MajorCommonBody & Rust

Nissan Patrol: Rust in gutters, sills, rear quarters and chassis (Y61)

Rust in gutters, sills, rear quarters and chassis (Y61) is a common body & rust fault on the Nissan Patrol on the 2000–2016 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,000 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 48 documented faults on the Nissan Patrol.

Vehicle: Nissan Patrol
Years: 2000–2016
System: Body & Rust

This page covers the Nissan Patrol as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Patrol faults48 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Chassis and structural rust or Body corrosion yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Y61 Patrols rust in predictable places: roof gutters, around the rear quarter windows and barn doors, sills, floor pans, body mounts and the chassis rails/rear crossmember. NZ examples that have lived on beaches (a classic Patrol life) or towed boats are the worst affected, and Japanese-import Safaris can carry hidden salt-road corrosion. The mechanicals — especially the legendary TD42 — will outlast the body, so on an old Patrol the body and chassis condition is the real value driver.

What you would notice

Bubbling paint along the roof gutters and around rear windows
Crusty sills and wheel arch lips
Flaking scale on chassis rails and rear crossmember
Damp or rust-stained floor carpets
Fresh underseal hiding the evidence

How to check it

Where to look. Roof gutters, rear quarter panels and door frames, sills, floor pans, chassis rails, body mounts, rear crossmember

Run your fingers along the roof gutters and around the rear quarter glass rubbers looking for bubbling.
Get underneath and probe the chassis rails, body mounts and rear crossmember with a screwdriver handle.
Lift carpets where possible.
Ask directly whether it has been used for beach launching — and assume yes if there's a towbar and the seller fishes.

Parts involved: Chassis and structural rust, Body corrosion.

What it costs to put right

$1,000 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has it ever been used to launch boats or driven on beaches?”
“Has it had rust repairs for a WOF?”
“Can I inspect it on a hoist?”

Now check the Nissan Patrol you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

JDMBUYSELL Nissan Patrol/Safari Y61 buyer's guide
Westside Auto 'Nissan Patrol - A Used Car Buyers Guide'
patrol4x4.com 'Most common GU fault' thread

Nissan Patrol buyer questions

Is rust in gutters, sills, rear quarters and chassis (y61) serious on a Nissan Patrol?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Patrol. Y61 Patrols rust in predictable places: roof gutters, around the rear quarter windows and barn doors, sills, floor pans, body mounts and the chassis rails/rear crossmember. NZ examples that have lived on beaches (a classic Patrol life) or towed boats are the worst affected, and Japanese-import Safaris can carry hidden salt-road corrosion. The mechanicals — especially the legendary TD42 — will outlast the body, so on an old Patrol the body and chassis condition is the real value driver.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Patrol?

$1,000 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Patrol years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000–2016 Nissan Patrol. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Run your fingers along the roof gutters and around the rear quarter glass rubbers looking for bubbling. Get underneath and probe the chassis rails, body mounts and rear crossmember with a screwdriver handle. Lift carpets where possible. Ask directly whether it has been used for beach launching — and assume yes if there's a towbar and the seller fishes. Look here: Roof gutters, rear quarter panels and door frames, sills, floor pans, chassis rails, body mounts, rear crossmember