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Good Tow Cars?


Merli

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Yeah, need an auto to make them a bit better around town. That being said, I actually love driving mine. I'm often in the left lane on the multi lane roads that are 80KM/H around here, three lanes, left lane always clear. As you pull up at lights you see a million people dive to the left, for some reason I take great pleasure in taking off at the pace a diesel should be driven at... Slow and steady :P That being said, my 1st and 2nd are quite short and taking off quickly isn't the easiest without flogging the clutch and gearbox.

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that's because it's not a proper 4WD. It's a fully independent monocoque designed for blasting down highways and desert sands in the UAE where they give no farks for fuel consumption. Road manners is the area it should be good!

Edited by hrd-hr30
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that's because it's not a proper 4WD. It's a fully independent monocouque designed for blasting down highways and desert sands in the UAE where they give no farks for fuel consumption.

^^

Thats funny.... Last time i checked it was a fully seperate ladder chassis with a low range gearbox, diff locks, advanced off road traction control and a petrol v8 which returns within 4l per 100k's of a 200 series cruiser.

What is it with simple minds and petrol engines in 4wd's :)

Why does a 4wd need live axles to be considered 'proper'? Sure, articulation is going to be compromised but with its significantly more advanced electronics and mechanical diff locks I dont really see this being an issue. It goes everywhere my 80 series used to go however actually accelerates at a decent rate......

Dont get me wrong i think your GQ patrol is a beast. They are renowned for their off road ability and reliability. However it isnt even in the same category when it comes to anything other than serious 4wding. (Let the arguments begin)

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Can't say I've bothered to stick my head under one, or kept up with them since they were announced and every Patrol owner disowned the Y62 :P but Nissan said they were a monocoque...

According to the Nissan spokesman, the two generations of Patrol will be built at the same plant, but not necessarily on the same production line. Furthermore, there's simply no end in sight to Y61 production, he explained, so the older generation of Patrol could soldier on for years yet.

"Y62 is] being built at Nissan Shatai, which is a subordinate company to Nissan in Japan. On the same production line? I don't know. Obviously one's a frame chassis and the other one's a monocoque... [but it's the] same factory."

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oh, and proper 4WDs keep their wheels on the ground (except in the most extreme conditions). I guess I should update my cars list. I sold the GQ a few weeks ago and bought an IFS (inadequate front suspension) 4WD for more on-road comfort because I don't do any serious off-roading anymore. Just highway touring and beach trips. But just coz its got low range doesn't mean I'm calling it a proper 4WD ;)

Edited by hrd-hr30
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A proper 4WD is one designed for 4WDing ability. Fully independent suspension is primarily for on-road ride and handling, then they have to add a whole bunch of electronic aids to keep it moving if it ever encounters anything more than a dirt road. That's not a proper 4WD in my books. It would also be nice if the shifter wasn't for the passenger to operate - it's not even a proper right hand drive :P

Jimny? Yes, it's a proper 4WD, albeit scaled down a little too far to be practical. I've driven one off-road and about the only thing that stops them is ground clearance. I'd put money on a well driven Jimny with a $500 2" lift going places a Y62 won't. And the driver having a shitload more fun at the same time

Edited by hrd-hr30
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^^ The V6 TDi would probably do all that is required in a Amarok.

I can't work out why they didn't bring one to market from the outset. The small capacity 4 cylinder probably does a good job but hard to think of it as having a long life if regularly towing heavy loads.

In this case more cubic inches and torque would be a no brainer for sales/marketing but all manufacturers are downsizing.

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I'm certain that the V6 would do the job adequately, but if they're going to offer the V8 then who are we to argue? No idea what the cost will be though - I can't imagine it being cheap.

I'm very impressed with the 2.0 TDi in those things - a friend has one and tows a massive caravan with it - claims it's the best tow truck he's ever owned (has had hiluxes, Navara, Pajero, Tourag among others over the years). Very comfortable on and off the road as well (didn't do any serious offroading in it - just driving around a mine site and back access roads).

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