Should I panic now?

[Rich]

Hi, I just put in my order for a SWB diesel after a long dithering around period.

After reading the recent problems with warning lights, uncertainy on which oils that can be used and their availability and so on I am having a mild panic attack.

I am buying the Paj to tow my camper but over the next couple of years, at least, it will also be doing a lot of short trips (to work and back).

One of my main criteria was that I wanted a vehicle that was extremely reliable - this will be my first Paj and first diesel so have no history with these vehicles.

Can some kind person help ease my pain here and save me from upcoming nightmares by telling me it will be all right eventually.

Rich

[Wilmo]

You should probably consider cancelling your order until MM sorts out the problems.....

[matthewfnorbert]

cancel the order!

there is no problem with oil, no different to any other dpf vehicle.. we are just trying to find a place to get it over the counter as many are DIY folk.

as for the dpf this is a annoyance but not a major issue.

after owning all sorts of 4x4's i can tell you i am very pleased with the build quality, ride, performance and handling of the paj swb.

like any forum, please consider that people often seek them (forums) out when they have issues.. the other thousands of happy mm customers are simply driving them about and enjoying them in silence. after owning a euro 4x4 and seeing/experiencing the ugly mechanical/elect failures, this forum is a breath of fresh air!

[Schniff]

When you say short trips, how short do you mean? My drive to work is about 20 minutes and that is enough to burn it off. In any event MM is aware of the DPF issue and I would be confident a fix is in the works. I don't believe it is a reason for you to not buy the best handling, best value, safe and best looking (next to the range rover sport) genuine 4wd on the market.

[Rich]

Many thanks for the replies.

The heart beat is lowering.

My short trips are short - I am 10 minutes from work - perhaps I should just go a very long way round

The order will probably take about 6 weeks to fill so perhaps things will be sorted out by then (given info in some other threads) - I hope.

I am leasing and the final paper work went in last week - so can't cancel - even if I wanted to.

I do understand that in a forum you often see the problems - luckily this one also has a lot of pros as well (one of the reasons I settled on a Paj).

Your comments to my question do/will give me and I suspect other people like me confidence in the vehicle. I am sure I am not the only potential buyer looking through these threads to help make up their mind.

Once again many thanks for the replies,
Rich

[macguru]

Schniff, as a petrol SWB NS owner, I disagree with your Range Rover comment.

The SWB is easily better looking than a RR sport or Porsche cayenne !

[MinniTheMoocha]

I have to disagree with you MacGuru. The PAJ is a great car that looks good. I am really happy with my purchase for most of the reasons stated above. However the RR sport in my opinion, is a sweeter looking car. If only the budget allowed it.... :-(

[Schniff]

Tough call, my old man has a RRS in Rimini Red and its enough to give you wood. Stunning to drive too.

[macguru]

I guess its all in the eye of the ............ ya know

when i look at the RR sport I see the same styling thats been around for 30 years. Heck i remember we thought the range rover was great in 1976 ! But can you call it retro if its never been anything else ?

The Pajero is like the Beatles, its evolved with the times. I admit i never liked the bulbous guards on gen 3 pajeros , but i owned a gen 1, and currently own a gen 2 & gen 4 and i think they look good. I think the gen 4 looks are only spoiled by the rear wheel cover........

Andrew

[Hopperoo]

When considering appearance and performance IMHO the new Disco 3 is more purposefull and BY FAR the better vehicle to drive. Much quieter, much smoother, less NVH issues, more powerful, many more features, better seating configurations (in the luggage and rear area) and safer.

Bugger it, why do they need to charge so much for them! Oh well..I wish!

[MinniTheMoocha]

Hi Macguru,

The Pajero has "evolved" the Rangie has done likewise. Its a much older car and the changes have been incremental but the last two generations of the RR have seen vast improvements/refinements and personally I think they look pretty darnn good. Don't forget they are extremely capable off road as well as being refined on road.

There simply are good points and bad about nearly every car you buy. You just either learn to love the quirks or you hate them enough to jump ship to another car brand.

Oh and the Beatles are now old hat sorry to say. They haven't really evolved otherwise they'd be playing heavy metal ;-)

I agree with you Hopperoo in that if the Disco 3 wasn't so darn expensive it might be sitting in my driveway right now.

[macguru]

I was only talking about the Styling, not the mechanics. I have no doubt that the RR is great mechanically. I could not afford one in 1976, and i cannot afford one now so its really academic, but personally i find the styling a bit dated. Then again, i am sure some modern SUV owners would say that about the Pajero, too.

There are some great features on modern NS pajeros that are luxury to me, after my 1991 NH SWB, and as we still have that car i am reminded every time i take it for a run to the shops how far we have come. I am talking about the v6 engine control system, the traction & ABS & skid control (have tried them all ), the suspension and brakes...the important stuff. Oh, and the stereo is great too, and the radio has much better range.......

Now I admit adaptive suspension would be nice too........whatever its called, where you could stiffen up the ride even more for the fast bits !

[MinniTheMoocha]

Hi Macguru,

Yes I agree that the Paj has a lot of advanced features compared to older Paj's but the RR and Disco's have all this and more...I went through some rolling hills surrounding melbourne and I sure would have loved to have the Disco's adaptive suspension to counteract the tendancy to lean over. Just have to get used to it I guess.

I have also tested the ABS, traction control and gone off the beaten track and the Paj did it easily. ( I had a Defender leading the way and this car is a truck on the road but a beast of the tarmac. So understand how good the Paj is in this area)

Anyhow I think we have got off the topic now... :-)

[Schniff]

If I was able to make the stretch the disco would be in my driveway too, but the best the LR dealer could do wouldve been 70k including ORC for a TDV6 S model with terrain response. Resale is so good on the TDs that on a novated lease you really don't save much to go near new.

If I turn over the Pajero at the end of this lease, there is a 75% I would replace it with a disco 3 (or 4 if its out).

[mcmanusd]

Out of all of the vehicles I have looked at to possibly replace my 2003 NP Pajero at end of lease I would consider (at the moment) either the LR3 or Pajero NS.
The downside of the LR3 is the extra $20k to $25k.