Looked at my options recently, including the MUX and I like it, may still do something down the track, but the Patrol stays .

Moved to General Patrol Discussion to keep the crap out .

 

Similar here.

I have 3 vehicles for 2 of us.

The day I get sick of outback touring and camping and high country trips, I think that the Patrol and the GTI will both go and be replaced with one vehicle for me.

Don't know what that will be. It will need to be versatile; tow the van or a trailer, economical, smooth, quiet, awd.

Both my vehicles are less than 70000ks, and the boss's is under 40,000ks, so i don't have the high mileage problems. More the age ones.

Amarok V6 has some appeal, but commercial classification is not what is needed. Maybe a Touareg 180kw with a chip. Have always liked them but was not the right vehicle for needs.


Or, to keep my life exciting, a Grand Cherokee........



















Joking, joking

 

You will regret it if you sell it, but life goes on You have a good base to work with in the MUX.

I still have a GQ banger on my shopping wish list for a hobby project/play toy to fill the void.

 

Yeah I often wonder what to do with Patrol.

Hardly use but can't bear to part with it either.

Biggest question is what to replace it with?

Wife needs a new car, R50 Pathfinder will be 17 years old this year and the 11th year we have had it.

I've looked at so many vehicles but finding it very difficult to choose.

Cheers

Justin

 

I've looked at so many vehicles but finding it very difficult to choose.

just buy one and be prepared to ditch it and buy something else if you dont like it...

do research on a particular model and when you find what you want..... buy at a price you can buy it.... drive it a bit..... then sell it(if you dont end up liking it).....and get your money back, or close to it.

if you could buy a car of your choice, drive it for 6 months and loose 2k selling it, would you be happy with that? if so, it immediately widens your market with resale in view, instead of dreading that you might make the wrong choice and have to live with the mistake for the next 15years. no need for that.

even if you buy in the cheaper end of the market for that model.... and its not "PERFECT" no stress, you made a good choice with the experiment, sell it and buy another one the same just better......

 

see a lot of these new fandangled mini squirrels getting around.
seems everyone is hell bent on turning them into a big rig.

lift/tyres/barwork/exhausts etc ect.

to me they chose the wrong car.

 

I know its not a MU-X, but my brother daily drives a DMAX, one of the first ones sold up here with the Isuzu name rather than Rodeo. Its been a great car, not an issue mechanically, however bits seem to be falling off it lately. I would whole hardheartedly recommend an Isuzu if someone was looking for a little tuktuk. But IMO an Isuzu doesnt compare with the patrol in solidness or build quality nor capability.

He certainly doesnt get 8L/100 from the DMAX but it is better than my CRD. As the CRD is high mileage all I can suggest is seeing if you are happy with what you'd get for it. If you are and you do part ways maybe look for a thrasher petrol Patrol when you regret selling

 

Nissan Patrol better build quality than Isuzu - not in a million years. Maybe standards dropped when they started building Dmax in Thailand, but my 1998 Jackaroo was light years ahead of the Patrol.

 

I wont be truly able to voice what I consider to be an objective opinion until my patrol is 6 years old or so, but looking at older GUs they seem to be holding up quite well (better than) - aesthetically and interior wise - than our DMAX.

I will say the DMAX hasnt had a single mechanical issue except for an intercooler hose blowing off though. Been acquainted with the car since 2011ish. It is quite efficient too but I'd much rather drive the patrol (personally).

 

Seems to be the time for this sort of contemplation.
Been wrestling with this argument myself a little bit now, but ultimately the Patrol has won out.
It does feel a tad agricultural to drive perhaps, but its a solid unit. Driving my mums 2011/12 Colorado is no doubt a bit quicker (with the chip), but doesn't feel as solid.

The patrol is set up for what I want to use it for. Factoring in that and that if I was to replace it, there'd be a sizable chunk of money in changing cars and then setting the new one up, I'm content with the fuel usage of mid 14's and overall feel of the vehicle. Perhaps a few little tweaks here and there.

 

keep patrol that's bias opinion. can't see how that model is agricultural something wrong with suspension maybe ? .drive a mq shorty for week that's agricultural

 

You'll laugh at this one then. The first Patrol I drove was a carby GQ wagon. It was a limosuine compared to my Sierra, who's autolocker made the best bang of its life when I pulled into old mate's driveway.

I actually couldnt believe how well it rode and how smooth and torquey the TB was. Plus there was electric windows and stuff!

 

Full chassis Patrols are going to become the 'wish I hadn't sold that' 4wds of the future.

They ride differently to modern vehicles. They cost more to maintain. They don't break.

I guess they're not for everyone.

 

I agree the patrol is a cant break it vehicle but when you do 800km round trip every tour to work its just not practical anymore, I always thaught the Patrol handeled well untill we got The MUX which feels so car like to drive.
We did do a lot of reasearch before we got the Mux and it seemed to be the pick of the bunch with everything engine/ transmission reliability overall design chassis strength and ease and simplicity machanically. Also one of the last diesels without Disesl Particulate filters. but I must say we purchased this as a tow vehicle but due to circumstances and moving away from where I work it has never been a tow vehicle and now spends its time as a school bus which seems rather wastfull.

 

The problem with upgrading from GQ/GU Patrols is there is no modern-day equivalent. Current 4x4s are just completely different in so many aspects. I'm glad I got rid of my Patrol, it served a practical purpose when I was heading out to the Vic High Country every weekend where I actually utilised the Patrol's suspension, ability to be modified and robustness (although debatable), but now I do occasional trips to have a Patrol would be pointless.

The old Patrols are not good on fuel, are not very good to drive, are rubbish to tow with and apart from providing comfortable seats and more cab space, don't really bring anything to the table.

If I were to look for a modern day equivalent of a GU Patrol and be happy with the shortfalls the GU has over modern 4x4s, I'd probably consider the Pajero (while they last), LC70, Iveco Daily or other commercial 4x4. Passenger vehicles like the Y62, LC200 or ute based wagons don't compare.

But for the cost of a LC70, Daily, etc, you could get into something better than a GU... a Y62.

What did you get out of to get into a GU? What was the major difference? Is this the same situation?

I think CRD is the unreliability in modern 4x4s. IMO you don't see a higher rate of mechanical failure in modern 4x4s compared to older 4x4s. You see plenty of GUs on the back of tilt trays

 

If I'm going to be honest with myself ................

I bought my 2014 Titanium new and it is the first modern diesel I've ever owned. I purchased it on a salary sacrificed lease, 12 months before I was involuntary retrenched. No problem, after 25 years in the same job, I'm now simi-retired. Thankfully I had an insurance policy covering the payments for the next 12 months. After that I paid out the remaining balance.
So, what I'm saying is that I have a substantial amount of money outlayed on the Patrol, not including all the accessories I've added.

I love the Patrol off-road but hate driving it on-road with a passion. I have spent a lot of time & effort trying to sort the steering shake, with little success. That is my greatest annoyance with it.

I think the time is coming to sell the Patrol. Possibly not this year, but maybe next. It currently only has 51,000klms on it and is in great condition, and only gets driven once or twice a month.
I don't know what I will replace it with but I do have a soft spot for the FJ Cruisers, having come from two previous 120 Prados. I just don't know and will make that hard decision when the time comes.

 

I don't know what I will replace it with but I do have a soft spot for the FJ Cruisers, having come from two previous 120 Prados. I just don't know and will make that hard decision when the time comes.

Toyota have made the choice pretty easy thanks to their pricing. At least for me they did, no matter how much I looked at every 4WD Wagon on the market, couldn't go past the Y62 at $30k cheaper than the 200 and $15k cheaper than the Prado. As the 76 Series, $75k for a car with no air-conditioning :rofl:

The Pajero's and MUX are two decent options. With my 2 large dogs, preferred something a little bigger.

I'm the same, not sure I want to let my GU go. But it loses in just about every category compared to modern vehicles.

 

The mechanic that fitted my reduction gears has a BT50 or Ranger, can't remember which, that he tows his comp truck with. He was looking for a good 4.8 Patrol to replace it, as he's going through a motor every year. They may be rated to tow 3T+, but won't do it for very long.:cheers:

 

some intresting personal opinions on the humble GU..... But looks like my CRD is here to stay for a little longer. Long story short last year when we where buying a house we re shuffled a lot of finances to make it happen and the patrol was used as one of the security assets, wich is not that easy to get it off there, Yes not the smartest move but Had to do it to get our own home while the market was good to buy So its basically going to be a toy and 3rd car for the next 3 years.

And as for the MUX my wife is Certain its staying also as its possibly our last good family car for a long time, the last good diesel SUV built to last a few years without diesel particulate filters. So eventually we will buy a small economical city car for my wife and I will most likley be driving the MUX from then on.

Win win for me, get weekend/ camping rig/ toy and get to drive a more modern safer car as my daily.

As for the plus 200,000Kms CRD club in the next few weeks Id say Im going to update that topic and rename it to the 300,000Kms Plus CRD club.

 

My wife and I have asked ourselves this a few times, and as someone else said, there really isnt an equivalent car to swap over to. We had a Prado prior to our Patrol and couldnt go back, too small and overpriced and not as easy or cost effective to modify. Friends have recently bought an mux which we like but its just too small, and not a huge power increase, the isuzu 3.0 is only 380nm which is same as Patrol. The new Pajeros (do they even make them anymore) dont even look like a 4wd. I have a Ranger as a work ute and it serves its purpose, but doesnt feel as robust or strong as our Patrol, I wouldnt buy one as a family car/tourer. That really only leaves the 200 series or Y62, both of which we looked at recently, but neither really blew us away. At some point we will no doubt upgrade, but it's really not a priority as the GU serves all our needs currently and we'd just be uprading just "for the sake of it".

 

Ahhhhhh man...

I'm mid dilemma. Just sold a GQ, really wouldn't mind a GU, can't afford a td42, even CRD GU's are a little out of the price range which really throws me back to GQ's and of recent times, all the good ones are chasing a price similar to that of a medium spec GU.

I really really want another patrol as it's what I have lived and breathed. It is getting harder to find that perfect car with all this other krap on the market as well.

 

took the Mux offroad for its first time on the weekend not expecting anything great and was actually amazed how good it is offroad even in stock form it impressed me even coming from a front Locked GU.

we went to Kroombit Tops NP in central QLD, done the Razorback track which is steep and rocky in sections elevating over 800m.
I think the Auto was the big thing also. Dont think I will ever buy another manual 4x4 the auto is better in every way allowing you to so much slower and have a lot more control.

 

It's an Isuzu, no need to be surprised at it's capability

I had a 1988 Jackaroo for a few years, it was a great little bus.

Bought a 3.5 petty Monterey in 1998 to replace it, took it up the tele track with a camper trailer. The only mods were LT tyres. Took it all over the High Country, Billy Goats, and all the other iconic tracks around Dargo - Wonnongatta - Harrietville. It went everywhere with no issues.


When I decide to drop back to one vehicle to replace my Golf GTI and the Patrol, the MUX is high on the list. The only negative is that it is a diesel, and after the Patrol experience vs the Jackaroo experience, my leaning is heavily back to petrol for the next unit.

 

I too like the idea of automatic for 4WD, particularly for soft sand.

+1 about Isuzu, my first 4by was a 94 Jackaroo, that thing was an animal! Sure the IFS was limiting at times but I got stuck no more than the live axled guys I went with. I do miss that car at times.

 

I'm seriously considering the MU-X as a replacement to the Y62. With kids starting to think about leaving home, I wont need such a big vehicle. There aren't too many bad reports on the Isuzu, could just do with a bigger fuel tank.

 

The Mux 65L fuel tank is a touch small, but out on the highway I did get over 820km Range before I had to fill up. The patrol uses around 110L to get the same distance.

on the weekend the highest fuel consumption I got while 4x4ing was average 14L/100km that was fairly putting the foot down in the hills driving between parks. realistacally would have been closer to 13L/100km offroad

best ecconomy so far was 7.8L/100km on the highway

Towing a trailer with the weight of around 1000kg over a 800km trip averaged 10.5L/100 sitting on all speed limits at least 500km of that hilly country.

on my tour to work 820km round trip including driving to work daily seems to average 8.6L/100km

so 65L may seem small but its defenetly not un reasonable or un managable from what I have found.

 

What motors the squirrel run? The same as the dmax?