Hello

[Gela]

Hello,

I'm hopefully going to be a new Terrano owner :D Been looking for ages and think I have finally found the one. Currently looking at a 2003 3Ltr Sport Edition. However, not sure whether the sale price (4k) is a bit too rich... any advice? :nenau

94,000 K on the clock, 2 owners, FSH.

It also feels a little bouncy on the front. Is that a problem?

Thanks all

[zippy656]

hi fella, loads of help here
do a search on Ebay.. see what the others that age are going for..

depends HOW bouncy, could need new shocks...
or just adjusting..

[makeitfit]

Just had a quick spy on fleabay and conclude that price is way over the odds.
Completed listings show average "Sold" price about £3000 or less:augie
Also check out the 2.7 version, much cheaper:thumbs

[Gela]

Thanks for the replies

I also looked at eBay but could only see half a dozen in that model and none sold. Must be doing the search wrong

Have looked at 2.7 but so far all have been a bit worse for wear :-(

[lacroupade]

Thanks for the replies

I also looked at eBay but could only see half a dozen in that model and none sold. Must be doing the search wrong

Have looked at 2.7 but so far all have been a bit worse for wear :-(

Makeitfit is having a complete larf.....if he ever managed to buy a decent 03 plate for £3k I would eat it.

£4k is a VERY respectable price for this motor and mileage if its got FSH, check Parkers and so on if you want valuations. And the 3ltr lump is more powerful and has much better fuel economy than the 2.7 so its a no-brainer and let nobody tell you otherwise.:thumb2

If the front end is wallowy get on the deck and look at the lower wishbones to see if the droplinks from the front anti-roll bar are connected, they are prone to becoming detached and the front drives as if its suspended on rubber bands. Its a cheap (£15 a side for parts from Milners) and simple thing to fix.

OR the shockers could be shot but I very much doubt it, they go on for ever on these trucks.

[makeitfit]

Just looking at what actually sold on the bay.
There's plenty asking that money but they didnt sell. Have a look at the completed auctions:sly

[thor]

have to agree check on Parkers get your valuation.....dont forget if you are willing to pay the money and are satisfied just go for it.
I paid over the odds a few years ago for my Terrano.....but it was a cracker...for the year. when I sold it in part ex getting £1200 everyone around me went mad stating that they would have given me much more [usual case] one guy even went to the garage but they would not sell to him cos it was en route to the auction.
So if it's a good un and it's what you want be prepared to pay a little over the top.

[Gela]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Im sending hubby in for a second opinion today. What are the areas to poke and sniff at? He knows to check for mayonnaise in the engine, but is there anything of particular note to check? Afterall looking under one of these things usually just shows a an underside of a 4x4.

Is there a brief FAQ or can you guys list the top faults to look out for?

Thanks again!

G

[makeitfit]

I reckon your best bet is do a search here on 3.0 ltr ones and you'll see it's been mentioned before a few times.
Sorry I'm no good with new ones, just a mean ebayer:naughty
Oh I'm quite good at poking and sniffing though:lol

[clivvy]

with terranos in general its the usual stuff-sills, front wings for rust (look inside engine bay), check the sun roof drains are draining correctly (otherwise that new sills for you in a few years), check the hubs engage 4wd correctly, other than that theres nothing to note with these truks, they are pretty good!!

id certainly be asking for the codes to be checked though if you can, just in case

[kbekl]

with terranos in general its the usual stuff-sills, front wings for rust (look inside engine bay), check the sun roof drains are draining correctly (otherwise that new sills for you in a few years), check the hubs engage 4wd correctly, other than that theres nothing to note with these truks, they are pretty good!!

id certainly be asking for the codes to be checked though if you can, just in case

dont think the newer ones had hubs think they are just locked:thumbs

[briggie]

yup having the codes read is a good idea , previous codes notifying any faults may not have been cleared thereby giving a idea of previous/current problems

[briggie]

this sounds silly , but if you can , ask the previous owner why he is selling it

[Gela]

Many thanks :thumb2. Hubby is going to go and see very shortly.

I did ask the reason for selling and it was because another 4x4 which the seller really wanted came up and it was a deal too good to miss for him. He showed me it as well. He was very chuffed with it. :D

[zippy656]

fingers crossed then..

[lacroupade]

Just looking at what actually sold on the bay.
There's plenty asking that money but they didnt sell. Have a look at the completed auctions:sly

Yeah but very few private buyers, they are all dealers and you aren't going to know if they are sold until they just vanish cos dealer auctions don't work like that...I still stand by what I said, you find a good nick 03 plate 3.0 ltr for £4k and I'll eat it. I've looked at four valuation sites, lowest comes in at 4k (What Car which is shite) and highest nearly 7k (Parkers).... If I had the money - and didn't already have two of the bloody things - I would buy this one in a flash after a once over, honest to god. Whats your name again, Moshe Dyan or summat? enough already.....LOL

with terranos in general its the usual stuff-sills, front wings for rust (look inside engine bay), check the sun roof drains are draining correctly (otherwise that new sills for you in a few years), check the hubs engage 4wd correctly, other than that theres nothing to note with these truks, they are pretty good!!

id certainly be asking for the codes to be checked though if you can, just in case Being a 3.0 ltr this truck is going to be seven years old or less.....highly unlikely any of these things will be an issue.

dont think the newer ones had hubs think they are just locked:thumbs

not exactly, the hubs themselves are fixed and the front end 4WD engages and disengages via the diff instead, so you can do it at any speed.

[Gela]

I'm afraid it wasnt meant to be. Hubby also noticed the bouncy front and first gear was a bit difficult for him as well..... we just thought that was my driving initially as I was wearing heels. It also had two tyres which were bordering illegal.

All those things we could live with. What we could not live with was I was told only 2 owners yesterday, but today hubby was told there's been a few. Also the FSH is not FSH. There's a gap of 40K between services. That worries me as that in my book means I was not told the truth yesterday. What else could be lying in wait :eek:

If we were both told the same thing and the Service History was declared accurately I would have taken the chance.

On with the search :doh

[clivvy]

youve both done the right thing Gela, to leave it alone.

Theres so many dodgy cars out there, inaccuratly described to sell. Ive personally had to reject a few cars recently, when looking for a new sports car. I viewed so many that said "imacculate, drives like new, FSH blah blah" and twice I found the cars to be FAR from immaculate, badly described and so on, you get the idea.

the car i found recently, a MAzda MX-3, turned out to be just as described. I trusted the seller, as his advert was found to be accurate upon inpsection. When I bought my 4x4 Maverick, the advert was certainly not accurate, but i was naive and ive learned a lot since and now the Maverick is pretty much sorted.

Good luck with the search, and be careful of those adverts that make it sound too good to be true!

[zippy656]

good call.

how far are you willing to travel to buy one. maybe we could all keep and eye out for you both.


not even a full member and your getting all the help you need. what more can I say. get your self a T2 and join fully. be the best £10 youll ever spend!

[lacroupade]

I'm afraid it wasnt meant to be. Hubby also noticed the bouncy front and first gear was a bit difficult for him as well..... we just thought that was my driving initially as I was wearing heels. It also had two tyres which were bordering illegal.

All those things we could live with. What we could not live with was I was told only 2 owners yesterday, but today hubby was told there's been a few. Also the FSH is not FSH. There's a gap of 40K between services. That worries me as that in my book means I was not told the truth yesterday. What else could be lying in wait :eek:

If we were both told the same thing and the Service History was declared accurately I would have taken the chance.

On with the search :doh

Agreed......wise move and explains why it was at the bottom of the price bracket. That gap could mean as many as six missed services including three majors. And a 'few' owners on a car barely seven years old is a bit OTT so supports a dodgy history.

Reminds me of the 3.0 ltr I looked at which the garage told me had never towed....til I found the horsebox instructions in the glovebox and spotted the fact that the area around the bonnet vent (which is plastic on the 3.0 ltr) has actually warped through engine overheating.....what a spluttering tosspot he turned into LOL.

A little bit of abuse isn't the end of the world, these are pretty robust motors, but things like cooling problems left unattended, or low oil levels, will soon result in a serious bill.

[kbekl]

isnt this the same engine in the patrol ? that has problems with cracking or completly different engines

[lacroupade]

isnt this the same engine in the patrol ? that has problems with cracking or completly different engines

no the original Patrol 3.0ltr engine had a problem with one of the cylinders or pistons going, forget which.....but it was completely eradicated before they started dropping it into the Terrano.

Message is don't buy a 3.0 ltr Patrol from pre-2002/2003 I'd say, at least without knowing what you're getting into!

[Gela]

Thanks again for all your help :thumb2

We're going to take a break from looking and maybe start again after Christmas

However, if you do see a good bargain... Nissan Terrano 2.7 5dr or 3.0 5 dr no older than 10yrs please let me know :D

[zippy656]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260703120053&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

hows this one?

[tintin]

Looks a nice one zippy, like the colour,
By the way hello Gela, good look with your hunting, my 1st one came from word of mouth, my 2nd took some finding, theres some rubbish out there.

[zippy656]

i like the colour too,
same colour as th eone ive got, if I had the cash Id go look at it...

[briggie]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-53-NISSAN-TERRANO-II-SE-3-0-Di-AUTO-LWB-4x4-A-C-/130462101434?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e6025afba

[zippy656]

<TABLE style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0px !important" class=vi-is1 border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=vi-is1-clr colSpan=3>Item location: Watchet, Somerset, South West England, United Kingdom
</TD></TR><TR><TH class=vi-is1-lbl></TH><TD class=vi-is1-clr colSpan=3>Post to: United Kingdom, Ireland
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0px !important" class=vi-is1 border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=vi-is1-clr colSpan=3>Item location: Watchet, Somerset, South West England, United Kingdom
</TD></TR><TR><TH class=vi-is1-lbl></TH><TD class=vi-is1-clr colSpan=3>Post to: United Kingdom, Ireland
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>and he'll post it too!!!

[Gela]

Thanks for those links. Had a look. A little out of our way before Christmas, but if they are still around after may take a look. :thumbs