TD42 vs RD28 fuel consumption

Looking to buy a GQ (maybe a GU but I like GQs more) patrol for my first car. Already test drove a few 4.2s and 2.8s in my area. I can tell the RD28T is gutless compared to the TD42. I only work at Maccas and im scared im going to have trouble affording fuel for a TD42. How much better is the RD28T on fuel consumption? I live in sunshine coast so its mainly town driving to school and work and do it a bit of 4 wheeling in the local forestery. I want to stay away from 3 litres as many mechanics told me they have issues. Any help or tips would be great.

Cheers, Oscar.

Welcome aboard Oscar!
Go the GQ 4.2 mate one of the best 4x4s ever made. We've got a GU4.2 being a little bigger for our family of 4 and get around 600kms per 80L tank on the flat ground. GQ's being lighter will go even better on fuel. Once you've got some extra money down the track you can do some amazing power ups on the 4.2s.
Cheers!

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Originally Posted by cr80442

Looking to buy a GQ (maybe a GU but I like GQs more) patrol for my first car. Already test drove a few 4.2s and 2.8s in my area. I can tell the RD28T is gutless compared to the TD42. I only work at Maccas and im scared im going to have trouble affording fuel for a TD42. How much better is the RD28T on fuel consumption? I live in sunshine coast so its mainly town driving to school and work and do it a bit of 4 wheeling in the local forestery. I want to stay away from 3 litres as many mechanics told me they have issues. Any help or tips would be great.

Cheers, Oscar.

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The RD28 is not really any more fuel efficient than the TD42.
I get around 15L/100km and since some work I've done recently I expect that has come down a bit but I haven't had a chance to measure it.
I would expect the 2.8 to cost a bit more in maintenance too.

The 2.8 might be about 1 dollar cheaper to run every hundred kilometres.

Hardly any real difference.

if it is the 3 litre Petrol in the GQ that you may be looking at, these are not the troublesome engines ..... it is the early 3 litre Di's in the GU.

Being a small diesel, the 2.8 struggles to haul the vehicle around for everyday running. As Winnie posted, you have to factor in the a timing belt replacement in the servicing cost. I'm not sure how many kilometres or years that the belt has to be changed at though. There has been a few cases of the key stripping out of the harmonic balancer, the cam gear cracking off and head problems in the RD28. Apart from that they seem to be a slow but reliable engine. They also use a lighter gearbox than the TD42.

I have a different viewpoint. If you are going to be in a position where it is difficult to afford the fuel bill ............ get a smaller car. Not much point having a large 4wd which sits unused much of the time because you cant afford to run it. It wont just be fuel bills which cost either.