rahulsamuel

Thank you for the reassurance guys. I bit the bullet, got the Pajero!  It's bone stock and I intend to keep it that way. The 3.0L on the SWB does not feel like a slug unlike on the LWB. It's just fine on tarmac. Will keep this thread updated once I take it into the desert. I got a good car from a trusted source, I couldn't have let it pass

Thank you all for getting back so quick. It's amazing how active this forum is

So from what I gather, since it is a SWB with a 3.0 engine it will work in the desert. Not for serious off-roading but fine for camping and things like that. I need to be careful when off-roading because spares are not cheap. Any other reason I need to be careful?

I plan to use it for a year and then move to something better when confident about spending more. I guess for the price and considering it belongs to a trustworthy friend it is a good deal for a beginners camping car.

Are there other vehicles you might recommend in this price range for the same purpose? As mentioned I started out looking for Wrangler or Xterra but the condition (in my budget 35k) most were in put me off. 

Gaurav, thank you for the quick and detailed response

What you said makes a lot of sense. What do you think the market value of this would be. Just so I don't end up paying too much for it. I'm new to this region and the car market here.

Hello everyone!

New to the forum and and excited about being here. After of contemplation and digging around. I decided to get a Mitsubishi Pajero SWB 3.0 2004 (Top) as a first car in the region. I wanted to keep costs low while learning my way around the desert and sand driving. I believe I made the right choice after ruling out Wrangler's and Xterra due to ownership cost and the difficulty in finding a good example within a low budget. 

The car I have shortlisted has 230,000km but seems well maintained with regular fluid changes. It is currently owned by a friend and was driven by his wife.

I have a few questions:

1. Does the 3.0 engine on the SWB do well in the desert. Not dune bashing, just camping and stuff. More of a desert learner car.

2. Are there any quirks in this car that I should know about.

3. I read about the rear bumper working as a scoop. Is there a replacement or fix that I should consider?

4. Any other off-road tips/mods that I should consider to protect and prolong the life of the vehicle.

Thank you in advance!

17 minutes ago, Gaurav said:

Feel free to change or not, but not on parts availability theory. That's not true. Period.

Perfect, I'll stick to the plan. Thank you!

14 minutes ago, Gaurav said:

NOT TRUE AT ALL.

Gaurav, I hope so! I still have time to change my decision if parts are an issue. 

Let's revive this thread! I'm on my way to own my first Mitsubishi, a Pajero SWB 3.0