What do you think og the Pajero

QUOTE " Heaps of power for towing most of them have the auto but one manual and he seems happy." Nowhere near as much power as the LC 200 of course but well and truly adequate for the purpose.

These are my thoughts exactly. We looked at the Triton however we have a Disabled son who is very large and there is not enough room in the back of any of the Dual Cabs we looked at.

Thank you

Wayne B

Not trying to talk you into a triton, just pointing out that the Motor is pretty much the same, slightly less power.

The 100Series TD is not that much different to my current 80 series TD. A little more power with the Multi Valve engine which would be nice. To be honest, I could not sell my 80 for a 100 series.

Thanks

Wayne B

QUOTE. "So far we have only towed our van ( close to two and a half tonne laden) on a couple of short trips and not fully loaded so can't give accurate figures but got around 16 litres per 100 kms on Princes Highway between Ulladulla and Kiama. Expect it to go up to maybe19ltrs if packed up on a big trip. "

Interesting 19 lts per 100km ??? That is what I got crossing the Simpson with the4 HJ80 TD towing a camper trailer. I was hoping for better figures then that. I understand you have not had your van fully loaded and the 19lts is an estimate.

Thank you

Wayne B

Don't wish to 'jack the tread Heather but I would be interested in the unreliability problems you had with your Navara. I've got a 2008 D40 with 80000km on the clock and thus far not a single problem.

Hi Wayne..

yes the figure of 19litres per hundred kms was purely a guess.... I probably shouldn't have even mentioned that figure. I thought my husband had quoted it to me somewhere!

We did own an earlier model Pajero (early 2000's) which we used to tow the same van and the figures were around 18 apparently....so maybe I have over estimated, and should have asked the male of the house! I stand corrected! He reckons this one is more economical and we hope he is right. (He tells me he is ALWAYS right, lol)

We traded the other Paj because it was only legally supposed to tow two and a half tonne.

And Patrol...I don't feel like going into the problems we had with the Navara except to say that they held us up for 3 weeks in WA a few years ago when we had timing belt? or chain? problems at 60,000kms and again then last winter in Qld. with something different. It was still under warranty for us when we traded.It was a 2007 model D40 dual cab Auto diesel.
Nissan did cover the cost of replacement parts and the labour under warranty and we were glad we had taken out the extended type but it was just so annoying not to be able to explore some of the country we really wanted to visit in case we stopped and had to try to call the NRMA in a place where there was no mobile coverage on our trip last Winter.
We will miss the space we used to have with the Navara, and having somewhere to carry the fuel, boat motor and other items I guess but will manage.

You will probably never have a problem with yours. They are a popular vehicle choice for many travellers, both those towing and not.

Regards,

Heather

Thanks Heather....I have heard of the timing chain issue and thankfully it appears to have been rectified in post 2007 build cars.

Quote.... "I like the Pajero but not for a real 4x4.... it would be ideal for some one who wants a 4x4 for 80% urban/country bitumen and 20% for dirt tracks. "

I tend to agree with your comment above. The Pajero would be limited in some off road conditions but then again so are all independent front end vehicles. (Limited wheel travel.)

I believe the Toyota to be a better off road vehicle however I think the Pajero would meet our requirements. Mostly Highway and Country Driving, then once a year a 8000 + km trip into the center towing a camper trailer and a reasonable amount of gear inside the car. (Did the Simpson last year with my 1992 HJ80 TD)

I did some looking on the net and noted some people have had problems with Traction Control and PDF Filter blocking up. Also some issue with inlet port blocking up causing engine to go into limp mode. I am still not 100% convinced on some of the latest technology is worth the trouble.

The other alternative would be to put another Recaro seat (Already have one for the Driver, ME) in the HJ80 and fit it out inside for a bit more comfort for the wife. For some reason she dose not have a good thing to say about my beloved 80. Not up marker enough LOL. I must admit it is not pristine and has traveled over 500,000km. It just keeps on keeping on and I can fix anything that may go wrong because it is simple to repair, compared to the high tech modern vehicles.

Big decision this is for me and while I like the V8 Toy I think it could be overkill for our needs.

Keep the comments coming

Thank you
Wayne B

Heard it so many times before that independent suspension vehicles are no match for solid axle vehicles...... 99% of 4x4ers would only see the benefits of a solid axle maybe less then 1% of the time in really extreme applications...... and for the 99%+ of the time they would have a disadvantage over a independent suspension vehicle.

Give me an independent suspension vehicle any day.... better handling, comfort and much better over rough terrain.

Our Landcruiser is a VX that comes with KDSS giving us an extra 4 inches of up and down travel giving it the best of both worlds.

We have problems when we are leading on trips were other have solid axle vehicles, we have to wait for them to catch up all the time.... and we are not speeding or driving dangerously, just that independent suspension vehicles handle to rough better.

Almost forgot.... the DPF equipped Pajero's do have a problem with the DPF going into rejuvenation and people shutting the engine down before completion of the cycle requiring a trip to the dealer for resetting.

During the DPF cycle the exhaust can get up to around 800 to 1000 deg C and glow red hot...... this may make it a fire hazard.

It makes me laugh.... some remote sites we do field service work at stipulate diesel powered vehicles only as petrol vehicles with catalytic converters can be a fire hazard...... obviously they haven't heard about DPF equipped vehicles YET!

Quite a bit of mis-information here. The DPF problem only affected early NS models (3 models ago) and was completely fixed with a software upgrade. Current NW and late NT does not have a DPF at all. The manifold issue was again on the NS only and most will have had the free upgrade to a new manifold by now. The current Triton does not have the same motor. Pajero has a 3.2 Litre 4M41T, Triton has a 2.5 Litre 4D56T (earlier Tritons had a lower power version of the 4M41T). The Pajero has cable trays under the kick panels down either side with plenty of room for running heavy fridge / camper wiring etc to the rear and it is quite easy to get under the cargo area panels. Under bonnet you can fit an N70 & N50 or with a special tray two N70's. This still leaves room on the other side for things such as shower pumps / compressors etc. There are spare DIN sized slots in the dash for mounting UHF's etc and plenty of spare switch blanks.

Stock traction control on even the poverty models (along with stability, EBD and ABS) from about 04 more than makes up for the IRS / IFS, as does the factory rear diff lock as fitted to many later models. Yup, throw in a 2" lift, an Aux tank and a decent bar (much as you would with any 4WD off the showroom floor) and you will have a very capable off-road vehicle that still handles and performs very well on-road. And you'll still have at least $30k in your pocket over a 200 series or D4.

No, they're not the vehicle to buy if you have 34's and a 5 inch lift in mind. But to the original question - yes, they tow very well.

Yes that all sounds about right. I was thinking 51 to 16 Lts per 100. I would fit the same accessories you have. The Anniversary Model has standard Rear Diff Lock so I am told.

I agree all have good and bad points and it is a matter of picking the one most suited to my need and pocket.

Thank you
Wayne B

QUOTE " I think the 5 year road side assist & ten (10) year warranty on motor,auto,diffs etc...is very good & not offered by other manufacturers."

This is a big selling point and something I am seriously taking into account.

My biggest problem is I am a Auto Engineer by trade and service all my own vehicles. This fact alone can void much of the warranty. The alternative is to have it serviced by a dealer which is costly and unless you have a problem with the vehicle that requires expert diagnosis, then the general servicing is done by a apprentice usually. I have seen too many vehicles go in for a service with no problem only to come out with something wrong and has to be taken back for rectification. Call me a skeptic if you must.

Cheers
Wayne B

Quote "1)The new models with the center mounted, lower rear spare may well hit the trailer hitch and you may have to uncouple to get the door open. Mitsubishi sell a kit to raise the spare which fixes this issue some times.
2)If you have about 120kg or more on the tow bar, you will chew rear tyres on the insides due to the independant rear suspension. One set lasted all of 8000km while I was towing!!!

Thanks for your comments I know about Item (1) Rear Tyre Mounting.

Very interesting about tow ball weight and tyre wear. Do you have any lift kit, or suspension modifications or is the vehicle standard. Is the camber / Toe adjustable on the rear suspension.

Thank you
Wayne B

Hi Wayne (again) and Boobok

We have the wheel lift kit and don't have a problem opening the rear door. We negotiated this as part of the deal as we knew it was an issue.

I dont recall having a problem with tyre wear on our earlier model Pajero either.

regards,

Heather

Heather.
Can you believe it. The salesman actually told me about the rear wheel problem and said there was a mod to fix the problem. An Honest Salesman ????? LOL

Thank you for your comments.
I think the tyre wear would be more related to suspension settings (ride height) and alignment rather then outright speed. I agree It dose not appear to be a inherent problem as there is not many complaints about tyre wear.

6 - 7 lis per 100km fantastic. You must be a very economical driver, I would never get those figures due to my driving style. It takes driving discipline to get those figures. I would be happy with mid 9 highway and 15 towing.

Cheers
Wayne B

Wayne, you misread what Colin had said. What he said was " 6- 7kms to the litre depending on the wind and road conditions" That equates to 14 to 17 litres per 100 kms, which is pretty close to what we achieved towing the Kimberley Karavan with the 100 Series of similar weight to the Jayco, perhaps slightly lighter. Your 15 litres per 100 is mid way to Colin's.

John R
So I did. Thank you for picking that up. I thought 7lts per 100 was too good to be true. LOL
Cheers
Wayne B

Hi Wayne, Just a follow up on my post. Not trying to tell anyone how to do things but if you do a suspension lift with the Pajero you MUST have a four wheel alignment & balance done, due to the Independent suspension. It is that suspension that the Pajero benefits from & makes it feel safer on the road. Patrol,Range Rover,Cruiser & Disco have that "wallowing" on the highway due to their suspension set up which also provides great wheel travel. With the DPF on Pajero the problem was with the NS Pajero but were fixed under warranty. The NT doesn't suffer the same problem as the DPF has been modified & is no longer an issue. There is a lift kit available from the dealer regarding the spare wheel height & usually fixes the opening & closing of the rear door. I forgot to mention that the pajero club of Victoria is a great site for more info on the Pajero....but you've probably been there & done that. I have travelled nearly 50,000km on the same tyres as fitted when new Yokohama Geo 12's and not one problem & that was on desert trips with some really sharp surfaces....both front & rear tyres have worn evenly & still have between 20 & 30 thou left on them.

Quote "if you do a suspension lift with the Pajero you MUST have a four wheel alignment & balance done, due to the Independent suspension. It is that suspension that the Pajero benefits from & makes it feel safer on the road."

Agree 100% with these comments.
The Pajero dose feel nice on the road it sits relatively flat with very little wallowing.
This is one of the reasons I was questioning its off road ability. Usually good handling on road dose not usually translate to good off road performance.

Cheers
Wayne B

Wayne, I really don't think you have to worry about the off road ability of the Pajero.
Independant suspension is a limiter in wheel travel but the traction control system is up there with the best available.
The link below shows just how well its traction control system works and in conjunction with a suspension upgrade and some all terrain tyres it goes most of the places the big boys go.
Regards Andrew.

Farouk, if you call 95 - 100kmph excessive then yes that is the reason.

The vehicle had a lift with firmer suspension, and front / rear wheel alignment. If anything, I would have thought a lift would have helped save the inside wear.

All I know is that when I took the tyres back they were badly worn and the tyre retailer said it was common on IRS Pajeros. I had an alignment but it was in spec. That is my total qualification in the observation.

Take a look at the rear wheels of a Pajero with a camper coupled, they do tilt inwards so it made sense to me at the time.

The OP asked for experiences and that is mine. Sorry for having an experience that you don't approve of.

QUOTE " Wayne, I really don't think you have to worry about the off road ability of the Pajero."

Impressive I must say. Much better the the older models in the Club, once the wheel comes of the ground then thats as far as they go.

I drove both the Manual and Auto to-day. Both impressive so I dont care which one I get. The auto may be a better option for towing and slow going.

Cheers
Wayne B

That is loaded to the max.

I think I would have chosen the LC V8 to hall that load around.

I would be interested in knowing what was the comfortable towing speed.

We will only have 1/2 that weight so that is why I am thinking Pajero over the LC

The other option is the Toyota 70 Series GLX Wagon. Very basic vehicle and the seats are so uncomfortable, otherwise great vehicle for hard work and towing.

Thanks you all who replied to this post. Time to get out the calculator and do some number crunching.

Cheers
Wayne B

Yes we were loaded, but us both having worked at Mitsubishi for nearly 40 years between us, it didn't seem right to get anything other than a Paj when we left.

And it served us really well - average towing speed was around 95kms. I would sit around 90-95 and the other half would sit around 95-100.

The vehicle went everywhere we needed to take it on the GRR - even the rough track to Wunnamurra Gorge at Mt Elizabeth which we saw some vehicles not attempt due to clearance.

I don't think you'll be disappointed.