Undecided

[sches006]

Hi all,

This is my first post on this forum. (2nd if counting the welcome)

As the title clearly states I'm undecided what to purchase. I have an option for a 2003 Land Rover Discovery and a 2003 Nissan Patrol.

I like Nissan Patrol but I don't know anything about them. All I know is that they are big, sound nice and look intimidating. However since over here land rovers have the upper hand, the common sight in both road and off is land rover therefore few is known on these vehicles.

I know that this is a Nissan forum and probably your simple answer would be "go for a Nissan" :) So please back your comments with facts as I need to clear my mind on certain things.

I'm currently driving a Range Rover so I know about the few pluses and the minuses of such vehicle.

Thanks

Simon

[Woof]

Hey Simon, just moved your post to here as the introduction section is just for intros mate.
The answer to your question is really your decision, I have a few mates that drive Land Rovers and would not drive anything else............but have more mates that drive Patrols.
I may get yelled for saying this, but it really does not matter what you drive as long as you are happy and get out and enjoy it.

Sorry Simon I had 2nd thoughts mate.........PATROLS ALL THE WAY..lol

[sches006]

I'm not enjoying my range that much.. Recently its more at the mechanic rather than on the road. Its flooding with petrol when cold and its shutting down if not kept revved up to clear the accumulation of fuel.

The range is a nice car, removing the lucas electronics it would be bullet proof since it doesn't have that much electronics

[Clunk]

Go the Patrol to stand out from the Landy brigade.........

Which patrol are you looking at, petrol or diesel?..... The petrols are thirsty without a doubt. Pick of the diesels would be the 4.2 turbo diesel. Not that you would need them but just in case you did, how easy is it to get spare parts where you are?

The Discovery and Rangey are more comfortable for everyday driving than the Patrol and parts will no doubt be cheaper and more readily available. As you already know the landys are prone to electrical gremlins.

At the end of the day you have to choose what's best for you, just don't get a landcruiser!!!!!! Hahahaha








Go get a patrol ;)

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[BigRAWesty]

If you want reliability you can't beat the GQ with the TD42.. mechanical everything and electric nothing (apart from glow plugs) and if treated with TLC last a life time.
Sure they don't get up to 100 in record time, but they'll take you in and out anywhere safely.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[trekster]

Diesel GU Patrol :D

[fracster]

If the vehicle will be mainly used on the island, you have to ask youself if you really need a bigger engine. If Malta is like here, 4.2`s are damned near unobtainable.

You know the problems Range Rover have with electrics and, to a lesser degree, Discoverys. Also, i`m pretty sure that a lot now have airbag suspension and electonic gizmos all over them. The costs of repairing them are high.

Again, an assumption, Land Rover parts are easily sourced in Malta?

The decision is totally yours. I have had Ranger Rover and Land Rovers, recently had Hiluxs, I like my 2.8 Patrol,neither of us will do the mileage that the guys on here do, so for me, the 2.8 is more than adequate.

[sches006]

Hi all. Thanks for replying.

To answer some questions

The patrol I'm looking at is the 3.0 litre diesel. The thing is that we don't have much patrols around so it's not that we have a lot to choose from.

Today I called the Nissan showroom and they told me that they still getting parts for the patrol.

What can you tell me about reliability? Thats the only thing I want in my life at the moment. I'm fed up having to call friendS to tow me home

[BigRAWesty]

The 3ltr is very reliable with a few mods like egr block, dawns valves and a few extra gauges..

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Winnie]

What year model Patrol are you looking at?

[growler2058]

It's a 2003 patrol if its the zd30 you will need to do the nads to stop it turning into a grenade motor
If it petrol no worries or td42 diesel no worries either


Slap N Tap ;)

[Clunk]

What year model Patrol are you looking at?

2003 3ltr.............

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[MQ MAD]

As much as this is a patrol forum, of course youll get a one eyed view .........

You have to look at ,the cost to purchase,the cost to run,avaliabilty and price of parts,its good to have something left field especially where theres not many of something,but eventually parts wont be on the shelf and the price to source when you want them will cost alot
Patrols over here are very common, and within 1/2 an hour any part could be sourced ,costed and sometimes on its way
Other countries maybe not so easy

[sches006]

The model I'm interested in is the 2003 3litre diesel engine.

However since I have a land rover and I never went looking for patrol parts there might be some stock from the Japanese part importers etc..

[threedogs]

I go the local product more back up more knowledge and parts are probably
cheaper. Discos are a great off road 4x4
why buy a non locally built car.

[ova50]

Sorry Simon I had 2nd thoughts mate.........PATROLS ALL THE WAY..lol

Quick recovery there Dogman.;)

[sches006]

The reason is that I like Patrols. Thay are huge and they make the right sound + they are reliable (are they?). I have a Disco in mind but I lost hope with landrovers since they're always with problems!

[sches006]

Two little questions. Are the patrols good in offroading (stock mode) or like the land rovers you have to install a ton of parts in order to tackle off road terrain? Which suppliers do you normally use for purchasing after market equipment.

For the LR we go for: pro comp, bilstein, OME, detroit, ARB, bearmach, mantec, safari, fox coils, devon 4x4 and other suppliers alike....

[Clunk]

Nah mate, don't need to be getting a whole pile of stuff...... Ive got OME 2in suspension lift and 33in all terrain tyres, I find this setup gets me to most places I want to go. You'll find that even in pure stock state, you'll go further than you think you could. At the end of the day, it all boils down to what you intend to use it for.

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[Rustyboner81]

I would say patrol.
There heavy yes but that just helps with traction and reducing wheel spin on the tracks lol.
The LSD rear diffs are very good.
A decent engine, your road legal lift, bigger tyres and any kinda locker in the front and you'll have a rig that'll hold its own against anything.
There is a reason 20+ years on GQs are still chased after, and many parts like the LSD and the 4.2 engine havent changed much if any over that time

[Rustyboner81]

Reliable yes. The model your looking at i cant say.
Most of the problems you read about on here are wear and tear issues or driver error. Mostly with the GQs caz of their age parts get due for rebuilds, alot of these guys are up around the 400k mark and still going strong :)

With any vehicle if you give it a hard life and dont try and maintain it it will come back to bite you

[fracster]

Two little questions. Are the patrols good in offroading (stock mode) or like the land rovers you have to install a ton of parts in order to tackle off road terrain? Which suppliers do you normally use for purchasing after market equipment.

For the LR we go for: pro comp, bilstein, OME, detroit, ARB, bearmach, mantec, safari, fox coils, devon 4x4 and other suppliers alike....

This lot are ok for parts:

http://www.milneroffroad.com/nissan/patrol

Nissan themselves can be competitive on prices as well, always worth checking.

As far as I know, the European spec Patrols come with rear diffs as standard. Ironman etc etc do lifts if you need. They are a big old lump, from my visits to Malta, your roads can be small and parking in Valletta can be a chore, they are not the easiest thing to park in a small European town car park.

Check behind the plastic wheel arch trims, they are mud and salt traps and can rust badly.

The guy above is correct about parts supply, LR will be more plentiful, as I alluded to earlier.The choice is yours in that regard.


Mine has 130,000 miles on it, I have had it maybe six months,it has been reliable,it gets me where I need to get to in standard form (though a small 2 inch lift is on the cards), chassis rust can be a problem, but check it all over thoroughly and get some waxoyl blasted underneath it every year or so and it will be fine.

In short, big,comfy,reliable, decent off road with some minor down sides. I would not swap mine for a Disco.

[sches006]

And I do work in Valletta too :) however I don't use my Range for work, but if I want there are car parks around too so its not that bad. Around other places I don't find the normal parking places but those places that you get to know when you own a 4x4. I can go to Paceville (which is a horror to park) and park with ease on a 40 degree slope full of slabs and rubble.

Why the patrols have those locking mechanisms on the front wheel hubs? I don't have them on my range and I don't think that land cruisers have them!?

[threedogs]

Any vehicle that costs $100,000 to buy new has to cost heaps to maintain, the RR with air bags on the corners are $6000 a corner to convert to coils, go the patrol IMO

[fracster]

And I do work in Valletta too :)

Why the patrols have those locking mechanisms on the front wheel hubs? I don't have them on my range and I don't think that land cruisers have them!?

Those are the auto hubs. You can either lock them or leave them in auto. If in auto, they disengage when you come out for four wheel drive, leaving the front axle to run freely. However, you have to reverse a bit to disengage them and I think,that they restrict the speed when you can go from 2H to 4H.

I may be wrong on that, hopefully a grown up type person will be along and explain better..............

[MEGOMONSTER]

Those are the auto hubs. You can either lock them or leave them in auto. If in auto, they disengage when you come out for four wheel drive, leaving the front axle to run freely. However, you have to reverse a bit to disengage them and I think,that they restrict the speed when you can go from 2H to 4H.

I may be wrong on that, hopefully a grown up type person will be along and explain better..............

Maybe this might help some one.
http://youtu.be/gRESF5JXPNA

[fracster]

There you go, a grown up has sorted it, thanks Mego.

[sches006]

:) I saw this clip already. Therefore I did my homework right.

So is it good to say "its best to leave it on Auto?"

What I find peculiar with those hubs is that if you find yourself in any particular situation, you need to climb down your vehicle and lock them, possibly getting dirty or wet in the process :)