From a Mitsubishi Pajero to a Pajero Sport: My comfy long-distance SUV

My experience with the Pajero GLX had built my trust in Mitsubishi's comfort and reliability, making the Pajero Sport an ideal upgrade

BHPian Vipinprasad recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Synopsis: After four months of wanting a Pajero Sport, this narrative captures the thoughts and events leading to my purchase. It also explores my dilemmas regarding EVs and the Thar ROXX. At the end of the thread, I have also outlined a few minor modifications that I intend to take up

My Car Choices

I'm always on the lookout for something special in my vehicles, and my choices over the past decade reflect this. My garage has housed notable cars like the Skoda Yeti and BMW X1, before the BMW 525D took over primary duties. For my hobbies, I had two premier Padminis before COVID, which were eventually replaced by the Pajero GLX, a more practical option for farm duties. I typically change cars every 2.5 to 3 years, except for the beloved Skoda Yeti, which stayed in my garage for over five years.

Occupants of My Garage

The following table provides a quick glimpse of the cars that have graced my garage over the years. Notably, two current occupants are from manufacturers that have exited India!

The Car-Changing Itch
Time Period: July - October 2024

Background: Living in Mysore, I frequently travel to Wayanad and Bangalore—typically one or two trips to Wayanad each week and another to Bangalore. The long journeys are made in the BMW 525D, while the Pajero handles local duties, such as taking my son to horse riding classes and general city runs, totaling about 20 km daily. Initially, the Pajero served as a farm vehicle during our plantation revival efforts in 2021-22.

My running increased with frequent estate visits, and while the 525D excelled, I felt I was taxing it too much. I started to crave a rugged ride due to the harsh weather conditions experienced over the past few months.

Unlike monsoons of decades past, climate change is now evident. Heavy downpours result in significant water runoff and landslides,a drastic change from the consistent rains of earlier years. A recent experience navigating through flooding confirmed the Pajero’s value; many sedans were halted, but I confidently passed through thanks to my choice.(See Video)https://youtube.com/shorts/NoJjtTETeeY?feature=share

I anticipated this was a one-off incident, but subsequent family trips underscored my concerns for the BMW amidst rising water levels on our roads and deteriorating road conditions. These experiences increased my desire for a comfortable long-distance SUV, as the Pajero GLX's fuel efficiency and manual transmission made it less suitable for extended journeys.

The EV Dilemma

With a weekly mileage of around 600 km, my fuel costs were escalating. I needed a more substantial vehicle for highway use with a range exceeding 400 km on a single charge. I considered the Curve 55 kW version in the Rs 20 L range but found it lacking in reliability for spirited driving and faced severe weather challenges. I concluded that an EV would serve best as a city companion rather than for intercity travel.

EVs Explored:

1. Mahindra XUV 400: Liked it, but the range was disappointing, and the battery tech felt outdated.
2. MG ZS EV: Sturdy inline but didn't meet my range requirements. I also harbour reservations about Chinese manufacturers.
3. MG Windsor: Spacious and funky, but overwhelming digital screens & lacked manual control.Felt like sitting in front of a work station
4. Tata Nexon & Currv: Great interiors and drove well. If I opted for an EV, Tata would be my first choice—credit to them for spearheading India’s EV revolution.
5. Hyundai IONIQ 5: Luxury and tech paired with an impressive range but priced well beyond my budget. I briefly considered selling the BMW and Pajero to afford it, but sound judgment prevailed

The Thar ROXX

The Thar ROXX launch elicited excitement, and after seeing it in person on October 10, I had mixed feelings. Despite Mahindra’s commendable effort, several factors deterred me:

• Interior color
• Exterior door handles
• Door strap design
• Lack of proactive dealer engagement
• Long waiting periods—Impatience took precedence in my car acquisitions!

The Journey of Bringing a Pajero Sport Home

As I weighed concerns over fuel expenses, weather conditions, and the allure of the Thar, my desire for a Mitsubishi Pajero Sport grew. My experience with the Pajero GLX had built my trust in Mitsubishi's comfort and reliability, making the Pajero Sport an ideal upgrade—albeit without a 4x4 and rear disc brakes.

Having tested the Toyota Fortuner but dissatisfied with its ride quality and pricing, I turned instead to extensive ownership threads on Pajero Sports from enthusiasts like Anshuman, Devdutt, and Vigsom, to solidify my conviction.

I meticulously scoured platforms like Team-BHP classifieds, OLX, and Carwale specifically for Pajero Sports. After viewing ten-plus models, I finally found a match: a 2016 Storm Grey Pajero Sport AT with a single owner and 119,000 km. Its pristine condition and competitive pricing made it a win for both the seller and me, outbidding offers from new-age car intermediaries.

How I Found and Acquired My Beast!

Listed on OLX by Mr. R (the owner), I expressed interest in mid-September but was unable to follow up due to work commitments. By October 14, it was still available, and I set an appointment to view it.

Despite continuous rain, Mr. R was accommodating and offered a test drive. The drive on the uneven Bannerghatta Road impressed me—the engine revved smoothly without any rattles. It had been maintained at SVR Mitsubishi in Bangalore throughout its journey of 8+ years

The exterior had minor wear while the interior was immaculate, save for some blemishes, especially on the steering wheel and door grabs. Seated comfortably, I felt the car had been maintained much like I would have, aside from the hard Bridgestone Duelers, possibly over-inflated.

Had a brief discussion about the flexibility on pricing and he mentioned about the last offer he received. I politely told him that I’ll get back in a couple of days and left to Mysore. The same evening sent a brief message, thanking him and mentioning about my interest in the Car and requesting him to reconsider his pricing. He replied immediately requesting me to make an offer and was open to settle on a mutually accepted price.

Serious contemplation followed as I assessed my finances to bring the Beast home without overly compromising my budget. I calculated depreciation on the original valuation of Rs 33 L, factoring in a reasonable premium for the car’s excellent condition. Mr. R responded to my proposal with a counteroffer, and it seemed a deal was in sight.

Before committing, I wished to inspect the car again, coupled with seeking a mechanic's evaluation.

Quick review of Car Vaidya

Fixed up a time for Monday, 21 October at 12 PM and decided to try out Car Vaidya’s pre-purchase inspection services.

The only way to to book their services is through their app. Post booking, they assigned a technician. Spoke to the assigned person on Monday morning, and he promised to be there at Mr. R’s location by 12:30 PM, which was fine by me. Since there was no news from them till about 12:30 PM, I called them to check his whereabouts and at that point, he claims that there was an accident at his previous client’s place and he couldn’t make it. I was aghast and called their customer support team. All of them will only speak Hindi and they expressed helplessness. It was an embarrassment for me in front of Mr. R.

Fortunately , While booking I had paid only a booking fee of Rs 99/- instead of the full fee of Rs 1599/- . That saved some money! ( The only plus point for Car Vaidya from my side is that they refunded this amount a couple of days back without any follow up from my side)

I did not want to postpone the inspection as Mr R also wanted to settle the deal quickly as he was relocating to another city by that weekend, and that was the reason why he was selling his family’s beloved Pajero sport.

I went ahead, inspecting the car myself. My inspection was mostly to do with cosmetic stuff rather than anything mechanical.

Surprises Found During Inspection

1. Insurance Policy NCB: Noticed only a 20% No Claim Bonus (NCB) despite assurances from Mr. R regarding the vehicle's perfect history, leading to a conversation about a headlamp replacement due to a minor incident.
2. Hypothecation Issue: Discovered the hypothecation from a closed loan hadn’t been removed, a common error among car owners. I explained the process to Mr. R and connected him to a contact at the RTO who could assist.
3. What needs to be done? Once the loan EMI payments are over the financial institution will issue a No Due Certificate and form 30 signed by them. This needs to be produced to the respective RTO and hypothecation charge on the vehicle has to be removed. Else it will show in the RTO records. Mr R was not aware of this, and he requested me to help him. I explained the process and connected him to my trusted guy at the RTO.

I concluded I would need to handle periodic service and replace the tyres. While I expressed willingness to consider Mr. R's last offer, I highlighted the surprises in the vehicle's history. He then lowered his price, but we still had a gap to close.

Later that evening, I received a call from Mr. S—who had previously shown interest in my Pajero GLX.

Flashback: Mr.S had seen my Pajero parked near his house once and he had approached me if I knew of a good Pajero, that’s for sale. This was about a couple of months ago. Last month, when I started getting serious about my Pajero Sport hunt, I offered my Pajero GLX to Mr.S and he had checked it. However, he had communicated that he wanted to see a few more Pajeros and may not be going ahead with mine.(incidentally, mine would have been one of the most well-kept or maintained Pajero in stock condition of 2007 vintage.)

Cut to the present

Since I was in Bangalore that evening, asked my wife to handover the keys to Mr. S. He is a young IT professional and has a SX4 and VRS with him. He was looking at camping and outdoor trips and wanted a 4×4. He admitted to me that after checking out a whole lot of pajeros over the last month, he found mine to be the one in very good condition. He asked if we could negotiate on the price I offered. We met midway on our offers, decided to seal the deal the very next day.I am particular about both the seller and the buyer being happy and don’t believe in squeezing the seller beyond a point.

With this deal, financial engineering to acquire the Pajero Sport was simplified and I called Mr. R to seal the deal for Pajero sport. After a brief conversation, we agreed to meet midway on our respective offers and the deal was sealed on the PS by Tuesday afternoon. And I planned to take delivery on Thursday.

On Tuesday evening, Mr.S turned up and made the advance payment for the GLX. Got the Pajero washed and delivered it on Wednesday at 12 PM. The rest of the day went about organising the finances and the excitement was mounting! Could not sleep well on Wednesday night! And you know why!

The BIG DAY!
Woke up at 4:30 AM with plan of taking the intercity Volvo or E bus to Bangalore from MYSORE at 5:30 AM. Reached the bus station in time for the bus but it would leave only at 6 AM due to lack of passengers. Had promised Mr R that I’ll be there before 8 AM as his spouse had to leave for work by then. (Incidentally, the vehicle was in her name and she had to sign the transfer forms.)

Got down at Nice Road, Junction . Had reserved an Uber to ferry me to R’s location. Reached there by 8:05 AM, finished the formalities and became the proud owner of the Pajero Sport at 8:30 AM. Mr R had neatly organised all the documents and had preserved the original invoice and the road tax receipt. He also handed over the owner’s manual and an unused second key in front of his Pooja place in his apartment.

Drove to the Ganesha temple in Koramangala, where all my cars are taken straight after buying and got the Pooja done. After that, got the tyres and wheels checked, balanced and aligned, and drove to Mysore where my family was eagerly waiting.The drive along the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway was exhilarating, achieving over 13 km/l at a steady speed of 100 km/h.

The BMW, I realized, would endure less strain going forward. However, deliberations in the mond began anew: Should I retain the BMW or sell it off since the Pajero Sport would handle over 90% of my driving needs? Perhaps I could bring in a compact car or EV for city duties. That’s for another day!

A few pictures of the new Beast!

As for modifications, here’s my plan for the upcoming week post-Deepavali:

1. Acquire a new set of Yokohama Geo Landers AT tires.
2. Upgrade the high beam lights from OEM to warm white LEDs.
3. I've identified a shop for customization to transform the Pajero Sport:

• De-chrome all parts and finish them in glossy black or carbon fiber.
• Paint alloys in carbon black or glossy black.
• Apply an underbody coating.
• Address minor scratches and dents.
• Upgrade interior door grabs to carbon black.
• Install noodle foot mats.
• Perform a deep interior clean, polish, and wax.
• Clean the AC vents.
• Wrap the steering wheel.

I anticipate that with these updates, my Pajero Sport will appear nearly brand new! I’ll provide further updates once the modifications are completed. In the meantime, if there is anything that I need to pay attention to, request free wheeling inputs!

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