Nissan Patrol Y61/GU (1997-2016) - used car review | ReDriven By ReDriven

G'day guys and welcome to re driven now look. You are probably aware of this, but there's a bit of a battle going on between two camps, and it's the battle for off-road supremacy between Toyota and Nissan. Okay, look, yes, jeep Land Rover Suzuki ford, they all try to get in on the act. But, let's be honest, it's really between Toyota and Nissan: that's the battle that really counts in the Toyota camp. You have the iconic land cruiser, but for Nissan you've got this. The patrol now the patrol nameplate has been around since Elvis was winning the best new talent awards, and they've got an incredibly dedicated and loyal fan base.

But now that these GU or y61 patrols are getting pretty bloody old, are they actually any good? Are they worthy of the fan base? How have they stood the test of time? What goes wrong with them? What do they like to live with every day? And, most importantly, should you buy one let's find out now before we get deep into the patrol? Can you please do us a favor and hit those like subscribe and bell icon buttons and hey? Why not? Go and follow us on all the socials as well. The patrol first appeared way back in 1951, and this is the fifth generation, y61 or GU patrol, was introduced late in 1997, and it lasted until 2016 wrapping up with the legend edition. Now that's nearly 20 years of the same series. That is that's amazing. Now, as I'm sure you can imagine, with the GU patrol being around for that many years it's been available in a host of different trim levels with different engine and transmission configurations and different accessories and whatnot, and look we'd love to go into every graphic detail that we possibly can on this video, but that would just take hours, but we have done that, and we put it in our handy re-driven cheat sheets.

Our cheat sheets are invaluable as they provide a full breakdown of the car's model range. It's common problems. What you need to look out for, before you hand over your hard-earned cash, how much of that cash you should be handing over and so much more check it out in the link below now. In this video we will be focusing on the Australian variants of the series 4 GU patrol, but if you're not from Australia, don't freak out, because everything we're going over should relate to patrols in your local market and also, even though we're focusing on the series 4, because the GU is around for so long again, most of the impressions we're going over should relate to pretty much every series of patrol. Also, as you can probably tell, this patrol isn't exactly standard, but, let's be honest, most patrols aren't standard.

Now we decided to review this particular patrol because, while it is drenched in aftermarket gear, it does have over 275 000 kilometers on it. It has been thoroughly cared for, but thoroughly used, and we just feel that it's a good representation of that balance between purpose-built, offloaded, long-distance toured and potential daily driver. Basically, it will give a good indication of how a patrol handles many years of serious use. So does it look good? Well, it looks big and menacing. Personally, I love the way this look.

It looks like something that the United Nations would use to go and save kids from some hellhole part of the world. I just I love them, but what do you think? Let us know in the comment section below. Do you like the way the patrol looks by 2004? The GU had been on sale for several years, and it was in need of a fresher up aesthetically. The series 4 provided that facelift with the majority of its exterior panels being tweaked, to give a more modern, look and feel ok, quality issues and what to watch out for there are some reports of some patchy paint work on these patrols. But again it's not it's not a common problem as such on this particular one.

None of those dramas. This thing gets some serious work off-road and like there are some signs and some minor scratching and the paint could definitely do with a polish there's a couple little. You know tiny little rust spots popping up, but that's all easily fixed stuff. All the panel gaps are absolutely precise for how much use this thing gets. Off-Road body-wise, bloody, superb, a few scratches and dents are to be expected with how old these are getting, but have a good look around and, most importantly, underneath for signs of dodgy repair work, major impacts with the scenery, water damage and any buildup of dust sand or dirt.

Look. There are some specific things you do need to watch out for if you are in the market for a 4x4. Hence, why we've made the ultimate 4x4 buyers guide? The link is just up. There go watch that not now after this now rust, isn't a common issue with these things. But if the one you've been looking at has spent some time on the beach or even in the desert, then it's got wet after it's been covered in dust.

Go over it with a fine tooth comb to find any signs of rust, because that can get nasty, not a common issue, but be aware also for the patrol you're. Looking at has any aftermarket accessories fitted which chances are, it will have, its patrol, make sure they've been fitted and installed correctly and professionally so how's, the interior. Well, like the exterior the series 4 received a bit of a refresh so new dashboard new seats, new console new trim, but it is aging it's in that early naughtier kind of design aspect where it's not old enough to be cool yet, but it's not new enough to be cool either size and layout wise. It's a big old truck. You know it's not enormous.

It's not like hammer large or anything. It's a good size. Furthermore, it's quite spacious, good glass house. Furthermore, it's like it's like the perfect size adventure vehicle. This particular patrol has always had seat covers fitted, but even without seat covers these seats.

They do wear pretty well, unless they've been obviously abused. Seating position, wise, really nice they're, quite comfortable good on a long trip yay for the seats as far as wear and tear for the rest of the interior goes it's starting to yeah, starting to feel a bit old like all the paintwork on this kind of center console is feeling a bit shabby down here on the door, handles that that's getting a bit nasty all the touch points. It's just feeling a bit old. There's a few dodgy rattles and stuff here steering wheel, it's getting a little shiny, but not too bad. Look.

It is an adventure vehicle. It feels like it has been an adventure vehicle just be nice if it were a bit nicer than this. As far as common problems and issues goes, there are reports of the interior, light flickering or flashing, it's actually pretty easily fixed. It just requires a rubber mallet, making a pretty hefty impact with the loop that shuts the rear doors, and then it should be solved. Also, there are reports of the instrument cluster like failing or just individual instruments failing if you're, pretty handy with auto electronics, you know have a go yourself, because it's not that hard to fix, but if you're not make sure you get it to a qualified mechanic or auto electrician, but the biggest issue when it comes to wear and tear are the reports of the dashboards like blistering and bubbling.

This is purely a cosmetic issue, but does look bloody gross. The best fix is to get a whole new dash, or you can have the dodgy dash, wrapped or reupholstered, also make sure you check around the floor and the lower door cards for any signs of water damage like these things can plow through creeks pretty easily, but they don't like sitting in the ocean or a lake or a river okay, the back seat. Look I'm.00101 of a nautical mile tall, and this is in my driving position and even with this accessory backpack on the back of the seat, there's still a good amount of space, good amount of knee room, decent amount of foot room. The glass house feels quite airy and spacious loads of headroom, a couple of grab handles, which is really, really handy. It's nice! So it's quite comfy, there's no real armrest or anything but yeah.

It's nice in here wear and tear it's a bit like the front. It is starting to feel a little shabby like some scratches on the plastics. Aren't all that great, and it's feeling it is feeling a little old and fabric on the seats again they're covered in seat covers so that helps them out, but it's okay, it's an adventure truck. It shouldn't be all pristine and luxurious, so how's the tech. Well, look the tech changed and was updated during the patrol's 20-year lifespan and all of it was pretty crap later series patrols received, sat nav, reversing camera, Bluetooth connectivity, but forget apple, CarPlay or any real modern tech.

Also, the standard stereos were always pretty bloody horrible. Our tip is to do what this owner has done and fit an aftermarket unit. Driving tech is pretty much non-existent later. Model patrols did receive cruise control and some other features. All the details are in our cheat sheets, but what you get will depend on what year trim model and series patrol you're looking at also if the patrol you're looking at like this one is fitted with aftermarket gear, push every button make sure that all the accessories actually work so how's the practicality, it's excellent.

As you can see, this owner has fitted a fridge, a bunch of drawers and a whole heap of other things, so with nothing in the back loads of space. But the problem is these: things come as a seven seater as standard and when you have all seven seats in place, there's not actually a lot of storage in the back get rid of the seats button yeah. This is it's actually quite cozy. I feel like a little cat up here them a nap practicality, wise, it's, okay, even without the seat covers you do get map pockets. It has got an ashtray for those that are disgusting.

This thing's fantastic- I don't know who makes this, but if you've got one of these, you should get it because all of a sudden loads of practicality. Besides that there's nowhere for cups, it's weird you've got somewhere to put your disgusting cigarettes, but nowhere for hydration and practicality up front. There's a spot for your Sunnis up here. There's a cool little hide hole section under a trapdoor there's a spot above the infotainment system. That's perfectly sized for your phone! If you want to have it horizontally for maps or vertically, if you want to check your Instagram updates, which you shouldn't do when you're driving that's very dangerous, there's a little padded section here, there's an ashtray here: if you're, filthy and disgusting there's another spot for your phone.

Just here, which is pretty cool, doesn't slide anywhere. It's got a massive center console bin. That's huge with different levels, has an okay size, glove box, and it has door pockets, but the door pocket profile is quite low. So if you've got a tall drink bottle it, it can fall out and roll under the pedals. So what goes wrong with these? Well look.

Patrols have a fantastic reputation when it comes to mechanical and the oily bits, but I'm not a mechanic. So I'm not qualified to talk about the oily bits, but Jim is GU patrols. They do have some petrol engines, but we're just going to ignore them. They're pretty and there's not many around, and most of them have been pulled out and diesel's put in by now, anyway, with the diesels, the rd28, the zd30 and the td-42 and the turbo. All of them seem to suffer from the same type of problems: over-fueling over-boosting, overheating is the big one, and they can all end up in catastrophic engine failures.

A lot of the overheating problems can be avoided by not restricting airflow to the radiator. You put big bull bars on the front and winches and lights, and it all restricts airflow to the radiator, and that makes the overheating problem much worse. If they're well set up, and they've got a good service history and a catch, can they really can go forever if it hasn't been badly modified? The steering and the suspension, the driveling, the electrics they're, all pretty good, just watch out for shitty mods and crappy accessories. So is it safe? Well, it's bloody huge. So as long as you hit something much smaller than you, you should be okay, but in all seriousness the GU patrol does lack in a lot of the safety features and technology that we've we're now taking for granted.

Also, when I was last tested for an end cap safety rating way back in 2011, it only received three stars: dual front airbags and anti-lock brakes were standard, but electronic stability, control or ESC didn't become standard until december 2011 and side curtain airbags were only available on some variants. Now, before we get deep into these driving impressions, this particular patrol, as you can tell, is drenched in aftermarket goodies, especially when it comes to tires. Brakes and suspension. Also, there's a fair bit of extra weight in it because of the accessories, and those things do need to be taken into account when it does come to these driving impressions. Besides, we'd love nothing more than to take this thing deep, off-road to show you just how capable it is off-road, but this isn't our car we're in the middle of Sydney and there's already thousands of hours of patrols dominating the terrain and the wilderness on YouTube.

So watch them, but trust us this thing when it comes to off-road incredible, but what's it like to drive on road? Well, okay. First, up vision is excellent, like this is a big unit of a thing, but it's really easy to judge all the parameters like knowing where the front is even when reversing there's no parking, sensors there's no parking camera, but it's not too hard to judge it actually yeah vision, wise, excellent, okay, ride quality and handling okay. Yes, it is on some really Schick aftermarket suspension, but this thing is lovely: it's smooth. It doesn't wallow around in corners too much it soaks up bumps easily fantastic suspension. Okay, the steering look, it's weighted really nicely.

It's super vague, there's, not a lot of communication between the wheel and the tires, but that's kind of be expected, but the ratio of the steering is hard to judge through corners and when you're parking in tight spots in metro areas. Again you get used to it, but yeah I feel like you've got to do like a million turns to go anywhere, and then you're not really sure what trajectory you're going to take anyway. Now this particular patrol is powered by the ancient, but legendary td-42 ti intercooler turbo diesel engine and power is nice like it's. It's smooth and really refined the only reason they really phased. This thing out was because it had no hope of meeting emissions or fuel economy targets, but it's just it's a lovely engine yeah like this.

It's it has such like smooth and linear power delivery, just wafts along effortless, it's not powerful. Obviously, it's not a performance car, but for what this thing is really impressed. Okay, brakes! Okay on this one, a little sketchy like you know, you're braking, but it doesn't break anywhere near as hard as you'd. Think and you've got to give it a fair bit of middle pedal to actually come to a stop. It's not unsafe, and you would get used to it, but it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence now for things to watch out for when you're test-driving, one make sure you listen for any whining sounds from the turbo and when you do give it a bit of beans, look for any black smoke coming from the uh from the exhaust.

This one clean, as also if it's a manual gearbox, just listen for any weird metallic and again whiny noises, and especially listen for any crunching between the third to second gear change, because the synchros have a habit of getting a bit dodgy older patrols with an automatic gearbox can have a bit of a weird vibration, and it's probably from the tail shaft being out of balance. Also, some older patrols can have cracks in the spring mountains, especially the front, so just listen for any squeaks or rattles. Coming from the front end on your test, drive look even when these things were brand new. They were miles behind when it came to driver tech and driving dynamics and even design, but I don't really care like. Yes, it's a big old lug of a thing to drive, but I just feel like all of that adds to the charm and theater of this car.

I don't know if I could have one of these as the one and only daily driver, especially around Sydney. It can get a little sketchy, but all the compromises that you have in the metropolitan areas just make so much sense when you get them out on the open road or go adventuring in the bush. Now, if these things existing for nearly 20 years, the pricing varies enormously at the lower end of the spectrum. You're going to be paying around about five thousand dollars for an early model, exhausted condition patrol that requires some serious TLC at the other end of the spectrum, you're going to be partying with nearly 60 thousand dollars for, say, a low kilometer 2016 one in perfect condition. Something like this, which is a 2005 st with loaded with accessories, but over 250 000ks, but with a great service history and in good condition.

Even it's going to range from 30 to 50 grand. The pricing really does fluctuate that much Nissan's claimed fuel consumption ranges from 11 to 16 liters per 100 kilometers, depending on the age of the vehicle which trim level engine transmission. What colored pants you're wearing this particular one's claimed at 11.6 liters per 100ks. But, let's be honest, that's near impossible on this test, we're seeing figures over 15. Nissan offered, a three-year 100 000 km, warranty on all GU patrols, which is obviously now completely expired, and as far as servicing goes, we recommend getting these things serviced every three months or 5000 k's.

As far as parts and labor go look, neither should cost you too many parts wise. There are plenty of parts out there, and they've got a great support network and, as far as labor goes they're pretty easy to work on, so it shouldn't cost you too much. So should you buy one? Look it's a yes, but it's a yes with conditions engine wise! If you want a solid workhorse of a patrol, stick with the 4.2 liter, td-42 ti intercooler turbo diesel, as in this example, but finding your patrol with the lowest mileage most recently built zd30 common rail diesel within your budget would also be a good way to go, but avoid early zd30s at all costs. They can blow up check the body for any major signs of abuse, make sure it has a solid service history and try to get one like this with some awesome aftermarket accessories fitted, and you'll have yourself one hell of a truck. Thank you so much for watching guys and hey.

What did you think of the patrol? Let us know in the comments section below and remember: can you please hit those like subscribe and bell icon buttons and go and follow us on all the socials as well? See you next time now look you're, probably aware of this, but there's a bit of it's going to be one of those days, then this patrol should give it. Basically this patrol should get come on here we go. Basically this patrol should good all right here we go. Basically, this patrol should good series four received a massive reach here. We go it's in that weird.

You know early naughtiest point this particular what the hell was that driving tech is pretty much close to non-existent later, series patrols did receive things like cruise control and all the features come on Morris. Okay,.

Source : ReDriven