new car decisions and homework

[Shakes]

Ok, Currently overthinking absolutely everything. The motor in my old vitara just came to a screeching halt. And we need a new family car, likely wont be purchased for a few months but getting my head in the game now.



For 99% of my driving a Pajero ticks the boxes.
- Family weekend outings, most weekends.

- Family Camping and touring, half dozen weekenders a year and a 3-4 week epic every other year.

- The final 1% is some of the Victorian high country's finest. (would really like to hear first hand how a gen3 or 4 goes on tracks similar to Burgoyne's pre-dozer or Hickeys or similar)


I'm likely shopping between a gen3 and a gen4, auto, diesel, sub 200,000k and the best/first car I think is priced well.



What I'm struggling to find is info around trim levels and which models came out with traction control and diff locks, can anyone point me towards a page that has this layed out for me? My google-foo has failed here.



Other than the fuel pump on the gen3's. are there any other big gotchya's? Same with Gen4's. DPF as per every other car on the market with one. and a few minor recall's.



Any maintenance I have to check that has been done or common fixes? Digging through the forums' there doesn't seem to be all that much, which after having a patrol on the list

seems odd.

[old Jack]

Hi and welcome to the forum Shakes.

What is your budget?
Are you looking for stock and then to modify?
Are you looking for already modified?

OJ.

[Nab]

Gen 3, need to replace top chain guide, part cost is $30 and easy to do yourself.

Gen 4, NS 2007-2009 some people had big issues with DPF on automatic models.

Gen 4 NT 2009-on no major dramas.

All Pajeros from NP 2003-current have abs/traction control/stability control.

Rear diff lock seems to be a lucky dip, Mitsubishi also did “limited edition” models and some came with rear diff lock.

[Shakes]

Hi and welcome to the forum Shakes.

What is your budget?
Are you looking for stock and then to modify?
Are you looking for already modified?

OJ.

Thanks Jack,

I’d buy the best deal at the time I’m looking. Buying with mods = better value, but it’s also likely to have had a harder life. Stock might mean it’s never seen low range, but more work is needed. Depending on vibe from the owner, condition, price etc

Mods would be making it tour and off-road worthy.....
Muddies, snorkel bullbar, winch and bashplates. And tourworthy. So dual batts, cargo barrier, basic shelf for a fridge. And hopefully a long range tank. But they would be done as I find bargains second hand.

Budget is as little as possible 😂 I realise I’ll need to spend 15kIsh. 20k is max including mods.

Thanks Nabs, pretty sure I was out with a triton of a similar vintage that ate that guide and then the engine.

[mongoose]

I think some of the late NT models don’t have a DPF, I have an NW and that does not have a DPF. If you can find an NW VRX for the right price it’s likely it won’t have DPF and I believe they have rear diff lock as standard.


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[Seigried]

Yup my 2013 my14 vrx came with standard diff lock, heated seats, 7" screen, side curtain airbags, 18" wheels, auto and no dpf as standard spec. Mine is a sep13 build. At the time the entire range (glx, glxr, vrx and exceed) were being sold with standard diff lock, auto only and no dpf

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[aussieintas]

Just to clafiry the DPF.

NS diesel auto had DPF, NT got rid of it. EDIT.......SEE NJ SWB Explanation below) NW doesnt have DPF at all. NX reintroduced DPF from build date October 2016, so MY17 models, first lot of NX doesn't have DPF.

Some info below to assist and only about diesel auto model as that is what you want.

All Gen 4 (NS onwards) has traction control as standard on all models. NM no traction control, NP traction control from around 2005 I believe.

2001 NM........no diff lock available but LSD standard all models.
2005 NP..........no diff lock available but traction control from MY04 models from memory.
2008 NS.........diff lock was only an option on all models not standard.
2010 NT.........diff lock option on GLS, VRX and Exceed models again not standard.
2011 NW........diff lock option on GL, GLX and GLS. Standard on VRX and Exceed. Diff lock becomes standard around 2013 on all models from memory.

Heres some links within this forum to start off. I'll post some Pajero brochures shortly.

https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=405

https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=8

https://www2.pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=82

[aussieintas]

I can't attach the brochues to a reply. If you google search for sometging like "pajero nm brochure" "pajero ns brochure" etc it'll bring up hits, just search through them and youll find brochures you can download and look at specs.

You can search on Redbook.com but it is not always 100% correct with spec info I have found.

As others have said there were lots 1 off models occasionally brought out that had extras as standard. But if a rear diff lock is an absolute must you will have to look at Gen 4 models.

Another way to search for info within this forum is to google search using the below text. The first bit is what you want to search but the :www2.pajeroclub.com.au searches within the forum. Examples below.

pajero ns specs site:www2.pajeroclub.com.au

pajero np information site:www2.pajeroclub.com.au

Hope this helps bud. You will get a lot of replies with people having varying opinions on differing models, good and bad so may become a mindfield. Start having a look on carsales.com to see what Pajeros are out their within your budget and have the specs you want might also assist.

[Keithyv]

I find this link handy.

http://australiancar.reviews/reviews.php#!content=review&make=Mitsubishi&model=Pajero&gen=680

Yes at some point NW all got diff lock standard I think.

[nj swb]

Just to clafiry the DPF.

NS diesel auto had DPF, NT got rid of it.

Effectively, yes, but not literally correct.

The NS DPF is a "closed" type that filters out particulates, and requires regeneration and all the fun that goes along with it (and "low ash" engine oil).

The first year of NT has an "open" DPF that functions more like a catalytic converter, encouraging particulates to burn more and reduce in size - so total mass of particulates out the exhaust pipe meets the standard. The "open" DPF doesn't clog, have any sensors, need any regeneration or need "low ash" engine oil. I have one in my NT and have had no issues with it (touch wood? ) in the 6 years / 100k km I've owned it. If it wasn't for an exhaust shop confirming to me that the lump in my exhaust is a DPF I wouldn't really know it was there.

To all intents and purposes, the NT is DPF free, but don't be confused if you come across reference to a DPF in an NT. And there's no need to fear the NT's DPF, or do anything special to live with it.

Later NT through to MY17 NX were DPF free.

I'm not aware of anybody having issues with the current DPF system, but some owners have reported disappointment with fuel consumption.

[spot01]

The "sweet spot" starts mid 2009 NT when the open DPF was dropped (although early NTs with open DPF don't appear to be troublesome, as mentioned). Should just fit within your budget. Look for the Limited Edition models like Activ, Platinum, etc as these sometimes have rear diff lock, etc. Quite a few people add the extras you want but never really use them, so look for these cars.



Check all recalls done (ring dealer & quote VIN) and check for rust at the inside top of door frames under rubber seals (esp. rear side doors). Otherwise these cars are very reliable if properly serviced (good service history is important - walk away from cars without it).

[nj swb]

- The final 1% is some of the Victorian high country's finest. (would really like to hear first hand how a gen3 or 4 goes on tracks similar to Burgoyne's pre-dozer or Hickeys or similar).

I don't know those two tracks, but I've been visiting the High Country every year for the last 10 years, primarily playing around the Dargo region (primarily in dry conditions). We've driven all the "tough" tracks around that area with no dramas - but I understand they're not the toughest tracks to be found.

The only real limitation (in my opinion) is ground clearance. With the right shock absorbers the rear can flex reasonably well (let's not talk about the front - not on mine, anyway ) and the Pajero's traction control works really well (as does Suzuki's traction control). I have diff locks front and rear, and rarely use the front - but I often use the rear, to reduce the load on the traction control.

If you're accustomed to driving tougher tracks in the High Country I'm guessing your Suzuki wasn't stock. If you're planning similar mods to a Pajero I don't expect you'll be disappointed. I expect your biggest "adjustment" will be the larger size - the wider Pajero will sometimes restrict the lines you can take, compared with the narrower Suzuki.

[Shakes]

Awesome.

Some good answers and some ways to keep digging while I’m procrastinating at work.

The Zook is reasonably modded. And a fairly underrated little rig.
31” muddies. Similar ground clearance to a cruiser on 35’s and a front locker. Typically one of the last to winch out of our crew, especially if it’s muddy and slippery. Track/wheelbase is pretty similar to a swb GQ patrol funnily enough, but it’s half the weight and a lot more nimble.

Unfortunately the family doesn’t fit too well for our typical trips.

[nj swb]

The Zook is ... a fairly underrated little rig.

I agree.

A mate of mine has a late model (IRS) Vitara with BFG muddies and a transfer bash plate - stock suspension.

He's come to the High Country with us a few times, and he generally goes everywhere we go. The lack of ground clearance means that sometimes he needs to try a few different lines, but that traction control is amazingly effective.

Fairly underrated.

[dc80]

What I'm struggling to find is info around trim levels and which models came out with traction control and diff locks, can anyone point me towards a page that has this layed out for me? My google-foo has failed here.

As others have mentioned try googling for product brochures of Australian spec grades.

If you find a vehicle that you're interesting in and want to find out the full spec enter the VIN into the following:

https://www.vindecoderz.com/EN/Mitsubishi

This gives you some handy info like build date (important if there was a change to spec mid way through, e.g. NX's received DPFs in late October 2016), and standard features.