GQ Patrol vs 60 series cruiser !!! buying advice needed!!!!

[dawg runner]

Gday,

I am considering upgrading to a larger vehicle.

I have been looking at the Nissan Patrol GQ and the 60 series landcruiser.

I am looking for something RELIABLE and good offroad with very little mods.

I am currently driving a V6 4 runner and the reason for the change is due to wanting to get into some trickier stuff with my mate Bart ( toyo truck ) and feel that going through the whole SAS on the 4 runner will not be worth it.

Antoher thing that i cant make my mind up about is Deisel, Turbo deisel or petrol/LPG. I want to sway towards turbo deisel but dont know much about the reliability of these off road ie; river crossings, muddy stuff. Some kms/100 stats would be great if anyone has some as well.

I am also swaying towards the landcruiser as i believe these can be bought with a factory turbo set up. Is this correct? What are aftermarket setups like? Better, worse or same.

What sought of Kms can be produced from these engines?

My budget is $7000 - $8000.

Any help would be appreciated as i am stinging to get some wheel lift action.

Thanks guys.

Dave
0424-796-069

[dawg runner]

Thanks Barnsey

Budget is $7000 - $8000

[vSAHARAx]

G'day Mate

I have A 89 60 series with the Factory Turbo Diesel (12HT) and 5sp Man. Love the truck, its got all the trick bits being a Sahara. It hasnt left me on the side of the road (touch wood), she just clicked over 360 000kms and still going strong. Fuel economy imo is good, around town which includes a mix of driving styles it returns around 12.3L/100kms. River crossing i would rather do it in mine then a petrol 60 series, Only thing i worry about is the Hot turbo hitting cold water, though havnt had any dramas yet. Again in mud ide rather a diesel over petrol dont have to worry about spark plugs etc etc,

I would rather a Factory turbo set up, for the simple fact they are Direct injection so i beleive you can get more power out of them without losing reliability. I have a Safari Snorkel, K&N Air Filter And a 3" exhaust with no mufflers and i beleive she goes like a champion for its age.

The 60's and the GQ's were/are very tough trucks but imo the only thing the GQ has over the 60 is the coils!!!!

Hope this helps a little
Troy

[dawg runner]

Troy,

Thanks for your reply.

How long have you had the truck?

What did you pay for it?

Anything that i should look out for when purchasing a 60 series?

Thanks

Dave

[Daisy]

cant go wrong with a GQ really...

strong as, coils, off the shelf parts readily available etc.

TOM

[vSAHARAx]

Ive had the truck since April 05, ive only done around 30 000kms as ive only just turned 18 and had my licence a year.

i paid $10 000 but it was/is in mint condition.

Only thing i can think of is Rust, rust is a big killer of the 60's, look around the gutters, front guards, and the bottom of the doors. there are alot of good ones still floating around, just a matter of looking around.

[chimpboy]

Oh heck, the GQ for sure. If you were comparing an 80 series cruiser with a GQ it would be more of a context, but a 60 is getting quite long in the tooth these days.

A 60 series cruiser is basically a design and construction that originated pre-1980. So technologically, it is equivalent to a Patrol of the same era - an MQ. Leaf springs, ugly interior, etc.

The 80 series originated in 1990 and that is why it's about equivalent to a GQ Patrol originating in 1988. They have coil springs and all the associated suspension gear.

Leaf springs don't completely suck, but coils are better and if you are buying a vehicle you might as well get something with the more up to date (and more easily/cheaply modified) suspension.

Just my thought on it.

[Big Red Toy]

GQ




Did anymore really need to be said..

[eighty8]

Had a deisel 60 years ago. Thought it was a good truck.
Now got a deisel GQ. Reckon it's an awesome truck!!

Theres plenty of GQ's around within your budget.

[Ezookiel]

I'd agree, if you're thinking toyo, then go 80 not 60.
Otherwise definitely go the Patrol, the 60 isn't in it's league.

[rustynuts]

Go the GQ

After market spares are made by many of the engineering crowds from radical to as mild as you like. When and if you decide to change suspension the dollars alone you save on the coils, verses what leaf springs cost will pay fo the top shockers and still have change left to buy something else. You still wont get the ride that coils give.

The Gq is a huge step in ride alone. You also have the ability to source spares at a reasonable price unlike toyota parts (even from wreckers) .

Saying all that the 60 is a fantastic rig and if you decide to get one dont waste your money an anything but the 12ht motor. It is regarded as one of the best motors Toyota bought out.

Cheers Russ

[MUD000]

I paid $7000 for my 60 with a 12HT great motor great fuel economy 12ltr / 100 it towes a trailer 5 days a week for the money i dont think you could go wrong
The GQ does have coils & may give you a better ride but if you a toyota man go te 60
IF your a nissan man go a nissan both are good reliable trucks
Dan

[Chucky]

As said if choosing between an 80 and a GQ then no contest, go the cruiser all the way, however I would pick the Datsun over a 60.

[dawg runner]

Thanks for your replies.

After reading them it looks like the GQ maybe the go.

Did any of the patrols/safari's come out factory turbo deisel?

What sort of price would i expect for an aftermarket turbo deisel patrol?

How much for a turbo kit if i found a tuff N/A deisel patrol to convert?

eighty8/guys,

I have never owned/driven a N/A deisel before and i know they are no V8 supercar but what are they like on the freeway ie; Gearing down for hills, holding speed, overtaking. Is the turbo needed for this.
Does it come with the how the car is driven ie; gearing down early, keeping revs up?

Cheers guys,
thanks for your advice
Dave

[Emo]

It has to be said.



GQ

[mundy]

Gday
i believe the safari did come out with a factory turbo for the td42, but i hear the aftermarket kits are much better.
the only factory turbo diesel for the patrol is the rd28 which whislt been a really good motor is underpowerd for the car. although with some modifications it improves its still no were near the td42.

mundy

[dawg runner]

Guys,

Another thing, How bad are the petrol 4.2's on fuel?

What is the ST3.0 like as well?

Thanks

Dave

[GRINCH]

a stock gq will be alot more capable, my stock gq out drove a double locked hilux. std they flex very well once the sway bars are removed and the lsd actully works unlike most toyotas that are not much better than an open diff. go the GQ alot better value for money

[Beastmavster]

Petrol tb42 should get somewhere around 16l/100km on the highway and 20-25l/100km city cycle (depending on traffic and driving style). Thats about the figures I used to get, and I wasnt exactly driving for economy.


I'm getting 480km out of my LPG tank (but only using about 85l gas out of my 92 litre tank - I cant get the rest out), so about 17.7l per 100km on LPG... actually better fuel economy than I used to get petrol. So much for LPG getting far worse fuel economy. And that's including load after load of moving house with the Maverick loaded to the ceiling.



That works out to about $40 per tank or $8.33 every 100kms. When you do your comparison with a diesel, take into account how much more the diesel fuel costs. A low figure around 12.3 litres per 100 on diesel will still cost DOUBLE what im paying in LPG running costs.


Hopefully we'll get it retuned for a bit more power and a bit less economy now it's done 3 tanks full. I dont mind paying a little extra for a bit more go, even though it'd have more power on LPG than your NA diesel would anyway.

[Ruffy]

I have both. I've got a diesel 60 series and a pettie auto GQ.
The 60 is an awsome truck. It's been unbelievably reliable and i've tried real hard but can't kill it.
The GQ is a family truckster and mild off roader. It's thirsty. I drove it back from brissie and best i seen was 16l per hunjy k's. Average i see is around 22L per hunjy and sometime 30L per hunjy caining it off road.

The GQ is a tuff truck and is cheap to modify. Lift kits are available for 700 bucks versus 1200 for the 60.
GQ bits are common as, 60 bits are aging.

GQ diesel would be much better than a pettie one.

I reckon the ride in the 60 is superior to the ride in me GQ as long as you don't go around corners!!

I love my 60, but i'd say a GQ due to the fact they are cheaper to modify, more comfortable, and you'll get a newer model for the same bickies.
Cheers

[dawg runner]

Barnsey,

I have owned a 4 runner for 18 months and feel the IFS is alittle weak for
big flex and mild rock crawling. Although i had plenty of fun in it, I just dont want to fork out $1500 - $2000 for a SAS when there are plenty of capable solid axles out there already.

I want something cheap to modify that can participate in all types of wheeling.

My mate Bart has a locked and lifted single cab lux and i would like to tag along on some of the easier trips with him initially, and then later on get into mods for the hairy stuff.

I have a 2' body lift kit to go in whichever 4wd i purchase and will be purchasing a locker/lockers as soon as the finance dept permits.


Thanks

Dave

[Beastmavster]

What about just locking the front of the 4Runner? Have you done that yet?

In the end flex isnt what gets you through things, it's traction. And a locked IFS front will still drive through stuff with one wheel in the air quite happily that Solid Axle stuff will fail to acheive without a locker anyway. Twin lockers on just about anything gets you a very very long way indeed.


If you've already been putting money into the 4runner you wont get it back again easily, and then you will need to then do all those things again - suspension, tyres, bullbars etc.

Upgrading just to be able to keep up with your mate, which it sounds like this "choice" of either "bigger 4wd" or "SAS" is all about..... it's just a "my toy is tougher than yours" wank thing.

Thats ok if you havent modded the 4runner much and havent dented it, and can put it back to normal, sell it and the bits you've already put on it (seperately) pretty easily, so that it will work out cost neutral for you..



I was at the exact same point as you a while ago, and I did the trade up. And I bought all the bits again - new tyres, rims, bar and winch etc.

All up it's doubled my original purchase price for a vehicle worth half as much as when I got it.

IMHO There's MUCH more important stuff to do than waste all your money just to be better than your mate.

[dawg runner]

Beast,

Thanks for your input.

As previously said i have been wheeling in the runner for about 18 months and want a solid axle for toughness. At the end of the day solid axles are stronger than any IFS truck will ever be and will get alot more positive traction. Putting a locker in the front of an IFS truck only puts more stress on the IFS CV's. It may give slightly more traction in the front but 80% of the traction comes from the rear in LWB trucks. For instance my mate Bart ( Toyo truck ) only uses the Front locker when stuck using the rear and this gets him 90% of places.

It is not a question of beating my mate i just want to go wheeling with him or him to want to come wheeling with me.
Sure we have been wheeling, but the stuff my car does is no challenge at all for my mates which deters him a little from coming wheeling with me.

I have not done any mods to the 4 runner.

I bought it with bigger suspension and that is the only mod it has.

The other key factor is reliability which the v6 4 runner has none.

Thanks

Dave

[GRINCH]

Barnsey,

I have owned a 4 runner for 18 months and feel the IFS is alittle weak for
big flex and mild rock crawling. Although i had plenty of fun in it, I just dont want to fork out $1500 - $2000 for a SAS when there are plenty of capable solid axles out there already.

I want something cheap to modify that can participate in all types of wheeling.

My mate Bart has a locked and lifted single cab lux and i would like to tag along on some of the easier trips with him initially, and then later on get into mods for the hairy stuff.

I have a 2' body lift kit to go in whichever 4wd i purchase and will be purchasing a locker/lockers as soon as the finance dept permits.


Thanks

Dave

a gq would keep up with the lux fairly easily with a small lift, and youll probly find you wont need lockers. the only down side is a big wagon wont handle tight tracks as well as a lux, but on the hills the patrol will easy out do a hilux.

[Beastmavster]

It sounds like it's pretty clear you've made your decision and the 4runner has to go. In that case, good luck hunting for your new truck.

If you get the right GQ it will have a factory rear difflock like my Maverick did. If you get the wrong one you should still have a very very capable LSD. For a lot of people thats enough. I'd certainly go a locker on the front first in a GQ.

The weak spot on either of the solid axles will be CV's, with the toyota ones being substantially weaker. Of course yoiu can get aftermarket parts for them....

[brentz]

hey y dont ya have a look around ive seen some pretty decent 80 series around for about $7000 which is in ure budget!?

[Reddo]

As said GQ, but I'd rather save and get an 80 series if you are wedded to a Nissan or a Yota, cause there are other options/vehicles out there you know...