Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Limited Edition: Ownership Review

[A.G.]

Very informative thread. Thanks to AG, Chetak and Iron Rock for making my decision easier to go for a Pajero Sport Manual.

Thank you for the kind words, I am glad that I could be of help in your buying decision.

Ideally, if the hose has been installed properly, it shouldnt resurface.

There lies the problem that during every service the properly installed hose has to be removed and reinstalled making it prone to damage.

 

[A.G.]

Sixth Service experience:

The Sixth Service was done at 49,805 Kms in September 2016. The total bill came to Rs. 27,608/-. This included Synthetic Engine Oil change and skimming of discs as a lot of juddering had developed. The Rear pads had worn out after serving for 30K Kms. While the Front ones still had life for another 5K to 6K Kms, decided on replacing them to avoid making an unscheduled visit. Surprisingly, after brake bleeding I requested them to do the clutch bleeding and it still had signs of air in it. The Compressor belt, which was adjusted recently, was found to be developing cracks and replaced.

Both the front tyres have started to develop uneven wear with evident wear on the inside tyre wall. The sides of the front tyres had been swapped on the rim during the service and alignment was done again which was found to be with-in acceptable limits but still adjusted.

The only issue which still remains is the sound from driver’s door when going over craters. Further, I am still not happy with the increased body roll which is being blamed on the tyres nearing end of life.

 

[bhvm]

AG, how is the Paj doing?
I am particularly interested in that dual channel RD box. Is it been reliable?
Any changes in engine note, performance, Engine Oil etc noticed?

 

[A.G.]

AG, how is the Paj doing?
I am particularly interested in that dual channel RD box. Is it been reliable?
Any changes in engine note, performance, Engine Oil etc noticed?

Barring the alignment issue, the Pajero simply puts a smile every time I drive it.

Having installed the Dual Channel Dieseltronic myself, I am yet to face any issue with the box and hope my dream run continues. But a couple of guys who got it professionally installed by their channel partner had faced some Engine check-light issue.

My observations after having used the Box (mostly in P1 mode) for over 15k Kms:
a. P1 mode is the best mode. Better Low end torque for normal driving and even better torque spread above 2000 RPM. P2 mode has more performance on offer but I feel it makes things too sharp for my liking. E mode is good only if you are cursing on the expressway.
b. Engine Note: There is no perceivable difference during normal driving apart from the fact that the cabin is more silent due to engine now operating at lower revs without lugging. During spirited driving, you can hear the increased sound of the turbo boost which is totally addictive and music to my ears.
c. Engine Oil: nothing abnormal noticed.
d. Performance: Low end torque vastly improved. In P1 mode, earlier the engine used to feel strained and lugging below 1400 RPM but now it climbs easily from 1100 RPM. To give you a perspective, earlier the engine felt a bit hesitant in pulling from 60 Kmph in 5th gear but in P1 mode it pulls from 50 Kmph in a manner it used to pull from 70 Kmph. On hills, the hairpin bends which earlier required downshifting from 2nd to 1st are now easily covered in 2nd gear itself.
e. Fuel Efficiency: With P1 Mode, the FE has improved by 0.5 to 1.0 kmpl. Even with a heavy foot, the FE is almost same as the stock vehicle. This is an added bonus.
f. Engine Temps: Nothing abnormal noticed.
g. Exhaust: There is a bit more visible smoke under hard acceleration.

The box is utilizing the true benefits of K&N filter and Synthetic Oil. Overall, I am happy with the Box and their service. Incase you plan to buy one, do check with them the possibility of a demo period.

 

[bhvm]

Thanks for the very detailed report AG,
I am contemplating the Box since early ownership days but put it off to preserve warranty.
Unfortunately, I have suffered Engine check and Blown turbo even in Bone stock vehicle. The details here-
http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...iled-review-3-years-report-42.html#post519675

I May consider the box in last leg of warranty. And yes, I do prefer DIY for box install.

 

[A.G.]

Unfortunately, I have suffered Engine check and Blown turbo even in Bone stock vehicle.

After reading your experience with the blown turbo, I am reminded of my harrowing experiences with both the competent homegrown UV makers.

I May consider the box in last leg of warranty. And yes, I do prefer DIY for box install.

That will be a good move.

 

[A.G.]

Tyres upgrade – bitten by 4 Scorpions:

The urge to replace the stock Apollo tyres was strong as after covering 40K Kms, their performance degraded exponentially. Surprisingly, the tyres wear rate slowed down and it took ages for the tyres to wear down the next 20K Kms before replacement. Towards the end, the rate of punctures was almost one every fortnight and on the day of replacement, 2 tyres developed minor crack leaking air. The tread depth at the time of replacement at 60,034 Kms varied from 3mm to 4mm.

During the coverage of the last 15K Kms, there were numerous discussions with Chetak and Iron Rock. All the contenders including those not officially available in India read BFG T/A KO2 and it’s copy Maxxis Bravo 980AT were considered in the discussion. Finally, given the fact that my requirement was 70% on-road and rest mild off-road, my focus was limited to Pirelli Scorpion ATR which had all praises for it’s all round capabilities and the price was also competent.

The tyres were replaced at Pirelli Tyre Point, New Delhi which is a direct retail of the Celite Group the official importers of Pirelli in India. Their price however was a couple of bucks per tyre higher than the other dealers but unfortunately, I had to do the replacement that day due to the leak.

The entire job was completed in just under an hour. The first short test drive after the replacement and alignment was a revelation – the steering was light, body roll was controlled and it absorbed minor bumps and undulations as if gliding over them.

Covered close to 1100 Kms after the replacement of tyres in a week with around 100 Kms on no roads (under development Highways). The tyres have made a remarkable difference in Ride & Handling. Ride is a lot smoother and Handling has dramatically transformed especially on loose and wet surface. The self cleaning tread pattern ensured the tread was clean even after going through mud.

The Scorpion


Suspended on jacks


Old with New Tyres


Tread Pattern


Ribbed Shoulder


Sidewall


Hunter Road Force Wheel Balancer


Hunter Elite High Definition Digital Imaging Wheel Alignment


Getting the shoes dirty

 

[A.G.]

Seventh Service experience:

The Seventh Service was done at 60,459 Kms in February 2017. The total bill came to Rs. 14,280/- with Synthetic Engine Oil. The Rear Left Link Kit bushes were cut and got to know that instead of the Link Kit, the bushes can be ordered separately saving close to Rs. 600/-. The EGR was cleaned and the horn and compressor belt were adjusted. Vivek Autolinks again had a blazing turn around time of just 3 hour.

Link Kit Bush


After the service on the way back, it rained which gave me a reason to dedicate the Sunday for cleaning and applying Collinite 845. Also cleaned the K&N air filter and overall it was a Sunday well spent with all the hard work paying off.

After washing and Collinite application

 

[Sharpshooter]

Well done buddy...my tyres are still going strong, at 16k, and no body roll at all (wonder what that is, anyway). Your thread can be converted to a best seller guide on Pajero Sport maintenance and mods.

 

[A.G.]

Well done buddy...my tyres are still going strong, at 16k

If it's the stock Apollo's, do share your feedback once you reach 40K.

no body roll at all (wonder what that is, anyway).

Have a look at this link on body roll from the forum. The problem with the stock tyres after 40K was that this phenomenon had increased causing discomfort.

Your thread can be converted to a best seller guide on Pajero Sport maintenance and mods.

Thank you for the kind words .

 

[Sharpshooter]

No I had changed on day 1 to Michelin Lattitude Cross on Iron Rock's advice. We had spoken about this once.

 

[A.G.]

Pictures of the stickers of the second meet (Link) pasted on my Pajero Sport. Now it is guarded by 5 Tigers

 

[A.G.]

Driving experience to and from the 2nd Meet:

The 2nd National meet of Pajero Owners Club India meet was scheduled from 22nd to 25th April at Bandhavgarh (M.P.).

Started from Delhi on 21st April for the halt at family home. This was supposed to be a short detour of 30Kms each side from the route to Bandhavgarh but google maps had other plans. Funnily, it was asking to make a turn through the guard rails of the highway to save even more time. The re-routed route it offered was longer by another 25Kms but time could be saved as it was a 4 lane highway.

The next day, google again gave a short route into unchartered territories. After Chattarpur, instead of continuing on the National or State Highway, it offered a time saving detour. The route was scenic with 2 laned road, sparse traffic to the tune that there was no vehicle spotting at times for 5 mins multiple times for almost 150Kms. There were broken patches near villages and almost 20Kms of mountains but the drive was peaceful and decent average speeds could be maintained. At Katni, the on-going road work and detour took us to a longer route via Umaria as the route suggested by it was practically not reacheable due to road work. The entire route was covered in E mode with average FE being 8.8 Kmpl which included long durations of idling as well. After seeing this number, decided against using the E mode.

For the return journey, we took an altogether different route via Chitrakoot to Kanpur. The roads were good 2 laned roads till we joined on the AH1 near Khaga with there being a patch of almost 20Kms of no roads which gave the real feel of driving in loose sand. It took close to 6 hours of driving time to cover 325Kms and around 7 hours of driving time for the next 600Kms which included reduced speeds on Yamuna E-Way to save fuel due as there were no bunks open at night. The combined trip average for the entire journey which included off-roading, trail drives as well as extended periods of idling with even the Rear AC ON was 8.75 Kmpl in P1 mode.

Yamuna E-Way


Tea break in the middle of nowhere


The dusted Tiger


Tea Break


FE with last one hour on the YEW with reduced speed of 80 KMPH

 

[bhvm]

Nice to see the update man.
Why you downgraded to stupid Google maps whereas you have a fantastic MMI touch screen in your car? Google kiddo does these blunders all times and even after so many years, the Kid has not become disciplined!

BTW that's some pathetic FE you're getting. Are all P.S designed that way? AND I thought something was wrong with my XUV when it returned 10.2~11.7 KMPL.

 

[A.G.]

Nice to see the update man.
Why you downgraded to stupid Google maps whereas you have a fantastic MMI touch screen in your car?

MMI cannot match google for functionality in terms of traffic avoidance and showing realistic travel duration. Moreover, MMI is so efficient that it cannot guide me to my home - even the latest version does not have the road near my house

BTW that's some pathetic FE you're getting. Are all P.S designed that way?

FE of the PS degrades exponentially above 80 Kmph while we maintained an average speed close to 85 Kmph in the last 600 Kms.