I bought my Pajero through Terra 2 imports who were in Vernon but have moved to Vancouver. They were really good with me, but like other car dealerships, you may have a good experience or a bad one. You will find mixed reviews on probably almost every importer mentioned in this Forum. Personally I had a very bad experience with Max Overdrive, that being that I had an inspection done on a Bighorn and the transfer case was zap strapped in....That being said, I am not trashing them, just an example of how differing opinions will be found in this site. I used terra 2 and picked a vehicle in Japan at auction and had a successful bid, which was a very good price for my truck which had only 64075 km on it.
First off I will say, I LOVE MY PAJERO! It is by far the best 4x4 I have ever owned and now that all of the kinks have been worked out, it has been only routine maintenance that I have had to deal with. There has been issues to get it up to par but it is a 16 year old vehicle; upkeep is a must but a bit of work and a willingness to put a few bucks into it and you will have a reliable and efficient vehicle that will last years. Mine is 2 years old now and I plan on keeping it for a few more at least. Keep in mind that vehicles in Japan that come over here are usually pretty dirty. It seems most people smoke there so don't be surprised if you find cig butts in the ash trays that are as old as the vehicle. A good cleaning and they look amazing. Most, I think, come with a surprise fault (if buying in Japan not off a lot in Canada). Mine had a rusted sunroof that I repaired and works fine now. my advice is to test drive or buy from a lot in canada and/or privately and get one that has already been complied and all the initial repairs done. This will allow you to just enjoy the vehicle and worry about problems that pop on occasion rather than having to spend a bunch of money up front and turn you off of these amazing vehicles. This is maybe the best way for someone like you who is maybe not looking to try out their mechanical skills.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I have no regrets in purchasing my Pajero, it is bomb proof. Yes there are issues that arise, like all vehicles 15 years old or older but this is a great solid reliable used car with character. These trucks really are diamonds in the rough. Usually a little cleaning and a few new parts to replace the ones that wear due to age and the truck is going to be a great purchase for you.
Parts for these trucks are all the same as the Montero except for diesel parts. Even steering parts despite being RHD are the same. As far as repairs go from a reputable shop, I am sure most will agree that Butch at CVI in Richmond is the man to go see. He is reasonably priced and was a Pajero Mechanic in the Phillipines. He knows these things inside and out. I drove from Calgary to Vancouver and left it with him for a tune up based on the reputation he had on this site. It was well worth it. There is a fairly comprehensive parts list for x-referenced part numbers here in Canada on this site. Things that are common maintenance items like brakes, belts, water pumps, u-joints, filters etc are listed in this forum thanks to the guys that have been here since the start (not me) who have experimented with parts to see what fits. The list has helped me out and makes it easy for the everyday stuff,
Hope that helps. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
