Faults:

Virtually nothing.

General Comments:

Original suspension was dreadful and unbalanced front to rear. Unless heavily loaded it had a lot of trouble on corrugated roads and corners. I replaced the suspension with after-market equipment and now it is much better.

This is a dual-cab, but rear, but there's not much room for rear seat passengers who are better off with very short legs. Excellent fuel echonomy, better than 10 liters/100km. Air conditioning has no trouble with very hot days (45C).

Low gear is too high for serious off-road work, but vehicle is still very capable in the rough.

Faults:

Differential/rear wheel bearings make slight grinding noise when going around corners under power.

Steering wheel loose.

General Comments:

Got the car as a tow truck for my business. It does tow anything and does the job perfectly. Plenty of torque.

Handles OK. Choppy ride and I find the seats a little uncomfortable on long trips. Light and precise controls.

Paint marks very easily.

Good economy from a large truck about 25mpg when towing. I would recommend one for towing.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

The best car I've ever had.

The ride comfort is horrible, but this car will get you wherever you want to go.

The suspension holds the road very well, it doesn't under steer at all.

Faults:

This car has been fautless since we bought it, we put the 36 000km on it in 4 months.

Needs some shock absorbers though.

General Comments:

The 36 000 km were put on it in 4 months, that was a couple of years ago, the car is hardly driven now as we have a company car.

As you can see with the full marks this is an excellent work Ute/ family car (it's a Dual cab).

Faults:

The original Nissan dealer I bought it from in Ipswich (Brisbane) had abyssmal customer service ethics, or lack thereof. After 3 trips back for the same problem (a misaligned wheel, which had the tyre 'screeching' around corners from the day I took delivery) the whole tyre was scrubbed out after 7,000 km of travel. The dealer rudely refused to help, and I have since taken all the service business to a dealership on the other side of town. Even though it's a chore, I get some satisfaction that the previous dealer won't see another dollar from me.

The quality of the finish on the syleside tray is terrible. It is obviously painted in a different location or method to the cab. The paint is thin and scratches incredibly easily. After only 6 months general use, I had to get the tray resprayed inside and out. As it is due to be repainted yet again, 2 years later I have decided to replace it with an aluminium after market tray.

General Comments:

Engine and gearbox are great. Heaps of power. If you need a work ute it would be worth considering. For a daily driver round town I'd think twice.

Handling is very average on road and passable off road. My wife still doesn't mind driving it to the shops (where it picks up a new dent or scratch every single trip, due to its tinny finish), and its reasonably comfortable at normal speeds on good roads.

According to car reviews the new models have sorted out the handling issues, I have yet to drive one. To be honest I wouldn't be buying another one, I'd get the turbo diesel hilux for the better finish and resale value.

Having said that, for the money, I believe the Navara was an "OK" buy. It was happy on our one trip to the beach. It hasn't got great approach and departure angles and is a bit 'plastic' but it will get around bush tracks OK.

Rather than lose money on their poor resale, I decided to keep it as my long term work vehicle, but only because I have to : (

Faults:

The radio stopped working twice, at 15,000 and at 25,000 km. The first time I went to the dealer, they just disconnected it from power and connected it again, and it worked as new. Second time I fix it myself.

The tyres, Bridgestone Dueler H/T 255/70R15, were replaced twice, at 18,000 and 40,000 km. Second time, changed to BF Goodrich A/T, much better, both off road and on road, specially on wet conditions.

Battery went dead at 40,000 km. Replaced under warranty.

Had to lift the front suspension, the dealer did it at the revision of 22,500 km, with no extra cost.

General Comments:

A very reliable and resistant car. This particular unit have been used in very hard conditions, off road on forest works, and never had major or upsetting problems.

It is not a car, but it has a very good driving position, quite comfortable and very safe on the road.

The consumption depends a lot from the accelerator. Off road, town or road under 120 km/h, between 10 to 12 l/100 km, highway at higher speeds could rise up to 15 or 16 l/100 km.

Faults:

Nothing, but it's a bit slow.

General Comments:

Have a cup of tea while you're waiting to get to the top of the hill.