Nissan. It’s everyone’s favorite SUV in the Middle East (until they’re right behind you with the high beams in full attack).This is the buying guide if you were ever wondering of dipping your toes into the wonderful world of dune bashing.
The Y61 model of the Nissan Patrol was first introduced in 1997 with production still on for certain regions around the world – the Middle East being one due to popularity. That makes this generation of the Patrol 22 years old. TWENTY-TWO.
For the region, the Y61 is powered by the mighty TB48DE. A 4.8L inline-6 Engine producing a healthy 280hp, mated to a 5-speed automatic or manual transmission. The powertrain on these SUVs are known to withstand the elements and have generally been super reliable with tuners being able to push upwards of a 1000bhp (even close to 2000hp).
What we love about the Y61 Nissan Patrol
Here are all the things we love about the Y61 Nissan Patrol:
- Appearance – the design is 22(!!) years old and we still think it looks fantastic. It looks so much sportier than the Y62 that followed;
- Road presence (a GCC thang);
- Solid off-road capabilities;
- Great reliability;
- Amazing configurations – the Y61 can be had as a 5 door SUV, a 3 door SUV or even as a truck. How awesome!
- Parts are plenty and come cheap;
- Beat Richard Hammond and his Porsche 918 down a straight line (#neverforget).
Nissan has also done a great job at keeping this model fresh by bringing out special editions like the Super Safari, Falcon, Gazelle and Gazelle X.
Our only gripe with the Y61 is that the interior is very dated. Brand new ones from the dealer can cost you upwards of a 180k AED (depending on spec) and all you get is an old radio from the 90s. There are no fancy touchscreens, no navigation, no radar guided cruise control, no blind spot monitoring, no parking sensors or a backup camera. While there’s nothing an aftermarket double-din radio can’t fix, it’s very basic for a car at this price.
But that shouldn’t be a problem since these cars can be had for as low as 25k AED (source: Dubizzle).
What to look for in a used Y61 Nissan Patrol
Here are some of the things to look for when buying a used Y61 Nissan Patrol:
- Underbody damages – bent axles, broken suspension mounts & components are common since they live most of their lives going up and down dunes;
- Check if the engine is original to the car – a lot of enthusiasts (Patrolheads?!) tend to go big turbo on these cars and end up replacing the engine from scrap when everything goes south;
- Cracked/bubbly dashes are common on these cars given its age and is a fairly easy fix as parts are plenty;
- Throttle bodies on some TB48DEs are known to fail. Check and replace if necessary;
- Engine and transmission mounts on high mileage cars are to be checked and replaced if required.
As said earlier in the post, these cars are super reliable with only a few minor issues to look out for when buying a used piece. The engine and transmission have been proven to run above half a million kilometers without signs of trouble if properly serviced.
Check out our Pre-Purchase Inspection page and let us hook you up with a multi-point checkup so that you can have a trouble free ownership experience.
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