Twinset

Hi all,

Choosing cars at the moment, for me and my wife: she wants a white CR-V auto, so sorted that one out no worries.

I have opportunity to dip out of my car scheme, so looking at something with a bit of pulling power/bush bashing ability.

Particularly interested in a Prado or a Nissan Patrol, little bit concerned about fuel consumption and the Landcruiser, but wanted to get people's owning eperiences of these cars in Oz?

Pies

rosscov1970

We've had a Pathfinder for the last 2 1/2 years and are very pleased with it. It lugs round a trailer full of tools during the week and at the weekend is full of kids and sports equipment. Have driven it once to the snow and was a very comfortable trip with plenty of room for 3 kids, skis and accompanying crap. Will be taking it again next month. It's a petrol and a little thirsty, but is reliable and ideal for the demands of our lifestyle.

swmbo63

Hi we bought Nissan Patrol 3ltr TD STS new when we arrived 2 years ago,this was after test driving the Land cruiser and Prado and Pathfinder.
We get between 12/13ltrs per 100k.Have kept a spread sheet since purchase and best was 10 per 100k and worst 14.5 per 100k.
Has been used both on and off road and at times with seven adults inside,no problems. hope this helps.

Gems

We have a Nissan Pathfinder and it has tonnes of room.
Great when you have 4 kids of different ages.
Also we like that all the seats fold to the floor, so you can buy big items and they will fit inside. Or if its only two of you, you could actually chuck a couple of sleeping bags in and sleep in the car.

We live rural and have had no problem with pathfinder.

Gems

Twinset

Cheers!

There is no way I can persuade my wife to get into a big fourby, so it'll need to be me.....

Centurion

I have a pathfinder ST-L TD. Its good and has a 3000kg towing capacity. I found the suspension wallows some so replaced it with an ARB heavy duty suspension kit and it drives great now.

I prefer it over the last Prado I owned because of its increased towing load, lower initial cost, better equipment as standard.

Off road its better than a Prado thanks to the all round coil suspension set up, stability control and hill decent mode.

Dislikes :

If you want to put a dual battery system in it, you can't. The engine bay has no room whatsoever.
Fitting of a cargo barrier is a royal PITA and is an all day job and you will never take it out again.
The build quality on assembly could be better. Its all sorted now under warranty, but the Pathfinders are assembled in Spain whereas Navara's which don't seem to have those teething problems are made in SA.
The tank is only 80lt whereas a Prado has dual 90's for a total 180. On the plus though you dont have a big tyre on the back door though with a Pathfinder.

All in all though I'm happy with it now I've whacked on a snorkel, steel bull bar and UHF radio.

Twinset

Cheers - hadn't thought about the upgrade line, in particular the shocks kit. Had heard the Pathfinder was not quite as good a ride. That should sort it.
Looking at a Prado in the next few days - is the double tank standard?

Twins

caliburn

Just an ordinary man's question who doesn't know much about 4x4s.... aren't Toyotas supposed to be more reliable and less costly to maintain than Nissans?

Darren-Debbie

Have you thought about a Disco 3, I would seriously consider one and definatley reccomend.

much better than all that Jap crap

Twinset

I have, but going to buy second hand (probably a couple of years old at least) and, to be blunt, being told in a UK dealers that the Disco 3 was "getting there" in the reliability stakes was a little disconcerting. Although it is a cracking drive. Not one to slag a national treasure, as I enjoyed driving air-portables and the like for years, but they are incredibly expensive over here....and the Taliban and UN have yet to adopt them....

Les Avalook

From a dealers point of view?

Possibly the most expensive 4x4 to run (when its running).

Centurion

It depends who you speak to. Nissan fans bag Toyota owners and the reverse it true.

The reality is that both Nissan and Toyota are very similar in terms of quality, reliability and retention of resale value. All of which are very good.

Centurion

The problems with Land Rovers here is that you can't get parts in remote areas where Nissan and Toyota are commonplace . That and you will get royally fleeced on the cost here to buy it and can expect some seriously nasty service costs.

Geelong Gent

We have a Prado turbo diesel and for a nearly 3 tonne vehicle the mileage we get is amazing. My average is about 9.6 (60% city 40% motorway).

I also considered the Patrol and liked it but it was not practical in terms of overall for our circumstances. In my garage I would like to have both a Prado and Patrol but thats a few years away.

caliburn

Thanks for clarifying this mate.