Lemon or not

[MudRunnerTD]

If your happy to call it a day then don't jump in and go the tyre power bloke without some research mate. Get a quote from your local ARB for a 2 inch lift and new radius arm bushes - rubber only with no correction. Nissan genuine

[ckh]

Will be watching these posts like a hawk and taking all advice and suggestions on board before I do anything, besides cant afford to do anything sat the moment, blew my wallet and back account getting this thing...

[04OFF]

I think your mates are right, looks like a nice truck, those things you list hardly go even close to making the car even close to a lemon, now i agree, failed brake lines are a big concern for sure, but steering wobble can be a issue with Patrols, rusty rear windows are a problem on GQs, the fact the yard is trying to help fixing some things is good.

Now sure you may have paid a little more than a private sale, but you will have peace of mind of clear title, and obviously they have already paid to fix some things (more than youd have got from a private sale) of course the car must be roadworthy, but the tyre guy already suggested the bush problem is so small it would be easy to overlook, you cant expect a 23 year old car to be like new, its a old used car ,so expect wear and tear, apart from the brake lines, i think you are doing OK.

Perhaps what Mudrunner suggested about another inspection would be good advice for your peace of mind, you need to be confident in your cars safety, but i would not beat yourself up over other little things, plenty of advice to help you fix the rest on here, and you need to get on and out, and enjoy what owning a Patrol is all about !

[Outrage]

My 2000 GU had worn bushes, bit of a wobble, etc after a bit of use off road, just spent a bunch getting a the remaining ones replaced with genuine rubber, the ones on there were very bad, some might as well not have been there. Would expect an old GQ even if never been off road to have the same sort of wear, roads have plenty of pot holes in them, hit them at 110km/h would do as much damage as a few trips off road doing 10km/h over rough terrain.

A GQ with 210,000km on the clock for $7k is not bad. For that age vehicle the km count is low, which gives reason for the price. Plenty of post 2000 patrols around with +300,000km. The shaking/shudder can be caused by many things, it only takes one thing out to do it, but typically has multiple things contributing so fixing one will only reduce it, not get rid of it.

From what you have described, the vehicle is not a lemon at all, just has worn items, expected for it's age.

[Richo460]

Sounds like a good truck, you will always get a few issues with a car of age but the things you described are pretty minor. Like a few people have said, just do some research on here before jumping into anything, after reading things on here you can do a lot yourself saving loads of money.

[ckh]

That looks like it is sitting ok mate

The guy from the tyre place said the front was an inch lower than stock, and if you look at the pic you can see that the back end is sitting lower than it should by the height from the top of the tyre to the bottom of the wheel arch.. pulled up alongside a nissan that looked simular to , mine last night and notice how the space between the top of the wheel and the arch where the same, defenatly higher than my rear eand...

[ckh]

Noticed on Sat an ever so small spot on my mates driveway, but it was red, so power steering fluid, cant see where its leaking.. hope its not $$$$ to fix...

[MudRunnerTD]

Hi mate,

OK, now first thing, dont take this the wrong way bud as no disrespect is intended.

Dont get lost in the lines of your car. if you convince yourself that its a Lemon then it will be a Lemon forever. If you convince yourself that the thing is all wrong because some bloke that wants to sell you a new lift kit tells you so then it will do your head in.

So, figure out a few bench marks before you get to carried away.

Stock standard spring gauge is 15.1 - 17.4mm thick. if yours measures greater than that you have an aftermarket kit in it. Colour is irrelevant.

I have had a bit of a look and cant find the factory spec for the ride height but the measurement will be from the centre of the axle to the guard. Dont get lost in the soup.

[ckh]

Hi mate,

OK, now first thing, dont take this the wrong way bud as no disrespect is intended.

Dont get lost in the lines of your car. if you convince yourself that its a Lemon then it will be a Lemon forever. If you convince yourself that the thing is all wrong because some bloke that wants to sell you a new lift kit tells you so then it will do your head in.

So, figure out a few bench marks before you get to carried away.

Stock standard spring gauge is 15.1 - 17.4mm thick. if yours measures greater than that you have an aftermarket kit in it. Colour is irrelevant.

I have had a bit of a look and cant find the factory spec for the ride height but the measurement will be from the centre of the axle to the guard. Dont get lost in the soup.

I'm trying very hard not to convince me self I got a lemon, all my mates so far even one who is a diehard land cruiser man, said I got a good car. One thing you said which has stuck in my mind is "some bloke that wants to sell you a new lift kit " sitting back thinking yes he isn’t out to do me any favours he h out to make a sale and or make money, cause the work he did on it last Monday to remove the shaking I get at 90+KPM is still there, he said before the job he stands behind his work and if it doesn’t fix it, it would be free, he now saying the problem has to be from the tear or crack in one of the offset castor bushes and wants $396 to fit and replace.. he did say last week when he found the tear that that was the only thing he could find wrong with the front end other than it sitting an inch lower than stock.

Trust me when I say I'm taking everything you guys are saying in, and apologise if I sound like a bit of a Wally with any perceived dumb questions or statements etc..

[taslucas]

Hey mate, you haven't got a lemon....you've got a patrol. With a little work it will serve you for years to come. One thing I remember to cheer me up when I'm feeling down about my car repairs is this: a car is just a series of interchangable and repairable parts.
Chin up, your driving a patrol:-)