Pajero NL 2.8 diesel

From memory, that is an "early tech diesel motor" - the KW rating might be a bit on the low side - do you have the figure ? You might end up wishing you had more like 110 + KW (like the modern 3.0 litres) if you are going to be towing.

go the petrol v6 for that kinda work old tech diesals are king in the bush but a pain in the burbs and they hate mums taxi style driving alot more than a petrol

Test drive both around town and I'll guarantee you go for the 3.5 petrol. They're chalk and cheese.

The 2.8 is definately no hotrod. The 3.5 in the NL is a twin cam 150KW job. Power to burn and reasonable fuel economy (14/15lt /100k) for a toey V6.
If you still favour a deisel, does the budget stretch to an NM/NP 3.2 DiD? That's an awsome deisel. Bags of power and typical deisel economy.

Cheers, John.

OK, I have a 1996 2.8td with 245,000k, my friend has a 1999 3.5l petrol with 136,000k.

We have similar driving styles so economy is relatively the same, both light on the throttle most of the time.

I get about 11l/100k around town, friend gets 12.5l/100k.

On the highway unloaded 10l/100k because I sit on 90/95, and it gets best economy at about 75/85 where max torque is, 9.5l/100k best ever at this speed.
He gets best economy at 100/110 of 11.5l/100, right on max torque again.
Add 1 to 2 l/100k for load and hiller country.
With the price of diesel now more expensive than petrol, we are about even.

Servicing costs.
I change oil every 5,000 (7l) and filter($32.00) every 10,000.
He changes oil and filter every 10,000, 6l I think.
Both have main drive belts to do every 100,000.
Diesel does injectors and glow plug service every 100,000.
Not sure with the petrol. He has titanium plugs every 100,000.
I just had my diesel pump seals done, not sure how long the fuel system on the petrol goes without work.
Not sure who gets the most engine life, supposedly the diesel, 350,00k plus until a major rebuild.

Driving.
Diesel has 92kw @ 4000rpm, about 300nm @ 1800 rpm, but turbo doesn't spin up until 1600rpm, so can be slow off the line.
3.5l has 300nm @ 3000rpm?, 135kw @ 5000rpm? not sure of exact figures.
But to drive, he drives in the 900 to 2000rpm range with more torque in the under 1500rpm. I drive in the 1500 to 2500rpm. His really storms in the 3000 to 6000 rpm range. Use 2500 to 3800 rpm for max power in the diesel.
Fstest run from central sydney to brisbane in the diesel was 10.5 hours, so they do go when you push them. Both handle reasonably well on the road. On standard suspension they lift the front inside wheel off the bitumen when cornering hard at 10/10s. At this stage most cars around you get jittery but it does keep up with a WRX running at 8/10s in the corners, but not on the straights:-). Setting up some negative on the front helps.

We both tow trailer sailers, my fathers is 2t plus, his is 1800kg on trailer.
Both seem to tow as well as each other using the torque, diesel may be slightly better having more torque in the 1800 to 3000 range. Diesel may get 10 to 20% better economy under load. 14/15l/100k compared to about 18l/100k.

We both do basically as you say. Wife often drives mine and no problems.
Used for touring out west. Not alot of beach work. Petrol does go better in soft sand. But then I don't an ECU and all of those electrics to go wrong.

Hope that is useful!