2003 Mitsubishi Triton Pricing and Specs

You say you’ve checked the basics, but it’s worth taking a close look at electrical connections that form the basis of the car’s ignition system. Are all the plug leads properly connected? Is the high-tension lead form the distributor to the coil secure and the coil wires correctly hooked up? Any fault with these things can cause a no-start situation.

The other prime suspect in a car of this age would be the electric fuel pump. These usually live inside the fuel tank and have a very finite lifespan. If you can’t hear the pump humming when you turn on the ignition, it’s probably dead and could well be the cause of your problem.

Beyond that, there are a lot of things that could be the cause here, but many of them are cheap and simple to fix once you’ve diagnosed the issue. It’s worth having the car checked over in case it is something really simple (and inexpensive). The Mitsubishi V6 is pretty good unit and if you’re happy with the rest of the vehicle (and it sounds like you are) then fixing the problem and squeezing every last kilometre out of the thing is the way to go.

The confounding element, of course, is that fifth gear is getting hard to engage. This could be a simple linkage adjustment problem, low clutch fluid or it could be a worn out clutch. Again, though, a proper diagnosis should be your next step before deciding whether to repair or sell and move on.

The trade holds the Hilux up as the best of those you've mentioned. The Toyota turbo diesel is easily the best, but the downside is that you'll have to pay up to $3000 more to get behind the wheel of a Hilux. The others are OK, and all rated equally, but there are plenty of reports from the trade about problems with the Nissan turbo diesel so I'd recommend caution. If you were to consider a Navara, make sure it has an extended warranty for peace of mind.