[HJ13]

Hi,

A 2013 registered Pajero Sport with only 18000 Km on odo is available around 12L. Should I buy it?

Assuming I will have to replace all rubber parts as they become hard over the years and hence may not perform well, here is the estimated cost after purchase.

Estimated cost after purchase:

1. Change all fluides - 18k
2. For safety, replace the tyres (despite the good tread depth) - 60k
3. Replace belts - 5k
4. Replace front suspension bushes - 28k
5. There is rust at some places in the underbody, however, in my opinion, an underbody coating after rust removal should take care of it - 10k
6. Engine / gearbox mountings - 25k
7. New Insurance - 25k
8. Breaks service - 10k

Total cost: 12 L + 1.81 L = 13.8 L

I don't know if I need to change the timing kit - 25k
Cost estimates are provided by a local mechanic.

Positives I see:

1. A very rare low mileage Pajero Sport. Tyre manufacturing dates, the gear shifting, engine sound, interior freshness, non used spare wheel all indicates it has genuine odometer reading.
2. The owner claims that he has serviced the vehicle regularly as per the schedule even though it is not running much. I am yet to verify the service bills. Mitsubishi is not running any ASS in my state and hence I can not verify the service history with them.
3. Passion for owning a true blue SUV, although I don't need 4x4 in my area.

Negatives I am aware of:

1. Mechanic and parts availability
2. NGT has already banned 10 year old diesels in Delhi / NCR. What if NGT decides to apply this in my home state (Gujarat) too?

Questions I have:

1. As the vehicle has not run much, is it possible that it has rust in fuel system (fuel tank, supply lines), cooling system (pipes, radiator, water pump, ...), inside the engine (cylinder walls), etc ?
2. As this is pre 2014 made Pajero Sport will I face the overheating issue described in this post - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...t-solving.html (My pre-owned Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | Return of the overheating ghost & solving it) ? I am a sedate driver and drive around 2000 RPM, and by reading the post, I know I need to watch the coolant level frequently.
3. Are the gaskets / packings between various engine components made of rubber ? Will they need replacement ?
4. How is the ride quality of Pajero Sport ? Does it offer a comfortable and low NVH ride ?
5. Can I expect a fuss-free ownership experience / peace of mind ownership as this is a very low run vehicle and I am ready to do the initial after purchase maintenance and then a regular service as per the schedule ?

Please share your experience and guide me. I want to keep the vehicle for next 10 years. I am being driven by heart instead of mind, but I want to evaluate this opportunity.

Thanks in advance.

[Dhillon]

I would not recommend the purchase. I am not aware about the underlying technical issues that you may face but there are high chances of you waiting for parts in case of any issue.
Why do not you look at 1st gen Fortuner from Delhi/NCR market? Even if the ODO readings are around 80K KM, you do not worry about Toyota's reliability (not saying that Pajero is not but still). You should be able to get your hands on one for 12-14 Lakhs. You will have to do a new registeration in Gujarat.

[Asoon]

I would not pick this up. 9 years is a long time and aged components are susceptible to break down, so its not just the ODO reading.

You are bang on with your estimates for consumables / components with wear and tear but what if some thing critical goes off (gearbox, turbo, engine issues). Procurement of the larger parts will be a nightmare.

12L is a healthy budget for 9/10 year old car. As mentioned above you will be able to find a Fortuner in NCR area (NGT affect)

[Traveler]

Being a former Pajero SFX owner for 8 years, I would not recommend you to buy this unless you have oodles of spare time and resources to maintain this vehicle. Parts are very difficult to find and the genuine ones are very very expensive.

You will end up with a Pajero that is only a Pajero on the face of it and underneath it will all be local spares and parts.

Kindly stay away.

[Drkalgaonkar]

Taking it further (or dragging ), how much old a 'NEW' Pajero Sport is a good (reliable) buy?

And is there a thread / guide for people like me who can ask for an advice for a preowned car purchase?

I am in the market for a preowned Tata Safari Storme 4×4 (Varicor only) as it would be my last chance to own a classic SUV at a reasonable price.

Thanks!

[Doge]

Adding to all this, i feel this mileage is too less. I would any-day buy a well maintained car with high miles vs a very low run one which sits all the time. Cars are meant to run and imo not being used regularly does a car no favour.

[TheARUN]

I watched plenty of used car dealer videos, the car is quoted somewhere between 6-7L.

Check the re-sale value on Cars24 and OlxCars, hopefully it is less than the quote you received.

The point I am trying to make is, money saved is money earned, the lesser you spend on the car, the more you will have to take care of future expenses. Use all means possible to reduce the price from the quote, there is nothing going for the car except the low mileage.

This can be a second car at maximum, or in other words, you should have a beater vehicle handy to fill in the gap when the Pajero is down. If your heart is set on it, go for it, its a beautiful vehicle overall.

P.S: I own a 2000 Lancer that I keep driving around the block whenever possible, spares are still available if I can wait, and yes, you will have a lot of non-mitubishi parts. E.g. The indicator flasher quit and the FNG replaced it with a Hyundai part!

[HJ13]

Thanks everyone for replying.

Why do not you look at 1st gen Fortuner from Delhi/NCR market?

Considering the time I want to spend, I would prefer to buy from nearby area where me and my mechanic can go to check the vehicle.

9 years is a long time and aged components are susceptible to break down

That is correct. During my 10 years' intended ownership, I will need to replace clutch and suspensions once. What other parts should I consider? Apart from regular servicing bills, I am ready to spend 10k per year for such components.

what if some thing critical goes off (gearbox, turbo, engine issues)

Can't I expect there will be no issues with these parts considering Japanese manufacturer, the odometer reading, post-purchase maintenance I am ready to undergo and regular servicing ?

Being a former Pajero SFX owner for 8 years... Parts are very difficult to find and the genuine ones are very very expensive

Happy to see answer from a former Pajero owner. SFX I can understand. Is it the same story with Pajero Sport?
I have inquired with AYL Mitsubishi, Pune and they assured me that they will supply parts. As per them: Mitshubishi Japan has moved a plant to Thailand after Tsunami, mechanical parts will come from Thailand, Electronic parts will come from Japan.

Cars are meant to run and imo not being used regularly does a car no favour

Yes, however the question is - how much and what kind of damage I should be prepared for and how to check them. I have googled it and know something about it but words from someone who has experience in this area will be helpful.

Check the re-sale value on Cars24 and OlxCars

Cars24 and OlxCars estimate it around 7L, OrangeBookValue estimate it around 12L if I choose 'Ahmedabad' as the location.

money saved is money earned... there is nothing going for the car except the low mileage

Thanks! I will try my best to negotiate a price that leaves me with some money for maintenance.

This can be a second car at maximum

That will not do, either it should be reliable with all preventive maintenance or I will choose another car.

I own a 2000 Lancer that I keep driving around the block whenever possible, spares are still available if I can wait

Can you please share how do you source them?

[cool_dube]

The Pajero Sport is a very good SUV, like any other Mitsubishi. They make some lovely trucks, these guys. That said, Mitsubishi after-sales support is close to NIL at least here in Bangalore. I have owned a Pajero SFX for 5 years in the recent past and had to maintain it at an FNG after having burnt my fingers with SVR Mitsubishi here. Availability of spares is not a big issue as yet, but as Traveler mentioned, lead time might be more in case of certain parts, not to mention the exorbitant cost for genuine ones. Moreover, you can never be sure about the authenticity. Also, it is not just about the low odometer reading (I have my doubts on that as well - could be tampered), it is also about aging parts - the car is almost 10 years old and there are bound to be quite a few replacements coming up, depending on the previous owner(s)' levels of maintenance.

So, net-net, please be mentally and financially prepared to spend time and money if you do take the plunge. My personal opinion would be to stay away and look at more recent examples of Fortuners or Endeavours. Good luck!

[ACM]

Recheck service history to confirm 18k Odometer reading. If genuine buy it. Will be a good deal with the part changes you are planning.

[SaiSW]

God no! The price quoted is way too high to begin with, it should be in the 7-8 lac range atleast. Also, I personally know people who had the pajero craze and went ahead with one despite my best attempts at persuading them against it. Not the sport though. Now, the original Pajero is a much more famous car than the sport, workshops that do work on it are also available across India, and it is also not nearly as technically complicated as the Sport, being an old car. And despite of all that, my friend had difficulty finding a good FNG to do the maintenance on his car and he struggled a lot to take care of it.

Now imagine the same situation, but with a car that is way less popular and also with much more complicated electronic systems.

And at the end of the day, as fellow BHPian Traveler said, you will have a pajero sport that is only a pajero sport on the face of it, parts will be local, that is exactly what happened with my friend, and i reiterate, it was the much more popular Pajero and not the sport to begin with.

The car itself would be pretty reliable, I assume. It is when you will need a major part replacement that your wallet will bite the dust. I don't mean wear and tear parts like the oil filter or the diesel filter. I mean, in the off chance that a major part like the transmission or the turbo calls quits.

However, if you are okay with all of that and you have set aside finances for the worst case scenarios, then well i guess not much can be said against your decision. The heart wants what it wants.

[AKSarkar1]

Simple Answer: No

The car market is currently facing inflated prices but not to this extent. I personally know someone who owns a Pajero from a similar time period and can assure you that sourcing parts isn't easily (at least where I am from).

IMHO you'll dodge a bullet by skipping this deal.

[Samba]

Go ahead if-

You have another spare car.
You know a good FNG who can work on a Pajero Sport.
You can source spare parts.
you yourself understand a bit of car mechanicals.

If you can take the above hassles, then go ahead with the purchase. Just try to bargain a bit more (maybe around 10L). Check the service history of the car before the purchase.

Plus the work you planned to execute after buying this car, will be more than sufficient. In general these cars are very reliable and not much complicated with electronics. So any good mechanic can fix the basic problems.

Now at 14L we get those FWD Csuvs. A Pajero Sport though 9 years old will be far more enjoyable at this price. Plus 18,000 km is too good to be true & the Pajero Sport is much faster than the older Pajero SFX out on the highway. This car can off road pretty well too!

Originally Posted by HJ13

Questions I have:

1. As the vehicle has not run much, is it possible that it has rust in fuel system (fuel tank, supply lines), cooling system (pipes, radiator, water pump, ...), inside the engine (cylinder walls), etc ?
2. As this is pre 2014 made Pajero Sport will I face the overheating issue described in this post - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...t-solving.html (My pre-owned Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | Return of the overheating ghost & solving it) ? I am a sedate driver and drive around 2000 RPM, and by reading the post, I know I need to watch the coolant level frequently.
3. Are the gaskets / packings between various engine components made of rubber ? Will they need replacement ?
4. How is the ride quality of Pajero Sport ? Does it offer a comfortable and low NVH ride ?
5. Can I expect a fuss-free ownership experience / peace of mind ownership as this is a very low run vehicle and I am ready to do the initial after purchase maintenance and then a regular service as per the schedule ?

Do not think this deep. You can change these components or get these issues fixed as and when required. Just stick to the maintenance list you have planned post purchase. That's more than adequate.

The Pajero Sport is a comfortable car and these old Mitsubishis generally have bullet proof engines. But that doesn't guarantee that, there wont be any associate part failures. When you are going for an old car, do keep these points in head and then go ahead.

[satchit_bhp]

The maximum price which should pay is not more than 7L.
Availability of parts is also going to be an issue.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by HJ13

A 2013 registered Pajero Sport with only 18000 Km on odo is available around 12L.

Assuming I will have to replace all rubber parts as they become hard over the years and hence may not perform well

There is a high level of quality associated with Mitsubishi parts, and I have experienced this first hand. Rubber parts on this car do not wear out that easily. The Pajero Sport is rock solid w.r.t build and longevity; unfortunate that it didn't get its due in our market.

Estimated cost after purchase:
Change all fluides - 18k
For safety, replace the tyres (despite the good tread depth) - 60k
Replace belts - 5k
Replace front suspension bushes - 28k
There is rust at some places in the underbody, however, in my opinion, an underbody coating after rust removal should take care of it - 10k
Engine / gearbox mountings - 25k
New Insurance - 25k
Breaks service - 10k
I don't know if I need to change the timing kit - 25k

Of all that you've written here, your only expenses that I see are :

1. a change of all five tyres - approx INR 70k
2. change of engine oil, brake fluid and clutch fluid; again, these need to be changed only if the engine oil is over a year old, and the brake and clutch fluid has not been changed in 2 years. The transmission and differential oils need to be inspected and changed only if required. Engine oil and brake fluid change should cost no more than INR 7k
3. Insurance (which is anyways something that even a new car buyer has to pay for)
4. Skimming of discs - only if discs show scoring marks. The brake pads should be good.

Few more points:

1. The drive belts (main belt and the AC compressor belt) need to be changed only if they show cracks else not required.
2. Timing pulleys and tensioner don't need to be changed. The timing and balancer belts need to be inspected and changed only if they show wear/cracks which they most likely will not. There is a cover over the timing belt and that can be opened to inspect the timing belt.
3. The mounts and suspension will most likely be in good shape

1. As the vehicle has not run much, is it possible that it has rust in fuel system (fuel tank, supply lines), cooling system (pipes, radiator, water pump, ...), inside the engine (cylinder walls), etc ?
2. As this is pre 2014 made Pajero Sport will I face the overheating issue described in this post - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...t-solving.html (My pre-owned Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | Return of the overheating ghost & solving it) ? I am a sedate driver and drive around 2000 RPM, and by reading the post, I know I need to watch the coolant level frequently.
3. gaskets / packings between various engine components - will they need replacement?
4 How is the ride quality of Pajero Sport ? Does it offer a comfortable and low NVH ride ?
5. Can I expect a fuss-free ownership experience / peace of mind ownership as this is a very low run vehicle and I am ready to do the initial after purchase maintenance and then a regular service as per the schedule ?

Answers as follows:

1. I don't see an issue here
2. Overheating - has been reported on some cars and that's why a Tech Service Bulletin was issued. I would say that for such a low run example, one can take a chance with this
3. No
4. Excellent - I love driving the car on the highway and weaving in and out of lanes occupied by 60kmph trucks without braking. If one keeps the engine under 2000rpm, a typical FE of 13-13.5 kmpl is a given on the highway. I've driven the first gen Fortuner too on highways, but the Pajero Sport is in a league of its own
5. I would say yes with some riders as follows:


* One should have some technical knowledge, a passion to keep and run this machine, and a competent and honest FNG to support in maintenance. Working on the engine is a little laborious but i don't foresee any job coming there if the car has been kept well. If kept well and driven responsibly, this car can go on and on with just routine maintenance
* Mitsubishi OE spares are expensive, and as a result, the Indian market is full of aftermarket parts or Mitsubishi look alikes. Parts suppliers of OE spares love to charge a premium. OE spares are best sourced from Thailand, or Philippines.
* Filters, shock absorbers, brake discs, brake pads, Valeo Evap Core, Condenser etc. are easily available in India. Only some "non-running" parts will take longer to procure.

Having said all this, I feel 12L is a bit too high for this example. For me, an 18k run Pajero Sport and a well kept 150k run Pajero Sport are the same.