Why buy a Triton?

[adzy]

G'day guys.
I'm currently in the marker for a dual cab and have ruled out the D40 and current Ranger due to quality/reliability issues.
I am down to Dmax or Triton yet after studying the forums I can't believe the amount of expected issues that the Tritons have! The main benefit of course is the ten grand saving in my pocket.
My question is are the Tritons really that bad or are they just 'Friday' cars that have the issues?
My main priorities are strong engine and driveline.. Dull interior doesn't bother me.
I would go a 2014 manual and hope that third synchro doesn't die, fit catch can block egr also.
Any opinions appreciated guys, cheers.

[kouta666]

Dmax forums talk about an issue with the chassis cracking

[Geoff3DMN]

My ute is a 2012 MN dual cab, it's had no issues in 45,000 kms. We have 2 Tritons at my small business also. 1 is a 2012 with 25,000 kms (no issues) and 1 is a 2015 (no issues but it's almost new).

It's natural to read a forum and see problems because people complain when something goes wrong and don't mention it when nothing goes wrong.

The MN Triton is basic and a bit dated but it's unbeatable value for a new ute, there is nothing at a similar cost that will do the same job and as a small business person that means my bottom line is healthier.

Would I buy another one? Well yeah I recently did...

[kouta666]

I love my Triton. It's a 2008 ML. Bought with 80k on the clock, now has 113k. Only issue I've had has been Carbon build up related. Replaced the EGR valve then the manifold then blanked. Perfect now.

Stock tyres were rubbish. I was sliding all over the place in the wet. Since gone to 265/70/17 Hankook Dynopro MT. I stick to the road like glue now, no road noise, a little lift and a more aggressive appearance.

Lot's of guys here have done way over 200k. So I reckon they're pretty reliable.

[AnOldFart]

G'day guys.
I'm currently in the marker for a dual cab and have ruled out the D40 and current Ranger due to quality/reliability issues.
I am down to Dmax or Triton yet after studying the forums I can't believe the amount of expected issues that the Tritons have! The main benefit of course is the ten grand saving in my pocket.
My question is are the Tritons really that bad or are they just 'Friday' cars that have the issues?
My main priorities are strong engine and driveline.. Dull interior doesn't bother me.
I would go a 2014 manual and hope that third synchro doesn't die, fit catch can block egr also.
Any opinions appreciated guys, cheers.

Ask yourself, would MMAL (Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited) provide a 5 year /10 year Driveline warranty and capped price servicing on these Triton Utes -and- back up that warranty including -un-argued- complete engine replacements, as witnessed on here, if they, as a company, or their vehicles, were in any way 'shonky'....?
Keep that rock solid MMAL warranty in mind and don't be frightened by the issues raised by members on this forum as that is just typical of what forums like this are intended to address ie, to provide answers and guidance from experienced Triton owners to other newbies who are seeking help with any problems they might encounter.
If you read any other marque's Ute forums I'm sure that you'll find it to be exactly the same on there as well ie, filled by people all moaning about their problems, not all singing dancing and shouting Hallelujah about how wonderful their vehicles are....
$$ for $$ I personally think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Ute available in Australia than the Triton, with a better warranty, and certainly, with a better owner's support forum than this one....

[adzy]

Cheers guys.
I understand you hear mostly bad stories on forums as I always study up on forums before purchasing; no stranger to the forums. I just found much more negatives toward Tritons than the Dmax; however the price point must be kept in mind also I guess.
One things for sure is that this forum seems to have every single little potential issue sorted out and explained in detail which is awesome!
Will go drive one this week to have a suss.

[biggibbo]

G'day guys.
I'm currently in the marker for a dual cab and have ruled out the D40 and current Ranger due to quality/reliability issues.
I am down to Dmax or Triton yet after studying the forums I can't believe the amount of expected issues that the Tritons have! The main benefit of course is the ten grand saving in my pocket.
My question is are the Tritons really that bad or are they just 'Friday' cars that have the issues?
My main priorities are strong engine and driveline.. Dull interior doesn't bother me.
I would go a 2014 manual and hope that third synchro doesn't die, fit catch can block egr also.
Any opinions appreciated guys, cheers.

Ask yourself, would MMAL (Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited) provide a 5 year /10 year Driveline warranty and capped price servicing on these Triton Utes -and- back up that warranty including -un-argued- complete engine replacements, as witnessed on here, if they, as a company, or their vehicles, were in any way 'shonky'....?
Keep that rock solid MMAL warranty in mind and don't be frightened by the issues raised by members on this forum as that is just typical of what forums like this are intended to address ie, to provide answers and guidance from experienced Triton owners to other newbies who are seeking help with any problems they might encounter.
If you read any other marque's Ute forums I'm sure that you'll find it to be exactly the same on there as well ie, filled by people all moaning about their problems, not all singing dancing and shouting Hallelujah about how wonderful their vehicles are....
$$ for $$ I personally think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Ute available in Australia than the Triton, with a better warranty, and certainly, with a better owner's support forum than this one....

The fact they changed to 5 yr/130,000 warranty on MN's since 2014 tells me they got burned on the 10yr 160,000 and maybe don't believe in the product as much as they used to.

My ute has been one of the Friday specials with a litany of issues over the years to the point I will never consider another triton. Yes the warranty back up from mitsibishi was great, however they are sadly let down by the quality of workmanship and knowledge at some of their dealers.

I think its sad that we all accept dodgy gear boxes, turbo's, SRS wiring, overheating motors, dodgy software, blocked manifolds, crap paint, horrid lag etc..... and then defend Mitsibishi because we paid $10K less for our trucks. The MN has been a dog of a vehicle, and I think the manufacturer realized it.

The real problem is what do we replace them with? I would like a Ranger, but it seems like they are all having issues as well.

I am unfortunately stuck with mine for the foreseeable future, however when it dies I think it may be time to consider a big wagon that seems relatively trouble free when compared to every other 4wd on the market. Unfortunately they come at a huge cost, but I guess you get what you pay for.

[GLX58]

G'day guys.
I'm currently in the marker for a dual cab and have ruled out the D40 and current Ranger due to quality/reliability issues.
I am down to Dmax or Triton yet after studying the forums I can't believe the amount of expected issues that the Tritons have! The main benefit of course is the ten grand saving in my pocket.
My question is are the Tritons really that bad or are they just 'Friday' cars that have the issues?
My main priorities are strong engine and driveline.. Dull interior doesn't bother me.
I would go a 2014 manual and hope that third synchro doesn't die, fit catch can block egr also.
Any opinions appreciated guys, cheers.

Ask yourself, would MMAL (Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited) provide a 5 year /10 year Driveline warranty and capped price servicing on these Triton Utes -and- back up that warranty including -un-argued- complete engine replacements, as witnessed on here, if they, as a company, or their vehicles, were in any way 'shonky'....?
Keep that rock solid MMAL warranty in mind and don't be frightened by the issues raised by members on this forum as that is just typical of what forums like this are intended to address ie, to provide answers and guidance from experienced Triton owners to other newbies who are seeking help with any problems they might encounter.
If you read any other marque's Ute forums I'm sure that you'll find it to be exactly the same on there as well ie, filled by people all moaning about their problems, not all singing dancing and shouting Hallelujah about how wonderful their vehicles are....
$$ for $$ I personally think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Ute available in Australia than the Triton, with a better warranty, and certainly, with a better owner's support forum than this one....

The fact they changed to 5 yr/130,000 warranty on MN's since 2014 tells me they got burned on the 10yr 160,000 and maybe don't believe in the product as much as they used to.

My ute has been one of the Friday specials with a litany of issues over the years to the point I will never consider another triton. Yes the warranty back up from mitsibishi was great, however they are sadly let down by the quality of workmanship and knowledge at some of their dealers.

I think its sad that we all accept dodgy gear boxes, turbo's, SRS wiring, overheating motors, dodgy software, blocked manifolds, crap paint, horrid lag etc..... and then defend Mitsibishi because we paid $10K less for our trucks. The MN has been a dog of a vehicle, and I think the manufacturer realized it.

The real problem is what do we replace them with? I would like a Ranger, but it seems like they are all having issues as well.

I am unfortunately stuck with mine for the foreseeable future, however when it dies I think it may be time to consider a big wagon that seems relatively trouble free when compared to every other 4wd on the market. Unfortunately they come at a huge cost, but I guess you get what you pay for.

As you seem to know anyway always drive before you buy.

Ok so, you've got a good response above from somebody who sadly got a 'Friday special'.

What are your specific concerns you seem to have? Sadly all cars have issues, and all dual cabs in particular seem to have more. Some (albeit apparently uncommon) problems with other brand utes even include catching fire and severe engine failures. All modern diesels pretty much need an EGR blank. The biggest 'issue' the MN triton has had is the engine 'service' campaign to identify some dodgy engine blocks some numpty screwed up at the factory. Not good in any way but mitsu have actively sought to weed out all examples and will do a full engine replacement if identified, even if out of warranty.

The reduction in warranty could indeed be as they realised the MN may have some more reliability issues down track (new engine in the MN), or it may be as somebody at head office simply said, we get little benefit from this and it is costing us too much (which does not mean the cars are less reliable than anything else) their reason at the time was allegedly due to 'very low take up'. I'd also point out that I'm pretty sure they dropped the warranty on other models (all that had it), not just the triton...

personally, I find it very very easy to feel good with the $10k extra in my pocket as 2 years on I have had literally zero actual problems (only some fitment issues from the dealer rushing some basic accessories, which got fixed), so bigibbos unfortunate list of woe doesn't apply to me other than the thin paint (affects other thai built utes anyway), and I just drive around the lag, it's not hard particularly with a manual.

In all honesty, other then the fact the MN is dated compared to it's counterparts (more simple interior, more agricultural, more noticeable lag) I see next to zero difference in terms of capability and reliability (actually, a caveat here, I have heard nightmare stories on the colorado, I would never buy a colorado ). Yes, if a dmax was only 2k more I probably would have bought one of them instead. If a ranger was only 4-5k more i probably would have bought one of them.

So I struggle to see what else to buy to avoid 'quality/deisel issues' other than a used japanese built 4wd wagon like a petrol landcruiser (and pay for the big fuel bill) or maybe a good condition used petrol hilux (still built in thailand so prob still some qaulity issues).

[Calies99]

Well I just put my money down on a diesel twin cab with the 5 speed manual. $29990 drive away I just couldn't find anything else to match it dollar for dollar for a new car.

[Robby]

Why buy a triton, for me it's simple I still smile every time I turn the key .

Cheers Robby

[adzy]

Yes most cars have problems but some have many and problems that are just unacceptable IMO.
Problems that I have heard about for the triton are: cracked head, blown motor, premature turbo failure, jatco gearbox problems, 2nd and 3rd syncro, overheating, front end issues, air bag failure in accidents, blocked inlet manifold and also fit finish and wiring issues.
It really does seem that it is only a select few cars that have all the issues which is somewhat comforting; in a Russian roulette kinda way!
Most cars also have one good gearbox and one shit gearbox but the triton has issues with both which bothers me, maybe the manual synchro issue was resolved after around 2013 it may seem?
My mind is not made up, it is good to hear of peoples own experiences with the triton though... god I wish they had a better auto though like the aisin 5spd.

[cruiser53]

For those of you who list all the faults with the Triton then what four wheel drive would you suggest?
I personally have owned Landcruisers for the past 38 years and each one has been completely trouble free but I cannot afford another. I chose a new Triton, it is comfortable, drives well, has plenty of power and the fuel economy is exceptional. Longlivity is yet to be determined and I don't expect it to be as good as my previous Landcruisers (I could buy 3 Tritons for the price of a LandcruiserI)
What would you guys suggest I should have brought? I have heard bad reports about Navara, Rangers are far too expensive, Landrovers have a bad reputation for reliability, Hilux and BT 50 most probably not much different to the Triton but mor expensive, Amarok seems to apeal more to those who think they are getting something better but I don't think they are better. Umm I think the Triton wins but what do you think???

[Naff]

Problems that I have heard about for the triton are: cracked head, blown motor, premature turbo failure, jatco gearbox problems, 2nd and 3rd syncro, overheating, front end issues, air bag failure in accidents, blocked inlet manifold and also fit finish and wiring issues.

Are other manufacturer car dealers feeding you this? The only one that is a known common problem is the blocked inlet manifold.

[adzy]

For those of you who list all the faults with the Triton then what four wheel drive would you suggest?
I personally have owned Landcruisers for the past 38 years and each one has been completely trouble free but I cannot afford another. I chose a new Triton, it is comfortable, drives well, has plenty of power and the fuel economy is exceptional. Longlivity is yet to be determined and I don't expect it to be as good as my previous Landcruisers (I could buy 3 Tritons for the price of a LandcruiserI)
What would you guys suggest I should have brought? I have heard bad reports about Navara, Rangers are far too expensive, Landrovers have a bad reputation for reliability, Hilux and BT 50 most probably not much different to the Triton but mor expensive, Amarok seems to apeal more to those who think they are getting something better but I don't think they are better. Umm I think the Triton wins but what do you think???

And a good point; which is why I'm looking at Tritons, the price.
If I had big dollars to burn I would be grabbing a 70 GXL.

[adzy]

Problems that I have heard about for the triton are: cracked head, blown motor, premature turbo failure, jatco gearbox problems, 2nd and 3rd syncro, overheating, front end issues, air bag failure in accidents, blocked inlet manifold and also fit finish and wiring issues.

Are other manufacturer car dealers feeding you this? The only one that is a known common problem is the blocked inlet manifold.

Lol I would never listen to a car salesman.. forums and product review.com also work mates.

[Naff]

Triton forums? Do your work mates own hiluxes? Seriously, you're getting the wrong information.

[Cowboy Dave]

Actually a lot of those are reasonably well known issues. I'd disagree on the front end problems, whatever that means and I've never heard of an airbag failing in an accident in a triton, although there have been faulty looms being replaced under warranty.

But we're still talking relatively low percentages and for most of those items Mitsubishi has been fixing them under warranty with minimal drama. Compare that to the hilux owners with shot injectors who routinely get told they're shit outta luck and the problem must be bad fuel.

[Derwent]

My reason for coming down to a decision that I will almost certainly buy an ML soon is from a few factors.
I can't afford new, but looking for late model.

Hilux is waaaay overpriced. Has issues with VGT turbo dying ($$$$$$) as well as injectors dying early, and injector seals leaking exhaust gas into the oil leading to clogged oil pump inlet and blown motor. Everything on them is expensive. LSDs don't last long on them either. Nice to drive but a bundle of expensive headaches.

Rodeo I hated at first drive. Haven't even bothered with Colorado....

Ranger....the new ones I hear far too many tales of engine blow ups. The previous 3 litre one is nice to drive and more reliable, but I'm still wary of the troubles that plagued Couriers from blowing gearboxes to cracking heads and I didn't fall in love with the drive experience.

BT50 see above.

Great Wall I drove for a laugh...and felt like crying! Hard to believe something so shit can be sold here....

Triton....I've driven MK, MN and the new MQ...each one was bloody good to drive with the exception that I hate the MN engine...I am yet to track down a local ML to drive but if like I am told it is an MN with more torque, then it will be just what I want.

Ranger might look better...Hilux will have better resale and a tad nicer to drive...Amarok is just gorgeous...but NOTHING I have found out there can match the triton for all round value and being almost the best at everything....so that is why I have pretty much stopped liking at anything else and will be seeking out a really nice Triton.

[Stoneman]

G'day guys.
I'm currently in the marker for a dual cab and have ruled out the D40 and current Ranger due to quality/reliability issues.
I am down to Dmax or Triton yet after studying the forums I can't believe the amount of expected issues that the Tritons have! The main benefit of course is the ten grand saving in my pocket.
My question is are the Tritons really that bad or are they just 'Friday' cars that have the issues?
My main priorities are strong engine and driveline.. Dull interior doesn't bother me.
I would go a 2014 manual and hope that third synchro doesn't die, fit catch can block egr also.
Any opinions appreciated guys, cheers.

Ask yourself, would MMAL (Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited) provide a 5 year /10 year Driveline warranty and capped price servicing on these Triton Utes -and- back up that warranty including -un-argued- complete engine replacements, as witnessed on here, if they, as a company, or their vehicles, were in any way 'shonky'....?
Keep that rock solid MMAL warranty in mind and don't be frightened by the issues raised by members on this forum as that is just typical of what forums like this are intended to address ie, to provide answers and guidance from experienced Triton owners to other newbies who are seeking help with any problems they might encounter.
If you read any other marque's Ute forums I'm sure that you'll find it to be exactly the same on there as well ie, filled by people all moaning about their problems, not all singing dancing and shouting Hallelujah about how wonderful their vehicles are....
$$ for $$ I personally think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Ute available in Australia than the Triton, with a better warranty, and certainly, with a better owner's support forum than this one....

The fact they changed to 5 yr/130,000 warranty on MN's since 2014 tells me they got burned on the 10yr 160,000 and maybe don't believe in the product as much as they used to.

My ute has been one of the Friday specials with a litany of issues over the years to the point I will never consider another triton. Yes the warranty back up from mitsibishi was great, however they are sadly let down by the quality of workmanship and knowledge at some of their dealers.

I think its sad that we all accept dodgy gear boxes, turbo's, SRS wiring, overheating motors, dodgy software, blocked manifolds, crap paint, horrid lag etc..... and then defend Mitsibishi because we paid $10K less for our trucks. The MN has been a dog of a vehicle, and I think the manufacturer realized it.

The real problem is what do we replace them with? I would like a Ranger, but it seems like they are all having issues as well.

I am unfortunately stuck with mine for the foreseeable future, however when it dies I think it may be time to consider a big wagon that seems relatively trouble free when compared to every other 4wd on the market. Unfortunately they come at a huge cost, but I guess you get what you pay for.

I agree

I also think it's sad we accept poor quality.

[Naff]

Very low percentages.. My point being that the occurrence of these problems aren't enough for a large audience to know about and that it's more an issue of "I know a guy who knew a guy who had a problem with his Triton" and therefore it must apply to all Tritons and you can bet it's coming from a disgruntled hilux driver that paid 100% more for their ute.

[biggibbo]

Yep. Some people get lucky and never have a problem.

Saying that I know atleast 8 people who have had their turbos replaced and manual gearboxes replaced or repaired out of about 15 people with MN's and a few are regulars here in the forum. The fact the mitsi is running a service campaign on nearly every MN triton up till 2014 to check for crap engine blocks and installing software etc for the cooling system says a lot about the quality of the MN. Those percentages are pretty poor I reckon.

I have loved my Triton, it just doesn't love me back. The dealers workshops are generally useless. There's no fixing stuff anymore. It's just replace parts, and when it comes to the tougher jobs like gearboxes, and clutches etc, they really show they don't know what they are doing. My gearbox was pulled out 5 times by the dealers, and still to this day (2 1/2 years later) oil still leaks out the top of the box. My new mechanic tells me the gasket at the top of the box was never sealed properly.

My next rig will be a landcruiser. Just need to win the lotto.

[RHKTriton]

I found out that the original ten year warranty cost a $300 premium on each vehicle. The dealers wanted to be more competitive and gave up the extended warranty for cheaper buy price.

If your not worried about having heaps of tech in a vehicle the new mq triton looks a pretty good package. Losing the fast glass at the back has got to be a cost cutting exercise, as is recycling some of the chassis and floor.

Ultimately if you're not totally enthused with a triton, don't buy it.

My ml has cracked 160k, over six years old, got over 140k out of front brakes, rears due to be done. Best value vehicle I've had so far!

[bodia]

There seems to be a whole lot of Mitsubishi dealer bagging going on which I don't really get. I used to have a commodore and a rodeo and I had a barny with almost every holden dealership in perth so I changed to ultra tune for servicing. Since I bought a triton I have been extremely impressed with the dealership servicing and I have dealt with 4 so far (80,000 on my first MN and 15,000 on my second). Very impressed with the servicing and find the cost is similar to ultratune. As far as vehicles go I had the rodeo previously which I rate extremely highly due to the Isuzu running gear. On that vehicle I had some chassis error codes up that were still there when I traded. On my two tritons haven't had an issue yet. Would both vehicles still be running at 300,000 kms? not sure but I would probably have a little more faith in the Isuzu. But and its a big but I didn't need to find out about the longevity as I changed the triton over at 80,000 because of the ridiculous change over price!! I had die hard (hilux, ranger, landcuriser you name it) people telling me it couldn't be true and the numbers were wrong!! And then I got paint and towbar thrown in for the same changeover price!! I think of it as a little like insurance, pay a lot more to get a hilux and you may be a couple more % less likely to have an issue but you are paying a lot more for that realistically 1 or 2%!!

[bodia]

Oh and of my mates they have:
- 2011 BT50 catastrophic failure of the engine. Currently with Mazda and out of warranty
- 2012 (he told me its just out of 3 year warranty) hilux needed a new fuel pump and alternator $4,500
- New landcruiser v8 ute just needed injectors at 60k
- New v8 200 series trading because too many items to list
Seems like everyone I know with a diesel has issues and only my mates with old 3.0L navara and 4.2 patrol still going strong

[RHKTriton]

I found out that the original ten year warranty cost a $300 premium on each vehicle. The dealers wanted to be more competitive and gave up the extended warranty for cheaper buy price.

If your not worried about having heaps of tech in a vehicle the new mq triton looks a pretty good package. Losing the fast glass at the back has got to be a cost cutting exercise, as is recycling some of the chassis and floor.

Ultimately if you're not totally enthused with a triton, don't buy it.

My ml has cracked 160k, over six years old, got over 140k out of front brakes, rears due to be done. Best value vehicle I've had so far!