1988 Nissan Patrol GQ review from Australia and New Zealand
"Unbeatable value"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator failed at 370,000, due to dunking in a large mud puddle.
Headlight globes failed due to same mud puddle.
Cylinder head blew at 375,000 km, and was repaired for $1500 with the head re-welded and machined.
General comments?
Aside from general maintenance, the Patrol has been generally reliable. The cylinder head gasket blew due to a dodgey repair by the previous owner, but aparently patrols on LPG have a bit of a history of warping cylinder heads as well as blowing gaskets.
Have done plenty of miles in the car and cannot fault it. The majority of things that have gone wrong are my fault (due to offroad use in flooded rivers), and the car has only once let me down (head gasket). In spite of this, the gasket repair cost less than a factory service of my TD5 landrover at 30,000 km.
For offroad use, I would recommend a 2" suspension lift, as the chassis is lower than most other 4x4s, and good tyres are essential as this is a heavy car (2.6T fully loaded for a week camping).
All in all, the most reliable and easily repairable 4x4 available.
Recommended Reviews:
  | 1989 - Patrol GQ LWB 4 ltr diesel Great car, would recommend |
| 1985 - Patrol 3.3 turbo-diesel Will go anywhere vehicle |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.2 petrol/ LPG Manual |
| Performance marks | 5/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 320000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 380000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mercedes-Benz W116 |
| Date of Entry | 19th April, 2006 |