Page 1 of 4

Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 13:25
by PhilipV
Hi all,

I've been lurking on this site for years now as well as doing regular online virtual Patrol tyre kicking. I need to replace our much loved '96 LR Disco V8i as our family bush holiday car as it's simply too small for us, lacks some basic safety features like airbags and ABS, and I have to pack more on the roofrack than I'm comfortable with. So I've been looking at alternatives for a while now. LR Disco 3's and 4's are just too complex and unreliable unfortunately. Pajero's are a little compromised in terms of their offroad ability. I've always admired the Landcruiser 105GX 4500 EFI but when I compare them to the equivalent P63 Patrol 4.8 GL they come up short on most criteria. So I've started looking for a 4.8GL. I'm not keen on the GRX as I prefer a manual car as well as the relative simplicity of the GL. I know that 4.8 GL's are pretty scarce (any idea how many were sold in SA?) but I'm prepared to wait for the right one.

The one 4.8GL that seems to have been on the market for some time now is at Northcliff Nissan:

https://www.cars.co.za/for-sale/used/20 ... g/2881662/

The price seems high for the model especially considering that it has little to no extra's (ugly bushbar aside) so I would need to budget for those. I'm not sure if anyone knows this Patrol or has an opinion on it?

When/(if?) I buy a Patrol I look forward to learning from and contributing to this Forum.

Thanks

Philip

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 13:29
by Herrie
Welcom Philip. :thumbup:

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 13:36
by Rhett
How's it Philip

Welcome and I have no doubt you will have zero regrets going with a Patrol.

That price does seem quite high, especially for the mileage and it being a GL spec. I would offer around R 145k max, someone else on the forum can correct me if that is still too high.

Having said that, 210 000km is nothing on these engines, and the car does seem to be in good condition.
Hope you find what you're looking for!

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 14:08
by ricster
Welcome to the forum !!

We will keep an ear and eye open for you too

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 14:19
by Clem
Welcome Philip.

Interesting post. Exactly my situation – 96 Discovery 1 V8i (which I still have and which is now semiretired) to a 4.8. I can't say that I look back at all from a reliability, usability, et cetera perspective. I have much attachment still to my old Land Rover because of many happy memories but the Patrol is a far better machine.

For what it is worth, I went for the GRX (only car I have ever purchased new) and I have no regrets about it. It is a very good, very strong automatic transmission. My Discovery was also a manual transmission but quite frankly, I don't miss it at all. The Patrol's automatic transmission is also a blessing in heavy traffic. And in other circumstances too…

I hope you find the machine that suits you best.

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 15:06
by PhilipV
Clem wrote: 23 Jan 2018 14:19 Welcome Philip.

Interesting post. Exactly my situation – 96 Discovery 1 V8i (which I still have and which is now semiretired) to a 4.8. I can't say that I look back at all from a reliability, usability, et cetera perspective. I have much attachment still to my old Land Rover because of many happy memories but the Patrol is a far better machine.

For what it is worth, I went for the GRX (only car I have ever purchased new) and I have no regrets about it. It is a very good, very strong automatic transmission. My Discovery was also a manual transmission but quite frankly, I don't miss it at all. The Patrol's automatic transmission is also a blessing in heavy traffic. And in other circumstances too…

I hope you find the machine that suits you best.
Thanks Clem. We know each other from way back - Overland Forum (mailing list) days. I also met you at mutual friends a couple of years ago where we discussed your Patrol. I recall you saying something about the lack of lock-up on the auto box? The Patrol will be a holiday/weekend/tow/spare car for us doing < 5000km a year which is why I don't worry about traffic driving and fuel consumption! (LR 3.9 V8 is I suspect not dissimilar to the 4.8 in that respect). Our Disco has been 100% reliable and still has only 151k km on the clock, but it really isn't suitable for a family so (sadly) it has to go.

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 15:10
by ricster
I don't have an auto, and neither do I have a petrol Patrol, but from what I've seen and heard over many years here on the forum is that I have never heard of a blown auto gearbox. I would go as far as saying that the auto is far better in both fuel efficiency and drivability than the manual, so that being said if I ( and I'm a HUGE diesel oilburner head :lol: ) were to ever purchase another Patrol ( cause I'd never get rid of the Iron Maiden ), it would be a 4.8 auto GRX. One never really hears of things going wrong with the electrikery of Patrols in general.

Go big my brother... the force is strong..... :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 15:30
by PhilipV
ricster wrote: 23 Jan 2018 15:10 I don't have an auto, and neither do I have a petrol Patrol, but from what I've seen and heard over many years here on the forum is that I have never heard of a blown auto gearbox. I would go as far as saying that the auto is far better in both fuel efficiency and drivability than the manual, so that being said if I ( and I'm a HUGE diesel oilburner head :lol: ) were to ever purchase another Patrol ( cause I'd never get rid of the Iron Maiden ), it would be a 4.8 auto GRX. One never really hears of things going wrong with the electrikery of Patrols in general.

Go big my brother... the force is strong..... :rolling: :rolling: :rolling:
Thanks Ricster. I don't doubt the strength of the auto box. Call me old school but I've always owned manual cars - it's more a personal preference than anything logical ...

Having said that my plan is to keep the Patrol for many years to come and that's where the minimal electronics of the GL become more appealing.

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 15:50
by Clem
PhilipV wrote: 23 Jan 2018 15:06 Thanks Clem. We know each other from way back - Overland Forum (mailing list) days. I also met you at mutual friends a couple of years ago where we discussed your Patrol. I recall you saying something about the lack of lock-up on the auto box? The Patrol will be a holiday/weekend/tow/spare car for us doing < 5000km a year which is why I don't worry about traffic driving and fuel consumption! (LR 3.9 V8 is I suspect not dissimilar to the 4.8 in that respect). Our Disco has been 100% reliable and still has only 151k km on the clock, but it really isn't suitable for a family so (sadly) it has to go.
Goodness me!

As to the transmission lock-up, that is correct – it only locks up at a true 120 km/h. You won't really know it though. It is a pretty bullet-proof and very smooth transmission. But the point is if you want to push your fuel consumption down, in theory at least you really want to go into lock-up, if you can. I have not seriously tried to measure the difference between lock-up and no lock-up fuel consumption on the 4.8 Patrol – I'm simply working on the hypothetical understanding that lock-up normally means improved fuel consumption.

Re: Potential Patrol newbie

Posted: 24 Jan 2018 05:45
by Peter Connan
Welcome Philip

Were you ever involved in the Lotus Register, back around or just before the turn of the century?