I own a 1.8 GDI for about 6 years. The biggest issue you get are power, electrical and idling issues. Rust is a problem after 200k, especially on the frame below and doors. Bad Hinges cause rattling, Catalitic convert goes out after 150k miles. The way the driver side door is constructed, you will get leaks near the electrical under the dash. Radiator also gets rusted out, mine is currently gone. Loss of power climbing heals and always check you timing belt. The biggest issue I got on this vehicle is the transmission module which is located under the cup holders. Fluid can get in there and cause you to go into limp mode. Everything goes crazy, you pedal sensor, throttle body, and the computer gives false readings. They are great 4x4s and good for going on trails but as a daily driver I wouldn't recommend. I would have loved an MPI over the GDI.
_We, in Brazil, love this car so much, so much so that we were the last country in the world to manufacture it under the name 'TR4' in 2015; Thanks for sharing._ _🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷_
These GDI cars are discounted into the ground at auction here in Japan, often to below 100,000 yen. At around 100,000 km the stems of the ignition packs start to fail. You notice this when the engine starts to run on three cylinders and the Check Engine light comes on. The stem starts to arc where it connects to the spark plug. Easy to find which cylinder is at fault and change the stem (or the transformer/stem from a doner). You'd be smart to discard that pointless plastic engine cover. Same goes for that flimsy under engine shield, side benefit is that you will improve engine cooling. That spare wheel cover can go too. Who wants to struggle with that on a dark wet night? The cambelt recommend life is 100,000 km (not 60,000 km). In fact scrapping at 100,000 km is a smart move to side-step injection issues. Also a timing belt change will set you back some 40,000 yen. When buying make sure the horn works and you have no O2 issues. Fuel economy is poor, I struggle to get 10 km/litre. The difflock setting is great for compressed uphill snow. You might want to use the automatic for off-road driving so you can keep both your hands on the wheel all the time. But unlike a Subaru, you can't handbrake it round hairpins. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
Bought a GDI last year, had alot of issues such as rust, idle, engine power and minor drivetrain and suspension issues. Fixed all of it over the time but even when most was not functioning properly this beast got me up any kind of terain and to this day it defeats many expensive off road vehichles. If you know this car it can be maintained and driven like any other it just isn't for those who are technicly handicaped or are afraid to get thier hands dirty. Love the car for the money for sure however i am building a new pajero GDI in wich i will swap the engine to gain power en lessen the maintenance yet still make use of the amazing 4x4 super select system.
Just bought one a few month ago and been doing a lot of rust repair, i've bought mine 2500€ with 120k KM (1.8 MPI 114 HP 4X4 all time). Be carefull of the front gasket shield when you remove it there is a chassis part under the radiator / fan which can be crusty and rusty due to the fact that water /... stay between the shield and the chassis. (i've done mine only cost 40€ of ferose which is a rust converter and some Hammerite which is anti-rust painting for outdoor iron) Front trust support / chair a LOT of pinin (mine too) gets rusty at those spot near the strut head only way to solve this is to brush all the paint, and weld to fix the holes and paint it again.. (cost for mine 2200€ by a pro) Check the fuel pipe those pipes goes under the right rear wheel (for mine) and those car easily get pierced because dirt /... stay between them resulting into a leaking fuel system. Lambda sensor problem you need to buy a diagnostic soft to check eventually some of your lambda gonna fails that was the case for mine too. Another spot for rust are the rear mud flaps ? idk the real name, but dirt gets stucks between the rear end and the wheel arch resulting in rust. Be carefull the filling and draining bolt for the tranmission / axle are really weak and can crack EASILY (mine got it too fixed the leak by adding quick steel + motor sealant on the bolt sealant like for gasket seal) Mine got a small transmission sound like a round sound while driving i do believe this is normal (after 2500rpm) because it's a AWD so i think it's juste the tranmission sound.. From what i've head GDI tend to get cloged and get rough idling if you got that problem try clearing the throttle body it's a fix 90% of the times. I've tried doing myself the cam belt + water pump(since this need to be done each 5 YRS or 90k km) but quickly abandon it since all the bolt were locked i couldn't even get the alternator belt of the axle a the back of it is locked even with W40, so a booked a mechanist to go it with an elevator he should have enough space than me on the floor and still he can heat to bolt to get it out, mine use a 116 teeth belt and the 2l gdi a 156 i believe be carefull while buying them. Rust is the major problem for them everything is stuck with rust or dirt first time trying to do mechanics on a 4x4 i won't buy one anymore everything is simple but you're stuck at every bolt.. Been spending 3 days to do my front brake pads everything was rusty and the caliper were rusty (it should've been in grease..) so i needed to heat the bolt to get them out and buy new ones.. Reminder for un in Europe part are rare and quite costly if you manage to find some it's quite a pain.. And tires are costly too here in trance BF Goodrich A/T for this model 215/65/16 around 200€ each.
Mine is from 1998 with 240k km, bought on 2019 and had to replace throttle body in 2023. One day engine lamp turned on and I had to remove and reinsert body sensor every 4-5 stops. I found a used body from Spain. Now engine is starting to make rattling noise, we'll see.
I've been considering acquiring a used IO... But I've heard numerous complaints about a terrible consumption of upto 5kmpl... Would you recommend? Also... Is it possible to buy one and change the engine to an ordinary 1.5L toyota engine?
I own a 1.8 GDI for about 6 years. The biggest issue you get are power, electrical and idling issues. Rust is a problem after 200k, especially on the frame below and doors. Bad Hinges cause rattling, Catalitic convert goes out after 150k miles. The way the driver side door is constructed, you will get leaks near the electrical under the dash. Radiator also gets rusted out, mine is currently gone. Loss of power climbing heals and always check you timing belt. The biggest issue I got on this vehicle is the transmission module which is located under the cup holders. Fluid can get in there and cause you to go into limp mode. Everything goes crazy, you pedal sensor, throttle body, and the computer gives false readings. They are great 4x4s and good for going on trails but as a daily driver I wouldn't recommend. I would have loved an MPI over the GDI.
_We, in Brazil, love this car so much, so much so that we were the last country in the world to manufacture it under the name 'TR4' in 2015; Thanks for sharing._
_🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷_
These GDI cars are discounted into the ground at auction here in Japan, often to below 100,000 yen. At around 100,000 km the stems of the ignition packs start to fail. You notice this when the engine starts to run on three cylinders and the Check Engine light comes on. The stem starts to arc where it connects to the spark plug. Easy to find which cylinder is at fault and change the stem (or the transformer/stem from a doner). You'd be smart to discard that pointless plastic engine cover. Same goes for that flimsy under engine shield, side benefit is that you will improve engine cooling. That spare wheel cover can go too. Who wants to struggle with that on a dark wet night? The cambelt recommend life is 100,000 km (not 60,000 km). In fact scrapping at 100,000 km is a smart move to side-step injection issues. Also a timing belt change will set you back some 40,000 yen.
When buying make sure the horn works and you have no O2 issues.
Fuel economy is poor, I struggle to get 10 km/litre.
The difflock setting is great for compressed uphill snow. You might want to use the automatic for off-road driving so you can keep both your hands on the wheel all the time. But unlike a Subaru, you can't handbrake it round hairpins.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
Very well explained. I was just this close to buying one. But was warned and small research brought me to your video. Thanks
This is the most reliable car I have ever owned. Its 98 model and I ve done 342k km. No major issues.
Bought a GDI last year, had alot of issues such as rust, idle, engine power and minor drivetrain and suspension issues. Fixed all of it over the time but even when most was not functioning properly this beast got me up any kind of terain and to this day it defeats many expensive off road vehichles. If you know this car it can be maintained and driven like any other it just isn't for those who are technicly handicaped or are afraid to get thier hands dirty. Love the car for the money for sure however i am building a new pajero GDI in wich i will swap the engine to gain power en lessen the maintenance yet still make use of the amazing 4x4 super select system.
Just bought one a few month ago and been doing a lot of rust repair, i've bought mine 2500€ with 120k KM (1.8 MPI 114 HP 4X4 all time).
Be carefull of the front gasket shield when you remove it there is a chassis part under the radiator / fan which can be crusty and rusty due to the fact that water /... stay between the shield and the chassis. (i've done mine only cost 40€ of ferose which is a rust converter and some Hammerite which is anti-rust painting for outdoor iron)
Front trust support / chair a LOT of pinin (mine too) gets rusty at those spot near the strut head only way to solve this is to brush all the paint, and weld to fix the holes and paint it again.. (cost for mine 2200€ by a pro)
Check the fuel pipe those pipes goes under the right rear wheel (for mine) and those car easily get pierced because dirt /... stay between them resulting into a leaking fuel system.
Lambda sensor problem you need to buy a diagnostic soft to check eventually some of your lambda gonna fails that was the case for mine too.
Another spot for rust are the rear mud flaps ? idk the real name, but dirt gets stucks between the rear end and the wheel arch resulting in rust.
Be carefull the filling and draining bolt for the tranmission / axle are really weak and can crack EASILY (mine got it too fixed the leak by adding quick steel + motor sealant on the bolt sealant like for gasket seal)
Mine got a small transmission sound like a round sound while driving i do believe this is normal (after 2500rpm) because it's a AWD so i think it's juste the tranmission sound..
From what i've head GDI tend to get cloged and get rough idling if you got that problem try clearing the throttle body it's a fix 90% of the times.
I've tried doing myself the cam belt + water pump(since this need to be done each 5 YRS or 90k km) but quickly abandon it since all the bolt were locked i couldn't even get the alternator belt of the axle a the back of it is locked even with W40, so a booked a mechanist to go it with an elevator he should have enough space than me on the floor and still he can heat to bolt to get it out, mine use a 116 teeth belt and the 2l gdi a 156 i believe be carefull while buying them.
Rust is the major problem for them everything is stuck with rust or dirt first time trying to do mechanics on a 4x4 i won't buy one anymore everything is simple but you're stuck at every bolt..
Been spending 3 days to do my front brake pads everything was rusty and the caliper were rusty (it should've been in grease..) so i needed to heat the bolt to get them out and buy new ones..
Reminder for un in Europe part are rare and quite costly if you manage to find some it's quite a pain..
And tires are costly too here in trance BF Goodrich A/T for this model 215/65/16 around 200€ each.
We had a 1.8 GDI for 18 years. Only issue was bad idle after battery removal.
Mine is from 1998 with 240k km, bought on 2019 and had to replace throttle body in 2023. One day engine lamp turned on and I had to remove and reinsert body sensor every 4-5 stops. I found a used body from Spain.
Now engine is starting to make rattling noise, we'll see.
Man should i still buy this in 2023
So happy i got a 1.8 MPi
Very informative video & comments, thank you guys for sharing your experiences and thoughts. Cheers from Saudi Arabia 👋
Can you make video for volvo xc70 first gen
I've been considering acquiring a used IO...
But I've heard numerous complaints about a terrible consumption of upto 5kmpl...
Would you recommend?
Also... Is it possible to buy one and change the engine to an ordinary 1.5L toyota engine?
Yes you can fit toyota 2rz engine and auto gearbox
For the future, thats what Ive been thinking!
My first car was an IO did not have a good relationship with it and within 8 months it completely died on me😞
hello, bro, do you have the driver side of the car on the original left?
Any one got the LLC gear does it work?
yes
On