Patrol bought - user now insecure due to permanent empty wallet.

[harry-potzer]

Was this the right thing?! This is (by now) the only question.

I just wanna be sure because in the last few days I thought it over several times and talked to some people (sure none of them really involved in 4wds or even traveller's cars). I bought a Nissan Patrol (specs follow) for 7.500$ from a guy that travelled with the car before (only 2 months) and said, that he bought it for 7.5 as well and put money in it so it'll actually be worth about 11 grand.

Then comes the petrol question...we'll probably travel about 20.000km. It uses about 20l/100km so 4.000l for 1.40AUD = more than 5 grand for fuel!

But anyway..please check the specs and just tell me I catched a good one...that car/money is really keeping me up at nite

The specs...

• 1992 Nissan Patrol 4x4 4.2l GQ
• 389.000km
• 5speed (manual)
• good service record covering the last 4 years (newest thing were steering bearings in october)
• WA rego until March 12
• freezing cold aircon
• powersteering
• 2 sets of keys + immobiliser
• 2nd battery + converter
• 12v pressure pump
• radio transmitter (uhf)
• compressor + tyre deflator

Extras for camping/wellness

• safety material
• tools, spanners, axe, jack etc.
• 3 jerry (petrol) tanks
• radio with mini-jack
• Ironman rooftop-tent with fitting annex on rooftop rack
• bedding/matresses/cutlery for 2p
• 3 stoves and a 4kg lpg-tank
• 12-volt Esky
• storage boxes
• big outdoor light
• 40m power cable
• washing line
• camp showers
• some games and beach stuff

Books

• Maps 6
• Australian 4WD Guide
• Nissan PAtrol Repair Manual

[growler2058]

Id be pretty happy with that mate,mine cost me 3k td42 bare bare basics uhf only extra and well in excess of half a million km on the clock

[HippoNZ]

Id be pretty happy with that mate,mine cost me 3k td42 bare bare basics uhf only extra and well in excess of half a million km on the clock

They keyword in that mate was "td42" of course shes still going strong!

[Stumpjumper]

Harry the price you payed for the patrol was reasonable, it sounds like its been looked after and shouldnt let you down.
Now you have to realise its a big car, big motor and can be expensive to run particularly on petrol. (mines on gas/petrol) If you were travelling around Australia and intending to stay on the bitumen you maybe dont need a 4x4?? Just a van.....4 cylinder......lot cheaper to run etc etc
However if you intend going bush and getting rough and dirty and you want to see the real outback then the patrol is a good choice.

[Silver]

Harry, I've got a carby petrol - on a trip even with a roof rack it does a bit better than 20/l per 100 on the highway - but not much better. You would have paid a lot more for a diesel, esp a turbo diesel - so it might work out not too different in $$. What you will notice is that not all petrol stations are only 400ks apart - and that is a real benefit of the diesel - along with better wading/fording ability if the diesel is fitted with a good snorkel.

Just drive and enjoy it! Also, see if you can hunt up a book called Outback Australia on a Budget - one of the main themes of the book is to drive little, while travelling a lot - in other words, spend time in places getting to know them and really see the sights, rather than seeing the country through the windscreen on the main highways. This is especially important if fishing is your thing - it can take a few days to get the conditions and the knowledge right.

[Dhuck]

Mate I think you have done well. I only get 20 odd litres to the 100. Plus the extras you got, mate thats a hell of a list. Go hard buddy

[harry-potzer]

The thing is that I was pretty sure what I buy because friends at home adviced us to get a 4WD if we really want to go to the outback or other places you'd really need 4 wheels power. But how important is this? I really can't tell...

Interesting is the point about the 400kms - thanks for putting another minus point to my brain. I really love this car and all that comes with it (especially rooftop-tent because I can't sleep in the car comfortably with more than 2m). I have been thinking about an lpg-conversion to get the price down. But then the conversion is 2 grand and I don't know if I'll ever get this money back (do I?)...

[patch697]

Yep..... If the Patrols been well looked after then I'd be pretty happy paying that with all those extras.

[growler2058]

If your going real "outback" you womt get gas in a lot of places get yourself a long range fuel tank

[harry-potzer]

If your going real "outback" you womt get gas in a lot of places get yourself a long range fuel tank

That's exactly my problem...$$$$$$$$$...90l by now - what would be "long range"? Of course I still have 3 jerries...