[AndreEksteen]

Hi there.

I had a few 4x4 vehicles over the years and recently when I started to shop for my latest 4x4 I found myself in a very interesting situation. I looked at most of the other makes and most of them no longer offered what I was looking for.
I wanted a luxury 4x4, but it had to be easy to use on long overland trips. For these trips the rear had to be large enough to fit a double bed, the vehicle had to be very comfortable for those days when I do 1000km+ on bad dirt roads, it had to be easy to repair in the bush when help is far-far away. As it turned out the Pajero ticked all of these boxes so here I am, the proud owner of a new Pajero.
On our first trip that started on 3 December 2012 we went to Namibia. In the 10 days that we were away we did 6545km of which only 1395km involved tarred roads. The Pajero proved itself with only 2 breakdowns, the right front brake disk backing plate tore off in a mud pit and the ignition seized due to sand getting in there in the Skeleton Coast. Both these were easy fixes with the ignition holding us up the longest at about 3 hours.
Pajero rocks!

Name: Andre Eksteen

Birth date & age: 03 June 1970 (42)

Town & Country: Oudtshoorn Southern Cape RSA

Language: Afrikaans

Business : Mechanical Engineer MD of Biotech Emporium

Web: www.btesales.co.za

Family status: Married with one child aged 11

Current 4 x 4: Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DiD GLS Exceed LWB AT

Current mods: Duel battery system, removable 12000lb winch with front and rear mounts wired to both mounting locations. Rear seat well now used as recovery & tool storage space, middle row of seats removed to make space for a (almost) double bed and loadings space.

Planned mods: 50mm suspension lift, 265/70-17 MT tires, front bash plate, transfer & rear bash plates.

Mods wish list: Snorkel, diff, gearbox & transfer case raised breathers, rock sliders, bull bar

Previous 4x4's: Land Rover 88 (challenge vehicle), Land Rover Defender, Isuzu 2.5D 4x4, Toyota Hilux 4x4, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan patrol, Land Rover Disco 2

Last 3 trips: Luderitz to Walvis desert 2011, Lesotho highlands 2012, Namibia 2012

Favorite destination: AFRICA!! The more remote the better it is.

Other hobbies: My top 3 are: 4x4, 4x4, 4x4

GPS: Garmin GPS, T4Africa & Garmap Topo.

Paper maps: T4Africa, InfoMap

4x4 & Overland rating: Started driving 4x4's on the farm at the age of 14. First 4x4 challenge at 18. Recovery (Kwêvoël) driver while doing 2 year national service. First overland trip at the age of 22 to Uganda after I finished my national service. Been doing 4x4 ever since... Rating thus is some experience.

Pictures: I attached some pictures of some of my vehicles in action as well as my newest baby, the Pajero in Namibia.

Travel preferences: We choose to travel alone. Traveling in a group (for us) takes away some of the fun. Getting stuck or breaking down in the middle of nowhere makes you think on your feet and for a few minutes, hours or days nothing else matters but getting out of that mess. Years after you will still remember those moments as if it happened just now. The saying goes: What doesn't kill you it will make you a better man is so true.

[Gemaskerde Tuinvurk]

Great first post!

Pitty to hear about the breakdowns. Did you buy new? Or how many kms do you have on the clock?

The 50mm lift is a great mod, you won't regret it.

[AndreEksteen]

Hi, yes I bought her brand new in August 2012. After this trip she's now got 13800km on the clock.
The breakdowns are not really a concern, since both these were "battle scars", not a design or build issue. I am extremely impressed with her.
If you start breaking side shafts due to inferior design like what I experienced on another make, thats when your blood starts to boil.

[CTKB]

Hi, yes I bought her brand new in August 2012. After this trip she's now got 13800km on the clock.
The breakdowns are not really a concern, since both these were "battle scars", not a design or build issue. I am extremely impressed with her.
If you start breaking side shafts due to inferior design like what I experienced on another make, thats when your blood starts to boil.

Hi Andre,

Would you mind advising where you had the suspension lift done? I want to do mine this year as well, but would like to have it done where another POCSA member has had it sucessfully done.

Thanks
Kobus

[AndreEksteen]

Hi Kobus,

The 50mm lift is on my "planned modification list" and will only be done late January early February depending on when the parts arrive.

I ordered the spacers from Uys at Stofpad. As far as the installation goes, I will be doing it in my own workshop. When I do the job I can take some pictures and write a quick installation guide if that would be of any value to other members.