Greetings from Florida
Hello everyone! Just joined as I have just purchased an iO to replace my Pajero Mini and wanted to learn more about these vehicles. Was able to score it at $3900 total with shipping and it only has 145000 km (~90000 mi). It's set to arrive from Japan next month, so if anyone knows anything out of the ordinary that I should rush to check when it arrives I'd be greatly appreciative.
The ultimate plan for the car is going to be an overland-style build, hoping to get it to look like a good old-fashioned Pajero.
Syndicate
Welcome.
Forgive me for being outspoken, but, maybe you can help me understand this - why would anyone want to import a Pajero iO (or a Pajero Mini) into the US?
Because the iO was never offered in the US market, finding spares, service documentation & experienced mechanics presents a challenge that would not exist with say a Suzuki Sidekick or Vitara - something as simple as spark plugs are unlikely to be readily available - and the Sidekick or Vitara are just as capable as the iO, in fact I think they have the edge, especially if you're going to go after an overland build, there's going to be more "off the shelf" stuff available.
I've owned both the Suzuki Vitara and the Mitsubishi Pajero iO, during the same time period, I bought the Vitara first and still have it, the Pajero came later and was sold just about two years ago, at a point where I was becoming increasingly concerned about reliability and continuing availability of spares, and this I might add is in a country where we do have a Mitsubishi dealership who did import & sell the Pajero iO.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great little vehicle and I thoroughly enjoyed owning & driving it, but my time with it was not troublefree - the challenges I experienced are documented in these forums.
What to look for - if you don't know the history of the cambelt, replace it sooner rather than later, get a good quality replacement, Gates or OEM, and replace the idler & tensioner pulleys and the water pump, which is driven by the cam belt, whilst you're in there. The GDI engines do carbon up the intakes - I removed the intake on mine and the soot that came out was literally unbelievable, CRCs GDI intake valve cleaner can be used to help keep it clean, consider blanking the EGR passage if that is an option where you are.
The GDI engines use a specific "surface discharge" spark plug that I've never been able to find in the US, they seem to have a lifespan of about six months to a year (they don't stop working, but fresh plugs have a noticeable performance boost) - I learned to keep a set of spark plugs, plug wrench - you need a thin wall spark plug socket and an extension, because the plugs are buried deep in the head - and a spare ignition coil in the back - I think I went through four or five coils in the ten years I had the vehicle.
What part of Florida are you in?