Thinking of Buying this 91 Pajero RS

[fangars]

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/cto/1432307152.html

What should I look out for?
Pros and Cons of these trucks?

 

[OneTime]

Nice find. If I wasnt looking for a gen II or II.5 right now I'd grab that up.
Edit: I called the guy. He wont have the truck till tomorrow 10/24/09 Funny story. I guess he is going through a divorce and needs to have the cops go with him to pick it up from the wife. He claims it gets 20-21 mpg highway. He speaks better Spanish than English. If you need a transaltor let me know. I was interrested and going to be on deck for this one, if you passed. Im going to stick with a Gen 2 for the thrid row seats. Good luck. Still might grab it if you pass, have daughter who turns 16 in six months. Great excuse for a Gen 1. Im sure she would love that........

Found this while searching for a gen 2 Might be worth the drive to Fontana, Ca Less miles and looks like way comfy gen 2 front and rear seats. http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/ctd/1432135350.html

 

[PajEvo]

What should I look for? ....Pros and Cons of these trucks?

Check pitman/idler for wear. Check for smoke on acceleration, or when idling for a few minutes, indicating valve stem seals are dried up. Check to see when the t-belts and water pump were changed. I think the interval is 60k miles? Make sure the check engine light comes on briefly at startup and then goes out (some PO's pull the bulb to conceal stored fault codes).

Of course standard stuff like the condition of the coolant, ATF ( is it a slushbox?)

 

[azbumblebee]

from a fellow Xer

Hey Fangars
Great looking light bars etc for the gen 1 & gen 2 X's. I was going to give you my input on the other forum but after the mitsu bashing I decided not to and found this thread. I loved the early gen mitsu's, owned 2 - 2 drs both 4 cyl (always wanted a 6 cyl - rare), 1 sport and was looking for the last gen when I found my X. New gen coming I hear. Anyway great trucks, loved the look and sitting position (I have a spare suspension front seat frame if you buy) not much on power but light enough to be very capable, 6 cyl 145 hp with 180 ft#, like the guys have warned warping heads can be an issue but not much else. Solid frame,can do a PML lift or OME has nice pieces, fab a body lift and it's done. My last red had pieces I dreamed of looking in the 'John Baker' ('factory baja racer in the mid 80's) parts book in '87 (still selling some parts from a tractor site), owned by a mitsu tech added a complete re-build, roll bar, weber carb kit, cam, headers and with a PML ran 35's when I bought it. If it had a 6 fuelie I'd still own it had some smog problems and couldn't be down to work it out, sold it to a friend. The pics are from the old mitsu 4wd club, 2 dr up hill owner is on the X site, 4 dr ran the rubicon last I saw owned a sport and my 2 dr on woodpecker here in Az. Oops also rust at the bottom of the 'A' pillars, the Pajero badge may be added since it was used outside the US. Catch ya at a meeting. :smiley_drive:

 

[azbumblebee]

forgot the pics

 

[fangars]

Hey Fangars
Great looking light bars etc for the gen 1 & gen 2 X's. I was going to give you my input on the other forum but after the mitsu bashing I decided not to and found this thread. I loved the early gen mitsu's, owned 2 - 2 drs both 4 cyl (always wanted a 6 cyl - rare), 1 sport and was looking for the last gen when I found my X.

Yea I was disappointed to hear about all the problems, I am noticing a pattern.
All the bad news is coming from people who knew other people who owned them and all the more positive reports are coming from the people who actually owned them.
I do not know which crowd to give more credibility to, the hearsay crowd or the potentially "fanboy" crowd.

The more I look at the Montero the more I want it, but the Rodeo's I have been looking at seem more numerous and according to wikipedia have more horsepower.
There is also a 1989 jeep cherokee I have found that is loaded with goodies for only 2 grand. Hard to pass up something like that, except that I do not have 2 grand and I do not have any more knowledge about the cherokee's potential problems then I do the Montero.
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/1433634641.html

I am in a situation where I have to get something soon, hopefully before I lose my job and not after so I am not looking for a car the same time I should be looking for a job. My employer is going through a nasty divorce and depending on how the judge rules he may have to fold up his shop and go out of business.

Hopefully some more sales will come in this weekend and expand my budget and therefore my choices.

 

[datrupr]

I had a '95 Rodeo that was unstoppable. It was a rare beast though, 4X4 2.6 4cyl 5 speed. It was a tourquey little motor. I put 31's on it with out a lift and it never left me stuck or stranded. It was giving me electrical problems at around 240,000 miles and I had to get rid of it. The only major problems I had with it was the slave cylendar on the clutch went out twice. I never replaced the clutch itself. I sold it and bought my Trooper, another great truck. But I always loved the Gen I and Gen II Montero's also.

 

[OneTime]

Did you see the Gen 1 i posted with Gen 2 seats? Perfect combo.

 

[off-roader]

Hey that's Lloyd in his old (Still has it) gen I shortie on the Rubicon and me in my old blue gen I LWB on the 'con.

A buddy has that gen I now. I have a 2 door red gen I like lloyd's now as well as a gen II 96 SR now.

 

[fangars]

People have said there is an overheating problem that warps the cylinder heads.
Is this problem chronice yet avoidable?
What I mean to say is if I were to drive at proper speeds, never pushing the engine, what is the likelihood that I will have these overheating issues here in Phoenix Arizona during the middle of August?

 

[Martinjmpr]

When was the "Pajero" ever sold in the US? Is this an import model? Or is it just a Montero and somebody bought some Pajero badges for it?

Does it have a diesel engine? If it's gasoline I'm assuming it's the 3.0l V-6.

Post is deleted now so I can't see the details. Here's what I'll tell you: I owned a 1st gen Montero (Pajero) and it was one of the best vehicles I ever owned. I put around 130,000 miles on it in 7 years. Never had any major problems although a few minor ones would pop up every now and then: I Had to replace the turn signal unit twice when it failed. Also the swaybar bushings at aroun 100k. Timing belt interval is 60k which is somewhat annoying, I replaced mine 3 times!

Biggest headache with these vehicles is the valve guides in the 6 cyl have a tendency to slip down and cause oil burning. It's not a critical issue and it won't leave you stranded by the side of the road, but it's annoying (at one point I was putting in a quart of oil every 1,000 miles.) It also leaves a nice trail of blue smoke behind the vehicle when you drive! Cost to repair is around $1500 (or at least it was in 1999 when I had mine done.) Most Mitsu shops are very aware of this problem.

The 3.0 is not a powerhouse (around 150hp) and with its big boxy design, you're not going to win any sprints. But they're solid and reliable vehicles.

 

[Martinjmpr]

People have said there is an overheating problem that warps the cylinder heads.
Is this problem chronice yet avoidable?
What I mean to say is if I were to drive at proper speeds, never pushing the engine, what is the likelihood that I will have these overheating issues here in Phoenix Arizona during the middle of August?

The head problem was on the 4 cyl models. The 6 cyl models have a valve guide issue but it's a problem that develops gradually, see my post above.

The 4 door Montero was never sold with the 4 cyl engine in the US, not sure about other countries.

 

[fangars]

Here is the ad text, he deleted the old and posted a new one yesterday.
1991 Mitsubishi Montero. rare to find . "top of the line" This is a 4dr. 6cyl 3.0 liters. Has 190k miles but runs like new car. automatic transmission 4WD.. Really nice and funny ride. Has manual windows.a/c, stock wheels and good tires.body in great shape "just has a minor dent on passenger fender "see pics" Interior in decent shape. This truck was well taken care of. just pass emission test last month and recently installed brand new cast head, plugs, alternator,battery,wires, cap, rotor, gaskets, thermostat, and idler arm. feels great and everything works . Remember this is a Montero 1st generation. FOR FUTURE INFO PLEASE CALL ME AT : (602) 686 4687.... THANKS.

 

[GrassCat]

Don't buy it wait for a Gen II SR or a Gen II.5. They have a lot more to offer. I bought my 1998 for $3000. You can find SR's for $1500 and in good shape. Bigger brakes, motor, factory locker just to name a few things.

You can upgrade, but it take time and money. Read my signature (Gen I), it started life as a RS.

 

[off-roader]

People have said there is an overheating problem that warps the cylinder heads.
Is this problem chronice yet avoidable?
What I mean to say is if I were to drive at proper speeds, never pushing the engine, what is the likelihood that I will have these overheating issues here in Phoenix Arizona during the middle of August?

The 2.6L I-4 is prone to warping / cracking heads if your cooling system isn't up to snuff, have a bad rebuild, or you have engine issues that cause hotter than normal temps.

The 3.xL v-6 engines are not so prone to cracked/warped heads however but you can easily blow a head gasket with poor cooling or an engine issue that causes hotter than normal temps.