrol seems better.
 
#8 ·
Chaz said:
I get a new Cruiser every 50,000k’s. I notice that by around 50,000k’s the Cruisers start to loosen up and get sloppy in the steering and suspension, but to be fair I do carry a lot of weight.
Hi Chaz, if it's working hard, then anything might be affected in a similar way, yeah?

Every time I get a new Cruiser, I have to adjust the rear doors so that they close without slamming them as hard as I can.
I agree - have to do this to my sister in law's troopy every time I go to Alice Springs...

I'm nearly 2m tall and I'd say I prefer the interior of the 100. Used to love the seating position in my old LN65 Hilux...:oops:

Tony

The 100series is a good vehicle, but either you go with the base model which is awful comfort wise, or you go the GXL & lose the live axle & will have to live with the independant front end!
Not so! The GXL I'm looking at is a '99 with live front end!

The other thing to consider is the new 79 series cruiser with the V8 Diesel. It is now offered in a 4 door wagon (troopy version), & if you want a basic bush vehicle this would be my choice over the base model in the 100 series.
Otherwise you could hold off for another 12 months & wait to see what Nissan bring out to replace the GU
The troopy wagon is in fact the slightly worked over shell from the original Prado (early 90's) not sold here and is on a shorter wheelbase than the "real" troopy. Reports I've read on a local (Perth) forum indicate that this has compromised the front seat room for taller drivers - like me!

It's my understanding that the next generation Patrol will be IFS - although that information is from an overseas market.

Notso - got no choice but second hand, mate!

Appreciate everybody's input!
Mike
 
#10 ·
G'day 2rocks,

I'm 198cm tall and my knees only just fit into my Patrol. If you have really long legs the 100 series is better. I think there's little worse than being cramped up on a long drive.

Have you looked at the cost of insurance and common spare parts etc ?

For me it was the average weekly & monthly running costs that swayed me towards a 3.0 Patrol. I do a lot of kms so using 11+- km / 100kms as opposed to the 100 series was a significant factor.

Had you considered keeping the paj for a little longer and going for a newer GU3 ?

Every one else has covered just about everything else.

It'll be fun chosing.

Seeya
 
#14 ·
PaulnLou said:
G'day 2rocks,
I'm 198cm tall and my knees only just fit into my Patrol. If you have really long legs the 100 series is better. I think there's little worse than being cramped up on a long drive.
Have you looked at the cost of insurance and common spare parts etc ?
For me it was the average weekly & monthly running costs that swayed me towards a 3.0 Patrol. I do a lot of kms so using 11+- km / 100kms as opposed to the 100 series was a significant factor.
Had you considered keeping the paj for a little longer and going for a newer GU3 ?
Every one else has covered just about everything else.
It'll be fun chosing.
Seeya
PaulnLou, yeah, I'd rather be filling up the 3.0 than the 4.2! :)

I have thought about keeping the Paj - with only 117ks on it, snorkel, winch bar, full length roof rack etc. I could throw 2g's worth of lockers in and would go everywhere I asked it. It's just that at highway speeds the motor & gearing means it's doing 3000-3200 @ 100kmh. Long way to Karijini @ 3200rpm!

Dave, Micky & Jim - Yeah a very late 80 could be an option, or I could just rip the Danas out of my Wrangler for the 100...er, no, maybe not...;)
 
#15 ·
I'd still go a GU over the 80 series. Not bad but still, the GU is a more refined and comfortable vehicle to be in (IMO).

Considered 2.8L turbo diesel? Should be able to get a bloody good late 1999 or 2000 example (the picks of the bunch apparently) for your money and they're not a bad vehicle. Bit underpowered stock but that can be fixed with not too much effort!
 
#16 ·
I'm about 198cm and i fit fine in my DX. But i dont have the extra-long arm rest on the drivers side where the fast glass switches go i guess, so knee-room isnt a issue for me. The seats in general themselves are sh*t, to low in the front for my likeing. But they wont be there much longer :) I did drive a Ti a few months back, and i did notice there was less knee room in that. Dunno why, just was.
 
#17 ·
Love my 4.2

2 rocks said:
PaulnLou, yeah, I'd rather be filling up the 3.0 than the 4.2! :)
but with an average of 12.1 L/100 driving around town an it goes up to 13.2 L/100 when towin 3T -30 ft fibreglass climbing wall!!

thats not too bad
not a lot in it and i have better pice of nmid that its not going to explode!! 8)
 
#18 ·
Yom said:
Considered 2.8L turbo diesel? Should be able to get a bloody good late 1999 or 2000 example (the picks of the bunch apparently) for your money and they're not a bad vehicle. Bit underpowered stock but that can be fixed with not too much effort!
There's one in today's paper. $19,990. '99 burgundy, manual, snorkel and poxy alloy bar. 179,000kms. Photo's indicate a country car (red-ish tinge to rims) and for some reason has an aftermarket immobiliser fitted.

How well can they be chipped? Don't they have a smaller, weaker gearbox? Or was that only as fitted to the 2.8's in the GQ?

Mike
 
#21 ·
G'day 2 Rocks,

You asked if there was anyone who had fixed a ZD30 and a 100 series diff and I have. Costs is very similar. Frustration is very similar. Backup from both manufacturers is identical. - non existant in my case.

But if I had done as you have, and been on this forum when I bought the GUII with the ZD30 then I would have been able to prevent to bang relatively cheaply and easily. I don't know of any way to prevent the diff's from breaking except to swap them out for aftermarket units.

The old unturbod 4.2's can be found but they are slow and thirsty in comparison, however they rarely stop unles you do something silly with them. They can be turbod with aftermarket MTQ or similar stuff and tuned by normal diesel methods.

Good luck in the search.
 
#27 ·
Simple if you really want to go 4wd get a patrol have a look at the comps how many 100 series have you seen competing?? I havent seen one but i have seen plenty of GU's.

Cheers chris
It's probably because the 100 series is too good to put into a comp. Probably not a fact of anything being stronger. Just owners not wanting to thrash them. I have looked at plenty of comps and there aren't all that many GU's. There are heaps of GQ patrol. There are a few GU mainly utes. or like the bloke at opposite lock here that bought a GU, cut it down into a ute and I think he turboed the 4.8
 
#24 ·
You are only about 2 1/2 years too late with that recommendation, I am sure that he has bought the ZD and is happy as larry with it :p
 
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