MQ vs GQ - thoughts/corrections

[chimpboy]

Just as a matter of interest, here's an email exchange I had today:

>closet nissan fan<

The plan is still for an MQ.. dunno why but I do prefer them over the GQ, despite issues with age and rust. The expected $4000 price difference also helps. Still a GQ at the right price if a decent MQ doesnt turn up may have to do.

People say that the MQ leafs arent able to get lots of travel but you've seen that's kind of a myth. To be quite honest the GQ's front is a bit of a weak link, and no better than the MQ's leaf front anyway. You can't really get much travel out of the front without major work which is why all the competition GQ's have 5 link fronts in them.

GQ has the advantage of being able to be spring lifted a long way, but I dunno that I'd ever want a 4" spring lifted vehicle, let alone the 6-8" spring lift kits some people throw on them.

>me<

No, I agree, you can get plenty of travel from leaves. The reasons I'd prefer a GQ over an MQ are more:

- disc brakes are much better for off-road use than drums
- GQs have a wider track
- GQs have a stronger, wider chassis
- GQs have better resale
- GQs have more power and torque
- GQs look better
- GQs have a much, much nicer interior
- GQs are easier to get with 5 speed, air-con, and power assisted steering
- GQs have nice touches like a vacuum assisted clutch which believe me feels real nice
- GQs are newer and therefore in better condition, and have more years of life/saleability left in them
- virtually every drivetrain, suspension, and steering component was upgraded for the GQ. Basically all the metal mechanical bits are bigger and stronger.

Coils ARE better than leaves, but I agree not $4k better.

I'm wondering whether you'd prefer a shorty MQ or a LWB GQ... tough call I reckon if the prices were similar, which they could be at a similar state of condition. I think I'd go the LWB GQ to be honest, but it's a toughie.

All in all the choice probably just comes down to price. As you know I ended up settling on a GQ because the MQs that I felt were good enough cost nearly the same anyway.

Whatcha reckon? Obviously a LWB MQ is not an option because they are so deeply, deeply ugly.

Jason

[Daisy]

Agreed with everything you said.

For the budget conscious.. a MQ wouldnt be too bad.. but then again.. the upgrade to a GQ is always there.. more comfort in ride and looks

TOM

[moose]

& i,ll but GQ front flex against an MQ front flex , anyday !!!!

[Big Red Toy]

Ah, but you don't have a removable roof on a gq, where i can have a ute and the shorty . Leaves are a shit ride, however the LWB are better than SWB's and if you run big tyres at low pressure they are nice and comfy
go the gq swb with turbo diesel v8

[V8Patrol]

GQs have a stronger, wider chassis

Jason

WRONG

MQ chassis is wider by 67 mm, ......
reason being ...... to allow room for the coils


I'm also a bit lost on the price differance thing......

MQ's can be picked up for under a grand in good nick and requiring only minor work for RWC. (Screwy just got one for under $500 and it should be RWC by today !!) ..... That means that a GQ would be around the $5000 mark !!!! I think NOT !


And as for the flex thing ..... It all comes down to $$$$$$$$$

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... hp?t=21639

Kingy

P/S
I still wouldnt mind a GQ but

[chimpboy]

GQs have a stronger, wider chassis

Jason

WRONG

MQ chassis is wider by 67 mm, ......
reason being ...... to allow room for the coils

Where though? The chassis tapers in where the wheels are but gets wider at the centre, doesn't it?

Jason

[scorched]

MQ's Look way better

[Daisy]

MQ's Look way better

[Beastmavster]

MQ's Look way better

Agreed

[hottiemonster]

MQ's Look way better

Agreed

no way

[Patroler]

I wouldn't mind a gq tray just for the coil comfort, and gearbox (5th and crawler gear availability), but it would cost a lot more than what mine has cost and still be less capable off road - that would cost more again....

And no GQ's don't look better than my MQ have a look to see what i mean

Mick

[JemmyBubbles]

GQ Flared Quarter Panels look so much more Tougher ? than the straight ole MQ.... gives it this wider looking Tank like appearance. MQ's look straight and sorta like the early shaped pajero but wider...

[Patroler]

see above

[DR Frankenstine]

Mq's way tougher and you can make leaves ride nice.

[Beastmavster]

What leaves work good in a MQ it's a bit of an art form in the sierra is the MQ just as fussy like most SWB are?

[Patroler]

jeez Dr frankensine, I reckon you'd have a pretty good departure angle with that wheel

[chimpboy]

jeez Dr frankensine, I reckon you'd have a pretty good departure angle with that wheel

My guess is that it keeps the car from flipping over when he floors it and does a wheelie... kinda like on a drag racer

Jason

[Wendle]

That means that a GQ would be around the $5000 mark !!!! I think NOT !

i bought a GQ 6 months ago for $5000, went staight through rego, it is my road car and has never missed a beat.

[DR Frankenstine]

jeez Dr frankensine, I reckon you'd have a pretty good departure angle with that wheel

i THINK THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD KNOW THAT THE WHEEL IS OPENED UP ON A SWING AWAY HOLDER

[ludacris]

GQ's ROCK.It is the choice for comps.Lots of 2nd hand stuff around for them so they most likly would turn out costing the same to buy and build as a MQ.I bought mine for $5400 on gas and it has plenty more life in it at 259 000.

[Screwy]

Just as a matter of interest, here's an email exchange I had today:

>closet nissan fan<

The plan is still for an MQ.. dunno why but I do prefer them over the GQ, despite issues with age and rust. The expected $4000 price difference also helps. Still a GQ at the right price if a decent MQ doesnt turn up may have to do.

People say that the MQ leafs arent able to get lots of travel but you've seen that's kind of a myth. To be quite honest the GQ's front is a bit of a weak link, and no better than the MQ's leaf front anyway. You can't really get much travel out of the front without major work which is why all the competition GQ's have 5 link fronts in them.

GQ has the advantage of being able to be spring lifted a long way, but I dunno that I'd ever want a 4" spring lifted vehicle, let alone the 6-8" spring lift kits some people throw on them.

>me<

No, I agree, you can get plenty of travel from leaves. The reasons I'd prefer a GQ over an MQ are more:

- disc brakes are much better for off-road use than drums
- GQs have a wider track
- GQs have a stronger, wider chassis
- GQs have better resale
- GQs have more power and torque
- GQs look better
- GQs have a much, much nicer interior
- GQs are easier to get with 5 speed, air-con, and power assisted steering
- GQs have nice touches like a vacuum assisted clutch which believe me feels real nice
- GQs are newer and therefore in better condition, and have more years of life/saleability left in them
- virtually every drivetrain, suspension, and steering component was upgraded for the GQ. Basically all the metal mechanical bits are bigger and stronger.

Coils ARE better than leaves, but I agree not $4k better.

I'm wondering whether you'd prefer a shorty MQ or a LWB GQ... tough call I reckon if the prices were similar, which they could be at a similar state of condition. I think I'd go the LWB GQ to be honest, but it's a toughie.

All in all the choice probably just comes down to price. As you know I ended up settling on a GQ because the MQs that I felt were good enough cost nearly the same anyway.

Whatcha reckon? Obviously a LWB MQ is not an option because they are so deeply, deeply ugly.

Jason

SCREWY's 2 CENTS:

- Disks are an extremely cheap mod for an MQ ( under $200 ). MEH!!!!!
- MQ's are Just as strong if not stronger, and may be ruff but are stable.
- Who cares about re-sale, its in proportion isnt it?
U buy and MQ a grand, fix it up sell it for 3 grand.

or

Buy a GQ for $6000 and sell it for $16000?
I think not, good luck to ya.

Try making 3 times ya money on a GQ for less than a days work and about half the money u spent on the car on fixing it up.

-Power and torque are determined by the motor. Its a newer car so therefore has a more improved motor.
Ya can drop a V8 in an MQ more easily than a GQ and u will gain lots more resale value than a GQ for the same money and more power.
80% of Comp GQ's dont have the stock motor anyways.

- GQ's are nicer, but not tougher, and if u ding a GQ ur resale value drops by a huge amount, ppl dont even notice Dings in MQ's, and if ya wheelin u have to expect battle scars
- true that p/s and a/c etc. are standard in GQ's, they are available for MQ's and can be bought and fitted for cheaper than the price difference between the 2.

- new doesnt mean better condition, it means newer and better chance of less rust. U can get MQs in tip top condition if ya hunt and ya can find GQ's that look like they have been to the sewrage farm.

goes both ways.

with regards to the drivtrain, they have been up-dated for the different suspension and forces the GQ has, MQ's have more than enough power and strength to get the job done

and coils are not better than leaves. They both have advantages, u can get leaves to flex.
and u dont need to worry aobut millions of rods and bushes and big money in conversions.
u can get an mq to flex by rippin leaves out of it.


they both have advantages

but MQ's are Great for a first 4be cause they are cheap, ya can give em a beating and they wont lose huge value, and ya can play with em cheaply to learn about ur 4be

my 2 cents.

screwy

[JemmyBubbles]

"u can get an mq to flex by rippin leaves out of it. "

Axle Wrap the greatest Hero of them all.

Leaf and Coil comparo ???

I don't know. I think on average coils are generally Cheaper to Lift and much easier to get results flex-wise coupled w/ good road handling and comfy ride.

Yeah sure a modified MQ can flex those pics of yours were fairly impressive... But stock GQ vs stock MQ I have a feeling the coil sprung wagon with the tigh 'ole LSD would go further....

[r0ck_m0nkey]

and ya can play with me cheaply

how cheap?

[Screwy]

I mean, if ya dont know anything about ur 4be, u can bu parts cheap and get stuck in and play and if ya break things its not a big financial loss, u can get stuck in with an angle grinder and the value of the car barley drops. Older cheap cars are great for learning on.

and

fix to axle wrap:

trackbar

to put a 5 link in a GQ is huge dollars to get big flex.

U can remove MQ leaves for nothing, and then spend $600 on a trackbar. There is no comparision to the dollars required.

But u r correct in saying that a stock MQ Vs a stock GQ: a GQ has definatly got superior suspension.

screwy

[giffo]

I have Shannon's old MQ SWB SD33 and its my second 4WD. My first was a XLT Ford Explorer, nice car, comfort, power, smooth, BUT no where as good as the MQ and it cost 20 times more and couldn't go where my MQ goes.

MQ is a real solid, robust, old truck and will be in the same catergory as the dinosaur. Big, mean and never forgotten.

Giffo

[V8Patrol]

Well I thought I'd avoid this silly argument but I cant resist any longer....

For starters the GQ is the "newer" machine of the 2 models so naturally it has to be an "improvement" over its predecessor. Those improvements are obvious things such as pwr steering, interior decor, ride comfort etc .... lets face it, if it wasnt better in many ways then ppl wouldnt want to upgrade their vehicles
Who in thier right mind would swap a VR holden for a HQ !!!

It really comes down to what you want to do to the rig and more importantly ........ what you can AFFORD to both do and purchase !

For me and many others the MQ offers a very cheap way into 4x4ing and can be modded with a great deal of success and on a realitivly "tight" budget. This combined with the fact that should it be "written off" the loss wouldnt be such a great financial burden.

The MQ can be made to Flex, it can be made to sit higher than a GQ, it can be made to clear 38" swampers, it really comes down to knowhow and the owners abilities or wallet skills. I often ask myself 'why do rigs such as Ruffs still run leaf suspension ' ????, he's rig isnt the only "awsome"rig around running leaf suspension either. Can any-one explain to me as to why ???

The Mq has features that the GQ doesnt have ..... removable rear canopy for example, really excelent summer crusier and an awsome head turner if thats what you are into BUT ..... I am quite sure I could convert a GQ to take an MQ's canopy with out to many dramas and yes I have looked at it allready ..... it wouldnt be that hard to do.

There is a rig in the members section that is an MQ but sports a pair of front gaurds and a grille from a GQ ....... looks trick as and obviously some-one has spent some time and dollars to get it right ..... it works and works well looks wise.
I guess the point I am trying to make is you get out of it what you put into it, or more importantly "what you are prepared to fork out to get that ultimate look or performance"

For me that is the MQ without any doubt, I can buy 5 or 6 MQ's for the price of 1 GQ and I can mod the MQ far cheaper than I could mod the GQ and the comfort thing ..... they are offroad rigs, you are supposed to get a "rough ride", if you cant handle the ride buy a statesman.

I'm just happy I never had to own a toyota

Kingy

[Screwy]

Well I thought I'd avoid this silly argument but I cant resist any longer....

For starters the GQ is the "newer" machine of the 2 models so naturally it has to be an "improvement" over its predecessor. Those improvements are obvious things such as pwr steering, interior decor, ride comfort etc .... lets face it, if it wasnt better in many ways then ppl wouldnt want to upgrade their vehicles
Who in thier right mind would swap a VR holden for a HQ !!!

It really comes down to what you want to do to the rig and more importantly ........ what you can AFFORD to both do and purchase !

For me and many others the MQ offers a very cheap way into 4x4ing and can be modded with a great deal of success and on a realitivly "tight" budget. This combined with the fact that should it be "written off" the loss wouldnt be such a great financial burden.

The MQ can be made to Flex, it can be made to sit higher than a GQ, it can be made to clear 38" swampers, it really comes down to knowhow and the owners abilities or wallet skills. I often ask myself 'why do rigs such as Ruffs still run leaf suspension ' ????, he's rig isnt the only "awsome"rig around running leaf suspension either. Can any-one explain to me as to why ???

The Mq has features that the GQ doesnt have ..... removable rear canopy for example, really excelent summer crusier and an awsome head turner if thats what you are into BUT ..... I am quite sure I could convert a GQ to take an MQ's canopy with out to many dramas and yes I have looked at it allready ..... it wouldnt be that hard to do.

There is a rig in the members section that is an MQ but sports a pair of front gaurds and a grille from a GQ ....... looks trick as and obviously some-one has spent some time and dollars to get it right ..... it works and works well looks wise.
I guess the point I am trying to make is you get out of it what you put into it, or more importantly "what you are prepared to fork out to get that ultimate look or performance"

For me that is the MQ without any doubt, I can buy 5 or 6 MQ's for the price of 1 GQ and I can mod the MQ far cheaper than I could mod the GQ and the comfort thing ..... they are offroad rigs, you are supposed to get a "rough ride", if you cant handle the ride buy a statesman.

I'm just happy I never had to own a toyota

Kingy

Shuttup man!!

biggest regret of my life

[Dirty Dave]

Biggest Regret of my life was buying my first FJ40 then upgrading to a Bundera then having moments and buying another FJ40 just cause they look tuff but after waking up and realizing Toyota have got nothing I -bought a GQ which if I bought in the first place I would've wasted so much money!!

Yeah leaf suspension if you throw enough money at it can work ....ok... however you can buy coils for f**k all and bobs your uncle....choose your exact height and ride and away ya go..without the kidney belt

GO THE GQ!!

[scorched]

aint she keen

[Dirty Dave]

aint she keen

Always and she loves the GQ....MQ's got nothing but rusting sills.