Can anyone give me information looking to buy new Nissan Patrol 3 Litre Turbo Diesel Manul to tow large caravan around Australia have heard someone say motor won`t last as motor to small for large turbo.Has anyone had bad experience with this motor. Regards
Nicholstones said
09:10 PM Apr 24, 2011
We have 2008 Nissan 3 litre turbo diesel, have done around 100,000 klm of which 40,000 was towing 20'6" van, so far (cross fingers) the car hasn't missed a beat.
dazren said
11:56 PM Apr 24, 2011
Gidday mate !! does this someone ???? have a 3 ltr turbo nissan ??? i bet no !!
do not confuse the new nissan diesel with the old grenade one !!!
i am not a diesel man personally, but most of the big rigs are being towed around this country, by toyota and nissan tugs, majority rules, they can;t all be wrong !!!
if i was you i would go onto a nissan 4x4 site you will pick up a lot more factual information, from nissan owners, they are the only opinions you should listen to, because they own one and you will get the good info as well as the bad.
I think they are a pretty good unit, but i have never driven one !! however my opinion is just as valid, as the guy who said they will not last !!!
Zoomtopz said
06:36 AM Apr 25, 2011
Well - I had a 3lt T in a Toy mota -
I had a 4cyl petrol in a Ford Raider
Mate had a 3lt T in a Patrol - SO
I had heard all th stories on the Nissan
I chose to re-build the petrol motor & keep th Ford
I traded it for th Petrol/gas Cruiser I have now .
I have been Driving Diesel motors for over 40yrs .
I won't have another in a car . I will stick to petrol .
Richo
oh ps - mate & I picked our cars up at same time after rebuild -
his Nissan Turbo lasted 11,000k & he worked at a Nissan dealership.
-- Edited by Zoomtopz on Monday 25th of April 2011 06:38:59 AM
Ron and Shirley said
10:18 AM Apr 25, 2011
cedarwoodlodge wrote:
Can anyone give me information looking to buy new Nissan Patrol 3 Litre Turbo Diesel Manul to tow large caravan around Australia have heard someone say motor won`t last as motor to small for large turbo.Has anyone had bad experience with this motor. Regards
It was the early models of the 3lt ZD30 GU Patrol in particular that became known as the "handgrenade". Our Sept 2000 auto model blew in 2006 at 94,000km, just out of warranty (time wise), and as many others found Nissan HQ just didnt want to know.
We were stranded in Dubbo at the time and got a big run around by the local Nissan dealer. To cut a very long painful story short we got a very lucky break and had a new motor installed for around a third of the original quote.
As suggested have a look and search through some of the Patrol and 4x4 forums, though it does appear Nissan have rectified the problem since around 2005/6 (models built on/after that date) as the number of reports of blown motors on the various Forums seems to have decreased dramatically. However, like Caravanners, given that only a small percentage of owners would be Forum members you wonder how high the number really is/was among all the ZD30 Patrol owners, and whether the problem is on going.
In fairness there are many old 3lt Patrols out there and their owners are extremely happy, getting quite high trouble free Kilometres on them.
For us our Patrol is not a town car as it is used for 4WDing and touring. It is a great vehicle, but our 2006 experience was not good.
BTW Like your dog.
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Monday 25th of April 2011 11:32:13 AM
old briney said
07:24 PM Apr 25, 2011
I had a 03 Patrol TD after spending $8000 with Nissan to find out that the cat converter was blocked, Nissan don't seam to know much unless it comes up on the computer diags. If you can go to Toyota 6cyl Turbo Diesel. I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN PATROL AGAIN
Cruising Granny said
07:40 PM Apr 25, 2011
I love my Landcruiser diesel 80 series. She's an oldy but a goody. I don't like any 3 litre diesels with or without a turbo. I can't explain it and won't get into an arguement. I just don't like them, and I've seen a few Nissan 3litre turbo diesels on the back of tilt trays with van in tow behind truck.
hammer said
08:47 PM Apr 25, 2011
Had the 2010 nissans at work and now have gone back to toyotas as the Nissans were not up to it. Some with clutch probles at under 30,000ks tyres rubbing on chassis. B.I.L has one towing 21ft evernew will not use 5th gear while towing. Myself I would use something with abit more grunt than 3 litre
Cruising Granny said
09:37 PM Apr 25, 2011
Fifth gear is not for towing in any vehicle with 5 gears and reverse. It's only overdrive. Of course if you have 6 forward gears, you can tow in 5th gear. In fact 5th gear should never be engaged under 80 KPH anywhere, ever.
Zoomtopz said
06:23 AM Apr 26, 2011
As CG said - y not have a 6cyl diesel , leave th 4cyl T for th town clowns .
I might have gone backward in yrs , but took a leap fwd in th Cruiser . As I
have so often said - this land can be so unforgiving . I might have something
older , but I NEED reliability . Ok , so I am only towing a converted box trailer
with 6-8 maybe 12 kayaks to Tassie (1600k) & th Cruiser is a necessity around
my property , it's too hard pushing a wheelbarrow with my fencing gear .
Richo
ozjohn said
02:37 PM Apr 26, 2011
I don't have one and don't want one, but for what it's worth the 3.0 Nissan donk is pretty old technology that has been surpassed my almost every other manufacturer, even Nissan themselves. The Nissan Navarra with the Renault 2.5Lt diesel pushes out more power and torque while providing better fuel economy. Even some of the new hi-tech 2.2 diesels on the market are providing better performance figures and being offered with 5 year unlimited Kilometer warranties.
I also have a question. If there a particular reason you want a manual? Auto's have come ahead in leaps and bounds over the past 10 or so years. It's now the 21st century and things like Radio/CD/I-pod, Air Conitioning, Power Steering, Anti-lock Brakes, Traction Control etc have become standard features in all vehicles with many manufacturers now only offering Auto's in their line up.
Cheers, ozjohn.
cedarwoodlodge said
07:05 PM Apr 26, 2011
At the moment I have 97 GMC with 454 V8 auto just preference to go back to manual had one years ago in 91 Patrol with 4.2 petrol and gas it was great.
Can anyone give me information looking to buy new Nissan Patrol 3 Litre Turbo Diesel Manul to tow large caravan around Australia have heard someone say motor won`t last as motor to small for large turbo.Has anyone had bad experience with this motor. Regards
Gidday mate !! does this someone ???? have a 3 ltr turbo nissan ??? i bet no !!
do not confuse the new nissan diesel with the old grenade one !!!
i am not a diesel man personally, but most of the big rigs are being towed around this country, by toyota and nissan tugs, majority rules, they can;t all be wrong !!!
if i was you i would go onto a nissan 4x4 site you will pick up a lot more factual information, from nissan owners, they are the only opinions you should listen to, because they own one and you will get the good info as well as the bad.
I think they are a pretty good unit, but i have never driven one !! however my opinion is just as valid, as the guy who said they will not last !!!
Well - I had a 3lt T in a Toy mota -
I had a 4cyl petrol in a Ford Raider
Mate had a 3lt T in a Patrol - SO
I had heard all th stories on the Nissan
I chose to re-build the petrol motor & keep th Ford
I traded it for th Petrol/gas Cruiser I have now .
I have been Driving Diesel motors for over 40yrs .
I won't have another in a car . I will stick to petrol .
Richo
oh ps - mate & I picked our cars up at same time after rebuild -
his Nissan Turbo lasted 11,000k & he worked at a Nissan dealership.
-- Edited by Zoomtopz on Monday 25th of April 2011 06:38:59 AM
It was the early models of the 3lt ZD30 GU Patrol in particular that became known as the "handgrenade". Our Sept 2000 auto model blew in 2006 at 94,000km, just out of warranty (time wise), and as many others found Nissan HQ just didnt want to know.
We were stranded in Dubbo at the time and got a big run around by the local Nissan dealer. To cut a very long painful story short we got a very lucky break and had a new motor installed for around a third of the original quote.
As suggested have a look and search through some of the Patrol and 4x4 forums, though it does appear Nissan have rectified the problem since around 2005/6 (models built on/after that date) as the number of reports of blown motors on the various Forums seems to have decreased dramatically. However, like Caravanners, given that only a small percentage of owners would be Forum members you wonder how high the number really is/was among all the ZD30 Patrol owners, and whether the problem is on going.
In fairness there are many old 3lt Patrols out there and their owners are extremely happy, getting quite high trouble free Kilometres on them.
For us our Patrol is not a town car as it is used for 4WDing and touring. It is a great vehicle, but our 2006 experience was not good.
BTW Like your dog.
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Monday 25th of April 2011 11:32:13 AM
I had a 03 Patrol TD after spending $8000 with Nissan to find out that the cat converter was blocked, Nissan don't seam to know much unless it comes up on the computer diags. If you can go to Toyota 6cyl Turbo Diesel. I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN PATROL AGAIN


I don't like any 3 litre diesels with or without a turbo. I can't explain it and won't get into an arguement. I just don't like them, and I've seen a few Nissan 3litre turbo diesels on the back of tilt trays with van in tow behind truck.
Had the 2010 nissans at work and now have gone back to toyotas as the Nissans were not up to it. Some with clutch probles at under 30,000ks tyres rubbing on chassis. B.I.L has one towing 21ft evernew will not use 5th gear while towing. Myself I would use something with abit more grunt than 3 litre
Of course if you have 6 forward gears, you can tow in 5th gear.
In fact 5th gear should never be engaged under 80 KPH anywhere, ever.
As CG said - y not have a 6cyl diesel , leave th 4cyl T for th town clowns .
I might have gone backward in yrs , but took a leap fwd in th Cruiser . As I
have so often said - this land can be so unforgiving . I might have something
older , but I NEED reliability . Ok , so I am only towing a converted box trailer
with 6-8 maybe 12 kayaks to Tassie (1600k) & th Cruiser is a necessity around
my property , it's too hard pushing a wheelbarrow with my fencing gear .
Richo
I don't have one and don't want one, but for what it's worth the 3.0 Nissan donk is pretty old technology that has been surpassed my almost every other manufacturer, even Nissan themselves. The Nissan Navarra with the Renault 2.5Lt diesel pushes out more power and torque while providing better fuel economy.
Even some of the new hi-tech 2.2 diesels on the market are providing better performance figures and being offered with 5 year unlimited Kilometer warranties.
I also have a question.
If there a particular reason you want a manual?
Auto's have come ahead in leaps and bounds over the past 10 or so years.
It's now the 21st century and things like Radio/CD/I-pod, Air Conitioning, Power Steering, Anti-lock Brakes, Traction Control etc have become standard features in all vehicles with many manufacturers now only offering Auto's in their line up.
Cheers, ozjohn.
At the moment I have 97 GMC with 454 V8 auto just preference to go back to manual had one years ago in 91 Patrol with 4.2 petrol and gas it was great.