Manual V6 Midsize wagon

Hi Rohan

I am going to be totally independant here, buy a Jackaroo hahaha. Brought ours new early 2002 manual 3.5 v6 and has been fantastic. We did drive a challenger but were disapointed, may be due to the one we drove being auto. Anyway the Jack is great, very comphy and plently of get up and go. We regularly tow our 14ft tinnie to queensland (Fraser island) and across to kangaroo island, easily passes people whilst towing, don't know the boats there. Never had a drama on the beach and we are always loaded up. We have recently started going into the high country and no probs, last 2 time we had 6 people and a bbq in the Jack. The Jackaroo is stil in production, just not brought in OZ, new model was just released overseas.
cheers
Adam

I have not driven a challenger but can only assume it's the same 3.0V6 used in the earlier 90's pajero's, and magnas as well as the current Tritons. If so than it's not the strongest motor in the world, either in power terms or reliability terms. You'll probally get 200k out of it then need a some pretty serious work.
I've got a mate with a 91 V6 short wheelbase pajero and it goes really well, he's spent a fair bit on it as it's now down just over 200k. However my 3.0TD surf (with 50L water, fuel, recovery gear, passengers auto(not manual) etc etc can almost keep up with him on the road when he's giving it curry. Just to give you some idea of power my Surf has the same motor as your TD prado did, but without the intercooler giving me substantially less power than you would have had.
So in short I'm saying that your diesel Prado would possible whip the challanger power wise and use more fuel.

As far as the jack goes, they've been there done that, pretty well proven vehicle, would guzzel I would imagine and there have been some issues brought up recently on this forum regarding water ingestion into diffes, gearbox, bell housing etc etc.

I reckon they'd both do alright for what you want and both be pretty comfy, however the extra size would be handy in the Jack, and I would be thinkin that for a V6 the challenger might be a little on the slow side. (unjustifide comment of course).

Go and drive both.. see what you think

Also remember they dont make the jackaroo anymore, dont know if that will affect resale in yrs to come.

sheez, holden didnt even know they sold jackaroos for the last ten years !!!!!!!!!!!

Go the jack, v5 man is a weapon, very easy for anyone to drive, for $25000 you will find a real tidy unit that probably hasnt seen a dirt road, if you are going to tow with it then the jack has huge ventilated disks front and rear with big pads, have a look at the rear calipers and pads on a challenger, they are the smallest things i have seen on a 4x4. Plenty of room for kids too.

re the jack probs recently, there is a post where he admits it had a hell of a mud bathing and was grading the clay rut tops heavily with it, so i dont blame the vehicle. Yes its not as tough as a 75 series cruiser, but it is a hell of a lot more comfy. There was also a post regarding a mitsu rusting at 2 years old , with no backup..

Hyundai Terracan, Kia Sorento both use the same drivetrain as the 3.5 litre Pajeros, may be worth a look (both about $35K).

Another jack opinion, handles stuff pretty well. I've taken mine to Fraser Island & a couple of weeks a go to the Victorian High Country. Later this year doing a 2 month stint in the centre with camper trailer.

look here for some pics
link text

Cheers

Jackablue

Hi my first time...I have just recently bought suzuki xl-7
for reasons of fuel economy.. every day use...weekends on the beach
I weighed up options of prado. explorer. pajero. surf wanting h/l range
suzuki appealed for its well documented 4wd capabilities.

I have had it out once since purchase 31/12/04 port kennedy beach rockingham
super impressed with its capabilities it is 2003 current spec auto with the lot
looking forward to more experience
godden1