Mitsubishi Pajeros - Off Road and Towing?
Discussion
Looking for a cheap 4x4 to tow a twin axle car trailer (probably up to 2500kg), Land Rovers are out of the budget (ropey Discos are available, but I'm not willing to put half a ton of new metal in come the MoT).
Have found several SWB Pajeros going under budget (£750 or less) within reasonable distance (100 miles of Truro), all around 1991-1993 vintage and most with the 2.5TD lump. Most of them are automatic. Are they any good? Anything to be aware of? Also, how good off-road are they with a good set of M/T's on?
Thanks
Have found several SWB Pajeros going under budget (£750 or less) within reasonable distance (100 miles of Truro), all around 1991-1993 vintage and most with the 2.5TD lump. Most of them are automatic. Are they any good? Anything to be aware of? Also, how good off-road are they with a good set of M/T's on?
Thanks
ive got a 2.5 LWB have not towed but a lot of people do
its not fast but a great truck
i got mine to get me out of trouble after car blew up
that was nearly 7 years ago when buying a paj check over drive is working right at 40+mph overdrive should kick in or button on side of shifter usual stuff oil in water , water in oil ect
check out POCUK great site loads of stuff
its not fast but a great truck
i got mine to get me out of trouble after car blew up
that was nearly 7 years ago when buying a paj check over drive is working right at 40+mph overdrive should kick in or button on side of shifter usual stuff oil in water , water in oil ect
check out POCUK great site loads of stuff
I've got a LWB 3.0 petrol version. It's very good off road, although well worth finding a Shogun with a locking rear diff as standard, as the articulation is crap, and the locker can make a big difference. I've been out with people on here where Landies have made it through something with all 4 wheels on the ground, followed by me with two wheels waving in the air but still having traction! 
I can also confirm that should you decide to go and see what's down a Byway in the dark, on your way home from work, in a suit, only to discover that the answer is "a fallen tree you can't get past or over", then the mirrors are excellent for letting you reverse 1/2 a mile with minimal scraping! Not that I put this to the test on Tuesday, of course!
I can also confirm that should you decide to go and see what's down a Byway in the dark, on your way home from work, in a suit, only to discover that the answer is "a fallen tree you can't get past or over", then the mirrors are excellent for letting you reverse 1/2 a mile with minimal scraping! Not that I put this to the test on Tuesday, of course!
lolGTO Scott said:
Cheers - will have to search and see if a 2.8 comes up then - as much as a 3.0 or 3.5 petrol appeals it's a bit too thirsty for every day use.
If you look on the owners' club forums, there doesn't actually seem to be much difference in fuel consumption between the 3.0 and the diseasels. Given that the latter are more expensive for otherwise like for like trucks, I'd certainly suggest you figure out how many miles you're going to do before it starts to cost you more to go for petrol.If I remember rightly from when I was looking, most people reckoned they were getting around 22mpg average from a 3.0, which is pretty much what I get too. I believe the diesel owners were getting around 26mpg on average.
To put that another way, petrol costs me 27.5p per mile (based on £1.33 per litre) and diesel would cost me 25p per mile (based on £1.43 per litre for diesel). So, if you were to pay a £500 premium for a diesel, you'd have to drive 20,000 miles just to break even. How high is your mileage? If you're doing that every 6 months then go for it. If you're doing that every 4 years, you might want to think again!
It's not just economy - wet stuff off road can play havoc with petrol engine electrics whereas a diesel can go fully submerged with a snorkel for the air intake. I like the 3.0 V6 (I have the TT version in my other car) and it is actually quite a simple lump, but in an offroader I'd much prefer a diesel.
a good friend has just bought his Mrs a Shogun, OK not a pajero, but the same bloody car near enough.
It's LWB, a 1996, and covered 115k. 1 owner from new, farmer, who serviced it well, and drove it hard.
She's since used it to lug a twin axle horse box and 2 large horses around her paddocks and fields, and the couple of miles down a dirt track to her house.
It's no "eco friendly Prius" rival, and as she's 21 and heavy footed, she's seeing 19mpg on a manual box........ BUT for the £1800 they paid, and the job it does, it's fantastic.
The fact that the previous owner kept it 15years, and used it daily for farm lugging, shows it all.
It's LWB, a 1996, and covered 115k. 1 owner from new, farmer, who serviced it well, and drove it hard.
She's since used it to lug a twin axle horse box and 2 large horses around her paddocks and fields, and the couple of miles down a dirt track to her house.
It's no "eco friendly Prius" rival, and as she's 21 and heavy footed, she's seeing 19mpg on a manual box........ BUT for the £1800 they paid, and the job it does, it's fantastic.
The fact that the previous owner kept it 15years, and used it daily for farm lugging, shows it all.
I've a Pajero 2.8 swb that I use mainly off road but have done a bit of towing with, it's very capable off road and has reasonable manners when towing.
It's an auto and is averaging 26mpg which is pretty good taking into consideration the abuse it gets. I have some videos on my Youtube channel (2002Nigel) if you want to see what they will (and won't) do...
It's an auto and is averaging 26mpg which is pretty good taking into consideration the abuse it gets. I have some videos on my Youtube channel (2002Nigel) if you want to see what they will (and won't) do...
GTO Scott said:
It's not just economy - wet stuff off road can play havoc with petrol engine electrics whereas a diesel can go fully submerged with a snorkel for the air intake. I like the 3.0 V6 (I have the TT version in my other car) and it is actually quite a simple lump, but in an offroader I'd much prefer a diesel.
You'd think so, but I've had mine with water washing over the bonnet, with the air intake just a little higher up, and had absolutely no issues at all. 
In fact, I had one particularly memorable occasion (with PHer Morebeanz in the passenger seat) where I misjudged the water depth in a pay & play site and managed to get us wet through the splash wave going up over the windscreen and in through the sunroof! That's without making any effort to fully waterproof it either. As you say, it's simple. The only damage I have done has been needing to replace the radiator because I'd got so much mud clogged in the cooling vanes, but you'd get that on a diesel too.
I've got a 96 swb 3.0 v6 petrol auto low mileage Shogun that cost me £800 and I tow a BJ twin axle car trailer with it and so far it's been great but consumption falls below 20mpg when towing. Off road it's good with locking diffs all round I haven't got it stuck yet but tyres are important - just put a set of Falken land airs on for 100 a corner and it rides fine both on and off road and almost doubled it's value!!!
This truck replaced a Daihatsu Fourtrak which is also a great tool but lacks the comfort and toys of the Shogun. For the money they are a good prospect.
This truck replaced a Daihatsu Fourtrak which is also a great tool but lacks the comfort and toys of the Shogun. For the money they are a good prospect.
My mother's 1996 LWB 2.8TD manual... returns ~17mpg towing, then lowish 20s without the trailer, or ~19mpg if flogging it down the motorway with the cruise on - although she wouldn't do that to it 
A well serviced example will just keep going forever, can get pretty rusty underneath, so worth a good poke about. That side step in the picture didn't appreciate me standing on it... the brackets to the chassis were mostly rust in fact!
A well serviced example will just keep going forever, can get pretty rusty underneath, so worth a good poke about. That side step in the picture didn't appreciate me standing on it... the brackets to the chassis were mostly rust in fact!
SWH said:
My mother's 1996 LWB 2.8TD manual... returns ~17mpg towing, then lowish 20s without the trailer, or ~19mpg if flogging it down the motorway with the cruise on - although she wouldn't do that to it
I'd be a bit concerned with that fuel economy if I were her. I've not towed with mine ('99 LWB 3.0 petrol automatic), but other than that I average around 23mpg on tarmac. I would've thought a diesel should be more around 27-28mpg?Kermit power said:
I'd be a bit concerned with that fuel economy if I were her. I've not towed with mine ('99 LWB 3.0 petrol automatic), but other than that I average around 23mpg on tarmac. I would've thought a diesel should be more around 27-28mpg?
27-28mpg out of diesel 2.8TD is a big no. 20-23mpg is more like it. 19mpg town commuting. Mine was freshly serviced running a 2in chassis lift and 31in Mud Terrains. I never calculated it off road and I'm not sure I ever wanted too. 3.1TD in the the Hilux Surf was a lot worse! A bit of me still misses my Pajero. Here it is in all its glory.
Rad clogged up with mud after this trip and it took me a day to get the rad out, clean it and refit it. Lots of faff!
Gassing Station | Off Road | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff