Two Sams TravellingIn our last article about our car we discussed why we chose a GU Patrol. In this article we will discuss the total build cost (and why the number isn’t actually that scary!)
We have always wanted to have a fully fitted out touring 4wd with all the fruit. After having a string of cheap 4wd’s with (mostly) cheap gear on them, we were pumped to build up the Patrol to tackle the lap of Australia.
This of course comes at a cost, however we wanted high quality and reliable gear for our trip. So let’s get the scary number out of the way: $55,000 AUD. Now that’s a large number, but not as bad as you think, let us explain.
With that money we were able to purchase and fit out our Patrol with just about everything we could possibly think of while remaining under GVM (gross vehicle mass). This figure is also well under what it would cost us to get a new dual cab or a second hand Y62 or 200 series. Would these vehicles tow a van better? Absolutely, but even second hand they can cost well over $60,000 and wouldn’t come with half the gear our car has.
Sam built this car over the course of about 12 months before we left and we had added a couple of things since starting our travels. We spread out a lot of the purchases over this time and Sam fitted a large portion of the gear himself to save on labour costs. This also allowed him to try multiple 12v solutions, drawer layouts etc. Here is a quick list of some of the major modifications:
- GTurbo G250 + aftermarket ECU with dyno tune
- Catch can and secondary diesel filter
- Lithium deep cycle battery and 12v fitout
- Twin drawer system
- 2″ suspension lift, Falken AT3W tyres and steel wheels
- ARB front diff locker with compressor for tyre inflation
- Rola roof rack system, awning, roof storage etc
We feel like it is easy to get sucked in to the allure of upgrading to a better vehicle, but our experience has shown us it is often better to spruce up the vehicle you have. We purchased and fitted this car out for less than the cost of a second hand Land Cruiser. We’ve had mechanical gremlins like any car that works hard will have but we would still choose the Patrol if we did it all again.
A final note. A lot of these modifications aren’t strictly necessary for a big lap. If the cost is putting you off don’t stress. You don’t need diff locks and huge tyres to tour the country, just a solid and reliable car that starts every morning and gets you where you need to go. Having some good gear has helped us get to some incredible locations though!
