Thread: Thinking out loud - cheap 4x4 options?

We have 3 pajeros in our extended family.
1 1993 (mine) and 2 LWB (2006 and 2014)
All have done big kms
All have had usual niggles for cars of that mileage.
I wont be selling my 1993 one anytime soon.
I can fix it myself and its utter useful as is an import so dual batteries + locking center diff and also rear diff lock.
Totally underrated are Mitsi's I think ans so cheaper to purchase, of course less value for resale too if that matters

Mate had an old 4x4 Ford Escape, was deadly on the beach

Mitsubishi challenger are a good value wagon up to 2004 ish

Originally Posted by m101a1

will dm thurs with some pics

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Mitsi challenger in the diesel or 3l v6

Mitsi Pajero all the 3.5l v6 is the best one (not the GDI 3.5 v6) I owned one and had factory rear diff lock and helped me get stuck and in stuck in a lot of places.

Nissan terrano any engine except the 3.0l

Nissan pathfinder

Suzuki escudo / vitara

There’s actually a few options in the budget area being a SUV

The hilux surf was a good option 10 years ago but if they’re now budget it’s been thrashed same with any Land Cruiser or safari
Though you may find a good landcruiser prado being sold by an old fella at a reasonable price if you keep an eye out.

Originally Posted by trooper90

Mitsubishi challenger are a good value wagon up to 2004 ish

Amen, both bought for $2000 off trademe white one blown head gasket, green one "non runner diesel issues" white one fixed for 800$ with an unused cylinder head kit and green one diesel filter replaced and driven 1200km from whangarei ran like a sewing machine so cheap good 4x4's are out there but might require a little tlc, replaced the challenger with a 2007 r51 4.0v6 pathfinder bought for 4000$ and have just bought yesterday a 2010 navara d40 with 180k on the clock for 6200$ just needs head gasket or new head so cheap enough

Still haven't stumbled over the 'right' vehicle. Almost picked up a Pajero with a stuffed gearbox, but decided a bidding war with an Indian mechanic (from his feedback history) didn't seem like a good use of my money.

Was just looking at a Suzuki Escudo, quite late model but needs a mechanical fix due overheating. Not cheap enough it turns out, as looking into those they have a known issue with the 2.4L petrol engine which cracks heads on the 2008-2011 models and blocks in the same era to a bit later on. Makes a repair pretty uneconomic as there are no spare engines or parts around, and a bare head kit is over 2K before you strip everything off and find out what else you need to replace and throw labour on top...

Looked at a Jeep as well, but ended up going for about 9K before you look at repairs which were steering and suspension.

Seems like all the cheap stuff is not in the Bay of Plenty, and getting the thing here is a deal breaker too.

Oh well, no hurry!

The issue with the 2008-2011 2.4 Suzukis is covered by Suzuki if it was a NZ new one. I have one myself and before buying it I confirmed the VIN with Suzuki that it was NZ new and part of the impacted batch, they told me the block would be replaced up to 25 years from new at no cost if it cracked so I've secretly been hoping it will!

It's been a great SUV other than a few small issues and it's a bit thirstier than it should be really. Pretty capable off-road and very comfortable.

Originally Posted by trooper90

Mitsubishi challenger are a good value wagon up to 2004 ish

My wife has a challenger we bought for $500 a few years ago. It had a lapsed rego which is why we got it cheap as a farm vehicle. We haven't touched it apart from changing the oil once or twice and it doesn't get treated very nicely at times, it's been bloody good best $500 we ever spent

Pajero is great until someone points out what the word means in Spanish.

Originally Posted by Mintie

The issue with the 2008-2011 2.4 Suzukis is covered by Suzuki if it was a NZ new one. I have one myself and before buying it I confirmed the VIN with Suzuki that it was NZ new and part of the impacted batch, they told me the block would be replaced up to 25 years from new at no cost if it cracked so I've secretly been hoping it will!

It's been a great SUV other than a few small issues and it's a bit thirstier than it should be really. Pretty capable off-road and very comfortable.

Thats good to know...

Originally Posted by DavidGunn

Pajero is great until someone points out what the word means in Spanish.

Yeah I have heard that before, but depending on region it actually has several meanings including the one we always think of. Someone told me that it was meant to be a small species of leopard, dunno if that's true or not. Apparently they were sold by a couple of other brands just re-badged and re-branded, dunno if we got any of those here?

Originally Posted by No.3

Yeah I have heard that before, but depending on region it actually has several meanings including the one we always think of. Someone told me that it was meant to be a small species of leopard, dunno if that's true or not. Apparently they were sold by a couple of other brands just re-badged and re-branded, dunno if we got any of those here?

Montero and shogun are the other names. Not sure if they ended up here, they stopped selling the Montero in the states quite a while ago. There's a Chilean mechanic at the local mitsi dealer and he thought it was hilarious when he first got here that theres a car called a "pahero".

Driven with pride by some people haha.

Nothing wrong with pajeros per se.
The older gen 2 diesels are just getting on a bit. Bugger all engines about as i was told be a local guru on these that even a buggered 4m40 engine was going for 1k at the wreckers for export.
So unless it's a head or gasket they are rebuild or new replacement.
Parts are getting a bit tough to get second hand. The petrol can go ok but suffer the same with bits and the GDIs (I think) can be problematic.
Some are putting the toyota petrol engines in them.
I reckon one with the nissan V6 would go well. They are way grunting than the mitsi models