Mitsubishi L200 V - features of choosing a reliable Japanese pickup truck

SUVs made in Japan are very popular in Russia. But pickup trucks get only a fraction of it. Many people like cars of this class, but only a few buy them.


The thing is that pickups are working machines. In our country, this role is successfully performed by Gazelles. They are many times cheaper, have a higher carrying capacity, they are not a pity. We have a role for pickups to be transport for the management of serious construction companies or transportation of wealthy hunters and fishermen to fishing grounds.

The fifth generation Mitsubishi L200 is a real working Japanese-made pickup truck. It is devoid of the main drawback of similar equipment from the USA - the engine of the model is economical, diesel, and not V8 with a consumption of 20 liters of gasoline.



In the secondary market, a pickup truck costs from 1 rubles, and this is objectively not expensive. They want at least 500 million rubles for new copies, and if you also screw on additional dealers or special equipment (winch, rack jacks and other attributes for conquering off-road areas, you can not invest even 000 million rubles.

Body

Mitsubishi L200 V has been produced since 2015. The model was restyled, it is still being produced. Due to age, it is difficult to find a rusty copy - this is a Japanese car, they usually begin to rust in 10 years, not earlier.

Having met a Mitsubishi L200 with traces of corrosion on the body, you should be wary - this hints at an accident past. The only serious nuance is the steps. On early pre-styling versions, they were fastened with rivets. They constantly get on the steps, the rivets quickly loosened and began to hang out.

The manufacturer conducted a recall campaign, replacing the fasteners with bolts and nuts. Not all owners turned to services - so you need to pay attention to the steps. If they hang out, then there are rivets. There is nothing criminal - you should replace them with bolts yourself, but the price can be brought down.



There is a nuance that many pickup buyers forget about. In the city, carrying luggage in an open box is not the best idea. The presence of a kung can solve the problem, but it’s difficult to get something later - it’s easier to add the same purchases from stores to the back row.

When inspecting the car body, you need to pay special attention to the exhaust system. If it is rusty, then replacement can be a problem - the flange connections are corroded and “sticky”, you often have to cut it with a grinder.

Salon

In the fifth generation, the Mitsubishi L200 has become more "civilian". From a truck, he turned into an almost business class car. There was a leather interior in the richest trim levels, dual-zone climate control, heated steering wheel and mirrors. The Japanese realized that pickups in Russia are bought not for work, but as a transport for “pokatushki”.

Inside, the feeling that this is a passenger car, not a truck, does not leave. The salon has five full-fledged seats, although it is convenient for passengers up to 170 cm tall to ride on the second row. Yes, and in front of those who have grown more than 180 cm, it may be uncomfortable - before making a purchase decision, you need to test the driver's seat.

Engine

The fifth-generation Mitsubishi L200 has one engine - a 4N15 turbodiesel with a displacement of 2,4 liters. It develops a power of 154 hp. With. The power unit has been well studied since 2015 - it has shown itself to be reliable and trouble-free.

Of course, like any modern turbodiesel, the 4N15 engine will not tolerate diesel fuel drained from tractors and diesel locomotives for a long time. A motor with a timing chain, nursing at least 200 km, according to the owners.



The 4N15 engine has one drawback, which appeared due to the stringent requirements of environmental exhaust standards. This is an EGR valve that can fail unexpectedly. About 100 km, the system departs even on low-quality diesel fuel, and then - as lucky.

To muffle the EGR valve or not is a topic for a separate extensive article. It is better not to do this, but to carry out periodic diagnostics and clean the system if necessary.

Otherwise, a malfunction of the EGR may affect a number of problems:

✅ Loss of power
✅ Acceleration jerky
✅ Erratic idle
✅ High fuel consumption

The engine can be chip-tuned, after which instead of the standard 154 hp. With. power is removed in the region of 200 liters. With.

Трансмиссия

Gearboxes in the Mitsubishi L200 are found both mechanical and automatic. Despite the grumblings of Russian drivers that modern cars are not reliable, the Japanese pickup is all right with this.



There are no issues with the manual transmission at all. Automatic transmission needs only a periodic oil change every 80-100 thousand km. If you plan to frequently operate a pickup truck off-road, it is better to reduce this interval to 50.

The Japanese gearbox has a decent margin of safety - judging by the reviews of the Mitsubishi L200 owners, it can withstand the operation of a car with a trailer without any problems. There are no questions about the razdatka either, the main thing is not to forget to change the oil and there once every 45 km.



The task is not the easiest, especially for beginners - it is better to contact a specialized service where they deal with all-wheel drive SUVs. It is advisable to balance the cardan shaft after replacing or repairing the crosspieces.



The automatic transmissions of the Mitsubishi L200 V got rid of the problem of the previous generation - they do not fray the wires in the braid going to the automatic transmission. Japanese engineers clearly took note of the complaints of car owners and corrected their flaw.

Brakes and running gear

Stops Mitsubishi L200 V well. Brakes for a diesel engine with a volume of 2,4 liters are enough.

If a pickup starts to pull to the side during a sudden stop, you need to pay attention to the calipers. They are here only in front - behind drum brakes. To avoid problems, the calipers must also be serviced with each replacement of the pads.

There is a minus, which consists in finding parts when repairing the brake system. The original is expensive, it has always been difficult to find cheaper analogues, and now even more so. There is nothing strange about this - pickup trucks in Russia, as well as in Europe, are clearly not a hot commodity, so third-party manufacturers do not see the point in making spare parts for them.



You will have to buy only original spare parts - although there are analogues, they are not found in Russia. Unless you can order something through the forums with the help of other owners of the same pickups. It is difficult to say something about the cost of original parts, but earlier they asked for up to 30 rubles for the lower wishbone in front.

If the diagnostics show that everything is in order with the hodovka, you can safely operate the car for several years in the most severe conditions, nothing will happen to it. Problems during inspection are at least a reason to seriously reduce the price when buying. By the way, the owners are willing to bargain - pickups in Russia are not so popular as to lose a client.



Reliability Mitsubishi L200 V at a high level. This is an "old school" car - there will be a minimum of problems with it. Before buying, you should only be aware of whether you need a pickup truck at all.

This car is not for the city. As a family model, it will be inconvenient to use it - the back row is cramped. Parts prices are amazing too.

But if you need a pickup truck, then the Mitsubishi L200 V will suit this role. The car is reliable and economical.