used 4x4 pajero/challanger reliability issues etc

[Lyonsy]

Hi
i currently have land rover discovery 2 td5 its just done a head gasket that i fixed with head gasket in a bottle, as when i brought the head had just been done and they can only be reco once due only being surface Harding, and with 300k on it the auto is due to fail soon as well so rather then spend 6 to 8k on the disco to keep going i figure i am better off getting something newer.

so have been looking around even before this happened and had initialy rules out the pajero due to the minister for war and finace's hating them

so was looking at fj cruisers, parado, wrangler as we had just started doing a bit of off roading in the Grampians and around sturt mill and been really enjoying it
the prado was ruled out just due to cost.

so with this needing it happen soonier then i thought i took the missues out and checked out a different pajero and she did not mind it

now the other issue is i am currently on workcover with a return to work plan as i did the a disc in my back which sucks cause i cant drive my bf xr8 ute for more then half an hour with out being in agony and financially i am not sure where we are going to end up as its all ready been 6-7 months and i cant even work a full day of office duty yet little lone be back on the tools (diesel mechanic)
oh and i need something reliable as the misses has pretty bad anixity and only just got her license and of something happens to the car it knocks her about pretty bad

so after all that back ground the cheaper the better but this is the basic criteria
under 30k prefer under 20k but not likely
prefer under or around 100'000km no ore then 150'000 or so, need low km to get decent life out of it as i do around 25'000km a year sometimes more sometimes less
must be capable off road on more serious tracks
must be reliable
2012 or newier vechiles older ones would need to be 10k or less

so after all that i and searching on here it seems the challanger has quite a few issues with it between the cooling system/rough blocks, srs issues and a weak auto gearbox (i assume they dont use the same gearbox as the pajero?) is their any other common fault's with them, do they have issues with inner guards cracks like the isuzu mux and earlier fj cruiser's?
also whats the ride like in them is it soft or stiff?

the 2012 on pejero's look like a pretty good buy and cant really find to many faults other then needing to keep intake clean etc
how long do the suspension bushes last before needing replacement? and how strong are the cv's ?
aso how well does the independent suspension hold off when doing serious trails
how well does the body hold up to being winched

is their anything else i should have a look at vehicle wise? while i like landrover being a mechanic i get sick and tired of working on my own stuff so no other landrovers please

thanks
mark

[Flying]

I know this over your max but might be worth keeping an eye out for a 2015 or higher kms...

https://carsales.mobi/cars/results?q....range(..35000).)

I dunno why this link won't work , it's just a search for pajero sports under 35k
The sport Ticks the boxes to keep the mrs happy, loads of safety features and easy to drive around the city. Plus very capable off road.

On another note, i had a back injury many years ago and got some great advice early on. Get a strength routine and stick with it, whatever it is, pilates yoga dead lifts etc it doesn't matter but do it regularly or you will always have problems.

[Lyonsy]

yeah i had thought on one of them but its just outside the budget as i also have to get a 2nd car at the same time for the misses as the disco was here car but she was never comfortable driving or trying to park it.
so for her ill prob end up with ether a mirage or a jimny

yeah been doing the strengthening exercises the specialist has me doing, but even then i cant be in sedan like seating position need to be in a more chair like position or i can hardly move when i get out

[aussieintas]

Hi Lyonsy.

Just remember when deciding what car to get and reading loads of forum stuff.......there's always loads to read about what goes wrong but very rarely do people post....."ive had no problems with my car".

My 2008 NS has 210000kms, no DPF issues, I cleaned the intake and fitted catch can last year, original suspension bushes but did replace sway bar links as 1 felt a bit loose. Just replaced the original shocks but eveyrthing else original........ball joints, suspension bushes, control arm bushes etc. Still drives like a dream. Suppose I'm one of those replace stuff prior to it breaking and causing issues. Like I changed my SCV couple of months ago because I wanted too and at nearly 10 years old and the kms probably will look at changing a few more things on the suspension side in the next year or so.

They are a great car, yes not perfect, but for the money take some beating. It'll come down to money you want to spend verses how little kms you want verses model you want.

Good luck.

[Peebee]

...it seems the challanger has quite a few issues with it between the cooling system/rough blocks, srs issues and a weak auto gearbox (i assume they dont use the same gearbox as the pajero?) is their any other common fault's with them, do they have issues with inner guards cracks like the isuzu mux and earlier fj cruiser's?
also whats the ride like in them is it soft or stiff?

I have a 2012 XLS with just under 60,000km on it. If you read this forum enough I think you'll come to realise that the Challenger is pretty robust and, although it has some annoying things about it, it will last a long time. There are plenty of forumites who have clocked up more than 200,000km. The issues with the block were fixed under warranty (although how many actually caused serious problems I don't know) as were those with wiring looms. The gearbox isn't weak (it was used in earlier Pajeros) it's just poorly programmed. I don't think I've read of one owner on this forum who has suffered an actual failure and needed a replacement/rebuild. Limp modes yes, but not the need for a new box. It's poor programming can be easily overcome with the paddle shifters when necessary.
If your wife doesn't like a big 4x4, it's an ideal size. Smaller than the Prados, Pajeros etc but still very capable off road and can tow 3 tonnes (legally anyway). And a great plus that is often underrated, I think, is that Challengers can be run on bitumen in 4wd all the time. A great safety feature on wet roads.
And to cap it off, they make great country tourers. There is also a full range of after market accessories if you want to add them. Hope this helps with your decision making.

[Seigried]

+1 to what aussieintas said. Its easier to find people expressing their frustrations when it come to cars. I have two Pajeros. I bought one new (nw) and then a couple of years later bought the second (ns) which has 5× the ks compared to the nw at 242000km but has been looked after. They are awesome 4x4s. They need regular servicing like any other DiD CRD and wear well. Its getting one at the right price thats the hard bit.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[Lyonsy]

yeah in regards to issues thats why i look up whats common then ask about it
the srs wiring issue did that go thrugh the entire run of the car or just the earlyer pb ones?

yeah the challanger is very close in size to my D2a discovery but she finda that too big hence why looking at something jimny/mirage size as she wants something narrow and short which rulled out 3 door grand vitra's.

good too hear on the suspension bushes on the pajero actully lasting a decent life, its what turned me off the later discovery's was their bushes being only good for around 100'000km before failing,
and while being a mechanic id rather not be having to change suspension bushes every 3/4 years

with the challanger auto why did they limit the torque on them compared to the manual?
when they go into limp while normally driving or only while towing etc?

[old Jack]

SRS wiring/loom problem was over many years but once all looms where replaced no further issues.

Jatco auto was carried over from the early Pajero NT's and models before, when the 3.2 CRD engine output was lower than the Challengers HP 2.5 CRD. The gear ratios are the same but the stall ratio was increased from 1:161 to 1:214 (from memory) this coincided with the towing limit being increased from 2500kgs to 3000kgs. Having towed 3000kg for a short period, it is not something the Challenger does easily, in fact over 2,000kgs and the auto is working hard and it is not a case of putting it in "D" and putting your foot down.

The Challenger has a more car like seating position and lower headroom to get in and out so the driving position and access may make the Pajero a better choice. Bang for your buck you will get a newer, lower km Challenger than a Pajero for the same spend.

Neither car is perfect but if correctly maintained then either could give you many kms of motoring on and off road.

OJ.

[Ent]

The Challenger is a very impressive vehicle for the price but you need to understand that it has limitations. It is not a good tug. The auto is strong enough but as mentioned poorly programmed. The overheating is a manuafacturing fault, not a design fault, so if your vehicle is not affected then it should be reliable.

The mechanics are strong but you did need to do some modifications for serious off-road work like bash plates and suspension but that is only to protect the vehicle. I would go for the late 2014 PC model as you get rear diff-lock as standard. For me the manual is the pick of the bred but it is rather a clunky old box to downshift from fifth to fourth.

Pajero seats can be painful so even though the Challenger is much more cramped I found 5,000kms in two weeks the seats ok.

In all I am very happy with my Challenger and would be hard pressed to find a replacement vehicle.

On the forum people are very honest compared to some forums where if say something bad about your vehicle ad you are chucked off. So, you tend to find issues are mentioned more and as said by others happy owners tend to be a bit more silent. I just feel if MMAL had a bit more get up and go they could have spec the Challenger to be a great 4x4 with minimal, if any, extra cost.

[Lyonsy]

thanks oldjack

yeah i will have to take a challenger to test drive next time i make it to bendigo
is the seating similar to the current shape ford ranger? as i find them very uncomfortable and was uncomfortable even before i did my back.
is the seating similar to a single cab Triton or different?

also how well do rock sliders work on the pajero with the uni body?

so atm the list of cars is something like this
Pajero
Challanger
FJ Cruiser

i have driven a fju all ready but one i drove had a strange rear end wobble on bumps not sure what caused it, so need to try anther one, but was comfortable

possible but not likely
Trition dual cab
d23 nivera dual cab

[pharb]

Hello Mark. I used to be a deisel mechanic. Now rarely touch the tools during business hours. I seem to be one of the few who have managed to get out before back injury, of which I am very greatfull. Just got buggered shoulders.

I started my apprenticeship when the first Disco was released and that was the car I had my heart set on when I built up the funds due to being a European car fanatic. Then wife, kids, mortgage etc got in the way and I had to settle for a 10 year old NA shorty, then more kids and had to upsize to a LWB NB (all petrol 4cyl), then got the opportunity to upgrade to a 200,00km old 4m40 powered NJ. This one now has 450,000km on it.
If you search through my posts you will see what repairs I have had to do, but basically very little.
Now have an NX.
I am so glad I discovered the Pajero. As a mechanic I can't believe how little goes wrong with them. And also as a mechanic I am so glad when I get home I don't have to work on my own cars out of necessity.
On road ability? When I first got this car took it on a camping trip into Vic High Country above Licola. It seemed to go as hard through the hills (but without the peak acceleration) as the VE SV6 wagon I used as a work car. I was very impressed.
Off road? On the same first trip, on the stock road tyres, came across DELWP rebuilding a track and they questioned me on how I got the Pajero into where they were. I politely said it used to be an easy track (Mt Margaret) and by the time I got up the first big climb I wasn't game enough to go back down so continued on.
Size? Pajero is bit wider than Challenger, but Pajero boot is actually a bit smaller. I think the Pajero has more room in front and middle row seats, and maybe slightly longer engine bay.
I prefer the seating position in Pajero. A bit more like sitting at kitchen table due to more height between floor at bum. Challenger need legs stretched forward more.

As you can probably tell I am very biased. But why wouldn't I be. They drive really well on road. Like most 4wds the driver skill level will let the car down before the car does when off road. The 4M41 engine is virtually bullet proof. Economy is good. Average economy since we bought it nearly 30,000km ago is about 8.5L/100km or less.

Not as quiet as other big brands, but as a diesel mechanic that to me is just the sound of reliability

The only thing I can fault is carbon build up in the inlet manifold. But I think you will struggle to find an egr equipped car that isn't like that.

Biased? Did I mention that my Dad, 2 oldest sons, and brother inlaw all have 4m41 powered MLs? And 17 year old son is hoping to upgrade his MK Triton to an ML as soon as he gets a full time job.

[Lyonsy]

yeah i ended up with a disco at the time as i was still racing speedway and needed a tow rig that could pull 2.5-3 ton around that misses could drive on her p's and be her car when she got her p's then got out of speedway then started doing a bit of local touring etc, its been a good rig but i wouldn't recommend one unless you want to do all the mechanical work your self as workshops just bend ya over with them, if it wasent due to so many things being at the stage of being ready to wear out/fail id do the head but not worth dropping 4k on a new head and injectors when auto is overdue and the harmonic balance is over due and their 1k.

my rents had a pajero when i was young i think a ne or ng late 80's 7 seater and it wasent bad and mum loved it but it dident like towing and did like 2 or 3 engine's (the old 2.6 petrol) and had rust issues as well (we lived near the beach) but one of mums favorite past times was sit at the boat ramp and when a patrol or cruiser was stuck and couldent get the boat out of the water offer a tow only to be told that thing wont get us out but well try anyway and see the look on their faces when it pulled them out.

and yeah the seating position of the challenger worries me if its like that it wont be very good or me (thats the problem i have my xr8 ute)

as for a noisey diesel the td5 in the disco with out the noise suppression cover on i have to shut down the engine at drive through to hear and speak so not to worried about it.

oh btw when i did my back i was doing one of the heavyset jobs a diesel mechanic can do i was adjusting tappets lol, i think what did my back was work got a light truck for the onsite repairs and servicing and even with getting one that had independent front suspension and a suspension seat the ride was rough as guts as i actually had not been having any back issues for the previous 2 years when i stopped wearing overalls so i think that's what caused my disc to get weak then when i was bending over doing the tappets it ruptured and put a ton of pressure on my sciatica and the rest of the nerves in the l5s1