[Commando]

The 1AZ-FE don't have any real issue... nothing to be afraid. The timing chain is good for life, your'e not supposed to change it (on a Toyota engine). I've seen many RAV4.2 between 300-400,000 km on the clock. Mine is at 280,000 km and still run great! If you can't afford to put gas in a 2.4L; just forget the diesel... too much reliability issues and cost of maintenance is too high.

 

[bdavid]

The 1AZ-FE don't have any real issue... nothing to be afraid. The timing chain is good for life, your'e not supposed to change it (on a Toyota engine). Forget the diesel... too much reliability issues and cost of maintenance is too high.

Thank you very much, really great to hear I can be worry-free about the engine and the timing chain!
So this confirms what the other sources say about the diesels from this generation...

I have not bought the 2 door 2001 4.2 yet because I found out there will be a complicated and slow process in getting the license plates for it... some issues with the documentation that I hope will be sorted out soon, but if not...
The locking central differential makes me still interested in a 4.1. On the other hand videos like this show that it might make not so much of a difference in real world driving (?)

I think this link has been posted elsewhere on the forum, but with the help of Google Translate I was able to understand the 4.2 in the video has VSC, TRC and viscous-coupled centre diff. Could those features be the deciding factor, or it was just the momentum that made the difference?

Also, guilty as charged, but I am also tempted to get a Pinin with the super select gearbox (lets you choose between 2WD, AWD (open center diff), 4WD (locked center diff), 4WD LOCK with low range). Any opinion?
Thanks again!

 

[Commando]

The Pajero is for sure a better off-roader than a RAV4.