Are Hyundai Terracans any good ?

[Goldfreak]

Thinking about getting a cheap used diesel 4wd. Around 7000k. I like the old Pajero body design before the year 2000 but not many diesels around that age and they were a bit gutless IMO. 2005 terracans look similar but dont know much about them. Opinions ?

 

[ozziegold]

Thinking about getting a cheap used diesel 4wd. Around 7000k. I like the old Pajero body design before the year 2000 but not many diesels around that age and they were a bit gutless IMO. 2005 terracans look similar but dont know much about them. Opinions ?

Hi Goldfreak.

Yes I had a 2005 Terracan from new, it had all the bells and whistles etc.

And yes I did have trouble with a few things, but most were fixed under Warranty.

Firstly the rear diff stuffed up, needing a new one (No tolerance in the limited slip diff gears I was told.

Then the power steering packed it in.

Last straw was the injectors on the common rail got so bad it nearly went up in flames.

I limped back from Broken-Hill very slowly, I just got in on the warranty period, for the fix.

Then they could not supply a new wiring loom for the top of the engine. (All burnt out)

They had to get one made up, and I was without the car for 2 Months.

After this I could hear the rear diff starting to go again, so I traded it on a D-Max.

Cheers, ozziegold.

PS: I had a Pajero, and it was good.

Edit for correction OG

 

[reefer]

Mate, Personally if I were you I would not go past the Toyota Prado for reliability..performance and comfortable drive.You might well have to seek one from a private source but there are any number of sites such as Cars.com...etc.They are 'Full Time 4wd with high and low range, come with air-con, cruise control, and the 24Valve Quad-Cam V6 as is in mine is a beautiful engine if there ever was one. Mine is '98 model...however anything from 96 on to 2000 might well be possible for your price...maybe.
Anyway, Goldfreak I hope you find your ride at a price that suits you.Just took a quick look at Carsales .com threw in under 7500 in the search box and there are some beaut cars for sale there..NSW....ONE FOR LESS THAN 6GRAND IS A 2002 MODEL!...WITH ONLY 250.ODD THOU ON THE CLOCK!...Good luck mate.

 

[jethro]

Yeah the Teracans were not the best thing Hyundai ever produced. We have seen the leaking injector to head seals at our workshop. and they are not really a serious 4wd as they are a bit low. I would say reefer is on the money with the toyota prado My brother has one and although it is a pre common rail diesel it still goes well and tows a small trailer as well as all the bits of camping, shooting, hunting, fishing, gear he regularly tows up the hume to wodonga and then up into the mountains of N,East Victoria. I would steer clear of a Pajaros with the petrol V6, not a great motor. Diesels seem to be ok as long as they are looked after. Not much in the way of aftermarket bits around for Teracans either so what you see is pretty much what you get stuck with.
Just my 2 cents worth. :Y:

 

[Goldfreak]

Thanks for the feedback. I will have a better look at the prados available and do more research. Wish they made the pre 2000 shape pajero ( ladder chassis ) with the newer 3.2 motor and gearbox. Saw this pic and got excited, will give myself a good slapping layful:

 

[LONEWOLF]

I would steer clear of a Pajaros with the petrol V6, not a great motor. Diesels seem to be ok as long as they are looked after...
Just my 2 cents worth. :Y:

Nothing wrong with a 1997-2000 NL Pajero. The Last of the best.. .. V6 petrol(3.5 SOHC), not bad on fuel, mine has done 400000+km...will go anywhere you want it to go.. You can put a 380 sedan motor in them(2006) or if you really are cash strapped a Magna motor also fits(99-2004).... I would never own any other 4x4... Mine will go anywhere and parts are cheap if you know where to get them from.... Some have also put the 4m40 Diesel motor in the NL petrol... Bit of a job, but it can be done....
And if you are handy with a spanner you won't get ripped when you see your 'Friendly' Mechanic.... erfect:

LW....

 

[Goldfreak]

I would steer clear of a Pajaros with the petrol V6, not a great motor. Diesels seem to be ok as long as they are looked after...
Just my 2 cents worth. :Y:

Nothing wrong with a 1997-2000 NL Pajero. The Last of the best.. .. V6 petrol(3.5 SOHC), not bad on fuel, mine has done 400000+km...will go anywhere you want it to go.. You can put a 380 sedan motor in them(2006) or if you really are cash strapped a Magna motor also fits(99-2004).... I would never own any other 4x4... Mine will go anywhere and parts are cheap if you know where to get them from....

LW....

Agree, I think they had it right in many ways ith that model. I had a guinea pig powered naturally asperated diesel 1998 one that did over 500000 slow but trouble free kms before it was not worth fixing. It was an import with a small chain not timing belt motor. Do you know of any later model turbo diesels that would not be too much trouble to fit in a NL ?

 

[jethro]

If you are half handy with a spanner then Pajaro oil leaks and coolant leaks will be no problem. They are a nice ride on the road, not sure about in the bush though. We see plenty of Pajaros Prados come through our workshop and out of the 2 I would go the Prado every time. i own a nissan D40 by the way, and, I wont be buying another nissan.

 

[Goldfreak]

Have a mate with a similar opinion of his D4O also sent alot of jeeps back on a barge from Weipa that seemed to have issues towing anything on corrugated roads so wont be looking at them either.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Over here In March 2017 I bought my 2003 Mitsubishi Shogun Sport/Challenger for about $3600/$4000 with about 130,000ks on the clock, It only needed a few minor things done to make it RWC, like the washer bottle motor and a reversing light switch and a rear muffler and the NSF wheel baring needed adjusting, Oh and I bought a new Battery.

 

[LONEWOLF]

Problem with prado's is the Toyota Tax you pay when you get bits for them... My NL will go anywhere I want it to go... And my mates oop: trol has been pulled out by 'Mitzy' too many times to mention...
Some have put the later 4m40 into the NL, but it's not a easy job...

LW...

 

[Goldfreak]

Are you in the UK Ridge Runner ? The closer to Spain the less likely they are called pahero layful:

 

[LONEWOLF]

That's why they are called Montero's in the USA.... . You just need to learn the car and know where to get bits from and plan-ahead... You can save big bucks if you get bits from overseas... As for oil leaks, most 'Mechanics' don't know the Tricks with Pajero's.... That's why they rip you when they see ya coming...
and NEVER use aftermarket gaskets...and Seals. oop: ... That's why they leak...

LW....

 

[Ridge Runner]

Well over here they sell the Pajero and the Shogun, and the Shogun Sport and the Mitsubishi Challenger and it boils down to what year it is as to what they call it, I am not sure but I think mine is imported coz a few things don't add up, Mitsubishi won't work on them and lie claiming that the tooling is all different which Is a Lie, it just because they never made money on it because they never sold it So they make up all kinds of lies to wiggle out of doing it or helping you out and Toyota etc are all the same. The point is 4x4's are meant for crossing continents so really they should not be allowed to lie and refuse to fix it, because what happens when one they have sold breaks down 21 miles away over in france due to a 50cent part, Do they expect the Owner to just dump a $60,000 Vehicle at the side of the road and get a Taxi home and forget about it. But that is how they behave over here, $%&'s.

And another favourite trick is for it to cost you more in insurance which can cost a person $$$ " thousands" of dollars and the younger you are the worse it gets. ]

 

[LONEWOLF]

Same here RR.... Try dealing with MMA on a late model Paj 2015-on..... They really do know how not to play fair.... there are a few issues being looked at by the ACCC with MMA...

The only time I deal with them is when I need gaskets and seals... Now I have a contact in MMA, I just Email him with part numbers and get them delivered... surprising how many spares they still have for a 20+yo 4x4.... and if you are patient, the UAE and Japan are a great source of parts for a fraction of MMA's price...

LW....

 

[Tathradj]

I bought a 1997 Prado 3 years ago for $4500.00.
5 speed manual petrol v6.
Has not let me down once and I have just fitted a set of brake
pads all round for the Laanecoorie trip next week.
My only 2 gripes,
Fuel usage but not too bad if you keep your foot of the throttle,
Get around 850 K's out of both tanks,
Towing the van is a slow trip uphill.
Apart from that, Key in, Start it, Put fuel in it.
I am not an extreme 4 wheeler but I have not found any thing yet to stop it.
Very capable. Reliable 4 wheel drive.
It is also known as a 36/00 ADR vechile.
Has no airbags, Cat converters and no 02 sensors.
Not even electric windows to fall down. LOL

 

[Ridge Runner]

Sounds good Tathr my shogun is doing about 7.85L per 100ks or 36mpg/4.55L and if I behave I can get it to do about 40 mpg+/-.

I am hoping to buy a 4wd from the 70s/80s because they don't have computers and you don't have to pay Rego once they get to a certain age, you little Beauty :Y: :inlove:

 

[Heatho]

I'll give a big thumbs up to the Prado's as well, mine is a 2003 stock standard and has gotten me through some stuff I was very surprised with, never broken down, always gotten me home. Depending on how rough you want to drive the only thing that lets the GXL range Prado's down is the lack of a front or rear diff lock, the newer ones have traction control to overcome the issue (sort of) but yeah diff lockers aren't too expensive if you need one.

The top model Prado's have all the bells and whistles.

 

[Wishfull]

Sounds good Tathr my shogun is doing about 7.85L per 100ks or 36mpg/4.55L and if I behave I can get it to do about 40 mpg+/-.

I am hoping to buy a 4wd from the 70s/80s because they don't have computers and you don't have to pay Rego once they get to a certain age, you little Beauty :Y: :inlove:

What's that ? No rego after a certain age
Did I miss seeing that ?

 

[Tathradj]

Also will add mine has a 1.5 limited slip diff.
Instead of clutch's it has a worm drive dog clutch setup.
Not very common apparently.
Toyota lsd's have a habit of not working after 100,000 Klm's.