Shoguns gone
‘An old-school 4x4: simple, honest, reliable’
My trusty Disco Td5, hasn’t been quite so trustworthy of late. With reluctance, I’ve been looking for a replacement towcar-cum-dog kennel. Infuriatingly, Land Rover replaced the rugged original Discovery with a complicated lifestyle bus in 2004. All I need is an old school 4x4: simple, reliable, honest. No bling, no complex electrics, just an automotive shire horse.
My search led me to the stone-age Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 LWB. Tony Blair was still a wannabe PM when this Japanese truck last received a facelift and you can still buy them new, if you’re so inclined. What’s more, they are good value. However, used is what we’re here for.
Lex Autolease was holding an online sale at BCA and were showing two Shoguns which fell exactly into my search criteria: a 12/62 and a 13/13 registered. Both were LWB diesel autos equipped in mid-range SG3 spec – actually the smart-money model – and finished in inoffensive silver. What was unusual was their mileages: 161,000 and 177,000 respectively. They’d actually been Highways Agency vehicles, which meant they’d not really done as much work as their interstellar mileages would suggest. The life of a working vehicle doesn’t get much easier than cruising the motorways around the clock at 60mph.
The AA mechanical report and the BCA condition report threw up precious little to be concerned about and much to be joyful about. Both had FSH with new, branded tyres all around. No signs of wear nor tear. The body and trim were unaffected by the high-viz spots and stripes thanks to a thoughtful application, while the interior trim was as-new despite being loaded with road-closing kit.
CAP couldn’t value them and Glass’s suggested £8000, but BCA knew their game. You could ‘Buy Them Now’ for £11,700 or £12,500, with the newer, higher-mileage car commanding the premium. I thought this price overly optimistic right up until they sold outright. Somebody clicked the button and bought them digitally before they could even go under the hammer.
All of which suggests these cars are as reliable as their reputation would have you believe. It also means they are incredibly easy to clock as they simply don’t show their history, no matter how gruelling. My search continues...