My next adventure...

[RyC]

1. Name: Full Name Renier / RyC
2. Birthday and Age: 5 February 38 years
3. Town and Country of residence: JHB, Helderkruin
4. Home Language: Afrikaans
5. Occupation/Business: Software Support
6. Family status: Married, 2 kids
7. Membership - Other 4X4 Clubs and Forums: Thinkbike
8. Current 4x4: Kia Sportage Gen 1
9. Current Mods: None
10. Mods on wish list: None
11. Vehicle on wish list: 1998 - 2001 Patrol 4.5
12. Previous 4x4's: Kia Sportage Gen 1
13. Last 3 offroad or overland destinations: None
14. Your favourite destination: Pilanesberg
15. Other hobbies: Photography
16. GPSr and Map Data used: Garmin
17. Rate your 4X4 and overlanding experience: Limited
18. Online Photo Site: None
19. Photos of you and your Vehicle: None

Hi everyone
Since I saw my first Patrol and talked to a couple of owners (I know 2 Patrol owners, one has 3(might have sold one) and the other 1) I realized that this is one of those must haves in life.
Was the same thing with my Sporty. I sat in the Sporty at a car shown when they where launched in SA (Gen 1) MANY moons ago and made a promise to myself I would own one . So been there and done that and I think it is time to get started on the next tick on my wishlist.
The Sporty currently sits on 235k Km and is mainly (90% of yearly mileage) used for weekends away and holidays. Kids are now at an age where I can start "living" again and the weekends away / holidays can go further off the beaten path.

I tend to over complicate my searches / investigations into new purchases of any kind. In this case I made my shortlist of year and model based on these criteria (after much consideration):

1. Want a Manual vehicle.
2. No diesels (waiting for the flack on that).

I hope to get some much needed advice and support from the members here

[IanT]

Hi Ryner welcome to the forum, lots of nice blokes with year of experience here! I will jump in and start it off, Only person that I can think that is going to give you flak about not going the oil burner route would be Ricster he drives one of those black smoke farting monsters that hold up traffic on the road!!! if you are looking in the 98-01 period you will be looking a the GU's they come in two specs the GRX (all the bells and most of them where auto (is possible to find them in manual but not easy) and the GL which has very few bells but all of them come out in a manual. If you find what you are looking for I would ask the guys on the forum if they know the patrol (not a lot of them out there compared to the TOYotas!!) if no one know the vehical there is a Mackie in PTA called Graham the knows more about patrols than Nissan and he will look it over for you ( I think for FREE) so you do not get a lemon I would not worry to much about milage as is they have been maintained they will outlive you!
Good hunting

PS I was/am a landy driver and I must so that apart from fuel consumption the Troll is the better brand!!!!

[offroadbiker]

Welcome

See u are also from the Woesrand

As long as you dont mind the extra bit of fuel the Patrol is unstpoppable, looking forward to meeting you on one of the trails in the future.

Ps we are having our Nissan Fundi day on the 12th of April, if you want to join as a passanger I am sure we can make a plan.

Enjoy the search and dont mide Ricster - to much diesel fumes tend to affect people in a strange way

[IanT]

Heard the Fundi Day was on the 12th but where is it happening?

[offroadbiker]

Base 4 on the R511 on the way to Hennops.

[ricster]

Hi Renier,

Those other blokes are just jealous of my sexy sweet Iron Maiden, especially considering real trucks don't have spark plugs !!!.....

But seriously, irrespective of petrol or diesel, the Patrols are unbelievable. Prices are good for a buyer, and sadly not for the seller. Both petrol and diesel will get you there easily. Both have different advantages over the other, and obviously it MUST serve a purpose for you, like for me for example, my Patrol is my daily drive, so consumption was a concern for sure and reliability when out in the middle of nowhere. That is why I took the 4.2 ( not the 3.0) diesel. No electronics, most complicated electronics is the clock on the dashboard. Everything can be fixed on the side of the road...... I even drove my Patrol 550 Km from Botswana to Alberton with a blown engine..... not many vehicles you can do that with!!!!

So when you get you Patrol, you WILL be as happy as a pig in Palestine !!

[Tinus lotz]

Any good 4.5 gu will be good...I have the 4.8 love it to bits...4.5 like ian said comes in manual and auto I am not very fond of the 4.5 auto but there are many around u can get one for about 120k ....happy hunting ...post a pic or two when u want us to help u look....
O yes welcome here man

[Herrie]

Welkom Renier!!

[RyC]

Thanks for the comments guys

I rarely use my car to get to work (8 km from home) currently as I have a bike that fills that gap.

Sporty gives me 8 km/l average anyway which is terrible for a "pap" 2l.

One deterring factor to the diesels is the cost of maintenance, similar factors involved on the auto vs. manual choice (ok not only that but I never liked an auto car and that is that). I accept that buying an older car would mean spending some money to get all the niggles sorted. I did the same with the Sporty and won't change now. I do not mind paying (someone like Graham) to take extra care of a vehicle to get things sorted for those spur of the moment "die bos wag" trips.

[Peter Connan]

Welcome Renier

I like your choice of vehicle. But then again I love all patrols.

But I do feel the auto box used on the 4.5 and 3l have too few gears, and also prefer the manual.

Good luck with the hunt!