Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Our new purchase

We have finally replaced our GU Patrol with a new 2011 GXL Toyota Landcruiser V8 turbo diesel ute. We were interested in purchasing a merlot coloured one and while looking on the net one evening the Toyota dealer at Moryua on the NSW south coast had a brand new one for sale. A phone call the next morning and a holding deposit secured our new 4WD.

We had several weeks wait until the tray was manufactured and installed so it was off to ARB here in Coffs Harbour to get prices on accessories. While working out what we wanted they saw the Patrol was for sale and asked about taking it for a test drive. On their return they made an offer which we accepted. They were very impressed with the amount of equipment in the Patrol but mainly by the Chev V8 diesel we had installed.

On our way home from Moruya we stopped at Berrima Diesel in the southern highlands to have a Taipan stainless steel 3" mandrel bent exhaust fitted along with a Safari snorkel head and a Dyno Tune. We have now fitted the following options. Bull bar with side rails and steps, Hayman Reese towbar, dual battery with Redarc 20 AMP in-vehicle charger, centre roof console housing a GME Electrophone Tx3540 - 80 channel UHF, IPF 900 Xtreme spot lights, window tinting and a GVM upgrade to the suspension which includes replacing existing components with new OME parts and gives a 2" lift all round.
We have just returned from visiting http://www.csmmanufacturing.com.au/storage-solutions.html at Warwick in Queensland and paid our deposit for an aluminium canopy. Canopy takes between 6 and 9 weeks to produce. The canopy will house our engel fridge, generator, chain saw and all our camping equipment that we now carry in both the van and the back of the Patrol and will allow us much more freedom when we are away.