Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Hey hey... Welcome to the Patrol family !!!

There is also a Patrol guru in the Cape that knows a Patrol backwards ( Frans Fourie aka tour de Frans )

Thanks very much I appreciate your input.

Bob wrote: ↑07 Oct 2018 11:59 Hi all, my name is Bob and I am a new member to this forum from Goodwood in Cape Town. After much research and reading up on this and many other forums I have decided to honour my yearning to own a Patrol petrol version. To this end I am in the market for a 4.5 as I have a budget of 80 to 100k. I would appreciate any or all assistance in this matter. Thanking you kind gentlemen in advance.
Regards
Bob

Hey Bob, the GU 4.5 are great & definitely within your budget, however have you considered a GQ model? This would possibly open up your options to a diesel variant too...

Just a thought.

If you can find one!!!!

The search is half the fun!

Would I be correct in saying that the GQ model is up to 97 4.2 petrol and diesel whilst the GU model is 98 onwards to 2003 I think and that came in 3.0DI, 4.2D and the 4.5 petrol. If so how do the GQ and GU compare?

Yeah pretty much spot on...
GQ ( 4.2 petrol and 4.2 diesel) up to end 1997 ( however in the old safari models you also got a 2.8 petrol and 2.8 diesel, but these were much earlier as far as I know)
GU (4.2 diesel) from 1998 to end 1999
GU ( 3.0 diesel) from 2000 to current
GU ( 4.5 petrol ) 1998 to I think 2004 ( stand to be corrected)
GU ( 4.8 petrol ) 2004 to current

There are some GU 4.8 (petrol) in the pre-facelift, but As far as i'm aware ( and again stand to be corrected ) all the facelift models are only in a 4.8 version

This is only for the station wagon models, the pickups were a little different i think. there are GU pickups that came out standard with a factory turbo'ed 4.2 diesel, which then got replaced by a 3.0TD in the newer models

Cedric how do you find the turbo diesel power and economy?

Just to add to what Cedric has said, note that the 4.2 diesel, both the GQ and GU wagons, were locally sold only in normally aspirated form.

These are slow as donkey but one of the toughest and most reliable engines on the planet.

Any one you find with a turbo will be either a grey import or a modification. Nothing wrong with either in concept, but bad a badly executed mod can cause headaches.

Well executed, a 4.2 turbo can make a 4.8 look a little silly and use half as much fuel...

As for GU vs GQ: the basic chassis and suspension layout are almost identical, with many components being interchangeable.

The GU is heavier, probably safer, and maybe more comfortable but slightly worse off-road in standard form due to worse approach angle and stiffer anti-sway bars but the potential once modified is practically identical.

friggin AWESOME!!!!.....hahahaha

Look, a non turbo 4.2 diesel is a donkey with out a doubt, but as strong as an ox on steroids. With the right turbo setup, and intercooler, you will pretty much run with the 4.8's except on an uphill. The auto on the 4.8 is epic and gives it the edge to pull away from the 4.2 diesel. The 4.5's are basically on par with diesel, but we use a hell of a lot less fuel. The other advantage is you can run these beasts on bio diesel too. I'm paying R10/L and no conversion needed, except changing the fuel hoses to a "Viton" type hose, which I will do when mine start to develop a leak ( if they every do as I don't know if they are currently able to handle the aggressiveness of the bio diesel ).

Sadly the GU 4.2 never came out in the GRX ( luxury) model, but the luxury extras were nothing major.

Frans, as mentioned before is the diesel guru your side of the world. If you let him tinker on it, and are willing to spend a few rand to make sure it is in good running condition, then half a million Km is NOT un-achievable.

But ultimately it all depends on what you want form the motor, and where you want to run that beast. If Atlantis dunes is your thing, then the diesel is not going to really work for you. Mine is a touring car and a rocky mountain climber that I will take into deepest darkest Africa without hesitation, I know if all else fails and I need diesel and all I can get is paraffin, I can chuck in a bottle of 2 stroke oil, jump in and carry on driving till I can get better fuel.

PS:- I drove the dunes in my Patrol many years back.... What a great day.... but my motor really worked its butt off....hahaha.

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