Need advice on buying a secondhand gu

Hi

I'm new to 4x4ing and like the look and quality of the patrol.

I'm a school teacher in Brisbane and looking at buying a gu patrol.

My budget is $15000 to $18000.

I'm looking to get into a 4x4 club and doing camping trips, not going to be used for towing.

I've seen a few where the engines have been rebuilt and was wondering if these were safe or it's gonna lead to more problems.

I was also wondering what models/Kms would be a good buy.

I'm leaning towards the diesel models for fuel consumption.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks
Roland

Hi Rolz...
If you come across 3.0ZD GU be sure to try acceleration and climbing power when having a test drive. Big headache pocket wise to fix the problem... You can find a ton of posts in the forum on how to choose, but at the end of the day it's up to you i guess which model suits you best. good hunting...

get it checked out by independant mechanic dont take the dealers word
when i was looking the car yard had a raa check on it in the windscreen that was from another patrol
rang raa to find out what they had done and was told they hadnt been to that yard for 2 years

Hi Rolz,

Buying a GU is just like buying any second hand vehicle - look for one that looks like it has been well cared for inside and out, had a proper service history.

I like to grab the former owners details from the Dealer info sheet and give them a call and ask them about the car, if it is from a yard, and most people are happy to tell you all the good and bad points of their former vehicles.
Little harder from a private sale - if you are worried then get an independent check

With rebuilt motors, i have only heard of a couple of 3L Di 's that have let go twice and it all comes down to the quality of the components and rebuild......hard to say, but most have to warranty their work, so they need to make them last

Mic

Also, try to get the latest model you can comfortably afford....

thumbs up to the person who suggested to get an independent mechanic to check the car you buying
end of the day you want the following

1. history
2. log book
3. receipts
4. report from an independent mechanic

in addition do not let wear and tear parts put you off or down if they break

Hi

Thank you, just for a diesel what's too high in regards to kilometres. Just noticed no one mentioned low Kms?

Thanks heaps.
Roland

Obviously, the lower the better, but you will normally always end up paying more for lower kilometres.

Mic