Mitsubishi Shogun 3.0 V6

[muppetdave]

I fancy getting and doing a bit of off-roading, having not done it in years. I've just been casting my eye about a little, and see all of the comments about the SJs and Jimny's and know they're a sound option. However I passed a K-reg SWB V6 shogun today for sale at £675. It has one month's tax left and I will assume similar MOT (it says it has an MOT on the board in the window...). I'm not fussed about MOT as in my mind I'd stick it over at my parent's up the road from Devil's Pit and trailer it down there or wherever else.

Anything worth knowing about these to check on it or should I just steer well clear?

[JVaughan]

we have a guy that offroads a V6 Auto LWB shogun .. its quite mental. !!.. its as good as a disco with the right tyres. I understand its easily lifted too by simply winding up the front anti rollbar. He has a cheap set of 31's on it and it goes most places

[nutty slack]

muppetdave said:

I fancy getting and doing a bit of off-roading, having not done it in years. I've just been casting my eye about a little, and see all of the comments about the SJs and Jimny's and know they're a sound option. However I passed a K-reg SWB V6 shogun today for sale at £675. It has one month's tax left and I will assume similar MOT (it says it has an MOT on the board in the window...). I'm not fussed about MOT as in my mind I'd stick it over at my parent's up the road from Devil's Pit and trailer it down there or wherever else.

Anything worth knowing about these to check on it or should I just steer well clear?

The're a good tool, although I've never had mine in the mud, only on the beach.
Electronics are the biggest worry for most, if everything's working then it'll be a good 'un probably.
Had mine for 5 years and put 70k on the clock, now at 195k, engine is unburstable and auto box excellent. A regular engine service is worthwhile although the plugs are pricey and a bd to get at. Only major things I've replaced are tyres (AT2), alternator, rad hoses 'cos they were a bit soft and a new belt and tensioner set. MOT has been usual stuff, brake pads, roll bar bushes and general wear and tear stuff. Fuel consumption is a bit heavy, at a steady 80 it returns about 20 mpg but it's like driving a large armchair. Brilliant motor. ('96, P reg) edit to add: it's LWB.

Edited by nutty slack on Friday 8th April 00:11

[JVaughan]

I can second the armchair feel .. the Jimny is more of a spine breaker in comparison over the same terrain

[muppetdave]

Sounds promising then, in that for a couple of hundred quid it might be a bit of fun...

[nutty slack]

muppetdave said:

Sounds promising then, in that for a couple of hundred quid it might be a bit of fun...

I'd go for it at that price, even if you need to spend a few quid on it it'll still be a bargain.

[Kermit power]

I've got a LWB version, and it's great off road. Far, far more comfortable than a Defender of SJ, and much better than either on the road too.

Worth checking is whether it's actually a Shogun or a Pajero. Usually the Pajeros have more luxury gizmos such as climate control, but for off-roading, the Shoguns (mine at least) often come with a factory fit locking rear diff, which I'd take over any amount of luxury gizmos!

[bmwdrivernigel]

I've a SWB Pajero (94 K) 2.5td and it'll go anywhere, I'm running 33" tyres though which always helps

At that price I'd snap it up and when/if it goes bang you'd get most of your money back by breaking it.

[muppetdave]

bmwdrivernigel said:

I've a SWB Pajero (94 K) 2.5td and it'll go anywhere, I'm running 33" tyres though which always helps

At that price I'd snap it up and when/if it goes bang you'd get most of your money back by breaking it.

Must go and sort this out. Like you say it's almost a no-brainer.

To run 33" tyres, do you need to lift it? I'm semi-mechanically minded, but it'd need to live at my parents (farm) for access to tools etc. But I quite like the idea of tinkering/learning more.

[Kermit power]

muppetdave said:

Must go and sort this out. Like you say it's almost a no-brainer.

To run 33" tyres, do you need to lift it? I'm semi-mechanically minded, but it'd need to live at my parents (farm) for access to tools etc. But I quite like the idea of tinkering/learning more.

You probably won't need to, as there isn't much articulation on them. I've gone the other way round though... I've already lifted mine, but still only have 31" on it, so there's an absolute chasm between tyre and arch!

In terms of lifts, there is a guy on various of the Paj forums (goes by the name of Subzero iirc, what with being an aircon engineer as his day job) who sells spacers which fit between the top of the rear springs and the spring anchor which provide a 2" lift at the rear. They're around £80 for the pair (again iirc, but were certainly under £100).

I got a pair of these, and fitted them at the same time as fitting 20% stiffer new springs and new shocks (standard length is fine, apparently). The hardest part of the whole job was getting the back of the truck up high enough without specialist lifting equipment. I ended up using a farm jack and some tall axle stands on paving slabs, then used car jacks to manipulate the axle up and down at the sides. Not having to drop the axle beyond undoing the shocks made the job much easier, although do watch the brake hoses, as you could damage them if you let the axle drop too far unsupported.

ETA - Lifting the front is far easier. Just wind up the torsion bars.

AETA - You certainly won't need to contemplate a body lift for 33".

[Lefty]

I've had a couple of LWB diesels as farm/winter/tip bhes and they're great. Comfy, 30mpg and, with decent tyres, surprisingly capable offroad.

[Working class]

bmwdrivernigel said:

I've a SWB Pajero (94 K) 2.5td and it'll go anywhere, I'm running 33" tyres though which always helps

At that price I'd snap it up and when/if it goes bang you'd get most of your money back by breaking it.

Can I just ask what mpg you're getting out if it please?

[bmwdrivernigel]

Working class said:

Can I just ask what mpg you're getting out if it please?

I'd guess I'm getting around 28/30mpg but that includes a lot of off-road use too. I've just sold my 2000 3.2d that was doing 20ish on a good day...

[nutty slack]

I didn't mention before, mine's a 3.0 V6 GLS LWB. It's a cracking long distance motor, bags of power although a bit thirsty especially in Europe where petrol is dearer than diesel. But even so I've had it 5 years and I'll run it until it drops and then break it. It's been all around Europe with me and never a breakdown, I'm travelling to Spa from mid-France and back this weekend around 2000 kms with no qualms.
Yer pays yer money and takes yer chance.

[R12HCO]

nutty slack said:

I didn't mention before, mine's a 3.0 V6 GLS LWB. It's a cracking long distance motor, bags of power although a bit thirsty especially in Europe where petrol is dearer than diesel. But even so I've had it 5 years and I'll run it until it drops and then break it. It's been all around Europe with me and never a breakdown, I'm travelling to Spa from mid-France and back this weekend around 2000 kms with no qualms.
Yer pays yer money and takes yer chance.

So the car sense fuel is expensive so uses more?

From my experience, the diesel ones of this area do around 20 mpg and alot of people have said get the petrol one as the mpg difference is minimal? Is this true?

Also for 'proper' off roading, they get stuck. Im sure the fuel tank hangs down a little and they catch. But as a general drive, family car, dog carrier i think they are better than landys.

[nutty slack]

R12HCO said:

nutty slack said:

I didn't mention before, mine's a 3.0 V6 GLS LWB. It's a cracking long distance motor, bags of power although a bit thirsty especially in Europe where petrol is dearer than diesel. But even so I've had it 5 years and I'll run it until it drops and then break it. It's been all around Europe with me and never a breakdown, I'm travelling to Spa from mid-France and back this weekend around 2000 kms with no qualms.
Yer pays yer money and takes yer chance.

So the car sense fuel is expensive so uses more?

From my experience, the diesel ones of this area do around 20 mpg and alot of people have said get the petrol one as the mpg difference is minimal? Is this true?

Also for 'proper' off roading, they get stuck. Im sure the fuel tank hangs down a little and they catch. But as a general drive, family car, dog carrier i think they are better than landys.

I've known quite a few people who had the diesels and the best estimate for mpg I've heard has been 25-28 mpg. I've driven a good nick 2.8 oiler and the difference between that and my guzzler was unbelievable, it took forever to get up to any sort of respectable cruising speed so I would never choose a diesel over the V6 petrol, the extra mpg and derv cost (in the UK) just isn't worth it.
I live in France where the difference in cost between petrol and diesel is reversed, 95 petrol is @ 1.45 euros a litre and derv @1.23 but I still bite the bullet and pay for a bit of acceleration and power when you need it.
HTH.

Just to add...

My V6 does around 20-22 mpg at a steady 80 (130 kph) on the motorway on cruise control, can't complain at that.

Edited by nutty slack on Monday 4th July 16:31

Edited by nutty slack on Monday 4th July 16:32

[JVaughan]

Just one more thing to mention, starter motors are a swine to change ... Some say engine out, but it can be done by removing the osf wheel and the inner arch, then crawling underneath for a few hours !!!!

[Kermit power]

R12HCO said:

Also for 'proper' off roading, they get stuck. Im sure the fuel tank hangs down a little and they catch. But as a general drive, family car, dog carrier i think they are better than landys.

I suppose it depends on what you call 'proper' off roading, but mine with a 2" spring lift and factory-fitted rear diff lock can handle pretty much anything most pay & play sites can throw at it.

[JVaughan]

Kermit power said:

R12HCO said:

Also for 'proper' off roading, they get stuck. Im sure the fuel tank hangs down a little and they catch. But as a general drive, family car, dog carrier i think they are better than landys.

I suppose it depends on what you call 'proper' off roading, but mine with a 2" spring lift and factory-fitted rear diff lock can handle pretty much anything most pay & play sites can throw at it.

I can second that, my mates only really gets stuck when he manages to beach it departing "muddy holes" !!! then like most 4x4's in that situation, its going no where unassisted.

so far, the biggest plus for the Landy is the ease at which to get access to replace parts, but like most Jap stuff, things donot generally go wrong

[Boobonman]

Worth mentioning that the diesels are certainly capable of consuming a bit of veg oil, my old SWB 2.5 ran better on a 50/50 mix than it did straight diesel.