Triton.. Good for lots of rural k's??

[MickFodor]

G'day All...
I was just wondering if anyone has put a heap of rough k's on a current series Triton...
I am looking to buy a new one for work and put a bloke behind the wheel full time to deliver documents, etc all across NSW.
The boss bought a Hyundai IX35 for the job 6 months ago and it is "not suitable". 6 months and 60,000 k's in we are on the second set of tyres because of constant wheel alignment issues... we have now found that the struts are bent and the springs are sagging... control arm bushes are knackered and the complede underside of the heap of *^% looks like it has gone to war... (anyone want to buy one??? )

The issue is that NSW roads arent all nice and smooth... lots of corrugated dirt roads, pot holes and the access roads to farms vary in terrain from boggy to rocky to sandy to all three... We didn't expect miracles but the Hyundai was a real let down.

Anyway, we need a replacement... i was looking at the Triton Diesel, probably auto... will go as far as a decent front bar but not looking to mod the thing to death.

Can anyone tell me if they have done anything similarly abusive to a vehicle? Would this be the right machine for the job? How is Mitsubishi service and warranty... and their sense of humor ... Are they build to cop a beating... etc...
Really guys any help i could get would be greatly appreciated...
Thank you
Cheers all...

[chick_magnet_0001]

to get the best out of it you would 100% have to do a shock absorber swap i changed mine and the rebound and the way its control by these shocks is amazing, all your looking at is
front bar(price whatever you want)
ultimate shocks, valved to suit your vehicle ($550 ish)
Upgraded bash plate ($ 280)
tyres, but that personal preference for terrain vs road as the standard factory tyres are HT ones

[biggibbo]

In standard format it probably won't fare a great deal better than the Hyundai.

The suspension will sag, and won't cope with the corrugations for longer than a coupla months befoe it needs replacing. The shocks are like a fly screen door closer and not up to the task for this type of job repeatedly. Most of us have replaced the suspension, and it makes a huge difference, especially on the corrugations

The OEM tyres are ordinary and will last 40,000 km at best in those conditions. You are better off upgrading the tyres to an All Terrain with an LT construction as part of the purchase given where it will be going on a daily basis.

Generally they will take a beating, but on those roads a replacement set of bash plates would also be recommended. The OEM are very flimsy.

The vehicle will do all you want etc, but you will need to do a few upgrades (tyres, suspension, bash plates) to get any longevity out of it. Mines 12 months old and done 70K, and the fuel economy, warranty, etc is great.

You will find most vehicles will require suspension work and a set of decent tyres given where you want it to operate. Unfortunately the majority of cars are built for suburban duties these days.

[clarke-glxr]

you gotta be careful that you dont catch a lemon of a car, i cant trust my triton to go 250kms country driving 2006 ml triton

[Tony]

I have to be honest, they can be a bit hit and miss with a few minor gremlins at times. If left stock other than suspension and dont ever over load them they're fairly bullet proof. New MY12 has done away with diff actuator (A good thing)

I've done over 60,000 country ks on my MN. Holding together OK and tyres wearing fine. (I changed the factory tyres on day one) I estimate over 80k on the Coopers LTZ and we drive it hard.

If you take the plunge and buy an MN then do the suspension etc, dont go to heavy with the shocks as may tear rear mounts off on very corrugated roads and eat front lower bushes every 30,000k

Good news is, the tritons are quite cheap in a base model.

[Diddy]

Like the others have said get a set of good all terrain tyres and good suspension setup from ultimate suspension no one knows more about the triton suspension then them guys close to 80% percent of forum members that have a suspension kit have the ultimate kit fitted and if you are gonna be fitting a bar to the front a suspension kit is a must other wise you will just scrub front tyres out and flog out front end components other than that the car will be perfect

[MickFodor]

Ordered and paid for... thanks guys...
Should get the Triton today.

GL-R, Dual cab, 4X4, Auto, White.

Will send him out on the first run standard and see how it holds up...
Will measure the ride height and see how it looks after few thousand ks.
Thanks for the lead to Ultimate Suspension... I googled it... its the one at Ingleburn right?
I should get a pic of the new car and ad pics of the changes at each service...
Might be interesting to see the change...
Somewhat of a build up/Tear down thread...

Heres hoping i dont have to rescue him in my Jeep...

[Cowboy Dave]

Yep that's them at ingleburn.

[Tony]

Ordered and paid for... thanks guys...
Should get the Triton today.

GL-R, Dual cab, 4X4, Auto, White.

Will send him out on the first run standard and see how it holds up...
Will measure the ride height and see how it looks after few thousand ks.
Thanks for the lead to Ultimate Suspension... I googled it... its the one at Ingleburn right?
I should get a pic of the new car and ad pics of the changes at each service...
Might be interesting to see the change...
Somewhat of a build up/Tear down thread...

Heres hoping i dont have to rescue him in my Jeep...

Well done! I cant comment on the Jeep except bit of a closet fan my self. Just make sue you keep a fire extinguisher in it.


I've noticed our local mines are renting and leasing quite a few tritons now days, Seem to be holding up although have had heavier suspension fitted as most other makes do.

Will be watching for a build, tear down, shake down etc thread.

Cheers T

[MickFodor]

Bahaha @ Fire Extinguisher... Mines diesel, less of them seem to burst into flames... apparently

Its looking good so far... last night i got it home, installed the Shu-Roo and an inverter (fits really well behind the back seat ).

Wiring it up was a pain in the a$$ like most newer cars... managed to get it all through the rubber boot with the main loom. All fitted up and working by about 11pm

Triton delilvered to "The Destroyer of Vehicles" ready for his first run heading south... He wont be going too far west and will be back on tomorrow night for the first service... After that he will head west and north and put it through its paces...

I tried to put a pic up but i have no idea what i am doing...
Can someone tell me how?

Cheers guys...

[MickFodor]

Quick Update...

Triton left Sydney on 26/10. Has since been close to Eden, through Jindabyne and last night out to Balranald...
According to thr driver... still going strong... apparently a huge improvement on the last victim/vehicle.
has done over nearly should break 4000 ks today sometime.
Looking forward to seeing for myself if there is any sign of damage...
It didn't take the hyundai long to show a lot of wear underneath...
The 4wd system is (for obvious reasons) a heap better than the hyundai...
Even with the HT tyres he has not been bogged...
Early days but looking good so far...

Can anyone tell me if there is any benefit servicing the triton at the stealership instead of using my mate at Ultratune? I just trust him a whole lot more...

I know that Hyundai extended the warranty but you needed to service it with them...

Thanks again guys.

[MickFodor]

Trying to get to pictures...
Hoping this is a pic of the new Triton...

[MickFodor]

Hmmm... Cropped like a bastard...
I need to upload smaller pics maybe?

[MickFodor]

Try that again

[4wd26]

first one works fine- just have to click the image for "full size"
little forum novelty

sounds like the triton is going well- no news to us. but hope it stays that way.

there are some threads on the servicing side of things- but from memory- you need to service the triton at MMA if you wish to maintain roadside assist and something about the extended warranty

[MickFodor]

Ah... I see...
Cheers mate...
I feel like a bloody technowizard!

[Cowboy Dave]

I think it is one visit p.a. to maintain the roadside service. Serviced to MMAL spec to keep warranty. Best to use genuine parts just in case. There may come a point where you need your book stamped to qualify for the extended warranty portion but I can't remember the detail of that. It is more a tick the box to qualify thing than getting it serviced at the 5 year mark to get 10 years or whatever it is.

The first 1500km service is free and not much more than a tyre kick but may as well have the dealer do that. Drop the oil and replace it as well I reckon (but that's just me).

I'd be taking it back to the dealer every year or so anyway just so that you get any hotfixes or ECU reflashes that come through every now and then.

[MickFodor]

The 1500 has already been done...
Report came back as "Wheels still on"...
This thing will be serviced every 15000 i think (correct me if i am wrong)... which should be every 4-6 weeks...
Last one averaged 10k per month... I dont want to bugger up the warranty but i know the local dealer couldn't organise a fart in a liquorice factory... We're talking about the same idiots that "serviced" that hyundai until its death not once mentioning that it was damaged until the driver hed to complain that the wheel allignment was out to buggery and "could no longer be fixed"...
I prefer ultratune because i trust him...

[Longranger1]

The first 1500km service is free and not much more than a tyre kick but may as well have the dealer do that. Drop the oil and replace it as well I reckon (but that's just me).

I'd be taking it back to the dealer every year or so anyway just so that you get any hotfixes or ECU reflashes that come through every now and then.

Definitely drop the engine oil, change the gearbox oil and rear diff oil at 1500km.

The Triton will thank you for it big time down the track.

[Cowboy Dave]

Wow. 15,000 every 4-6 weeks! That's some serious kms right there. At that rate yeah I'd stick with ultra-tune if you trust them as you say - the idea of letting a dealer have between 8 and 12 shots at stuffing it up each year doesn't bear contemplation.

[biggibbo]

With capped price servicing for the 1st 4 services, I would be inclined to use a dealer then switch over after the 60,000km, just dont take it to the dealer I use.

[MickFodor]

Triton is back in town...
Leaving again tomorrow...
Had a quick look and seems all good apart from some dust.

[MickFodor]

Crack in the ute body where the sports bar mounts???

The front mounts on both sides of the ute are both cracked.
Has anyone had this issue??
I am assuming corrugated roads had something to do with it...
There has been nothing in the back yet, nothing to tie onto it or anything...
Just weak mounting points by the way it sounded...

Bugger...

[ML-VR08]

Yeah mate, there are a few cases of this...

[MickFodor]

16000k Update.

Bashplates upgraded... Thanks Mitch @ Prestige Offroad...

Went back for the service this week and the Service Manager @ Parramatta has the shits about the sports bar mounts tearing away from the tub...

"Oh i've never seen anything like this..."

Wheel alignment was out 2.5 degrees.

Been through a lot of water (none over the knees though).
Clipped a baby roo with the new bash plate (Thanks again Mitch... held up real well... not a mark)
Came back to town on monday coated in red dust and still running well overall.

Parramatta Motor Group have since taken the sports bar off, taken pics etc and sent them off for warranty claim...

Apart from the piss weak sports bar mounts... she's holding up well...

Incidentally, the old hyundai is for sale up near newcastle...
Plate BWF-55X

http://www.klostermitsubishi.com.au/use ... X35_BWF55X

Dont touch this thing...

I even rang the dealer for a laugh and he was telling me... "perfect condition, never been on dirt roads, never been in an accident, i thought it was a dealer demo, great safe car for a new family"

What a lying sack of shit!

The underside of that car was almost beyond repair... The bumpers were torn off by the amount of mud it went through... They would not fix the damage to the suspension under warranty... Springs buggered, strut mounts bent, bushed gone, "protection plates" smashed through... Not to mention the front end had to be replaced after it hit a red roo just outside of Walgett...

If there is anyone @ kloster Mitsubishi on this site... i suggest you speak to the guys in used cars... Unless this thing has had a lot of repairs done since we traded it... you guys are likely to end up on "A Current Affair"

I'll try to keep this post going and see where it all ends up...