Rough Riding GU Patrol

[p38arover]

I went out to help pick up a Rangie yesterday. We went in a GU Patrol 4.2 turbo diesel (with LPG fumigation) traytop. (Actually, it was the one on the www.dieselgas.com.au website)

I don't like to rubbish anyone's choice of vehicle but this Patrol with standard coil springs and shocks was the roughest riding vehicle in which I've ridden - in quite some time.

We travelled over the same road (Northern Rd, Penrith) as I travel often in the Rangie and I didn't know the road was as rough as it seemed in the GU. The ride was appallingly and jarringly rough.

I only travelled in the car for a couple of hours (I drove it back) but I'd hate to travel any distance in it. The seat is too low (and the view over the bonnet ain't brilliant) and it isn't as comfortable as a Defender seat.

Now I know why my sister said my old Rangie was so much smoother to travel in than her GQ Patrol (as well as being easier to see out of).

However, the performance of the 4.2 litre turbo diesel with LPG certainly wasn't. It was damn good at pulling up hills around Colo, etc. although I had trouble keeping up with the 7.4 litre F250 LPG-fumigated diesel towing the car trailer loaded with the Rangie.

Ron

[amtravic1]

I have friends with new Patrols and Cruisers. Each time I travel with them I realize how good an old Rangie is.

Ian

[Redback]

Yep the main reason we didn't buy one, we were going to buy a 3.0l Patrol at the time 8O boy how lucky was that, the other vehicle we were considering was the 100s Cruiser, too boat like so we bought a Disco

Baz.

[DaveS3]

Land Rover / Range Rover suspension is unreal. You just cant beat it in a 4WD.
My perfect vehicle - a 100' LR ute all GU driveline with Rover suspension
We had guy that came into work with a GR Patrol with the LPG injection, he was amazed at the performance increase. It helped heaps with increasing the amount of diesel actualluy burned through each cycle.
Sounded great but with the price tag to match :wink:

[tombraider]

Originally posted by p38arover
However, the performance of the 4.2 litre turbo diesel with LPG certainly wasn't. It was damn good at pulling up hills around Colo, etc. although I had trouble keeping up with the 7.4 litre F250 LPG-fumigated diesel towing the car trailer loaded with the Rangie.

Ron

Interestingly.....

Been chatting with some UK & EU friends of mine. Over there LPG fumigation is no longer in vogue and they're stopping installations of it. Apparently it isnt as viable as the claims make it to be and they've had it for years.

Typical, Australia gets hold of it after the EU has found it unsatisfactory, and touts it as the next big thing!!!!

Go figure!!!!!

Cheers
Mike

[goofyr]

I had a 3.0L TD GU Patrol for 3 years, yeah it was a big mistake. It seemed like great value at the time. I saved a few thousand over the Disco TD5 I was comparing it to at the time. After 3 years of rough riding and living with the cheap plastic interior, the uncomfortable seats and the ever present worry that the engine might go. I finally got rid of it and bought the Disco I should've gotten in the first place.

[p38arover]

Originally posted by tombraider
Been chatting with some UK & EU friends of mine. Over there LPG fumigation is no longer in vogue and they're stopping installations of it. Apparently it isnt as viable as the claims make it to be and they've had it for years.

Typical, Australia gets hold of it after the EU has found it unsatisfactory, and touts it as the next big thing!!!!

Can you elaborate? That's a pretty broad statement. I can't find any references to the stopping of installations on the 'Net.

Ron

[Ace]

A mate of mine owns a GQ wagon and a GQ traytop and to say they are rough to ride in is an understatement. I much prefer the disco. Matt

[rick130]

not a lot of difference between a Defender 130 (with Koni's) and a GU tray back (with Koni's). I jump from one to the other each day. Not really a fair comparison between a load carrying tray back and a Disco or Rangie.
Agree totally about the seats, the Patrol ones are crap. Interestingly, the Defender works (rides) much better across poor surfaces and articulates much better in the rough.