Mitsubishi Challenger? Updated ..... we bought a

[TheWall]

Sounds like your mind is made up!  Go for it.

On the Pajero forum there is a prices paid thread for the Challenger. Would be a good idea to have a sneak peek at that before hitting the Stealers. Some amazing deals out there!

Matt

[builder94]

Happy with our challenger manual diesel. Trucks the kids, bikes, ct for 3week trip in January. Average about 11l / 100 km, serves the purpose it was bought for, value for money and capable to get where we need to go. Had a pajero previously, hard to justify price point to buy one again.

[dazzler]

  One of our best friends has an FJ Cruiser, great car but not very practical for taxiing kids around with how the back doors open.


This was our first diesel car but we have lots of friends who live locally with diesel cars & they have not had the same problems.  Not sure what is wrong with the injectors but there is a tapping noise when the car starts up & it goes away once the engine is warm.    Definitely wanting the fuel efficiency of a diesel.

I would have agreed with the doors thing however I had a Ford Ranger xtracab with the funny rear doors and actually found it fine.  I always get out before the kids and it kind of traps them.

On the efficiency front - don't forget to factor in the overall costs of diesel.  Sure you may win at the pump, but you lose in many other places with these new generation diesels (which I think you have already experienced). 

The Prado is a perfect example.  Overall running costs end up pretty line ball and even the FJ cruiser is returning better than 11l per hundred k's.

The only reason I consider owning a diesel is I am a diesel mechanic by trade so can service/repair myself.  If not I would go petrol - modern diesels are no longer the reliable long term proposition they were simply because we expect them to perform like petrols with diesel economy - stretched to braking point.

If you do decide to grab the challenger at the very least find out what a new set of injectors will cost you at the recommended replacement time.  I just replaced the injectors in my Prado at trade and that was $400 as mine was the older style diesel.  The new ones are probably 3 to 4 times that much.  That buys a heap of petrol.

Have fun.

[Goose]

This was our first diesel car but we have lots of friends who live locally with diesel cars & they have not had the same problems.  Not sure what is wrong with the injectors but there is a tapping noise when the car starts up & it goes away once the engine is warm.  Mitsubishi has offered us $27,000 trade in which we are pretty happy with.  Definitely wanting the fuel efficiency of a diesel.

I have a similar noise in my diesel pathfinder. Funny tapping when the engine is cold but it goes away after 5 minutes. Also goes away once revs are over about 2000. Some people say its due to do with how the engine warms up and the noise is a pre injection to aid warming. If the engine is hot and you restart the car the noise won't be there. I'm not sure it's an issue but it drives me nuts. There is no loss of performance or power.

[Hills Mum Bec]

I have a similar noise in my diesel pathfinder. Funny tapping when the engine is cold but it goes away after 5 minutes. Also goes away once revs are over about 2000. Some people say its due to do with how the engine warms up and the noise is a pre injection to aid warming. If the engine is hot and you restart the car the noise won't be there. I'm not sure it's an issue but it drives me nuts. There is no loss of performance or power.

This is exactly the same as ours.  I have only noticed it because the air conditioner has been broken so we have been driving with the window down a lot.  When the mechanic fixed the air conditioner he also mentioned the noise & suggested the injectors.  I don't know whether it's worth getting a second opinion, I think we have already decided to part ways.

[Goose]

I've done heaps of reading on the topic. People suggest all kinds of things like belts, bearings, pulleys and injectors as possible fixes. Others have said it happens on all the YD25 engines and not to worry.

For me, the fact that it always goes away when warm makes me think its not a bad problem. If it was there 100% of the time, then it would be an issue. I'm hoping for me it gets fixed incidentally during a major service when something is replaced or tweaked.

I think the Challenger is a likely replacement for the Pathfinder owners and if i moved on my Pathfinder the Challenger would be one that i look at.

[MC 9]

We have a Challenger 2010 XLS and have not had a problem with it at all. Taxis the kids around during the week and we have had plenty of fun with it off the beaten track on the weekends (nothing too wild). We have an Aussie Jays Crusher CT and it tows that with no problem whatsoever. Great car!

[Hills Mum Bec]

So .... we ended up buying a Pajero VRX.  Test drove the Challenger & I just didn't like it, it felt a bit cheap & nasty.  As much as I wanted to get rid of the Pathfinder I felt the Challenger was a step backwards & I was losing a lot of features that I had in the Pathie.  Also, I really, really hate cars that have the middle seatbelt hanging down from the roof so that was the clincher.  We should be able to pick up our new rig this Friday!

[Steffo1]

Congratulations on the decision.

[Bird]

So .... we ended up buying a Pajero VRX.

sane as I test drove a while back.. very nice
now wait to you see what 18in tyres are worth... but be laying down not sitting down..... and take 12 valium first.

[Swannie]

Very nice, when I test drove one I thought it was very good, a lot of features for the $$.
Swannie

[Fathom]

I test drove one today, then the Colorado7, will get to the new Isuzu MU later this week I hope..
I liked it... To me they both drove the same. 

[brickiematt]

So .... we ended up buying a Pajero VRX........

Congratulations, you won't be disappointed

[dirtpilot]

I don't have a Challenger but i have a Triton. i recommend you avoid it. I had heaps of problems with mine, probabley not as bad as your Pathfinder, but still something going wrong every 20k or so. Expensive to service. Get a good used 4.2 cGU Patrol or 100 seriers Landcruiser. CRD diesels are rubbish.

[crackacoldie]

Congratulations on your new toy.  The Pajero is a good unit and definitely the pick of the Mitsubishi fleet

[barraboy]

Just thought I would put in my 2 cents worth. Have a series 4 Pathfinder 2010 model and racked up 80ks so far including 2 cape trips towing a camper trailer and several work trips to Weipa. Has not missed a beat and is great on fuel. Didn't make it across Palm Creek without assistance but then again neither did the Prados, Pajeros Tritons ect. Just saying they are not all bad.

[gronk]

I don't have a Challenger but i have a Triton. i recommend you avoid it. I had heaps of problems with mine, probabley not as bad as your Pathfinder, but still something going wrong every 20k or so. Expensive to service. Get a good used 4.2 cGU Patrol or 100 seriers Landcruiser. CRD diesels are rubbish.

It's a bummer when you get a lemon.....

I have a 2010 Challenger with 65,000K's and it hasn't had a spanner on it yet..

I do run an EGR blank to try and stop the dreaded inlet manifold gunking up issues most newer CRDI motors are stuck with...

Expensive to service ??  don't know as mine is still under warranty and has capped price servicing..

If you want to stick to the blacktop and tow, the Pajero is a nicer 4wd, but I wanted a smaller offroad type of 4wd, so got the Challenger...