The simple answer? There are probably better alternatives. While the Nissan Navara of this era was very popular when brand-new, these days, many of them are getting pretty long in the tooth and are beyond economical repair. Throw in the fact that they weren’t the longest-living ute in the world, and you can see how you might wind up with a donkey if you’re not lucky.

Some of the Navara’s problems come from the way it was typically used, combined with its design. The radiator, for instance, hung under the bottom of the chassis, so it was pretty vulnerable off-road. But even the basic design of the engine and transmission mean that problems like clutch failures and rattling, worn out turbo-diesel engines at 160,000km are a reality.

Better options? Things like the Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi Triton and, of course, the Toyota HiLux all have been reputations in the trade.

The Navara seems to be the forgotten one when it comes to the ute market. The Toyota HiLux is the perennial favourite of ute buyers, with the Ford Ranger a tough rival. The Nissan is refined, comfortable, and a willing worker. A Silverline SE with 99,000 km for $19,000 sounds like a bargain.

You could get a copy of the service schedule from a dealer, but why not just buy another service book. That way you can record future services as they’re done.