Outer Limits 4x4 Board

hi,

just wondering if you could tell me what the down side to the gq imports were? the car has very low km's and has never really been off road.

Just curious to know what they downsides were so not to get stung later.

cheers

jiiga

jigga wrote:hi,

just wondering if you could tell me what the down side to the gq imports were? the car has very low km's and has never really been off road.

Just curious to know what they downsides were so not to get stung later.

cheers

jiiga

I think they are all 24 volts.

The imports Ive checked out when I was still looking for a GQ, all had salt corrosion on the under body.

But I love how they are better appointed than the Aus spec GQs.

yeah they are 24 v's. but what does this mean exactly? hard to fit spottiesw etc? what about mp3 players and the like?

what did you mean by better suited to aussie?

I think he just meant that they are all higher spec models than the Australian-delivered ones eg they often come with a PTO winch, they have all the electrics and extra trim etc.

24V is more in the category of "annoying" than a huge problem. Compressors and winches are available in 24V as well as 12V, spotties are easy because you just wire the two spotties in series instead of in parallel. Things like stereo, amps, etc are the only problems and they can be covered by a voltage convertor.

Having said that, I would want a serious price savings to get a 24V vehicle just because the extra fiddling's so annoying. Also, when you are out looking for many parts, such as a new alternaor or starter motor, you can't just use parts for a local GQ. A bit of a hassle.

Anyway, there are so many cheap patrols for sale that are local-spec, I dunno if it's worth the bother.

It's also harder to insure an import ie it's going to cost more.

Jason

chimpboy wrote:I think he just meant that they are all higher spec models than the Australian-delivered ones eg they often come with a PTO winch, they have all the electrics and extra trim etc.

24V is more in the category of "annoying" than a huge problem. Compressors and winches are available in 24V as well as 12V, spotties are easy because you just wire the two spotties in series instead of in parallel. Things like stereo, amps, etc are the only problems and they can be covered by a voltage convertor.

Having said that, I would want a serious price savings to get a 24V vehicle just because the extra fiddling's so annoying. Also, when you are out looking for many parts, such as a new alternaor or starter motor, you can't just use parts for a local GQ. A bit of a hassle.

Anyway, there are so many cheap patrols for sale that are local-spec, I dunno if it's worth the bother.

It's also harder to insure an import ie it's going to cost more.

Jason

What Jason ellaborated on was what I meant to say.

yeah i "may" be able to get something for around 10k with only 150km's on it with a winch. never been off rd and in excellent condition. which would leave some money for accessories.

part of the reason i would vere towards the import is for the simple reason that "most" aussie spec models shorties have been flogged by now and have high milage.

jigga wrote: part of the reason i would vere towards the import is for the simple reason that "most" aussie spec models shorties have been flogged by now and have high milage.

This is true. But the Jap's have a real lack of serviceing. Oh and importers are like every other used car salesperson. They will tell you anything to get a sale. Get a good mech to check it out and see if they think it really has 150 00km on it. Speedos are very easy to wind back.
I was thinking about it getting one but went for an AUS spec petrol/auto. Probably should have searched for a good import diesel/auto.

jigga wrote:yeah i "may" be able to get something for around 10k with only 150km's on it with a winch. never been off rd and in excellent condition. which would leave some money for accessories.

part of the reason i would vere towards the import is for the simple reason that "most" aussie spec models shorties have been flogged by now and have high milage.

Even if you did decide to get an import, you should be able to get a SWB fitting that description for quite a bit less, I've seen them for more like $8500 or so, and then there are plenty of aust-delivered ones for $5000 or $6000.

will the pto winch fit into something like an arb bull bar?

i have looked for cheaper swb patrols. but generally they seem to be around 9 - 10 k.

im not interested in getting a beat up one that has been flogged then having too look at getting an engine conversion.

the imports with only 150,000 km still would have plenty of life left in it for not too much more than the beat up ones.

what do you think?

come on guys, someone must know...... you help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers

Unlikely the winch will fit to ARB bullbar as they stick out an awful long way. Mine has a bull bar and the winch is behind it but the bar sits almost 400mm from the bonnet. I imagine you could adapt a bar to suit maybe with some infills back to the chasis but doubt you will find a bolt on one.

24volt is great when you are talking starting (current lower) and charging also good for running cables around as you can use smaller cables for the same volt drop. Ii run my fridge off the 24v which is more efficient. However it is a pain for UHF, brake controllers etc. There is a 12v supply behind the dash running the factory stereo but thats it as far as i am aware. The ciggy point is 24v also

I had no problems as far as insurance only that i can only get market value not agreed value I think I pay around $450 a year comprehensive

I have purchased a number of parts and all have been identical to the aussie GQ except for the 24v gear (lamps only so far)

Jim

My old man bought a GQ shorty import 6 months ago, his 9th patrol, all others bought new over the years, he bought this as a toy, so he could keep his GUIIII for touring.
80 000k's, immaculate paint and panel, although a little corrosion has become evident around the under-carriage.
The PTO isn't bad either, but no, I doubt you could get an ARB bar to wrap around one. I am about to knock up a new tube bar for my dad's soon.
And yeah, the 24 volt deal is a pain in the arse, although ours came with a 12volt inverter under the drivers seat, we are just running all the gear off that and its no problem.

Funny Story , bout 2 months ago a ship load of import nissans came in (bout 30 cars i think) all having exactly 130 000km on the clock. on the dot, every one the same. hahah. so stupid!!!

Gq's impports (Safaris) came out with 12 volt electrics from 1996 to life end. Prior to that they were all 24 volt and many club members here have them.

I own a 1997 GQ import Safari, which has 12 volt electrics and a PTO fitted up to a ARB winch bar, no problems

Do they put salt down on the roads in Japan and do all Jap imports come with the ridiculous looking high roof.
Alex

No not all the imports are "high tops" most of them are not. We only see high tops on long wheel base Nissans too.

Not sure about salt on the roads in Japan, my son is married to a Japanese lady, I will have to ask her. I have been to Japan 3 times and I have never seen salt on the roads

iv put 40000 kms on my gq swb import with only replacing the clutch for a heavy duty one, replacing auto hubs with avm manual hubs, replacing front diff seals after 30000 kms as theyve never been used in four wheel drive in japan and the injector pump has just started leaking now,its got 2oooookms on it now,still no rust either, thats driving it hard offroad aswell,the 24 volts fine if u get a converter four your stereo and radios etc.

I've got a Safari and the 24v issue is more annoying than a problem as somebody already said. I've worked around it. It may become 'interesting' if and when the alternator or starter fails, prob have to source one from NZ.

My auto was stuffed tho and I've read of a few others like that. Since converted it to manual.

Otherwise I'm happy with mine.

BENNNO wrote:Funny Story , bout 2 months ago a ship load of import nissans came in (bout 30 cars i think) all having exactly 130 000km on the clock. on the dot, every one the same. hahah. so stupid!!!

Do you have a shred of evidence to support this highly questionable claim?

mabsydney wrote:

BENNNO wrote:Funny Story , bout 2 months ago a ship load of import nissans came in (bout 30 cars i think) all having exactly 130 000km on the clock. on the dot, every one the same. hahah. so stupid!!!

Do you have a shred of evidence to support this highly questionable claim?

Why is it highly questionable? We used to do it. I worked for a company doing bikes for years when grey importing was all new. It may have changed by now, but highly doubt they could enforce or prove otherwise.

There were/are no rules governing wiinding back klms on imported rigs (maybe sierrajim can help here?) as long as it happens before it arrives here, and happens after they are on the docks in Jap . they can wind them back to 0 if they like. thats how it was when we were doing it.

bogged wrote:

mabsydney wrote:

BENNNO wrote:Funny Story , bout 2 months ago a ship load of import nissans came in (bout 30 cars i think) all having exactly 130 000km on the clock. on the dot, every one the same. hahah. so stupid!!!

Do you have a shred of evidence to support this highly questionable claim?

Why is it highly questionable? We used to do it. I worked for a company doing bikes for years when grey importing was all new. It may have changed by now, but highly doubt they could enforce or prove otherwise.

There were/are no rules governing wiinding back klms on imported rigs (maybe sierrajim can help here?) as long as it happens before it arrives here, and happens after they are on the docks in Jap . they can wind them back to 0 if they like. thats how it was when we were doing it.

I'm not questioning the speeding flicking thing, everybody knows that goes on and is not illegal in Japan. I'm questioning 30 trucks with exactly the same speedo reading on the same ship.......people talk plenty of shit and hear-say......I'm wondering if there is actually any foundation for this claim.

mabsydney wrote:I'm not questioning the speeding flicking thing, everybody knows that goes on and is not illegal in Japan. I'm questioning 30 trucks with exactly the same speedo reading on the same ship.......people talk plenty of shit and hear-say......I'm wondering if there is actually any foundation for this claim.

yea I agree with the 30 of them as questionable, but what Im betting woudl have happened is that they were told to make them all less than 130,000klms (odd varying #'s) and in translation or just being dumb japs, thats what happened.. IMWO it could be correct.