Frederic

I am a bit dissapointed to see that "your" take on it is exactly the same as the old grumpy guy 🤐 There are indeed only very few standard 4x4's that are good for the desert in stock form, and that is no different for the Pajero. I fully agree that for proper off-roading the current generation Pajero could benefit from some tweaks and mods. What i honestly think about this guy is that he is indeed an old rambling has-been, and i know that he has lots of off-roading experience but moaning about the middle seat of the second row ? Come on, if that is the only thing you can find.... Yes.... The Pajero's interior is a bit dated in comparison with its Japanese rivals,but it has been around since 2008 and we all know Mitsubishi is not bringing out new models every 2-3 year. Of course the Prado and 100 Land cruiser are more capable vehicles, but that translates into much higher purchase price also. Bang for the Buck the Gen4 Pajero is unbeatable. I've paid peanuts for my wife's 2008 full option 3.8. No Prado or LC came close to my budget The oil and gearbox issues are unknown to me, but there are a myriad of reasons why people suffer from these things. I am probably biased towards Mitsubishi as i currently have two in my garage, but having owned at least 15-20 other brands in my life, my fair opinion is that Mitsubishi is a pretty good brand with proven reliability, no frills, and the Pajero has proven itself through the years as an affordable 7-seater with decent off-road capability to the likes of what most people expect from it.

Many of us struggle with back pain, and the percentage of people is increasing every year. My career as DJ has also left me with worn discs on lower back so i understand your concern. Doing many commuter miles per day can be a real hassle. Having a good lumbar support is important, and also to try to find that sweet spot where you feel comfortable and the pain is manageable. That indeed depends on car to car, but like a mattress it is a bit trial and error i am afraid. Maybe you could rent a car for a while and see which seems to give the best comfort for you. Going Offroading is definitely demanding on your back, whatever car you have or use. And doing recovery work and running around in the sand is even making this worse. What helped for me was the Johnny Walker method.... KEEP WALKING. I walk about 8-10kms every day at work and long walks in the evening with the dogs. It helps to keep the muscles strong and flexible. Some tiger balm can give some relief before going too bed. I hope you find some relief and a method that works for you. Don't be afraid to explore accupuncture, massages, physiotherapy, or others. Only you can find what works for you. And don't go for operation unless you really exhausted ALL possible options. Doctors here are far to keen on operating and earning money on your back.

Seemed like a pretty high paced drive too where the momentum is probably his best friend. Love to give it a try though, the fun factor will be surely there !

Congrats @G.huz !

Congrats @WiLfY !!

Congrats @Melvin Martin!!!

Hey buddy I think your reply is on my post about the head gasket ? Well I’ve seen those gauges with sensor for around 150 dirhams but I am a bit afraid of having reliability issues while the whole point is to have 100% accuracy and avoiding the same from happening ever again. I paid 250 for my voltage gauge and really happy with it.

Thanks @desertdude and @Asif Hussain. I’ll be trying to source a new OEM radiator or go for a decent aftermarket one. The temp gauge is indeed a concern. I’ll be picking up a Stewart Warner one any of these weeks and install in the dashboard instead of that wonky inclinometer.

Thanks @Gaurav buddy, apart from the gasket itself the valves were in pretty good shape. The piston heads were skimmed a bit and the engine itself now runs pretty smooth all through the revs. Thanks @Rahimdad i am looking forward to those bear hugs !

Hi Ahmed and welcome to the forum ! If you are looking for a 5 door Pajero for around 33kaed, you should be able to find a decent model. Visually yes they look very similar but you should consider following specs: 1) 3.5 or 3.8 engine. depends a bit if you plan to take it offroad. If so, then the 3.8 would be your better option. 2) Towbar. Some have it, others don't. 3) Full option package with leather and Rockford Fosgate Sound System. Really worth it imho. 4) Rear Diff lock. Definitely useful if you plan on taking it to the desert. The common sales pitch that the car is lady driven and never taken Off-road is very believable in a LWB Pajero. 80% of them are being used as daily mall crawler or school commuter. So you can definitely find one that has never seen the desert. For 33kaed go for a model that has proper maintenance schedule from a reputable dealer. Bullbars will be a no-go for RTA so i would not spend my money on that. Give the Pajero good tyres like the Yokohama Geolandar A/T, proper fluids, and you're good to go. You can add some stuff like LED lights but those don't break the bank.

So finally the Pajero is back on the road. Engine top rebuild was done, and lots of other smaller works were done while the engine was out. The manual gearbox lever was broken/bent and we really struggled to find another one, and eventually just got it repaired. The issues with the alternator fuse that blew after the rebuild was apparently caused by an internal short on the battery. After replacing the battery it was resolved. It was noticed that the radiator was pretty scaled up and clogged. That might have caused the head gasket to blow out due to overheating, but on the other hand i've never seen my temperature gauge going higher than normal in the desert. I am just wondering if the lack of water flow might have caused the temp gauge sensor to work incorrectly. Anyway we replaced the thermostat and sensor, and flushed the radiator. I'll be taking it easy on the next drives to allow the engine to settle in again, and i have an oil change coming up after 2500km to flush it out. Fingers crossed i don't have any major stuff coming up soon. My 2019 car maintenance budget got a nasty dent Desert here we come !

I’ll have me a Datsun 280z anytime. But yes a muscle car totally makes sense in Dubai where it’s not really about the handling and cornering but more about straight up speed and power!

Yes I’m with you on the Trans-am. Both from Knight Rider and Smokey and the Bandit. The gold colored eagle on the bonnet was the top on the cherry. American muscle baby !!

A FJ cruiser if I’d had the money. But so happy with my ‘99 Pajero SWB that I fell in love with and will probably keep as long as possible and treat her like she deserves 😉

Great news !!!! Congrats @Srikumar !!!

Fantastic news !! Congrats @Emmanuel !!!!

Hey buddy ! After installing my amp last year and using the same wiring route as the main ECU cables I’ve covered that complete wiring in this typical spiral cord thingy. We haven’t opened that one yet so that might be indeed the culprit. Will definitely check it out !

So we’re at the final stages of finishing up the Pajero but we’ve come across something that seems weird. When firing up the engine the 100amps alternator fuse blows. Alternator motor itself is fine, starter motor also replaced this morning. Checked most of the wiring now but nothing suspicious found. Any ideas guys ?

Mr Bean's Etisalat Dubai car ?

There are a few electronics repair shops in Dubai but they mainly focus on home hifi amps, not on car amps. You might be better off trying to find one from a scrap dealer in Sharjah. Beware that the amplifier could have been damaged by one of the speakers itself if there is a shortcut. So i'd recommend getting the wiring checked and the speakers measured up before you connect any new amp.

Check the small vacuum hoses on the front diff actuator. They tend to wear out. Make sure the piston that locks/unlocks the front wheels is not full of sand and debris. You'll find lots of information on google about this common Pajero issue. it's either 1) The solenoids which are located in the engine compartment 2) The vacuum hoses between solenoid and the diaphragm 3) Stuck actuator (piston) that engages or disengages 4WD 4) Vacuum operated diaphragm 5) Sensor on the transfer case. For some more information (there might be slight differences between the Pajero generations) http://4wd.blogeasy.com/article.view.run?articleID=318776

Very short term: getting it on the road again 😂 longer term: fully open exhaust with after market muffler. longest term: dropping a Lexus V8 in it 😂

I work as a Maintenance Manager in a company that manufactures artificial grass. Basically boils down to getting the plant running at full efficiency with minimum downtime. I like the combination of the reporting stuff and the extreme variety in the job and equipment, and getting stuff done with my team.

People in tracksuits.... need we say more 🙄. All kidding aside: * Towing on such an inclined slope comes with big risks. Far too many people around and even one guy holding on to the tow cable= utter stupidity. * Car was probably in neutral. In this case would have been better in P. * A second tow rope could have been used to keep the car in its position. * doesn’t Wrangler have a button on the dashboard that automatically flips the car when pushed ? 😂 Hahaha you read my mind !