Noob Q: which navara

[The real Moorey]

G'day guys, first post from hopefully a 'soon to be' navara owner.
Just sold my defender that I had for 8 years. Wanting to buy a more comfortable, practical and reliable diesel dual cab.
Got about $15k max budget, which will buy a mint 02-04, or a more lived in later model.
Everyone I talk to tells me a different story about which is a better motor, the 3.0 or the 2.5 (still getting head around model numbers sorry)
Googled a bit, read a bit, pros and cons with both it seems. Some are hassle free, some are plagued. I guess it comes down to maintenance, but it's always tricky buying second hand when not every car has service history.
Any tips from the experts about what to look out for and which I am better off heading towards? I'm not planning epic tours or any more tough 4x4 trips, just a daily driver that can pull well and won't give me a world of trouble.
Thanks in advance

 

[happy john]

6 of one half a dozen of the other mate the 3 ltr tends to have more of a fan club and a tad more low end torque perhaps hit the search button and have a read plenty of discussion on the pros and cons you may even become more confused anyway best of luck with your new purchase.
John

 

[The real Moorey]

6 of one half a dozen of the other mate the 3 ltr tends to have more of a fan club and a tad more low end torque perhaps hit the search button and have a read plenty of discussion on the pros and cons you may even become more confused anyway best of luck with your new purchase.
John

Yeah, the more I read the more confused I get. Most people either love what they have because they have it, or criticize what they don't have because they don't have it. I should stick to mountain bike forums, so I feel I have the slightest clue what I'm in for...
Seems that I could buy either, and either get a pearler or have a string of problems.
Appreciate the response though John.

 

[DHDamo]

As a fellow mountainbike forum reader (rotorburn?), I'll offer my 2 bob. In Jan I bought a 2012 D22 - 2.5L (daily driver/4x4 explorer & DH Shuttle rig). I read up heaps on Navaras & others beforehand and couldn't argue with the price of the D22 - yeah its gutless down low, but you get around it. Took a few different ones for a drive and went with the D22 2.5L (as they don't make the 3L anymore it wasn't a option for me). Looking to spend half of that, you have a few things to consider - as suggested go hard on the search button and filter out the useless stuff.

You say that you want something that will 'pull well' If you mean towing, from what I've read you want the 3L. If you mean 'give it some berries' the 2.5 does fine if you keep it in the working rev range -1800rpm or above - it pulls fine (can whack a chip and exhaust on it to fix this - apparently). Take a few for a drive, I've got a few nice mods on mine now (suspension, tyres, bulbar, snorkel etc) and love it. I found (and continue to) this forum very helpful along the way.

Good luck, hope that helps in some way.

 

[The real Moorey]

Cheers mate, yes rotorburn. Tbh, anything will pull and tow better than my defended did, will be more comfy, and more reliable.
I'm worse off reading even more... Now learning about the Spanish v Thai v jap build, and everyone has a different story about which is better. Reminds me of a thing called 29" v 26".
One I'm looking at has a jn vin number, which seems to be japan build? Most discussion is about Thai and Spanish.
Cheers mate.

 

[sparra04]

Hi and welcome
Its a can of worms with 3Lverses 2.5
I have owned my Thia build 2.5 for 3 years now,bought it new
With egr blank and a beaudesert exhaust i reckon it pulls just as good as a 3L
I have had no real issues and i have treated it harshly but kept services up
My mate on the other hand has a 2.5 that has got 120k on it and has a terrible service history and he hasn,t got a clue how to look after it
Its still going strong
If you do go purchase a 3L be wary of high ks,they do have a habit of turbos letting go if the service history isnt good
Either way they are both good utes
Goodluck

 

[The real Moorey]

Just spoke to a mate who looked over an 09 st-r for me (tyranny of distance)
Clarifying service history ( not in book, but hunting for reciepts). Will jump on it if all checks out. 09 model with 130,000, a few for its age, but timing belt done and injectors all just done. Body isn't perfect as it was a work ute, but interior good and everything works. Price for an 09, after a bit of negotiation, ticks the boxes.
Thanks guys. Hope to be a contributor on here, not just someone with a string of problems and questions.

 

[nakedape]

The ZD30 is a very reliable motor if serviced (many examples of them going 250k on original clutch and turbo etc). They're a bit crude and slow compared to the 2.5 but meh! (you're not buying a porsche).

Go drive a couple of each and see if one feels better to you.


PS - there's a difference in D22 tub length pre and post 2006 (100mm longer after 2006). Makes a difference to sticking the bikes in.


I have to do this:

http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=17492&page=51

 

[The real Moorey]

I hang over tailgate, so either should be fine, but glad mine sounds longer. Read also that euro and Asian build tub length is different?