Nissan Terrano(boaty)(again)

[Wansworth]

On the point of buying said car,anybody have constructive info,seems to use a lot of fuel!

 

[Refueler]

On the point of buying said car,anybody have constructive info,seems to use a lot of fuel!

I know two people who had them ... both ended up in Dealers on separate occasions for same reason ... (neither knew each other till after ...).

They 'off-roaded' them without prepping first. Both locked brakes, damaged various systems and ended up with large bills to get sorted. In fact similar to a lot of Road-based 4x4's. Off-road use is only after dealer prepping or if you know what to do - DIY prepping !!

 

[Wansworth]

Thanks,although the only off road will be in the back garden,the wife wants a car with good view from the drivers seat and protection from killer drivers on our coutry roads!

 

[boatmike]

The terrano is a dog compared to the X-Trail. It is big, cumbersome, thirsty (25-28MPG) and really not good for lady drivers! The X-Trail is still big but is nice to drive, will give 34-36 MPG and is actually much more driver-friendly. I go off road a lot and have a Land Rover Freelander. They are nice too and probably more lady-friendly but dont buy a petrol one. You need a TD4. That's a 2 litre BMW Diesel and will give 35-38MPG. Others to look at are Rav4 and HondaCV that are both popular as lady-cars, but the Rav4 is a bit small.

 

[Lakesailor]

Or of course get a real 4x4 with a chassis, low ratio box, better build quality than a Honda and a light footprint.

The Suzuki Grand Vitara. Post August 2003 to the end of that model is the one to get, but the next model isn't too bad either. 34mpg.

I have been using mine for collecting logs in a forest on the fells and motorway driving. Good at both.
I now use an old Shogun for forest driving and it is a touch better than the GV (but only a touch) but rubbish on motorways.

The advantage of 4x4 in the Lakes is the driving position (see over walls, not just for the view, but to spot oncoming vehilces) and the surefootedness in standing water (you often come across 4" deep puddles across half the road when you are doing 40 mph or so). Most saloons aquaplane or drown. Many diesel cars have the air inlet behind the bumper, glug, glug.

We had a Rav4 which was also excellent in these conditions, but you need to buy newer to get a diesel. Not so good lugging up steep tracks, but fine in a field.

Most people I know with Landy products rate them very well dynamically, but think they are a nightmare on the reliability front.

 

[Wansworth]

thanks for replies,the wife decided on the tterrano,although her Ist was for a g.v but there are none s/h in good nick .Took my van in part ex so no more questions about cars,now we can concentrate on serious things like boats!!!

 

[photodog]

We used to regularly hire the Ford version in the late 90's.... The Maverick.

The Terrano shouldnt be compared to the Xtrail/Freelander/CRV... it is really a generation earlier..

In terms of their position in relation to simular vintage small 4x4's... I think it was the best all rounder. I used to have a Frontera (Dont tell anyone....awfull) and we also had 2x 200 tdi Defenders (110 and 90) and a Disco as well....

Compared to my inlaws earlier vintage Suzuki (Lakeys is a much better new one!) it was a much nicer drive... Compared to the Defenders it is a more refined drive on road... but less capable off road... the Disco was better on and off road.. but less reliable and with less cargo space in the rear.

(BTW I am talking about the long wheel base)

The Terrano is a proper 4x4... IIRC it had a live rear axle which limited it a bit... but it had excellent clearance and was surpirsingly capapble off road... (The short wheel base surprisingly so...) Later in its life they started putting power bulges and sidesteps on em and this detracted from them as far as i am concerned....

It was comparable speed wise to the Disco or the 110.....

I dont think its a good Ladies 4x4 simply because its a bit thirstier than modern equivilants... and will be potentially easier to roll, and will oversteer in a lift-off throttle/ wet road situation...

(I had one sideways once... not intentionally and not a good thing..)

A great capable truck if you want a proper truck... but I would go for a xtrail, Rav4, New Vitara, or simular for the wife.

They really should be compared with the LR Defender or Disco.. or the Frontera or early Cherokee....

As we used to short term hire our I can not comment on reliabilty, but the only real dog we ever had was the Frontera. (Which should have been strangled at birth... and I should have known better...)














hmmm... took me so long to compose the reply that youve gone out a bought one....

 

[boatmike]

Most people I know with Landy products rate them very well dynamically, but think they are a nightmare on the reliability front.

That's folklore based on either the petrol based rover engines that blew head gaskets for a passtime and had cylinder liners drop into the block causing catastrophic nasties and/or the old smoky joe D1 Rover Diesels. When BMW bought LR they fitted the BMW 2 litre engine and gearbox into the TD4 and that made the whole vehicle a different animal. Mine has been totally reliable on and off road and off road its a land rover.... not a Jap imitation! Recently in Cornwall I actually righted a turned over Suzuki with it and towed it out of the mud with ease. The new Freelander 2 is totally awesome in comparison with even that and with the Ford badged PGA 2.2 diesel and automatic transmission is IMHO the SUV that leads the rest and still returns 35MPG. Unfortunately it's a bit expensive but when I grow up I want one!

 

[Wansworth]

We used to regularly hire the Ford version in the late 90's.... The Maverick.

The Terrano shouldnt be compared to the Xtrail/Freelander/CRV... it is really a generation earlier..

In terms of their position in relation to simular vintage small 4x4's... I think it was the best all rounder. I used to have a Frontera (Dont tell anyone....awfull) and we also had 2x 200 tdi Defenders (110 and 90) and a Disco as well....

Compared to my inlaws earlier vintage Suzuki (Lakeys is a much better new one!) it was a much nicer drive... Compared to the Defenders it is a more refined drive on road... but less capable off road... the Disco was better on and off road.. but less reliable and with less cargo space in the rear.

(BTW I am talking about the long wheel base)

The Terrano is a proper 4x4... IIRC it had a live rear axle which limited it a bit... but it had excellent clearance and was surpirsingly capapble off road... (The short wheel base surprisingly so...) Later in its life they started putting power bulges and sidesteps on em and this detracted from them as far as i am concerned....

It was comparable speed wise to the Disco or the 110.....

I dont think its a good Ladies 4x4 simply because its a bit thirstier than modern equivilants... and will be potentially easier to roll, and will oversteer in a lift-off throttle/ wet road situation...

(I had one sideways once... not intentionally and not a good thing..)

A great capable truck if you want a proper truck... but I would go for a xtrail, Rav4, New Vitara, or simular for the wife.

They really should be compared with the LR Defender or Disco.. or the Frontera or early Cherokee....

As we used to short term hire our I can not comment on reliabilty, but the only real dog we ever had was the Frontera. (Which should have been strangled at birth... and I should have known better...)














hmmm... took me so long to compose the reply that youve gone out a bought one....

Well thanks for the effort!

 

[Lakesailor]

That's folklore based on either the petrol based rover engines that blew head gaskets for a passtime and had cylinder liners drop into the block causing catastrophic nasties and/or the old smoky joe D1 Rover Diesels.

Td5 and Td4 owners with electrical gremlins are the new black.
Oh, and drivetrain problems with Freelanders.

I'm not saying they are not great machines, but Jap cars do seem distinctly more reliable. Having said that a farmer I know who sold his Defender because of electronic problems bought a Nissan which was absolutely reliable, but then got another Defender because he likes them.

(and anyone can turn any 4x4 over without a great deal of effort)

 

[boatmike]

Td5 and Td4 owners with electrical gremlins are the new black.
Oh, and drivetrain problems with Freelanders.

I'm not saying they are not great machines, but Jap cars do seem distinctly more reliable. Having said that a farmer I know who sold his Defender because of electronic problems bought a Nissan which was absolutely reliable, but then got another Defender because he likes them.

(and anyone can turn any 4x4 over without a great deal of effort)

I have a friend with an X-trail that just had complete transmission failure and another with a Toyota that blew a clutch. Both these are reliable and good vehicles though and I would never say anything is "absolutely" reliable. The transmission on all land rovers is in fact different from most others in that it is a full mechanical AWD all the time. It does not drive around on FWD only most of the time and then engage RWD electronically when wheel spin occurs like many others do as it is principally a vehicle derived from the old land rover designed primarily for off road work. Farmers and people like me buy them because they are simply superior off road. Most do an enormously high mileage before they give problems and many spend their lives on farms and on rough roads getting enormous punishment. There is however an increasing trend to buy them as a "Chelsea Tractor" Frankly if that's what you want I would buy one designed to be better on the road than the LR that tends to have a lot of tyre noise and be a little utilitarian. The problems you talk about though are either due to extreme use or apply to pre BMW engined vehicles. Yes Nissan and Toyota are superbly reliable an in fact my original post suggested them.
Oh and by the way, the righting and towing out of the "tin tractor" was attempted by several others before I got there without success. Generally however because they didn't know how to go about it rather than their vehicles limitations. One guy with a very pretty Jeep didn't want to go into muddy water cos it was more than 2 feet deep and he would get it dirty.......

 

[Lakesailor]

Honest John quite likes the Freelander. But read the What's Bad section.
A lot of transmission problems have been caused by bad servicing, wrong transmission oils being used and garages simply not understanding the transmission. The common dealer advice in the US has been to replace the transmission when the faults have been actuation solenoids. The 4x4 element of the Freelander transmission depends on a Viscous Coupling and is not fully mechanical. Most drive going to the front wheels in normal driving. Just like the Rav4. The Honda CRV depends on an oil-bath LSD in the rear diff, so it is mechanical.
When Defenders are working properly they are wonderful workhorses. But if you don't need to tow plant trailers over boulder-strewn hillsides, Jap tanks are cheaper and more comfortable. Just my opinion.

 

[boatmike]

Honest John quite likes the Freelander. But read the What's Bad section.
A lot of transmission problems have been caused by bad servicing, wrong transmission oils being used and garages simply not understanding the transmission. The common dealer advice in the US has been to replace the transmission when the faults have been actuation solenoids. The 4x4 element of the Freelander transmission depends on a Viscous Coupling and is not fully mechanical. Most drive going to the front wheels in normal driving. Just like the Rav4. The Honda CRV depends on an oil-bath LSD in the rear diff, so it is mechanical.
When Defenders are working properly they are wonderful workhorses. But if you don't need to tow plant trailers over boulder-strewn hillsides, Jap tanks are cheaper and more comfortable. Just my opinion.

As a chartered mechanical engineer I know precisely how the viscous coupling works. If we are splitting hairs it is a hydro-mechanical device. The point I was making was that it was always engaged and not reliant on electronics. I don't intend to argue with you regarding the merits and shortcomings of each drive system as you are obviously intent on impressing me with the extent of your knowledge but it is plain stupid to criticise a system because numpty yanks don't know diddly squat about proper maintenance. None of this has anything to do with the original thread and is just arguing for the sake of it.
Boatmike out!

 

[Lakesailor]

None of this has anything to do with the original thread and is just arguing for the sake of it.

Well you're the one doing the arguing.
I merely pointed out that the Freelander wasn't a purely mechanical system as you said.
And that it is just the same as that used by other manufacturers.

In the real world it doesn't make a lot of diference until you get to the extreme situations.

However, to the average owner who doesn't do their own maintenance, the reliability of a vehicle and the skill of the dealers, does make a hell of a lot of difference