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Abstract This paper is meant to be a report on the experimental work on dilute Pd-based alloys with Co, Fe and Mn. These alloys exhibit the phenomenon of giant moments. The importance of measurements on paramagnetic alloys is emphasized. From these measurements the conclusion can be drawn that Co and Fe dissolved in Pd does not behave like a normal paramagnet, i.e. according to a Brillouin function. This result makes it possible to explain the existing discrepancy in the interpretations of magnetic measurements on one hand and of specific-heat experiments on the other. The main conclusions of this paper are: The giant moment should be accounted for by 'normal' values of the magnetic quantum number (3/2 for Co, 2 for Fe and 5/2 for Mn) and a large value of geff. Paramagnetic alloys of Mn in Pd behave according to Brillouin functions, but alloys of Co or Fe in Pd do not. Hence, a number of interpretations of magnetic measurements should be considered as incorrect. The localized model for ferromagnetism can well account for the magnetic ordering of dilute Pd-based alloys (certainly if c < 1 at.%). A straightforward generalization of the Weiss molecular-field model may be applied. The transition temperature of Pd-Mn alloys is not proportional to the concentration, but after scaling the behaviour is similar to what has been found for Pd-Co and Pd-Fe alloys. The concentration dependence can be explained from a calculation of the strength of the interaction between two impurity atoms as a function of the distance. Comparison between alloys with equal concentrations shows that the magnetic ordering in Pd-Mn is not at all exceptional, but analogous to that in Pd-Co and in Pd-Fe. It should be mentioned, however, that Pd-Mn at c > 3 at.% is a so-called spin glass. Addition of Ag or Rh to Pd alloys with Co, Fe and Mn has important influences on their properties. Unfortunately these effects are not completely understood.