Hi and decisions decisions decisions

[ISA.13B]

Hey all.

So much info on here. AWESOME!.

Anyway, I currently have no Patrol, but are actively searching. I PROMISE!!

I have had a 4wd before (some of you might say that is debatable - LOL)
It was a 2006 Ford Courier dual cab V6 4wd auto.
Power, comfort and inexpensive to buy, but without spending a wad of cash was by no means capable of what I wanted to do, nor did I want to wreck it trying as it was just too tidy. I used to go wheeling with a mate in his twin locked TD 35'd 80 series cruiser, but he's since sold that and now owns a new D22 navara 4wd. ;-)

So, here I am, 4wd-less. I've been tossing up between pre-97 hiluxs (always late in a 2.8), 80 series landcruisers (overpriced) and GQ or GU patrols.
I was exclusively looking for diesel, more than likely turbo and ideally TD42T.

Now though, after actually weighing up what I want/need/and will actually use I am firmly searching for a GQ with TD42T, or GU (unsure on engine at this stage).

The reasons I've personally decided I want a Patrol over a hilux or Cruiser are:

Hilux - like riding a board - leafs both ends.... OK if you're young, and your wife loves getting dirty.
Cruiser - overpriced I think compared to Patrols, sure they're great, but you pay for the badge with these bad boys.

I have been looking at a 2003 GUIII with the ZD30 DI in it at a dealer in Sydney, but after researching I'm scared of all the hype I've read about the early ZD30's being unreliable if they're not looked after, the CRD ZD30s are out of my price range (which is $15k BTW, so that rules out TD42 GUs too.

Because it will only be a weekend errand car, and sometimes weekend camping/wheeling trips I have opened the search up to include TB45s and 48s.
Money goes further it seems when you talk petrol. So for my money I'd end up with the comfort of a GU, and some mods too it seems.

I hadn't considered the early GUs with the 2.8 in them, as I was told they were gutless, however their issues don't seem to be as widespread as the DI ZD30s are.

I'd be more than willing to hear anyones thoughts on what I've said above.... and please correct me if I'm wrong too.

Cheers and thanks for welcoming me..... (embarrassing if I get told to go away now hey) LOL

Nick.

PS: just read through what I've typed above, and what I was trying to say without saying it was "somebody tell me what to do and find me a truck!" :D

[ISA.13B]

Wow, sorry that post was so long..... I had a lot in my head after reading info all day. LOL

[Stropp]

Welcome to the forum mate, the gq td42t will suit you perfectly and for that sort of money you should get one with a good setup, take your time and find the right one for you.

[ISA.13B]

Thanks Stropp.

I'm thinking the wife will "enjoy" a GU's interior and creature comforts more than a GQ hey.
She's not too keen on camping etc. so I need all the help I can get to convince her to come.

GQs were my first choice though, I don't think they can be beaten for looking tough anyway.

Drivelines are basically the same between the two models though hey. So ride quality is more dependant on suspension choice and driveline condition I guess.

I'm also actually looking forward to being able to work on my own vehicle again. I had Mazda rotarys before selling up a few years ago, so you know I was under the bonnet of that every other weekend. The Courier was too good to mess with, and the wife's car is a near new Cruze, so I dare not touch that.

Cheers.

[MudRunnerTD]

I would buy a GUIII with a TB48 injected motor and Auto. If you can find a Ti model with the 4.8 your wife will enjoy the experience for sure. Fuel cost is not that big a deal if your not driving it every day. It won't be ideal for long distance outback touring but you specifically rule that out so the GU4.8 it would be for me.

[Avo]

welcome to the forum..enjoy the info and hopefully soon enough the joys of a patrol

[cgm]

I would buy a GUIII with a TB48 injected motor and Auto. If you can find a Ti model with the 4.8 your wife will enjoy the experience for sure. Fuel cost is not that big a deal if your not driving it every day. It won't be ideal for long distance outback touring but you specifically rule that out so the GU4.8 it would be for me.

That's exactly where I want to end up one day, for all the mentioned reasons. Fuel use will be high, but if you're not doing a lot of kms each year then who cares? The engines are great and have heaps of power without any mods or stuffing around.

[MEGOMONSTER]

Welcome mate, surely the best forum on the net. If you need it, you can get it, if you want to know it, just ask it. If you want to find it, go to the search bar for a universe of information. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the greatest show on earth.

[AB]

Welcome to the forum mate, feel free to ask any questions.

[ISA.13B]

Thanks guys. :D

You are spot on Mudrunner.... it'll be lucky to see 10,000km a year I'd say, probably even less. 7 month baby at home and all, might get me divorced if I go out wheeling every weekend. LOL

I think I just want a TD because they sound rad, and I've had experience with turbos before, but if I'm honest with myself, I'd be better off spending my money on a petrol with less kms, that is possibly newer and with more mods than the same model diesel.

[Drewboyaus]

G'day mate, welcome to the forum.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[threedogs]

Hi mate and welcome, you could always turbo the 4.8 down the track, oh yeah
anyway jump in anytime and enjoy

[kevin07]

well gday and welcome so if your mechanically minded and your mates I would seriously consider a 4.5 can pick up a fair decent one for 6k and then you could buy a td4.2 build it all up get all the parts ready do the conversion in a weekend and then you would have a td42t for 15k and a pair of dirty hands.kev

[SG1]

Hi, same still looking for a GU auto diesel, the right one will come along one day.. Have fun looking.

[ISA.13B]

I like your style Kevin..... I had considered buying a 2.8 GU as they're pretty cheap, or a DI GUIII and wait for the engine to do its thing before bunging in a TD42T or V8 of some description. ;-)

Thanks again for the welcome guys.

My mate that had the fairly serious 80 series is just texted me saying I should look at petrol 105 series cruisers too. LOL

[Bloodyaussie]

well gday and welcome so if your mechanically minded and your mates I would seriously consider a 4.5 can pick up a fair decent one for 6k and then you could buy a td4.2 build it all up get all the parts ready do the conversion in a weekend and then you would have a td42t for 15k and a pair of dirty hands.kev

In a weekend... I bloody wish.

[Dhuck]

Welcome to the forum mate

[Sherro]

G'day Nick welcome to the forum mate.

[ISA.13B]

I thought a weekend was a bloody quick job too. LOL

[kevin07]

I like your style Kevin..... I had considered buying a 2.8 GU as they're pretty cheap, or a DI GUIII and wait for the engine to do its thing before bunging in a TD42T or V8 of some description. ;-)

Thanks again for the welcome guys.

My mate that had the fairly serious 80 series is just texted me saying I should look at petrol 105 series cruisers too. LOL

I work with diesel mechanics 1 of them has a 105 series and he has told me its the weakest cruiser built and all the stuff he has had to do to it to make it strong enough to go places and why I say the 4.5 is the td42 bolts pretty much straight in.

[ISA.13B]

So, I bought a truck last weekend.

Best thing I'd looked at, and I looked at 80 series cruisers (petrol and diesel), GQs and GUs.

I ended up buy a 1998 GU TB45E manual.
250,000kms
Perfect body
Perfect interior
All electrics work like brand new (windows, mirrors, central locking, A/C)
Even the bonnet struts still keep the bonnet open. LOL
No dents/scratches/scuffs/grazes etc underneath, so I believed the seller that he's never used it for tough wheeling, and according to the log books I am the 3rd owner.

I paid $10k for it, which some might say is a lot for a petrol 98 model. But when you see it I hope you'll agree it was a good buy.

It had on it when I bought it:

New 33" Maxxis Bighorns with new ROH black track steel wheels
Near new 2" Raw Nitro shocks and King springs
7" touch screen with GPS onroad and offroad maps installed, reverse camera DVD player etc. etc.
IPF spot lights
Electric brake setup

Since buying it just over a week ago I've already purchased:

12000 pound winch
Steel winch cradle (which bolts to chassis as the truck has the stock alloy bar)
Roof cage
Side awning
Swivel hub rebuild kit
Wheel bearings
All new brakes and pads
All new filters
UHF and aerial
Projector dual battery kit
Tray
Monitor
High light jack
Snorkel
Recovery kit (snatch block, snatch strap, tree protector, winch extension, etc.)
Thumper air compressor
Maxtrax
And a baby seat so the little bloke can enjoy it too. ;-)

Other stuff that I can't remember right now and don't want to look at how little cash I have left from my budget. LOL

Looking forward to rebuilding the swivel hubs, wacking a new front crank seal in it (its got a small leak, but leaks shit me, so I'm fixing it, even if it takes me 2 days to do it) Then having the perfect truck so I can get it dirty, but hopefully not dented.

(There I go with the essay again, can't help it, sorry, LOL)

[krbrooking]

Well done mate, sounds like a good buy. Hope to see you out there sometime soon.

Sent from me using Forum Runner

[ISA.13B]

I'll post pics tomorrow. Wife wants me to come to bed for some reason. :smileyvault-cute-bi

[ISA.13B]

50611

Can't figure out how to have the image to display in the post rather than being a link.

[Avo]

well that was some session hey,2 weeks..did you fall asleep..also mate can't see the pics.
cheers

[ISA.13B]

Never mind, works now. LOL
Maybe it wasn't working because I had the same image twice.

[Avo]

you on a pc or phone,dunno how to on a phone..have a search in the box something should come up hey

[ISA.13B]

well that was some session hey,2 weeks..did you fall asleep..also mate can't see the pics.
cheers

LOL, sorry mate, forgot about the pics, I've got to remove number plates from others before I make them public. ;-)

[ISA.13B]

you on a pc or phone,dunno how to on a phone..have a search in the box something should come up hey


On a PC, I could see the preview here for a few seconds, then it went back to being a link again. Strange.
I'll investigate.