Mitsubishi SHOGUN (1991 - 2000)
MODELS COVERED: April 1991 to May 2000: 3.0 V6 (12 and 24-valve) three and five door estates / 3.5 24v three and five-door estates [GLS, SE] / 2.5 turbo diesel [GLS] / 2.8 turbo diesel five-door [GLS, GLX]May 2000 to date:3.5 24v V6 and 3.2 turbo diesel three and five-door [GLS]
BY JONATHAN CROUCH
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For years,
Toyota's Landcruiser and
Nissan's Patrol were Japan's answer to Land Rovers and Range Rovers. However, all that changed in 1983 when
Mitsubishi released the Shogun. The vehicle industry world-wide sat up and took notice, impressed by the quality, luxury and ability of this new 4x4. By 1991, however, the game had moved on.
Land Rover had by now responded to the challenge with the Discovery and Nissan and Toyota had all-new models. Something radical was needed to build on the Shogun's existing reputation for durability and advanced technology. And in the second generation Shogun, that's what we got. Buyers immediately loved the tough, Dinky Toy looks. The motoring press was less sure but raved over the smooth V6 3.0-litre engine and the quiet 2.
5-litre turbo diesel. The result was that, for years, a Shogun was about as close to a motoring investment as you could get. It's only in recent times that prices have become more affordable for the average driver. Now theres a new model with butch looks, radical (for off-roaders) integrated body/chassis construction and clever direct injection engines. Yet this Mitsubishi looks set to prove as well built and long-lasting as its popular predecessors.
A big vehicle, make no mistake. Though less truck-like to drive than many 4x4s, the Shogun casts a substantial shadow, so be sure you can cope with the size try a few reverse and parallel parks, to be sure. Off road ability is excellent (though not up to Land Rover standards) and on-road performance is also well above par. Equipment is generally plentiful with many versions featuring automatic transmission, air conditioning, leather trim, and (in the why-oh-why? category) a compass and altimeter for those vast DIY superstore car parks that always seem to be perched on the side of cliffs.
Second generation Shogun prices start at about £2,500 for the first three-door 1991 3.0-litre 12-valve petrol cars. These are good buys at that price but if you prefer something younger, a 1993K example will be closer to £4,000. Add between £300 and £700 for automatic transmission.
A more powerful 24-valve version of the same 3.0-litre motor appeared in August 1994 for the M-plate change. The cheapest you'll find a GLS is about £4,000 for a three-door or £6,000 with five doors. The facelifted 97R-platers will be around £8,200 and £9,000 respectively and automatic adds £600 to £1,500. If you want a V6 but must have a bigger engine and more power, then the automatic-only 3.5-litre 24v GLS should meet your needs.
Prices start at about £6,000 for the earliest L-plate three-door versions and roughly £7,000 for the better-equipped five-door estates. For about £8,000 you could have a three-door 96N-plate car while an 99T five-door (the three-door was dropped pre-facelift at 97R) will be around £14,000. Like the look of the luxury 3.5-litre version but fear the fuel bills? Fear not, the turbo diesel will serve you almost as well.
For less than £3,500, you could have a 92J-plate 2.5-litre four-cylinder three-door GLS. A 95M-plater will cost you around £5,000, while a 97P-reg example will be about £6,800. The last 99V examples start from about £8,400.
Finally, the 2.8-litre turbo diesel variants. Pay around £5,800 for the earliest 1994 GLS examples, or from £6,500 for the first 95M GLX models, which debuted in January 1995. A 97P-plate GLS will set you back close to £8,000 while a 00V-reg one should be about £11,000.
A full service history is desirable especially on turbodiesels which like fresh oil and filters served regularly to prevent wear. If this has been neglected, walk away, no matter how much you like the colour or CD player there'll be plenty more to choose from. Otherwise, there's very little to watch out for, apart from the obvious checks that you should subject any 4x4 to. Listen for whining gearboxes and differentials; look for leaky power steering, engines, gearboxes and driveshaft joints, off road abuse, tailgate and underbody corrosion and theft or accident damage. The Shogun is very well protected from rust, but the lack of a hose-down following exposure to salt water and constant mud wrestling may eventually cause the rusty red peril to attack. Mechanically, these cars are very durable.
The V6 engine came from the 3000GT supercar but was de-tuned for off-roader use, its emphasis is on torque, not outright power. Nevertheless, be sure to check the service records as an abused multi-valve motor with electronic injection can cost big bucks if it goes wrong.
(Based on a 1995 3.0-litre V6) A replacement exhaust (front to the catalyst) will set you back roughly £185, while a new clutch will be £140 or thereabouts. An alternator should be around £165 and a starter motor about £126. A new wing mirror is steep in the region of £190, while a headlamp is a more acceptable £160.
This is where the Shogun has an advantage over many of its more agricultural-based rivals. The car is certainly no lightweight but the chassis does a fine job of coping with all that weight transfer under braking and through the twisty bits. With air conditioning, CD player and an automatic gearbox, the big off-roader does a fine impression of a luxury car, on road. The commanding driving position makes an automatic Shogun almost a pleasure to conduct in traffic jams seeing over the cars in front makes stop-start driving less stressful.
If the roads get slippery, you'll also be one of the few drivers who can drive around (or even through) the hazard and keep going.
This off-roader has converted many a former Range
Rover or Discovery owner and it's not hard to see why. Luxury, quality, ability and looks make the Shogun one of the better 4x4s and a great used buy.
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