Going again - Nissan Navara NP300

Well it was coming up to the time where I was due to start thinking about a new car - I've decided to stay with the duel cab ute configuration but was unsure whether to look at other options . Interestingly it wasn't the reviews but mates who had driven my series 1 NP300 that convinced me to stay with the Navara ……. citing the comfort & driveability as being top shelf.
From a personal standpoint - 4 years of trouble free motoring - I had little to fault with the Nissan outside of the need for a rear spring & airbag upgrade.
As a daily drive it has been above expectation - As a tow vehicle … capable but a little thirsty @ 14.8lt / 100 km towing 2 tonne ( Sydney to Lucinda) - but around town 8.5 lt.
I was looking closely at the BT50 - which has a great motor though the car it's self is a little agricultural …… Nothing else inspired me due to mechanical issues ( Hilux / Ranger) or poor after sales service / quality (Amorok / Colorado) …… so Navara ST-X it is (again)

The big change is going for a Norweld Tray back & eventually a wind off Norweld custom canopy which is much more suited to my lifestyle than the current permanent ARB canopy.

Looking forward to it

Chris

Great choice, I'm happy with my 1 year old Navara.
I also drive a Ranger for work and it's a nice car as well though talking on the hands free makes you realise just how stiff the rear suspension is as sometimes it's hard to talk. I prefer the Navara though it's engine is quieter, smoother and seems quicker. The ranger makes a lot of noise and flat to the floor it peaks out pretty quickly. The adaptive cruise control in the ranger is nice though.

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Originally Posted by Almako

Great choice, I'm happy with my 1 year old Navara.
I also drive a Ranger for work and it's a nice car as well though talking on the hands free makes you realise just how stiff the rear suspension is as sometimes it's hard to talk. I prefer the Navara though it's engine is quieter, smoother and seems quicker. The ranger makes a lot of noise and flat to the floor it peaks out pretty quickly. The adaptive cruise control in the ranger is nice though.

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Good to hear that you're happy with the Navara - So yours would be the Gen 2 ? …. not much difference but Nissan have again improved the suspension & steering and it is certainly noticeable over my Gen 1 .
Over the past couple of years I've had the chance to drive the Amorok V6 , BT50 & Ranger ……. all have their good points & all certainly had the power advantage - but I expected more …. particularly from the Amorok . Navara ST-X was still well ahead in comfort & interior dynamics …… & a much nicer car to use around town which is how my car is used 95% of the time.
With the exception of the BT50 what is sobering are the problems associated with the others - but worst still how the like of VW , Toyota & Ford handle the problems …… & now that Nissan has a 5 year unlimited warranty it didn't take too much to convince me that it might be worth staying with the Navara . My local dealer has been pretty well faultless over the past 4 years ….. so I didn't need to go searching on that front.
Finally- pricing is currently pretty sharp (ST-X < $50K on the road & the finance rates were brilliant (1% @ 3 years / 2.9% @ 4 years) …… all making the choice that much easier .

Anyhow - just over a week to wait ….. then off to get the Norweld tray & Hayman Reese X Bar fitted .

Chris

Interesting comments on after sales service Chris. Going back 10 or 12 years the number of 3L Patrols that blew up was horrendous Australia wide and Nissan effectively washed their hands of it. I thought at the time it should have been recognised by an official recall fix. But it would have cost too much. After that I swore I would never buy a Nissan. At the time my Prado (and many others) were requiring new drive trains and Toyota were excellent in recognising and fixing the problem. Maybe things have changed now? Congrats on the newby.

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Originally Posted by gunna

Interesting comments on after sales service Chris. Going back 10 or 12 years the number of 3L Patrols that blew up was horrendous Australia wide and Nissan effectively washed their hands of it. I thought at the time it should have been recognised by an official recall fix. But it would have cost too much. After that I swore I would never buy a Nissan. At the time my Prado (and many others) were requiring new drive trains and Toyota were excellent in recognising and fixing the problem. Maybe things have changed now? Congrats on the newby.

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Hi Pete

That 3L Patrol was a dog of a car …… That motor had major issues & yet the 4.2 lt Patrol is legendary & still commands prices of up to $40K for a 2005 model .
All car makers come out with a "turd"

I'm by no means even suggesting that Nissan are anything special - infact I don't think they really have any class leaders in their entire range …… including the Navara which would be behind the Ranger / BT50 / Amorok / Colorado when it comes down to a head to head . You certainly wouldn't buy one if you went on what Carguide or Caradvice etc recommendations.
Unfortunately what they don't tell you is how bad the likes of Ford , VW & Holden are when it comes to warranty claims .

As for the once mighty Toyota - their reputation is plummeting & as I've said for the last 10 years their Hilux has been living on past reputations …… The current 2.8L TD has major issues with quality - in particular the ECU & Toyota have shoved their head in the sand ….. watch for the "class action " against them . This problem also effects the once admired Prado & the Fortuner .
Fords self combusting Ranger is another example ….. Ford continued to sell the Ranger knowing of the problem - That's not exactly ethical .
VW Amorok - Electrical issues continue to plague the model & build quality is hit and miss
I've got mates who their fleets include Hilux , Ranger & Colorado's ……. the Colorado's continue to spend time in the workshop & the Hilux are a disaster

Anyhow back to the Navara - I had 4 years without any issues . There were little things that came under recalls ( nudge bar mounts) which were fixed immediately.... Penrith Nissan are very good . 20,000km service interval . I know a couple of people l who own a Navara with no complaints . So I felt comfortable with going again

But lets face it - lemons exist everywhere & you can only hope that you don't get one
I rolled the dice with the Jeep GC & ended up with a brilliant car ...… I wasn't willing to roll it again though ;)

Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaW1XFxgrOM

Yep, heard some ordinary things about the mighty Tojo.

Our 2015/16 hilux's have been a nightmare to the extent we have started legals. I'm driving a 2018 SR5 currently which is good in the DPF department. They are light, skinny, small inside, the gearbox hunts all day as do the engines, and because they can't pass a moose test (still), Toyota have put extra turns into the steering so you physically can't flip it over sideways, and dialled up a disappointingly large amount of understeer. I drive all different utes all the time so I suppose I notice this stuff more. I also struggle to find anything positive to say about having a stepped, gated automatic gearbox selector.

Interesting theres been no mention of the dmax or triton.

Im not a fan of those stepped auto selectors either.

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Originally Posted by ben475

Interesting theres been no mention of the dmax or triton.

Im not a fan of those stepped auto selectors either.

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there is an oldie but a goodie ..... if you want to know what a dmax is like - drive a 10 yo Colorado 🙄
Both the dmax and triton are capable trucks both are more agricultural that just don’t have the refinement as a daily ride. Then there is the look of the new triton ..... 🤢 and those park bench seats.

Chris

Well - I've been driving the new Navara for the past week & while it's familiar ...... it's different.
Gone is the soft rear end of the 1st generation NP300 - which was my only real complaint but fixed via a spring upgrade & the addition of airbags.
Gen 3 definitely feels rides & handles better - with a nimble feel from the suspension improvements (front & rear) ...... but essentially with just the addition of the 360 deg reversing camera , digital speedometer & outside temp gauge ...... it's essentially the same. 5 year unlimited KM warranty & roadside assist brings it to where it should be.
The tinkering and upgrades have already commenced but this is how she looks now -
Attachment 119356

As I like my music - the addition of new speakers , amps & subwoofer were a must (Rockford Fosgate) & a significant improvement .

The big upgrades will be the fitment of a Norweld Tray in the next couple of weeks +Hayman Reese X Bar (tow bar)
Pedders Rear lift , Foam filled shocks & airbags with reinforcing sleeves - how quickly will depend on how she tows the barcrusher
Finally ..... after saving a little coin A Norweld wind off canopy Attachment 119357

if everything goes to plan this will be my tow vehicle for the next 7 or 8 years .... hence why I'm putting the extra $$$ into it from the start.
Hopefully the build will be completed by the end of the year & ready for it's first big trip up to Etty Bay (Innisfail) in March / April 2020

Chris

Gday Chris,
I’m looking into a dual cab at the moment and I’m tossing up between a ranger and np300. Both are 2015 models with aluminium canopies on the back.

A mate has a ranger and his plastics in interior have gone to rubbish and paint is really thin on the rig with plenty of bare metal showing on corners of panels.
Just wondering what the finish of your gen 1 np300 was like?

Not big issues but just something I’ve got to look at.
Thanks
Nick

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Originally Posted by efc

Gday Chris,
I’m looking into a dual cab at the moment and I’m tossing up between a ranger and np300. Both are 2015 models with aluminium canopies on the back.

A mate has a ranger and his plastics in interior have gone to rubbish and paint is really thin on the rig with plenty of bare metal showing on corners of panels.
Just wondering what the finish of your gen 1 np300 was like?

Not big issues but just something I’ve got to look at.
Thanks
Nick

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All good Nick …… the finish was pretty good but it did have paint treatment .

my tip is if you can get a Gen 2 - then do so ! ….. but only because that the rear end has been beefed up from the soft ass Gen 1 ( I did a rear end upgrade …. springs & airbags)
The other thing is that you should only buy the 2.3L twin turbo model .

Chris

Attachment 119521well - it's been a month now & the Norweld tray has been fitted. Attachment 119522
Tomorrow see's it's first decent tow when I haul the Barcrusher up to Port Stephens ..... it will be interesting to see how she goes with the standard coil springs.


Chris