After three years and 60,000 km in a 1997 Gen 2 2.8TD LWB, here is the honest owner’s verdict — the good, the irritating, and what it actually costs to keep a 4M40 Pajero on the road in South Africa.
What It’s Like to Live With
The 4M40 is not fast — 92 kW moving two tonnes means you plan your overtakes — but the torque arrives early and never feels strained. On the open road it settles into a relaxed 110 km/h cruise, and off it the gearing and Super Select system make it almost impossible to get stuck. The mechanical injection means there is nothing to go wrong electronically in the middle of nowhere, which is the whole point.
The Running Costs, Honestly
- Fuel: a genuine 10.5–12 L/100km on the highway, more with a roof rack and load
- Timing chain guides: budget for inspection — this is the one job you do not skip
- Consumables: rocker cover gasket, diff seals and bushes are cheap and expected
Verdict
Not a modern, quiet SUV — and it never pretends to be. As a mechanically honest, fixable, go-anywhere overlander, the Gen 2 2.8TD remains one of the best-value serious 4x4s in South Africa. Buy the best example you can find and sort the timing-chain guides.
If you want a modern, quiet, fast SUV, this is the wrong car. If you want a mechanically honest 4×4 that will still be running in twenty years and can be fixed on a farm with hand tools, the Gen 2 2.8TD remains one of the best-value serious overlanders in South Africa. Buy the best example you can find, sort the timing chain guides, and enjoy it.