W164 as an off road vehicle.

[abecketts]

We sold a disco 2 before buying our ML, the plan was to combine the family car (E class) and farm vehicle into one. The ML is not in the same league as the disco2 for off road use so I’d stick with the Mitsubishi.

 

[V12cat]

Just a thought , and I don’t know a lot about them , but might a VW Touareg be another option ? They’ve been around for a while so should be used ones available at any budget . I seem to recall a friend saying that one of the earlier versions has a much higher towing capacity than later ones , if that would matter to you ?

Interesting. Not thought about one of them. Good towing capacity would help.

 

[V12cat]

The last LR I used was a 1996 Defender 110. Surprise surprise it was oil tight and quite reliable considering the conditions.
3 sets of wheel bearings and 3 complete brake overhauls in 75K kilometre and lost count on suspension bushes.
My God it was uncomfortable and water poured in everywhere.

Ran LR stuff for years. Wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Truly dreadful things. An embarrassment to British engineering. The Pajero has been better in every possible way.

 

[V12cat]

We sold a disco 2 before buying our ML, the plan was to combine the family car (E class) and farm vehicle into one. The ML is not in the same league as the disco2 for off road use so I’d stick with the Mitsubishi.

One thing I don't do very often is tow off road. Unlike many stock farmers. But, I can see it would not be as good as the old Pajero. Smaller wheels for a start. What probably matters to me most is it's ability to handle rough terrain and rough tracks without endless suspension woes.

 

[V12cat]

I have general grabbers on my 163 ML270 and it's very good in those conditions. It has torsion bar on the front and springs in the rear. I haven't had any issues with balljoints etc, it has been very reliable. The only issues have been with the injector seals which is very common.

Interesting. The independent MB guy I spoke to said the older ML (W163) had far more ball joint issues than the 164's. I'd originally thought about a W163.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Interesting. The independent MB guy I spoke to said the older ML (W163) had far more ball joint issues than the 164's. I'd originally thought about a W163.

Yes ball joints were a - relatively common problem on the W163 but I’m not sure they were any worse than their contemporaries. I remember they were blooming expensive to replace at the main dealer, and they were a bu99er to change.

 

[Bellow]

If avoiding ball joints and extraneous bushes, stick with a live rear axle on leaf springs. Nothing simpler than a Hotchkiss drive.

 

[V12cat]

If avoiding ball joints and extraneous bushes, stick with a live rear axle on leaf springs. Nothing simpler than a Hotchkiss drive.

Pajero has rear coils and in 14 years of rough treatment it has never had a rear bush. My S500 isn't exactly simple either but that has managed 12 years of living down a half mile farm track without any bush or joint problems. As always, it's not the technology that's the issue, it's the implementation.
My Range Rover used to absolutely eat bushes. Front radius arm bushes barely managed a year.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Pajero has rear coils and in 14 years of rough treatment it has never had a rear bush. My S500 isn't exactly simple either but that has managed 12 years of living down a half mile farm track without any bush or joint problems. As always, it's not the technology that's the issue, it's the implementation.
My Range Rover used to absolutely eat bushes. Front radius arm bushes barely managed a year.

Large diameter wheels and tyres - designed for the weight of an SUV and for the potential to go offroad - are the reason that many SUVs are hard on suspension components and ball joints.

That’s one of the reasons I would stick to a Pajero/Shogun, Land Cruiser, Patrol, etc as they were never burdened with the oversize wheels and low profile tyres of a road-biased SUV.

 

[Pontoneer]

Large diameter wheels and tyres - designed for the weight of an SUV and for the potential to go offroad - are the reason that many SUVs are hard on suspension components and ball joints.

That’s one of the reasons I would stick to a Pajero/Shogun, Land Cruiser, Patrol, etc as they were never burdened with the oversize wheels and low profile tyres of a road-biased SUV.

A farmer friend of mine , who is quite an M-B enthusiast has THREE Land Cruisers for use on his farm ( usually one is in his barn getting something or other done at any given time ) but he swears by them and all run on his bio-diesel , as do the rest of his vehicles . He also has an S-124 E250D , a W-210 diesel saloon ( can't remember which model ) , a Hymer mobile home , a GL or GLS diesel , which is the family runabout , an M-B Trac with lots of implements and a couple of 'vintage' tractors which are more hobby vehicles , he had a Ponton and still has an Austin Sheerline ( which was his dad's ) gathering dust at the back of the barn . There are also three Audi A2s , at least one of which was his daughter's first car , again all are diesel models . I may have missed something or other out ...

Actually , further to this thread , that GL/GLS is a massively impressive vehicle and very capable , and although it is not all that old , it wasn't majorly expensive ( my friend isn't one to spend money needlessly , I'm fairly sure he paid under ten grand for it ) and I think the reason they don't command high prices is they fall into the age range where road tax became cripplingly expensive , and that puts most used buyers off them . They are very capable vehicles though . The more I think about it and look at pictures , I'm fairly sure it is an X-164 GL and not a later one .

 

[V12cat]

[....]

Actually , further to this thread , that GL/GLS is a massively impressive vehicle and very capable , and although it is not all that old , it wasn't majorly expensive ( my friend isn't one to spend money needlessly , I'm fairly sure he paid under ten grand for it ) and I think the reason they don't command high prices is they fall into the age range where road tax became cripplingly expensive , and that puts most used buyers off them . They are very capable vehicles though . The more I think about it and look at pictures , I'm fairly sure it is an X-164 GL and not a later one .

Hadn't actually thought about a GL. Loads of room in them! Just a bit ugly!

 

[V12cat]

....but THIS!

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Don't think I'll find a G for $7K though!

The build video is worth a watch. Followed this channel for quite a while. They do some incredible mad stuff!

 

[slade1]

Ran LR stuff for years. Wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. Truly dreadful things. An embarrassment to British engineering. The Pajero has been better in every possible way.

Me to, on off since the late 1950s and last one was a 96 110 defender. When I see one at car show look inside with horror.
I now have LR bad back a very common problem with ex LR drivers. LR lost the plot decades ago.