2001 SsangYong Musso 320LE AT 3.2 petrol

Summary:

Excellent value for money

Faults:

Left rear door knob stuck occasionally. Turned out to be the child locking device was not pushed completely off.

Suffered from fuel starvation which was quickly traced by dealer to an in-line micro-fuel filter blockage. Resolved and never occurred again.

General Comments:

Very quick for a big vehicle. Outran all the expensive machinery on the freeways. Was a top performer in climbing long, steep hills in deep and soft sand. Often had to pull out other makes in Southern Mozambique.

Drives like a car and not like a truck, as do other 4X4 SUV's. My wife found it to be a pleasure to drive.

Could do with adjustable headlights.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th October, 2002

22nd Jan 2003, 16:23

I Got a Musso in Mozambique that is a double cab. Mercedes Benz engine diesel 2.9 Lt turbo Inter-cooler. My car got 37000Km and after service the engine was overheated. I got now a new engine let see if now will be OK. The problem was the clutch from the fan cause the overheat problem.

The car is very comfortable and I hope this can be fix now.

15th Apr 2004, 03:25

I bought Musso 2.9 auto Diesel) middle last year. It is comfortable vehicle. But in Malaysia it is difficult to find a workshop when there is a problem. This is because it use mercedes's egine and they said it is different from other 4WD. First time when got problem, I had to wait 2 week to get spare-part replacement.

I really enjoy drive it especially for long journey.

1st Aug 2007, 15:40

The fan clutch is a problem with these vehicles. Despite being well aware of this, my engine overheated and the head warped. I wanted to make absolutely sure this would never happen again, so I sacrificed the clutch feature by having a machinist fabricate an aluminum washer-like device that effectively locked the fan to the water pump pulley. I purchased a slightly longer fan bolt and that did the trick. Engine noise is naturally higher, but with windows rolled up (air conditioning on most of the time), this extra noise is not a problem.

1997 SsangYong Musso 602EL 2.9 turbo diesel

Summary:

An ugly duckling that goes like a swan!

Faults:

Fog light switch is iffy.

Gearbox cracked, which is reported as a common fault by the mechanic in models with a turbo.

Electric 4X4 motor failed, and cannot be repaired, only replaced at R2500 which I think is expensive. I am told this is a very common fault.

Otherwise, it's built very solidly, doesn't rattle despite daily dirt roads, and doesn't leak dust into the car.

General Comments:

I am very impressed with the turbo diesel performance, and I will be changing diff ratios to take advantage of the extra power.

I am less impressed with fuel consumption, especially on long trips, but I think the new diff ratios will fix that.

Overall, I really enjoy the vehicle and would buy another, but I suspect that this one will last a long, long time.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th June, 2001

28th Jan 2010, 11:44

I also drive a Musso 602. I want to change the diff ratios, but don't know what the current ratios is. Can someone PLEASE help me.

In reply to 28th Jan 2010, 11:44

7th Jun 2011, 13:50

Go to the 4 x 4 forum, South Africa. There is a section there for SsangYong vehicles. The members include some brilliant people, who know these vehicles inside out. Good luck. (Google it for the correct name, but easy to pick up).