[rajeshsundaram]

Originally Posted by satpalsharma

...it looks kind of old for my taste - my wife really likes it btw).

Somewhere, somehow the boxy Pajero has impressed the better halves so much. Thats some curious mystery. My wifey is a fan of Pajero too!

[Imran Ahmad Ali]

Greetings

First of all congratulations . It was just a day or two back I was on a thread here which turned into a fortuner vs Pajero argument . I tried explaining what the name pajero means to us but some wernt ready to understand as to how the name Pajero still brings a smile to a persons face. Haha well here's an example .

It's an amazing car. I am a Mitsubushi Fan. Over the years we've bought the Lancer, 2 pajero Glx's and a Montero. I want to Sport now. I also have a fortuner and an innova . Fortuner is no match atleast for me ! You took the right decision and also I read up about the touchscreen you wanted . The chandigarh dealership I was talking they said they can get a system from mitsubhishi. If you want I can get back on this. I am sure you ll have a wonderful experience . Enjoy every kilometre.


Best wishes
Imran

[PatienceWins]

Congrats. That is a super upgrade. I love the vehicle in White.

I am 6'2" tall and I agree with your observation about the leg space in the sedans. The only Sedan which I found comfortable for my height was SX4. The lack of dead pedal went against Rapid and Vento. I was surprised to find that most of the Sedans/ SUVs have less leg space compared to my Getz.

Did you check out XUV500? It seems to be good for tall guys, though I have not checked it out personally.

[desertfox]

The old Pajero and the Montero are truely world class vehicles with tremendous off road capability in Luxury.

These Fortuners and present Indian Pajero sports have a different evolution. They are high on performance front but not a Luxury SUV, the evolution of Fortuner is from the Toyota High Lux twin cab truck.

Mitsubishi too had a similar chassis single and twin cab truck from where this Fortuner matcher new Pajero Sports was evolved.

In India and some other markets these are being marketed as luxury vehicles.

Elsewhere where the ground is harder off road and there is mud and slush all the Japs, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Isuzu market twin cab diesel 4x4 trucks. Say Philipines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Fortuner came into the line up behind Landcruiser and Prado as an alternate vehicle to a Camry class customer to stop migration to Pajero ( Montero, Shogun ).

Off road it is not really very capable with the front bumper being low and a huge single piece very expensive to replace. Too much plastic in there.

The ride quality too will not be as refined as a Prado or Montero in these vehicles because it comes from a different line of development.

This kind of truck bed vehicle is a first for Mitsubishi, to counter fortuner.

Toyota have had a longer history producing many versions of Forerunner, hi Lux Surf and other such variants earlier.

Fortuner was sold in Dubai since 2005 with a 4000 cc IGRFE V6 engine developing 239 bhp. It went everywhere but often without its bumpers or spare wheel. Over fender flares were also often left behind.

I used to get three or four of these every season as support vehicles for my off road events, never drove one although.

Another version came with a Toyota 2.7 Litre 4 cyl petrol engine that developed about 135 bhp.

Hi Lux twin cab and single cab pick ups came mostly with this engine.

A 3 litre diesel has given it a

[karan561]

Hey Satpal,

Many congratulations on your Pajero buy decision, it indeed is a very capable vehicle both on & off road

PS - Though being a Fortuner owner i have gained much respect for the Pajero Sport after a recent OTR

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by karan561

PS - Though being a Fortuner owner i have gained much respect for the Pajero Sport after a recent OTR

That is nice to know Karan.

Could you please elaborate on what you witnessed? It would be a great insight.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by desertfox

Even 4 H is to be applied only on unpaved loose, slippery surfaces.

Not true. Indeed, the Fortuner runs in this mode all the time, it doesn't have the 2H option at all. Advantage of the 2H is a little better FE, if you can do without that, you can run the Pajero in 4H all the time. It feels a better drive in 4H, regardless of what the road conditions are like.

The damage to the transmission can only occur if the next two modes, that lock the centre differential, are used on tarmac. The quoted recommendation applied to these modes, where the traction between the tyres and the road surface is poor - poor enough to break before the transmission does. And slippery doesn't include rains on good tarmac, locking the center diff isn't to be done then either.

Also, don't shift from 2H to 4H if the speed is above 100kmph - but in 4H, there is no special speed constraint to be observed, if it is safe to go above 100, you can do so in 4H too.

[desertfox]

A Pajero is not a foretuner. A full time 4 wheel drive system with a Central diffrential and high performance rotorables is different.

In a part time 4WD if driven on hard surface with 4x4 engaged the transmission case and transfer case will get damaged. It is not recommended.

This is just advice, punters may drive on highways in 4WD low if they wish to do so.

But a few things to remember :

Mitsubishi service and customer care is very poor in India.
Spare parts may not be available in ASS of the dealership
Spares are very expensive compared to Suzuki or Toyota
Logistics of spares is a nightmare for Mitsubishi
Your car may be kept in the service centre for weeks.

So better dont drive on the tarmac with 4H engaged.

You dont need to listen to my advice,
But it helps ----------

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by desertfox

A Pajero is not a foretuner. A full time 4 wheel drive system with a Central diffrential and high performance rotorables is different.

Sorry, but it is where this feature is concerned, except for the fact that the Fortuner doesn't have a 2H option, just the three others that the Pajero has. Both cars have center differentials that are locked in the last two modes.

And drive either on good tarmac highways with the lock on, you will break the transmission in a few hours - maybe less.

But where the 4x4 feature is concerned, the Pajero is better equipped, since it affords a 2H option as well.

[desertfox]

Fortuner is a full time 4WD it is a different product with a different design. Later part time 4WD fortuners were introduced because it is true that a full time 4WD does consume higher fuel on account of more rotorables in constant motion.

Pajeros are not full time four wheel drive vehicles. It has to be shifted into 4H from 2H, there is a difference in the drive train system.

Super select, central diff and central diff lock are just emergency features to get out of soft sand or snow or mud. But these gizmos are not necessarily a boon offroad.

Give me a full time 4wd with a central diff lock and LSD in the rear anyday and it can conquer mountains. ( Quote from - Janbaz ALi Khan, my Guru for many years, Ex British Army Map reader and FIAA world rally clerk of the course / course opening team ).

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by desertfox

Pajeros are not full time four wheel drive vehicles. It has to be shifted into 4H from 2H, there is a difference in the drive train system.

Super select, central diff and central diff lock are just emergency features to get out of soft sand or snow or mud. But these gizmos are not necessarily a boon offroad.

Give me a full time 4wd with a central diff lock and LSD in the rear anyday and it can conquer mountains. ( Quote from - Janbaz ALi Khan, my Guru for many years, Ex British Army Map reader and FIAA world rally clerk of the course / course opening team ).

Again, sorry, and this is from someone that did 20k kms on a new Pajero SFX before selling it, in a as new mechanical condition.

The Pajero 4x4 Super Select II system is a gem, and a USP of the car. It also has a LSD on the rear axle - or at least the SFX did, I don't know about the Sport. It is a reason why the car is so capable off road - except for it's size and weight, where the Gypsy trumps it. The Gypsy of course doesn't have a center diff, and therefore isn't able to stay in 4x4 mode all the time. But running in 4H, the Pajero mode is identical to the Fortuner's normal driving set up. With the added advantage of staying in 2H to improve FE. But it is indeed a car which meets the mountain conquering spec you have described.

The only problem with the Pajero's SSII is that if you are faced with a steep twisty uphill climb on good tarmac with a fully loaded car, you can't use low range, because using it also locks the center diff, and risks transmission damage. You have to stay in high range, first gear, and slip the clutch if necessary. But these are rare situations, and I don't know of any car that gives low range, but leaves the center diff open.

[virage]

First of all, that is one gorgeous beast!!!

Talking of sizes, you are pretty tall by Indian standards. Heck, the car looks small next to you (reminds me of the ecosport). But none the less it is a beautiful car, congratulations.
Do take her off-road and share the photos.



HAPPY MOTORING

[Imran Ahmad Ali]

Originally Posted by desertfox

A Pajero is not a foretuner. A full time 4 wheel drive system with a Central diffrential and high performance rotorables is different.

In a part time 4WD if driven on hard surface with 4x4 engaged the transmission case and transfer case will get damaged. It is not recommended.

This is just advice, punters may drive on highways in 4WD low if they wish to do so.

But a few things to remember :

Mitsubishi service and customer care is very poor in India.
Spare parts may not be available in ASS of the dealership
Spares are very expensive compared to Suzuki or Toyota
Logistics of spares is a nightmare for Mitsubishi
Your car may be kept in the service centre for weeks.

So better dont drive on the tarmac with 4H engaged.

You dont need to listen to my advice,
But it helps ----------

Greetings

The same for a fortuner. A fortuner just isn't a Pajero !

Instead of sharing the persons happiness we turn it into a Pajero vs Fortuner debate ( not necessarily a bad thing ).
Hard surface driving with 4X4 doesn't make sense to me ! I can tell you one thing for certain when I went to look at the fortuner before picking it up I was in for a shock when I learned its an all time four wheel drive ! I am not a mileage oriented person but for the first time I thought . When I simply don't need four wheels to work why should they be ? You have to agree to have an option is better than not to have one !

I disagree on the service part. Own / owned 4 Mitsubhishis . Have had excellent after sales service and maybe psychological but after every service it drives even better ! I don't have to wait a week to get them serviced , paint shop is the best I've ever had . Toyota has been a nightmare in all these aspects . I even had a toyota dealer tell me . " Sir we have slush right outside our gate so we didn't polish your tires " I ve paid for it goddammit ! You put it ! Honestly you don't send a mitsubhishi for service without all the slush on it and yet it comes out sparkling clean . Toyota they have 50 cars to clean so you can't expect the attention to detail !

We talk about spare parts ? I ve had a Monteros windshield changed in 3 days even when it had to be procured from Bombay ! And have had my fortuner standing for 3 weeks because they broke my left footrest while trying to remove my right one ! Horrible pain with bubbles , black matt tape stuck wrong , even doors given back unaligned ! So for me ASS has been bad it Toyota ! Even the sales asking for 1.5 Lakhs accessories to get your car delivered earlier ?. Is That the service we talk about ?

Apart from body damage my mitsubhishi has never spent the night in the workshop I can't say the same for toyota !

Spare parts have always been available for service ! Never had an issue ! Small example . My fortuner needs to get serviced . I call toyota 3-4 days in advance . Just if I did the same with mitsubhishi there is no way the spares wouldn't be available ! I just feel we as people have double standards ! If we learn to treat everyone equally be it individuals or companies the world might just be a better place . So I end on a philosophical note haha

Drive safe

Best wishes

Imran

[infotech58]

Congratulations! That is a nice and super upgrade

I somehow like the exterior look of old gen. Pajero better; the current one looks like almost any other SUV on the road but this one is far far better in terms of features and mechanicals.

Could you please post some pictures of third row seating and the leg room there?

[yogibear007]

Great first experience Satpal. Congratulations. Thanks for sharing the photos. An upgrade from Indica to this is really a big lip indeed and I fully agree with your views about Indica. Heck of a car. I had my V2 for around 5 years and drove it till 87K before settling for Skoda.
Had checked Pajero also while doing the latest rounds before my recent shift to an SUV. Didn't go for it since the 4WD is not really required for me as there is complete absence of offroading. But I liked what I saw at that time. Nice to here your experience about 4WD too. Earlier I used to think it makes a difference only on the dirt tracks or slush situations. Do keep updating the ownership experience.