Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Mitsubishi Montero

1262729313255

Comments

  • mikestlmikestl Member Posts: 2
    Well, I took the plunge and bought a Montero Limited yesterday. I was wondering if anyone knows of an aftermarket air deflector for the sunroof. When I took my first test drive, I had the sunroof open and it is incredibly noisy. I don't like the one offered by Mitsubishi because it blocks too much of the sunroof over the driver's head. I'm looking for one that is smaller. Anyone know of any aftermarket deflectors?
  • wilkichwilkich Member Posts: 52
    OK, this may seem like a dumb question and I think after the minivan controversy, auto makers would be on guard for this. Here goes. The third seat on the Explorer and the MDX third seat fold down and are integrated into the floor. The Montero, on the other hand, has a seat that can be taken out altogether. Any thoughts or resources on the relative safety of each design? In other words, in a severe rear end collision, does the removable third seat present a risk?
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    If I were to rephase your question I think it would be answered in itself.

    Would anyone feel safe sitting in the rear seat of any of the vehicles mentioned during a "severe rear end collision"?

    I dont think the type of seat or for that matter if you had no seat at all, would significantly alter the end result.

    The rear seats in many of these SUV are only suited for small children. I think if you are going to regularly carry passengers back there then get a Suburban and live the good life. Add the DVD player for the rear passengers as well.
  • salthousesalthouse Member Posts: 3
    I'm looking to attach trailer light wires to my 01 Monte. I haven't found an extra set of taped off wires to connect to. If I remember correctly my '96 had an extra set of wires under the rear carpeting which made the connection easier. I'd hate to have to cut into the wires behind the light If I don't have to. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
    I apologize in advance if this was covered earlier on this board, I looked quickly and didn't find anything.
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    If I did mine correctly you need to connect to the rear lights. I hooked up a 7 pin, with a constant power wire for the trailer battery. This includes a keyed relay type switch so that when the key is off the power to that wire does not continue to flow. I forgot to hook up the reverse lights to the plug so that my trailer reverse lights come on and will need to go back in there.
  • mkayemkaye Member Posts: 184
    Some vehicles have an existing connector that makes wiring a trailer a simple "plug-and-go" connection. It looks like the Montero doesn't. Here is a link to Hoppy manufacturing that makes various connectors, they recommend a universal kit that requires hard wiring to the rear light wiring.


    http://www.hopkinsmfg.com/hoppy.html?litemateintro.html


    MK

  • wilkichwilkich Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the information above re the Montero pricing and the rollover issue. We went to a dealer in Northern California and test drove a silver '01. (Has anyone noticed that sales people are young and don't know a lot about the cars they're selling. She could not get the 3rd seat out and had no real answer to the rollover issue ("We aren't aware of any rollovers")) Anyway, came close to deal but they would not come tremendously below MSRP (maybe $1k) with the new 0% financing deal. However, they came close to invoice without the financing. The manager (they did the "let me go to my manager" game) said the company wouldn't let him sell it for lower. We walked out because it did not feel like it was a great deal for a left over vehicle.

    Anyway, anyone know the inside scoop on how far dealers can go while offering the 0% deal. I know the ads say they can't combine rebates with financing deals but is that true?
  • kevincoll1kevincoll1 Member Posts: 4
    Sometime ago, back in November, we had a discussion that I started on vibrations in the steering of the '01 Montero LTD at speeds above 73 mph. My problem still exists. However, it is not consistent. I originally discovered the problem with less than 1k miles on the truck. I now have approx. 5k miles. In fact, I am taking in in for the 5k service. My dealer tells me that they are not going to be able to verify/test my vibration concern due to safety reasons (i.e. They cannot test drive the vehicle at those speeds). So, there isn't much they can do about it.

    I wanted to know what Pinoy44 finally did about his vibration problem. Did you have any success???
  • pinoy44pinoy44 Member Posts: 14
    For some unexplainable reason the vibration and intermittent humming noise in my 2001 Montero disappeared when I'm cruising at speeds of 72-78 mph. I don't know if it's brought by the cold weather here in the Midwest. I have 7K miles now and so far I don't get that problem anymore. The only thing that I changed that I know of is the type of oil I use. I am now using synthetic oil. The dealership did wheel balancing before and it didn't fix the problem.

    I'll wait until the warm weather again to see if it still exist. I already told the dealership about this disappearance and they don't know the reason.
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    I think that vibration at the steering wheel related to speed almost certainly would be due to the tires.

    Many manufactures seem to have this problem. You dont have to go far on this site to find these kinds of issues. For the most part they seem limited to a few vehicles and are generally solved with a rebalence and if that does not work then replacement of the tires.

    It is my understanding that you can have tire defects such as a slipped belt that wont balence out and can lead to vibration.

    Vibration that you feel with acceleration and that resolves with taking your foot off the accelerator very well could be the drive shaft.

    Other than these two items there isnt much else that would explain the problems I would think.
  • mkayemkaye Member Posts: 184
    One concern with the larger tires as found on SUV's, besides all the lugs throwing the balance off, is the actual lead balance weights. I haven't looked on a Montero, but many rims no longer have the area to put weight on the outside of the rim(for "good looks"). That leaves just the inside rim lip for weights. That does not perfectly balance the tire and can cause vibration at certain speeds. When vibration occurs at a certain speed, the concern should be #1, tires out of balance or out of round, and #2 balance in the drive-shaft. If it is the drive-shaft, likely it would be more constant than just at certain speeds.
    If your rims are only balanced on the inside, you may ask for additional tape weights on the flat outer portion of the rim for greater balance. Usually works for wider rims on cars.

    MK
  • patrikkpatrikk Member Posts: 13
    Has anyone done this job? Just wondering of the mast is accessed from the top of the fender or below, inside the wheel well.

    I hit a bird one day and bent the mast. The motor's still good but the mast won't move. The mast is only $45, so I am thinking of doing this myself.

    Any help out there?
  • fireman5fireman5 Member Posts: 3
    Well it has been awhile since I have written anything. But has anyone changed the tires yet to see if this changes the looking to maybe go to a low profile tire do not want to but if it helps. Also has anyone done the shock change yet I know some have talked about it or know someone that knows someone that has done it. But what kind did they did they go to and did it help? I have 25,000 miles on mine now and it feels to be time to get new brakes already anyont changed them and how much was it. That's all for now.
  • dskidski Member Posts: 414
    I did replace my Bridgestones at about 45K. I replaced with B'stone H/L's. I think the previous tire was an H/T. I like these a lot better. The tire dealer claimed I would like the ride and wet traction better and he was correct.

    I did have a shock go out but I was unable to find an after market shock available for the 2001 Model. There has been some controversy here on that issue. Apparantly someone somewhere has a shock for the 2001 but I never found one. I'm not sure anyone here can say they've actually purchased and replaced theirs either. :)

    Good Luck
    Drew
  • regalaregala Member Posts: 45
    The brakes on Montero are easy to replace as they are both (front/rear) disc brakes. I purchased the original Mitsu pads and installed it myself at 34000mi. The pads cost about $120.00 for both.
  • marshallmanmarshallman Member Posts: 2
    ATTENTION '01 AND '02 FULL SIZE MONTERO OWNERS!
    Has anyone gotten a flat and tried to use the spare tire yet?! Well, my wife got a flat last night a 1/4 mile from home and was able to limp it into the driveway. This morning I changed it.
    Thank god I was in the driveway and not on the road somewhere. Whoever assembled the spare tire carrier should be fired! The fiberglass cover is supposed to be a snug fit at NORMAL tire pressure.
    Well it seems as if the cover was put on first, then the tire was inflated. To 45 LBS.!! Max is 35lbs.! I could not get the cover off. The spare also presents a dangerous condition once mounted and driven on at 45lbs. Well, for anyone with this problem (I suggest everyone should check this out BEFORE they get a flat), here's the
    scoop:
    Undo the 2 plastic twist-locks at the bottom of the cover first. The idea is to pull the bottom out first then lift it up and off the flange/clip
    at the top of the cover. Being over-inflated, it was too tight to pull the bottom out. It wedged.
    What needs to be done is to spray silicone or some type of lubricant between the tire and the cover at the bottom from the back of the cover, then work the bottom of the cover back and forth until it slips off. Without lubricating it, I would have never gotten it off without breaking it. Funny thing, there is nothing in the owners manual about taking the cover off but they do tell you how to tighten the lug nuts!
    I'm not all thumbs mechanically. I've restored an old Corvette, 2 old farm tractors, and have done a fair share of 4x4 truck modifications.
    Trust me on this one.
    Let me know if anyone else had this problem.
    Good luck!
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    When I first brought it home, as always, I checked everything I could and found I couldn't get the cover off. My son finally figured it out as you did, after about 15 minutes.

    I agree, in nasty weather on the road it would be a real pain in the a**.

    By the way, just to make sure it will come off when you need it, have whoever rotates your tires include the spare in the rotation. The Mitsubishi dealer may not include it unless you specifically tell them. As in my case, they may think the fifth wheel is not matching until you tell them.
  • briarpipesbriarpipes Member Posts: 1
    Since I was only marginally happy with the performance of the stock Yoko(ono!) tires in heavy snow and ice, on my '01 Ltd., I purchased a set of Nokian snow tires from an independent tire dealer that I've done business over the years. (Prior to purchasing the tires, I had a discussion with the Mitsu service manager about this.) After the tire swap, I went to the Mitsu dealer for an oil/lube. The service manager informed me that all four tires were inflated above 40 psi. I was a bit steamed when I heard the news, since I specifically told the tire dealer what tire pressure I wanted, front and rear. I blame myself for not double-checking the tire pressure when picking up the car. Although I don't live in fear of a Consumer Reports-type rollover, I am naturally conscious of the Monte's high center of gravity, and feel it's best to follow the factory's recommendations.
  • kevincoll1kevincoll1 Member Posts: 4
    I took my '01 LTD to another local dealer for my 5K service and they corrected my vibration problem by just balancing the tires. Brillmtb and Mkaye, I guess you all were right with the problem being the tires. However, I'm still not sure how much of a role the tire rotation played in this solution. If the problem doesn't occur again after my next tire rotation, then I can definitely say that it was all in the balancing.

    I don't know why the first balancing attempt at the first dealership did not correct the problem. I did notice this time that there were much more lead weights(distributed) on wheels than before. Maybe the balancing machine was not calibrated properly the first time.

    Anyway, I am a happy camper now! This dealer even detected that my brake booster recall was not done. This made me upset with my sales person, because I specifically requested that all of the three (3) known recalls be performed prior to my taking delivery. Needless to say, I will be taking my vehicle to this new service team from now on.
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    glad to hear that worked.
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    Read a one year (long term report) last night. They still loved the Monteros off road ability, had no out of pocket expenses for repairs, averaged only 14.something but admitted they have been putting thier foot in it, still feel the roll is too much but that this is expected in this level of off road vehicle (I agree with that one). Overall they said they would miss the Montero as the year ends and they turn in the vehicle.

    I'm especially happy to here the lack of repairs because this was my only concern going into the Montero. I had heard good things about reliability overseas but was concerned given that this is a new model to some degree.

    I am still looking at the shock isse. I feel I need to conclude this since I started the whole mess. I have been told so many different variations. I am happy with the stock shocks for the most part but I think increase rebound damping would help a great deal an the Rancho 9000 are adjustable. Will pursue application for the 2001.
  • dskidski Member Posts: 414
    To Be fair Briar, your tires had to be fairly hot when the dealer checked the pressure. The tire dealer may have inflated around 35psi, although I beleive 32psi is more appropriate.

    For an accurate reading you have to allow at least 3 hours of no driving for a cool down. To prove my point, check your pressure before you drive off next time. Then check it after the tires are hot. I bring this up because if the Dealer adjusted the pressure in HOT tires they could very well be underinflated now. Amazing the a dealer sevice department doesn't know these things but it happens all the time.
  • tas4tas4 Member Posts: 3
    I've done it. The first time I had the dealer do it, the second pheasant that kamakaze'd me I did it myself. Its not too bad. First you unscrew the circular bracket where the antennae mounts. Use a wide flat head driver to turn it. Gently apply the turn pressure without pushing down too hard...it would be a real heartache to slip with whatever you're using and scratch the paint. With the radio on, slide the plastic 'notched' strip into the hole until it butts up against the motor. Then I turned the radio off. The motor comes on and automatically spins to retract. The plastic strip gets grabbed and pulled inside. As the coil of plastic gets pulled in, grab the mast assembly and hold/guide it as it is pulled in, you don't want it to be dragged and scratch the finish. It'll pull the whole mast assembly into place, when the mast seats in the hole the motor shuts off. Screw the cover back on and you're done. I don't remember which way the 'teeth' on the plastic faced, I'm pretty sure they faced the rear. I know the first time I did it the teeth were going the wrong way and the motor didn't grab the strip at all. Then I re did it with the teeth facing the other direction and it took it.

    Also in regard to the flat tire post, that was my experience as well. It was a nightmare trying to figure out how to get that cover off in the dark. And the cylinder jack is completely worthless on any kind of uneven surface, too small a base, it was nearly impossible to center it and not have it tip when you jacked the vehicle. Don't bother with it if you travel off road or anything other than new, perfectly level asphalt.
  • clay5004clay5004 Member Posts: 3
    rotors have been turned twice at 40K, anyone else?
  • ghoststepghoststep Member Posts: 5
    My rear brakes were replaced at 30 k and turned.

    My front brakes need to be replaced this weekend.

    Why the rear went out before the front?

    I think they were defective myself but the dealer wouldnt do anything about it.

    I am getting new tires in about 2 weeks. I have 40k on the stock Bridgestones. I think I could go another 10k but who wants to risk it, plus I am driving to Colorado from Texas and will probably be in some snow. I hope!
  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    Where did you read that one year report on the Monty? I'd like to pick up a copy...!
  • rberardrberard Member Posts: 22
    Has anyone had problems with this feature? Mine has gone bezerk. My son was using my montero at the time - after he filled it up, the gage was on full but the display reported 20 miles to empty - he traveled about 90 miles and then it reported 16 miles to empty. I will call the dealership today. I have 27k miles.
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    Same thing happened to mine at 24K+ miles. Tank was only about half empty.

    My wife filled it up, swears she tightened the gas cap (which will cause it to not reset sometimes and cause the "check engine light to come on), but it didn't reset. I checked the cap and re-tightned it, but it still didn't help.

    Seems I remember it happened once before and it reset itself the next fill up.

    Before the next fill-up, had to take it into the dealer for service because the check engine light came on after about 300 miles. (They said that they didn't know why that had happened because there was no problems stored in the computer memory although they saw the light was on when I drove in). They reset the millage computer at that time. No problems since then.

    Is all this stuff, i.e. display software, warning lights, etc. all on the same computer?

    They said the problem could be storing the garage door opener, toll road transponder, and entry gate transponder in the slot under the display.

    I read in the owner's manual that you are not to store a cell phone in this location and I can understand this as a cell phone emits EMR any time it is powered up. But, openers, and transponders only transmit when activated, and I had no problems with them stored here for 24,000 miles.

    I think the dealer is blowing smoke on this one but moved the stuff anyway.

    Has anyone had to reset the compass? I had to do it once about a year ago but not since. I wonder if you go through that procedure, does it reset the whole computer including the "miles to empty" display?

    I think the whole problem is probably due to MS software in the computer system(s). To fix it, just reboot.
  • tas4tas4 Member Posts: 3
    We had the same problem. The first dealer we took it to said there was no fix according to the hotline. Six months later at a different dealership they had a tech who said there was a service bulletin on resetting the system. Whatever they did it is now reset.

    The problem with the system is on every fill-up it displays the calculated mileage available based upon the miles generated by the last fill up. So, if for some reason it doesn't register a complete fill up properly, it then always will display a wrong miles to go reading, say 70 miles instead of 300. There is no way to reset it by driving it down to empty and refilling the gas tank (the first dealer's suggestion). The system has to to be reset and calibrated as new.

    If your dealer service dep't doesn't know how, they should. Call a couple other dealers. According to to the second dealer this complaint is showing up a lot in Monteros that have 25 to 35k on the odometer.
  • tas4tas4 Member Posts: 3
    When I did it it only reset the compass orientation. To my knowledge the dealer has to reset the system for the mileage calculator.
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    I was worried someone would ask and I didnt note the magazine. check the stands now, it was one of the popular auto mags. I usually run through them very quickly in one shot. It should still be on the stands. If I get by there before you I will try and find it again. Sorry
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    About a reset procedure I think I remember one in the shop manuals, I will look it up again.
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    image

    ""Kleinschmidt Drives into Motorsports History""

    By Sue Mead

    Lac Rose, Senegal, Africa:

    "German rally driver Jutta Kleinschmidt made motorsports history when she took the 23rd Dakar crown to become the first woman ever to win the notoriously dangerous and grueling Paris-Dakar Rally. Driving a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, with co-driver Andreas Schulz, also from Germany, she finished the10,000 km rally just two and a half minutes ahead of Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero team drivers Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan and Pascal Maimon of France."

    [snip]

    Complete article:

    URL: http://www.suv.com/adventure/Dakar2001/
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    From the following website, it appears that Montero/Pajero finished in positions 1-4 in this year's rally.


    http://www.dakar.fr/2002/us/


    Admittedly, these are "Super Production" short wheelbase, 2-door models, but still . . .

  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    I was just reading through the threads over here:


    http://forums.vmag.com/suvmontero1200/


    and was surprised to see at least 3 different people mentioning the water pump going out around 90k miles..and having to get the engine rebuilt for a cost of $10,000!!!! This of course seems ridiculous that Mitsu would charge that amount. Anyway, does anyone know with the 2001 Monty with the 3.5 of any weaknesses in the design of the engine? I love my Monty, but if I can expect another 3-5k in "standard maintenance" to get it to 100k miles I might get rid of it.

  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    Also, I noticed someone mentioning in that forum something about a recall for a rear window wiper wing nut, and a radiator recall for the 2001 montys. Does anyone have a concise list of all of the recalls? I'll take mine into the dealer in a few weeks and make sure they get them all!

    thanks
  • regalaregala Member Posts: 45
    So far, here's what they recalled on mine:

    Windshield wiper wing nut
    Brake accumulator valve
    Radiator

    As far as the long term report that brillmtb is talking about, I think it was the MotorTrend magazine that had the 1 year report.
  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    Also, I noticed someone mentioning in that forum something about a recall for a rear window wiper wing nut, and a radiator recall for the 2001 montys. Does anyone have a concise list of all of the recalls? I'll take mine into the dealer in a few weeks and make sure they get them all!

    thanks
  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    thanks for the info!
  • brillmtbbrillmtb Member Posts: 543
    Even if the water pump is going out at 90k you really should have changed the timing belt by that time. When you change a timing belt it would be prudent and cost effective to change the water pump. I do this on all my vehicles as the pump costs maybe $40 but would take an additional several hundred $ in labor cost if not done at the time of the timing belt.

    I have several friends with Montes over 90K with no reported engine problems at all. I doubt you will find much with this engine becasue its been around long enough to "work out the bugs".

    Service items

    Replace FRONT windshield wiper nuts

    Replace radiator (tranny cooler running through it may leak wrecking tranny)

    Replace Mirrors if you dont already have the updated version (mine did out of the factory)

    Replace brake accuator (on affected models). You can call the 800 number with your VIN and have the dealer check. I found better service calling the 800 number then walking in with full knowledge to the dealer. Many of us have been unhappy with dealers but this is not unique to Mitsu, just look at the Toyota complaints.

    Possibly replace the 4wd switch which is located under the front skid plate I think, if it is found to be leaking at oil checks. Mine has had not problems but others have reported leaks. I dont think this is a TSB or recall item yet.

    Hope this helps
  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    thanks brill for the info. I'll hunt around for the 800 number and give them a call..
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    One other, non-recall, item you will want to note is that the power steering pump may get noisy after warming up and restarting. Some early production 2001s need the reservoir replaced with a larger unit.
  • soft_icesoft_ice Member Posts: 1
    We purchased an SUV Montero 2001 XLS brand new only 50 mileage. At the time of the test drive, we noticed that the car was not in alignment. We told two salesmen this who sold the car. They indicated that this would be taken care of no problem.

    Prior to leaving the dealership with the car, the mechanic indicated that they checked the air in the tires and evened out the pressure. They wanted us to drive the car for a couple hundred miles and see if that would resolve the problem. After driving the car for a few days, it was clear that this was not going to fix itself and we took the car in to have the alignment done.

    They completed the alignment. At the time that I picked up the car, the mechanic told me that the steering wheel was going to be a little off due to the alignment and that that was normal. He also indicted that he adjusted the toe on the car and that everything was now working fine. After leaving the body shop, I was less than 5 minutes away and noticed that nothing had changed. I immediately went back to the body shop and complained to the service person that checked in my car. He went with me for a test ride and agreed that the car was still drifting to the right and was not properly fixed. He also indicated that what the mechanic told me was not true about the steering wheel being out off aligned and that they would have that fixed as well. He indicated that I would have to bring the car back again since they would not have any further time on that day to continue working on the car. I explained to him that I would have to have a rental car of like size if they wanted us to bring the car back during the week. After checking he indicated that he would have the appropriate car for us and we agreed to bring the car back on Tuesday evening.

    The car was brought back in as arranged. I then picked up the car on Wednesday. I noticed that the steering wheel was still not fixed and the alignment appeared to be little better though, a little better.

    We decided to have the car checked with a mechanic that we knew and trusted. He completed a check on the alignment of the car. He found that in fact the car was out of alignment and was overcompensated to the left to keep the car from pulling to the right. We immediately went to the Mitsubishi dealership from there and I discussed the continuing problems with the sales manager and he discussed it with the Service Department Manager . Service advisor took the car for another test ride and again agreed with us that the car was still pulling to the right. I also showed them the print out of the alignment test completed by our mechanic and this was of course “pooh poohed” by the Service Manager because they didn’t know where the test came from.

    The service manager and service advisor indicated that a copy of the before and after alignment numbers would be in our file. When service advisor went to have the file pulled, the readings were “mysteriously” missing. They indicated that they believed the paper work hadn’t been filed as yet, because it was still with the warranty people. I find this convenient and interesting to the say the least.

    We again waited at the dealership while they worked on the car. When they released the vehicle the service advisor again said that we would notice a considerable difference in the way the car drove. First, the steering while is still not fixed and in addition, there is now a problem with the steering wheel not properly returning to straight after completing or while in the midst of a turn. It appears, that the steering wheel function was fixed in such a way as to try and prevent the alignment problem from being as noticeable. In driving the vehicle, it is still drifting to the right and as indicated, we now have the further problem with the steering wheel and the steering wheel is still not properly aligned.

    I called another Mitsubishi dealership and spoke with their service department. While they confirmed that it is not unusual for a new car to be out of alignment when it received by the dealership, there is no reason that it cannot be fixed and that the steering wheel should always be 100% in alignment. He also indicated that the steering wheel is separate from the wheels and while adjustment to the wheels could cause the steering wheel to move from center, it should be fixed at the same time that the alignment is being corrected.

    Called Mitsubishi open a case # and now a different dealership is going to work on my Montero to see if they can find the problem and fix it. To be continued.
  • 99trooper99trooper Member Posts: 87
    Can you tell us the name of the dealer that you've been dealing with? Sorry to hear about your experiences with them. If you look at this board most of us have been disappointed with Mitsubishi's service departments even though we are generally happy with our Montero's.
  • viet2viet2 Member Posts: 66
    I too have an alignment issue with my Montero. After sending it in for the dealer who fixed nothing, I spend $50 dollars at a local alignment shop. I am very happy at the way the steering align on my Montero now. My experience is, when I buy a car, factor in another $100 for alignment.
  • phonosphonos Member Posts: 206
    when my folks bought their first new car (a dark green Chevy sedan), a dealer's service department reputation and effort was always more important to my dad that the price he paid.

    Within reason, I feel the same way.

    If dealers want the loyalty from their customers, I think they need to realize this. I also think the sharing of information on the internet will further this idea, hopefully.
  • wilkichwilkich Member Posts: 52
    I posted a few weeks ago with some questions about the Monty and I appreciate the responses on the rollover and the price issues. We were torn between the MDX and the Montero. After my wife saw five MDXs on one trip to the yuppie shipping area up the street, she dinged the MDX. Also, the 60 month 0% financing deal was frankly too good to pass up. The dealership experience was decent although we felt somewhat jipped by the new promotion. What is not clear is that if you choose the deferred payment plan, the rate goes to about 9% when the payments start in one year. One nice thing though was that the dealer did not markup the deal options ( the cargo liner is, get this, $250 less than what the Acura dealer was going to charge).

    The only issue is the buzz in one of the speakers which we will get checked by the dealer. We love the vehicle and are looking forward to having it a long time.

    One quick question. We are going to give it its first wash and wax. Anyone have a suggestion as to what's a good wax product and leather seat treatment It's our first new car in years and I'm sure the technology has improved.
  • mortonkbmmortonkbm Member Posts: 3
    To Wilkich, congratulations on your purchase of a new Montero. Did you purchase a 2002 or 2001 LTD.

    In answer to you question regarding a wax and leather treatment. Here is what I use based on years of experience using wax from various manufacturers.

    For wax I use Zymol which you can purchase at Target or Kragens Auto. The price is around $11.00 a bottle but the wax is worth the price. Consumer Reports rated the wax very highly.

    For leather, use Lexol. It is a very highly recommended conditioner by most professional Auto Detailers. I use it and have been very pleased.

    Good luck with the new Montero.
  • tykytyky Member Posts: 5
    I purchased my 2001 Montero LTD in June of last year. I drove it from San Francisco to Reno with 4 adults (including myself)and 2 kids inside the Monty and the road was mostly uphill approaching Reno. The Montero lacked the power that I needed to pass other slower vehicles going uphill at 70 mph. And when I'm on the fast lane I was getting tail-gaited by other SUVs (Cherokees, Tahoes, etc.)getting impatient to pass me. Needless to say I was dissapointed because I will be taking the same road again sometime in the future.

    Went to LA from SFO last Christmas, 2 adults (including myself) and two kids in the Monty. My experience this time was different on the flat road. I was passing most of the cars and SUVs on highway 5 without difficulty under stormy, rainy conditions. I was impressed with the traction of the tires on the road using the 4 wheel drive. I was also impressed with the acceleration. I averaged 90 mph but felt like I was crusing at 60.

    The bottom line is do not intend to travel with 5 other passengers uphill for along period of time. Other than you'll have blast driving the MONTERO at any open road!
  • charlie2142charlie2142 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any reasons why we shouldn't purchase a 1995 Montero? We love it, it actually has relatively low miles for a 7 year old SUV and it is very clean. Any outstanding issues that have surfaced with the older Monteros? Thank you in advance!
Sign In or Register to comment.