Used 18ft Bushtraker

Terry,
Da Ranger is in touch with a thousand towing, not just the few hundred here in the BOG...

And the reports on the Nissan are overall good for the Manual up to 18', but only 16' for the Nissan 3 litre with the Auto... Most Owners are happy with the 3 ltr towing, as the newer technology diesel seems to go pretty well, but in all fairness success is probably limited to 18' at a maximum.. Maybe a compromise at 17' is the go... For the rest of you, reports of happiness with the Nissan 3 litre auto, are very limited....

Kind Regards from the Ranger at the crossroads.....

Hi Terry - our is auto. Luckily not the model with the history or blowing motors. Still cheaper to replace the motor than upgrade. Saving the $$s to buy the diesel.

Terry,
I still recommend people that are Nissan Fans, get the older non-computerized 4.2 diesel Donk.... More grunt... I know they publicize that the 4.2 and the 3.0 have the same torque, well I think the torque curves must in fact cross somewhere, the towing reports do not add up.

Also, there is a distinct advantage in getting away from the computerized engine controls for servicing in the Bush.... I would rather a full mechanical fuel injection system that any Bush Mechanic could work on... So, my suggestion for anyone shopping for a Nissan? Check out a 4.2 Patrol from the late 90's on, which can be had for about $30k with lots of toys on it... Sometimes in the trends in modern tow vehicles newer is not better, in fact Older is more reliable for half the money... !!!

On fuel costs? I don't see any letup in demand for Bushtrackers. People might stay put in one place a little longer... But we are at about average forward Bookings, and it comes down to "What else are you going to do" not having a good answer... Most do not want to go down to a smaller unit, or have less of a lifestyle, or go on a Persian run buying trip to Iran.... Or how about a Nightclub tour of Bali? The Biblical Lands of Palestine? Mosques of Egypt?? A $9 cuppa in France? The fact is that it really comes down to the idea from most of our Clients of "What else are ya gonna do" but Tour around here in Australia... Away from the crowd, to the undiscovered destinations in the Bush..! From my Contact with the thousand, I would say the cost of fuel does not affect the plans of the 90-95%... They are going to go anyway.. Maybe a little slower, but they are going..

Kind Regards, from the Ranger....

Hello Terry,
You should probably try and get here in the morning, so you are not pressured and can spend as much time as you like..... You are on the Calender...

Now here is perspective on the older style Donk... I still have a 1989 Toyota Sahara Turbo Diesel... Yes it is not a suitable tow vehicle as it does not have the higher tow capacity of the newer ones from the 90's on..
However, it is fully a mechanically run engine and truck... Now it has about 340,000 kms on the clock... To be safe, because it had a hard life with me, I spent $1500 on a rebuild of the Transfer Case as the seals were leaking, and $1800 got me a low km. Automatic trans from a Toyota Wrecker that was bring them in from Japan (my old was was fine but showing wear), so I bought a new front axle for $500 exchange, and new tail shafts for $100 exchange off a Tojo same year from Japan with 73,000 km. on the clock.... So, for about $5000 I rebuilt the entire running gear back to front, back to a low km Sahara ... The engine is perfect, maybe runs through a litre of oil in 3000 km, hardly a litre total between 5000 km oil changes... I just had the whole body stripped and re-painted in no wax two-pack. So the point? I would say that Toyota since 1997 and Nissan since 1996? with the higher tow rating, is possibly a better value than new, with all the new computer run stuff...

Those computers on the newer ones will probably force people to scrap them when the vehicle is a certain age.... And which is more reliable???? Well for my money, and older one without the computer controls is an option, for about half the money... And just FYI, my old Sahara is going to my Son, and it may be on the road longer than many of the new electronic ones....

So if someone is on a bit of a Budget, I am not sure that this is not the best way to go!!! I bought my Wifes 100 Series 2000 model with 105,000 km on the clock, winch bar, driving lights, after-market turbo, no engine electronic controls as it started as a GXL naturally aspirated diesel, came with suspension upgrade, tow bar, Long Ranger tank, rear tyre spare mount, and more.... I firmly believe it is a more reliable vehicle than a new computer driven one, for about half the money...!!!
For those on a budget, surely a consideration... I went that way just because of the engineering reasons involved!!

Since I am an Enthusiast, and good mechanic, and the money savings was just a bonus... For some struggling to meet new prices, I am not sure it isn't the best Theme for the Lifestyle... New is not always better... Especially when a Cynic like me thinks they are doing it to force you to scrap your new electronically run vehicle in 5 or-6- or 7 years and repurchase new again, with a built in electronic "used by" date.... Am I right? Well maybe just cynical, but I am told THAT is the underlying reason, despite the rhetorical line of "Emission Controls" technology they give you.... Ask yourself, will the computerized bits be available, and at what cost? My old Sahara is going good, parked outside right now, 340,000 km, 16 years old, looks new, and we have seen the older Toyotas with 600,000km on the clock.. And still going strong...

If the rest of you can afford to buy new, congratulations.!! I can as well, but I will stay a dinosaur as long as possible thank you... The rest of you that might need a little budget help, I can make a very good engineering case for a vehicle three or four years only 100,000- 150,000 km well cared for, non-computer run, may be a better value for money... And I put my money where my mouth is... Ha!

Kind Regards, from a well meaning "Lone Ranger"
Out on the ridges trying to look afta ya!!!

Oh Kiwi 1,

I am not going to get down and argue with you, because I do not really give a stuff, if you don't want to listen, just don't..!!! I only give my best advice based on the contact I have with the 1000, not just the few hundred here on the BOG.... BUT AT LEAST GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT FOR OTHERS BENEFIT.

FIRSTLY, we do not say Ford is NOT THE "VEHICLE OF CHOICE FOR BUSHTRACKER" as you say.. That is totally wrong.... Ford is recommended for LARGER VANS ONLY, where Toyota and Nissan and Discos and the like, get unsafe towing over 21' on the highway if an accident happens.... They just do not have the reserves in the wheelbase for mobility at high speed, and yes for the larger vans over say 21', Ford, Chev, GMC, or Dodge trucks could save your live with the added mobility to manuevre at high speed on the hiway to avoid an accident....

SECONDLY, computerize engine controls are a problem in the Bush, if they can be avoided by some people that are struggling to buy new anyway, it is not a bad idea. WE GET MANY REPORTS.. Even simple things like the accelerator black box failing, leaving the Tojo beside the road at an idle, the Nissan black boxes having to be restarted (re-initiated) because of a battery crashing on the corrugation shutting down the electrical system, repairs not being able to be done on computerized systems is definitely an added liability...

THIRDLY, I put my money where my mouth says.... My two Landcruisers are both, turbo, and one turbo intercooled, and both not computer run..... And my Ford, now gone, one of the first to tow a Bushtracker, was a non computer run 7.3 litre diesel, full import model.

So, I don't mind you having a go at me in good fun, but at least get the facts straight so you do not mislead others... My whole point is to give people that are struggling to buy a Bushtracker, a cheaper option in the tow vehicle, that may in fact be a more reliable vehicle for half the money. You want new? Go do it....

Don't be so fast to draw on the Ranger, he might just be a little more on the ball than you think...

And yes, my Mack dual cab horse truck 4x4 does have computers, but it is the only truck like it in the world so I had no choice.... And by the way, I bought all three as spares, a VECU for the whole truck electronics, an EECU for the engine electronics, and even an accelerator ECU.... And they are small, light, and travel with me..