Advice wanted on Y61 (GU) with ZD30DDTi 02/03

[english lad]

Hi everybody,
I'm currently looking at Patrol which I might want to buy.
It's got 114,000 miles on the clock and had a recon at about 90,000 miles.
The owner has since also changed rad, intercooler, turbo, viscous, water pump and possibles more which I might not remember.
The Patrol is his daily work horse. He and his brothers run several Quarries up and down the country.
It's his mobile toolbox with his huge snap-on box in the back.
This sounds like if she should be a wreak, but she stands there beautyfully.
No rust or dents, the leather interior is immaculate apart from the driver seat.
I can't spot any leaks or other things wrong with her.
When I spoke to him about the Patrol he strongly advised me against buying any Nissan, as he's been very unlucky with all of his Nissans. He's also got a couple of 2.5 Navaras which pushed their conrods out of the side of their blocks. He's also just replaced a fuel pump on one of them.

So my question is whether I'm totally bonkers even thinking of buying this Patrol or could I get the beast tamed so she won't self destruct herself no longer.
I've asked the owner also about the 5th gear, and he said that he's not noticed anything unusually.
He's fitted new bearings top and bottom and installed new seal to the front axle which started leaking arround the stubaxle.
What other thing should I look out for.
I would be very greatful if you guys who own one could give me your honest opinion whether I should buy this truck and what she might have in the pipeline for me.
Many thanks

Regards
english lad

[MudRunnerTD]

Ghee mate, sounds like it has had a hard life mate, sounds like he is Very hard on Vehicles.

Unless you getting it for a steal find another one. Dont get all romantic about the Snapon tool box or the leather, the big picture is this thing has been treated like his toolbox and given a really hard time. Conveniently he can blame the motor blow up on Nissan but if he has killed a couple of Navaras as well then i would not be buying anything with an engine from him......

my 2c

Go find another.

[Yendor]

If it was me I would pass on this one.

It sounds like it has had a hard life.

[english lad]

Well,
I know the 2.5's had a problem with the small ends. Nissan extended the warranty to 7 years I believe. I spoke to one of my customers who's got an engine shop. He reckons Nissan fitted the wrong bearings. Petrol grade once. They where used as run abouts for the workers, so didn't have a nice live.
Yes, the patrol didn't sit on the drive of a suburbian semi, but the guy is a diesel fitter like myself and has serviced her regularly.
He's spent a lot of money on her as she's his livelihood. I don't think she's done a lot of towing. They got the drivers for that.
She's more his incident vehicle in which he spends probably more time than at home getting from one broken machine to the next. Crushers always need a lot of attention.
The thing is, I know the guy and his workmanship. He wasn't keen on selling it to me due of his bad experience with Nissan.
If I, on the other hand buy one from someone I don't know, what assurance have I got then?
Most Patrols for sale have got between 75,000 and 90.000 miles on the clock.
That's precisely the time when things go wrong I believe. No guaranty that the guy's not trying to get rid of it because he's had the first signs. eg cracked head or the likes. That's easily botched up for the short period.
I've seen it all, from saw dust in the sump to people removing the airfilter.
And to buy something low milage, I just haven't got the money for.
Hes asking between £2500 to £3000 for it.(beween 3800 and 4600 aust. dollars)
One with a blown head fetched the other day £2000, that was a '98 modell. Propper head (not chinese) and gasket would come to £1000
The rest of them is around £4-5,000 and more. But you got no clue what they done in their live. Maybe towed a heavy exhibition trailer down the motorway every day.
I havn't seen one with full Nissan service history for sale. And when I think of the kid they have working in the main dealers, I'd rather not have one.
Out of my experience are most the good mechanics now well in their fifties or got their own shop. Hardly any work for main dealers. That's apart from the Poles we've got here. They are excellent mechanics, but are all working on heavies.
The truth is, seen we've got proper asphalt roads over here, the standard family gets away with one of those people carriers.
The ones who want a "Chelsea tractor" by a Range Rover, ML or X5.
The ones like you guys are Land Rover fanatics over here and then there are the once with their Suzukies!
Amazons and Patrols are very rare and really only driven by the Irish and the likes for towing.
The nearest advertised Patrol is over 120 miles away. A long way to go to find out it's a lemon.

Please keep your comments coming!
english lad

[MudRunnerTD]

hmmmmm, interesting. That car here would be in the mid $teens so its a bargain. Given that you know yor market far better than we do here you would need to be teh judge. Given your a diesel fitter your well places to notice the signs, do the NADS and monitor the thing for ever.

Your call bud

[Yendor]

It sounds like you have done your homework.

We would be lucky to buy one here with a blown engine for that sort of money.

It sounds like you have already made your mind up and are going into with your eyes open.

As you have said it has already had a lot of work done and is well maintained.

Welcome to the Patrol fraternity.....

[english lad]

That's if my missus is happy with it, We are going to have a look at her tomorrow.
My question is just what else can go wrong on the baby. Are there any specific weaknesses which I should look at.
What surprises could she hold which would burn a hole into my pocket?
Diff, Gearbox, axles, heater van, wipers and other electrics for example.
Where are the common places where the rust is hiding?
What's the saga with the fuel pump, what goes wrong on it. The electronics or the mechanical side?
Regards
english lad

[Yendor]

I am not aware of any major problems with the diffs or axles.

You know about the 5th gear issues with heavy towing, replacing the clutch with the genuine setup can be expensive.

The interior fan resistor can fail (just like any model vehicle) not a major issue, I have read a few reports about heater cores leaking (whole dash needs to be removed).

The electrics on the GU are pretty good not much goes wrong them apart from the alternator and occasional relay, (it is a good idea to run an extra earth from the negative of the battery to the chassis). Most problems are cause by the extra circuits people have added.

Common places for rust are the radiator support panel, around the front windscreen and on the wagons around the body rubbers (roof section) for the rear barn doors.

I'm not sure about the pump or injectors, but I would hope yours would be new (or at least were tested) when the new engine went in.

As MudRunner as said "do the NADS" and I also would replace the MAF sensor (for piece of mind).

[teleman]

I would leave that one mate. As I have said in many other posts, no car is gonna last if it is has been abused. That being said, I think the Patrol is the toughest 4x4 out there.
I treat my trol very well and it gives me next to no problems.
The good ones are out there. Just have to find them.
happy hunting.