Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Howzit...

Yes...I'm down...A Neewbie ....feeling strangled.....

Been a lurker for some time.....I know...shameful....just can't find the right info I need...

Why should I be posting here in the SA forum?...well for a start,the info I can glean here is equal to the Aussie forum and with both combined,the French forums don't quite cut it....I find there's excellent contributors here....

Why should that matter?...because I clear off to Morocco every once in a while where I think it is on par with the going in SA and Aussie Land.....sand,rocks,Paris Dakar pistes etc...

I see more Pajeros arriving now a days with the overland tourist companies/hotels and competing with 105 Toyotas big time...(in my capacity as an off road moto guide every now and then )....a definite barometer as to what's in the offing.... I took a 'taxi' ride for a 4 hr drive over the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech in a Pajero and was impressed...the driver kept it lit for the duration(as Mad Morrocans do)... First drive out in one....kind of confirmed that I should consider same over anything else....plenty of poke in the motor ...I spoke to many a tourist guide/driver and they stated that the Pajero had no problems....only sqeaking dash boards.....one driver was using his in the Erg Chebbi(google it) ,as a tourist taxi,with no ill effects...only exhaust replacement along with clutch..and that was it...you know normal stuff.

I was equally impressed with the 105 (especially the room inside) but not with the power delivery....very slow and the driver had to work the gearbox over the Atlas and long afterto keep it going...(although once there it would sit all day at top speed..impressed by that )Kind of reminded me of a tipper lorry that could do what it needed to do but was so mundane...anyway I digress...

Also it might help that I have visited there and have family connections in Springs ,Jo'burg and older family in PE. ( I remember a certain lassie in PE that ruined me physically...ho hum...not forgetting I was a fit young man then what with riding motocross full time...she wrecked me... lol)..I have a certain affinity with SA...

Since December 2010 I've been researching what other 4x4 I should buy in respect of using for scooting off over to eg.Italy in 38c heat and scooting back home. I have a Discovery 1 300tdi with 350,000kms and was thinking that it might not do climbing the Italian/Swiss/French Alpes this year with a fully loaded roof rack,camping kit and family of 3 teenagers!!!...


So.......on the strength of the aforementioned...did'nt I go out and buy a 2003 Pajero long wheel base 2 days ago!!!!

Great truck so far......but...... as I sit here with a fine bottle of Bordeaux red,and after a feed of Quiche Lorraine....I have discovered I have no Owners Manual...well...in that the manual I have seems to be of a different year..ie...no guff at all about my in dash GPS what so ever..or anything else that looks like it may be about my particular truck.....I have to now try and find out the basics.......yes of course,I can work out most with common sense...but there's the few odd buttons lurking in my interior that my weirdo manual makes no mention of......

So.....on the strength of all that has been mentioned...

Anybody have a 2003 Owners Hand Book? (auto/long wheelbase Did) scanned that I could have a wee peep at??..

By the by...I also I have an oil leak which I 'hope' is only the oil pressure sender switch(must investigate this week and due of course to the fine posts here by contributors bringing this to my attention)...failing that it could it be a rear crankshaft seal...ho hum...

NB...Disclaimer...Any stupidity in respect of not using the search feature has been circumvented by the fact that a bottle of fine Bordeaux Red has been bought into play,and your argument is null and void, because of said bottle...
PS Does an Irishman,living in France,drinking heavily of a weekend,with SA family connections, ever have a valid excuse?


PPS Thanks dudes..

Have that oil sensor checked out. They are prone to fail and I nearly lost my engine. I had a post on it not so long ago.

Welcome to the forum

NB : fantastic first post!

Sir!

Thank you for the warm welcome....

I have seen that thread ref. pressure switch which is how I knew about it!!

I'll dig it up and get to work making a list of stuff I will need.... I have yet to check the brake pad wear but I suspect they're well worn as the brake fluid reservoir was low also.

I'll also order up the top chain tensioner and alternator belts etc...(not looking forward to that squeeze compared to the 300tdi I must say!!)

Next thing on the list is to research if my current LR tyres (235x85x16) can fit on my rims....(the LR is getting retired so I don't want to waste the nearly new tyres if I can help it)...

The rear storage will be tackled before I leave for holidays in July so plenty of time for that..

Before all of that... oil changes top to toe and a general tidy up. The leather seats took a full can of leather cream yesterday so that's one job done.

More later....

PS if any inmate can find a manual with GPS guff on it I'd appreciate a scan or direction to download same

Welcome here

The Pajero's here in South Africa only recently came out with the GPS as an option. 2011 actually, so it will be rare to find an owners manual in SA with reference to the GPS system as fitted to your model.

Is it possible to post a picture of the unit? My experience is that Mitsu have been using outside suppliers of different brands all over the world depending on the market it was sold in for the GPS.

You should be able to then get manual for the GPS at the supplier of the GPS and this is possibly the reason why there are no reference to it in your Mitsu manual as well.

CATS
Just put some proper Cap de Classic South African Champagne in the cooler for a festivity later. I will drink a glass to toast your new vehicle as well!

Cats!

Thank you too for the welcome.

I will get a picture next week(as my camera has just been lent,this morning,to a friend for the weekend.)

That's a good idea ref. GPS...maybe it came with it's manual that is now lost. The handbook shows a different dash lay out of which I don't have..so it was probably the correct standard handbook issued. I will try the UK forums too as it might just be a European thing going on for sure.

As for the champagne.....it shows all the hallmarks of having a 'jolly' weekend ....a braai and that ring of sausage that I cant spell.....but you no doubt know what I mean...