Pontiac Montana

duster · August 1998

I have had problems with my brake peddle going
all the way to the floor. My brakes feel mushy.
My 1998 Trans Sport has 3,400 mi. on it. I have been to the dealer 3 times, had a new master cylinder put in as well as real cylinders. The dealer has been nice, but they can't figure it out. I think they will have to build be a whole new van to get it right. Has any else had brake problems? I like the van, but I think I got a lemon.

2345 · August 1998

duster:

sounds to me like you have air in your brake system. When that happens the brake pedal will go all the way to the floor.

Have the dealership inspect the system for leaks, bleed and refill the system. Since the van is so new I suspect the system was filled improperly on the assembly line allowing air to be introduced into the system. Good luck.

gator · August 1998

Found an outfit called AutoEase which is sponsored by AAA. They will order a vehicle from the factory for you and deliver it to a local dealer. I am considering leasing a 99 Transport (extended) with two-tone paint, 8 passenger seating, roof rack, front and rear AC, overhead console, alloy wheels, Option Package C, CD player, and power sliding door.

$500 deposit, $175 for title and registration, $10 documentation fee, free gap insurance. $373.09 for 48 months (6.9% money factor). 15K a year. Taxes are rolled into the monthly payment.

Went to the dealer to test drive and get some brochures then left. I think that I am avoiding all the hassle associated with car buying and getting a better deal than I could negotiate at a dealer all day. One potential drawback is that the wait is 8-12 weeks. And I have the feeling that with the strike it might be a little longer. I don't need the van until October so it works in my case. Thought I'd pass the info on.

minuet · August 1998

I really like the 98 Transport and am thinking of buying one. Has there been any special offers or improved rebates offered on them since the strike ended.

2345 · August 1998

minuet:

Currently the Trans Sport has $1,500 cash back or 1.9% APR for 36 months.

If you live in California or the northwest you can get .9% APR

gator · August 1998

Some more info on 99's. Pontiac is calling all the 99 transports "Montana's." The raised white-letter tires are now standard on all models along with rear defroster and heated side view mirrors. There are some new colors but they don't have paint chips available to see if the colors are truly new or just renamed. If you want the traction control and roof rack and suspension improvements like those on the current Montana you have to buy a special sport and handling package to add to the 99. They are making the anti-theft PASSkey system standard and somekind of next generation power slider will be available on extended Montana's (hopefully fixing the bugs in some of the present automatics). Although its probably priced ridiculously a new LCD video screen pops down from the roof so the kids can watch video games or movies, its an option of course. Horsepower and torque are improved as well as some new low/no maintenance items which Pontiac wouldn't specify.

Pontiac has to keep building 98's until mid-September to sastisfy CAFEstandards so as far as I can tell 99s are a ways off which is too bad because customers may opt for other 99 minivans which will be around in early October.

Thats what I have found out to date. I'm still weighing waiting and ordering a 99 to take advantage of any improvements and new paint colors although it may be October or November for delivery.

aling1 · August 1998

Hi everyone,

Has anyone seen the Insurance Institute for Highway safety's 40 mph frontal offset crash for the 97/98 GM minivans (Transport, Venture, Silhoutte). The van did extremely poorly in terms of its structure/safety cage, injury measures, head, neck and leg injuries.

Consumer Reports had an article on this a few months ago. But here's the link to the general evaluation chart:

http://www.hwysafety.org/crash/vans/crashvan.htm

and to the GM vans evaluation:

http://www.hwysafety.org/crash/vans/trans.htm

Note: The vehicle in the test only had three doors. I shudder to think what might happen in the models with four doors!

A picture is worth a thousand words. I know that just looking at the pictures and especially the video clip changed my purchase decision completely. Hence I've decided to wait for the new Honda Odyssey to be released in October before making a decision.

johnlogan · August 1998

Has anyone had power door problems with their '98 Transport? Mine works, then quits, works then quits. Can't figure it out. Followed the recommendations in the owner's manual, but that seems to be a temporary fix. Other than that I love the vehicle. I shopped all over and drove all the minis, could not wait til November to test the new Honda. The Transport really fits the needs of the family. All in all very pleased.

gator · August 1998

GM knows there are bugs with the power door. In 99's they will install a "generation II" power door. Maybe they will upgrade existing power doors depending on the extent of the fix. Maybe not.

rogerfritz · August 1998

Just for anybody who is interested, I've got a 98 Transport Montana with 3700 miles on it. No power door so I cant comment on that. It is holding together good so far with no problems except one. The velcro holder on the ceiling to hold the seat belt out of the way for entering rear seat passengers lasted about 2 days. That thing is pretty jakey.
I have been getting 20-23MPG with a mix of town and rural driving. I don't have power seats. They are pretty comfy, though more than about 10 minutes without the cruise control makes my ankle sore.
I spent a half hour ride in the back seat and they were fine, the rear air does a good job too.

When I bought it in May, any of the 5 dealers I went to would have gone $350 over invoice without batting an eye-not counting the rebate. Can't speak for now though, obviously. Pontiac claims removing the seats are easy, eh- I wouldn't call it easy, I don't see the average soccer mom handling the chore by herself.

Overall I'm very satisfied, and the main reason I got it is that if I have to suffer with a minivan-it is hands down the coolest looking minivan ever. though cool and minivan in the same sentence is not a normal thought.

jeff21 · August 1998

I am considering buying a Trans Sport Montana in the next couple of weeks and am looking for recent pricing info. A dealer I spoke to said they are "hot" selling vehicles, and are hard to find since the GM strike. I am hoping to pay only a few hundred $ over invoice but limited availability might create higher prices. Does anyone have any recent buying experiences to share?

Kendp · August 1998

I have a '90 Lumina APV, which is very similar to the Transport and Olds Silouette. The side door handle no longer works from inside the van, and I had one dealer tell me (without looking at it very carefully) that the best thing to do would be to replace the whole door. This seems a bit bizarre--anyone else had this problem?

For what it's worth, the ride and the seating arrangement of the APV (and Pontiac and Olds counterparts) are unbeatable. However, we have had the van back for many, many problems over the past 8 years, though it has managed to rack up about 105K miles. Looking to replace it soon with a Sienna, only because of the reliability experience with our 90 model.

2345 · August 1998

Kendp:

You committed the ultimate car buying sin: you bought the van in its first model year. The first year of almost any model is more trouble prone than later years. They simply find design flaws that are impossible to detect in test models.

About your door: sounds like the dealer is out to make a whole lot of money. All that needs to be done is for the inside panel to be taken off and the broken part replaced.

looking2 · September 1998

So what kind of pricing did you get on the Montana? We are considering purchasing one in the next few days...and I'm curious what you were able to negotiate. My husband is ready to jump at the deal and I keep telling him that there's more room for negotiation, especially now that the 99s are on their way.

He believes that since the strike we better move fast. What do you think?

gator · September 1998

Leased a 99 Montana extended length yesterday. Power slider, front and rear ac, power driver seat, cd player, 8 passenger seating. $400 a month for 40 months nothing down including tax tags etc. $750 cash back. Its white with the charcoal body cladding. Love the aluminum wheels. Power slider is a great gadget.

VentureMan · September 1998

Gator, I have a few of questions:

1) Why did you choose the Pontiac over the Chevy?
2) What is the powerdoorII you referred to before?
3) What are the new changes for 1999?
4) I heard there is more horsepower. Is there?
5) What resources did you use for your research?

I'd appreciate your help.

Thanks,

VentureMan

gene7 · September 1998

Where has anyone found the dealer cost numbers for the Venture or Transport??

VentureMan · September 1998

I found it in two places. First I should mention that Pontiac has dropped the name Transsport for 1999 and replaced it with Montana. I found information on Kelly Blue Book, carprices, and CarWizard. Venture is not on KBB.

href="http://www.kbb.com/cgi-bin/cgi.exe?kbb+zip:94518+nc+van"

href="http://www.carprices.com/scripts/foxweb.exe/list_classes@auto\cars?YEAR=All&MAKE=ALL&MODEL=ALL&CARID=ALL&CLASS=:Minivan&"

href="http://motortrend.carwizard.com/new/1999"

Best of Luck.

VentureMan

gator · September 1998

Ventureman

Well, I picked the Montana on looks. I know its not a SUV but I like the gingerbread they stuck on it to resemble one anyway. I like the aluminum wheels, the standard self-sealing tires (raised white letters) and the two-tone paint scheme a lot. I also knew that the 99s would offer the 98 Montana "look" as a no-cost option, so I got the look I wanted without having to pay for it. Chevy wasn't in the hunt (nice van just kind of a cipher), the 99 Windstar was for a bit until I found out the picture I saw was of the top of the line trim (too expensive),didn't like the other version. Dodge almost squeaked in a winner but ultimately I'm too wary of the reliability issues, real or not, and the experience of family members with a Sebring conv. and a Grand Cherokee (both always in the shop).

The automatic door (my kids refer to it as the magic door) is called by Pontiac "Generation II", meaning GM figured out how to fix the bugs associated with the first version (I hope). I think they beefed up the electric motor and improved the design of the connectors.

Started looking at the Transport in 97, thought that by the third year GM would have improved the van to where its probably as good as they're going to get with this version. Used the 98 numbers from Edmunds and Carpoint and told the dealer that I was sticking to those, period. Got $750 back and leased it (I also said they could shove their $190 processing fee). I have a hunch that GM is giving the dealers extra incentives to move product to help reclaim some of the lost market share caused by the strike because I think I did pretty good on price, could be wrong though.

I forget if the horsepower is up, I think it is, but I am amazed at the get up and go regardless. Other changes are relatively minor, mostly package changes (they'll stick a ceiling mounted TV in it now) and new paint choices (3).

Bottom-line is if I have to get a minivan I wanted the best looking one I could get cause I'm a superficial kind of guy

. I would bet that reliability will be about average for vans, and I don't expect major problems. The long wheelbase sure drives nice and the bells and whistles inside are neat. The price fit my budget and I don't feel too much like a minivan sellout when Im behind the wheel. Just my thoughts, hope it helps.

VentureMan · September 1998

Gator,

Thanks for the response. I heard that the Power door has a delay feature on it. What is this? I started a '99 Montana' topic on this board, as you know, the Transsport will cease to exist beginning in the 1999 model year. Keep in touch on the new topic list and give me your impressions over the next couple of month.
Again, thanks.

VentureMan

gator · October 1998

Ventureman,

Not sure about a delay feature, how so? You can disable the power feature from the front seat, and it kicks back quicker should it hit an obstruction but I don't know of a delay feature. I'll have to read the manual to see.

bperoutka · October 1998

Purchased a 98 Montana 1 1/2 weeks ago. After about 6 months of research online and reading all I could get my hands on - I was ready to go. Paid $600 over invoice. They tried to sell me the farm but I stuck to my guns - the trick is to read all the information you can on the internet - remember dealer holdback, advertising, etc - I brought all the information out up front and there was no BS right from the start.

We love the vehicle. It has all the bells and whistles - power door, leather, tow package, dual AC, etc, etc, etc. 3.4L engine was the largest 98 van I was able to find to pull my boat. I needed something big enough to pull the boat, but at the same time also wanted something that looked good. There are too many Dodge and Plymouth's out there, and the biggest engine offered was a 3.0L.

We wanted the 7 passenger captain chair seating and that seemed to be the difficult part - finding one with that seating arrangement. I did notice however that the mounting of the seats on the vehicle looks like it could accommodate all the different seating arrangements. So - if the dealer wanted to bad enough - they could order the buckets and pull the modular bench out to satisfy my bucket requirement - if they really wanted to sell me the vehicle that I wanted.

Now, for my list of defects:

1. Left rear bucket seat - one of the locking clips which locks the seat to the floor was not put together correctly at the factory - which did not allow the seat to fully lock into place.

2. Left rear modular bench seat locking pin was broken off which did not allow the seat to fully lock into place in the floor.

3. Several scuffs and scratches on the running boards - apparently when the vehicle was built or the dealer did the prep - they dropped the seat and scratched the plastic.

4. The big rubber weather strip on the passenger side door - is only glued to the inside of the door - mine was not properly aligned on the door and was pulled off half way, upon delivery. Don't know if this will become a problem down the road if the stickum looses it's stick.

Took the vehicle back to the dealer today - they said they would fix everything - we'll see how that goes.

As far as anything else about the vehicle goes:

Changing the oil is going to be a blast - I can see the oil filter from up above - but have no idea how I am going to get it out from below.

Hopefully I won't have to change the battery - it looks like you have to pull half the engine compartment apart just to get at it.

Spark plugs - don't even know where the 3 in the back are located - I'll let Pontiac figure that one out when the time comes. They say they are 100,000 mile plugs.

Other than those minor issues - we love the van. I pulled all the seats out and did my own scotch guard - 2 cans from WalMart at $5.49/can - much cheaper than the $100 they wanted at the dealer - probably for the same stuff.

Planning our first trip this week - I let everyone know how it handles during our 16 hour drive back home.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

VentureMan · October 1998

The scoop in the spark plugs is that you have the remove the rear motor mount bolts and use a jack underneath to swivil the engine to get at the plugs.

Let me know your opinion of the noise level and if you hear any rattling from the cladding on the outside of the van. I'm considering the Pontiac or the Chevy.

Best of luck,

VentureMAn

bperoutka · October 1998

Haven't heard any rattling from the cladding on the outside of the van - guess I'll be listening for it now and let you know.

VentureMan · October 1998

Total Transsports sold for the 1998 model year is 58,155. Total U.S. GM minivan sales for 1998 model year is 193,522.

VentureMan

scanner · October 1998

VentureMan,

Where did you find your sales figure data?

Thanks

VentureMan · October 1998

GM 1998 Model Year Sales Figures:

href="http://www.gm.com/mo_pr/mo_pr_dt.htm?id=478"

Hope this helps.

VentureMan

Chanes · October 1998

Okay, is there much difference between the 98 and 99 versions. Either in price or features??

My wife and I just started looking last week, and I said I would never get a minivan, but the Montana/Transport is pretty "cool" looking!!

VentureMan · October 1998

Well, As best I can figure, for 1999, Pontiac got rid of the wimpy name "TransSport" and replaced it with the rugged "Montana" name (not that this is a good reason to buy, but the '99 won't get mixed up with the ill famed TransSport name when you go to sale you car later on).

They also added Sport blue-tinted power "heated" mirrors w/fold & stow feature. Also, you get an extra 5 HP (now 185 HP) and an extra 5 pounds of torque. I will tell you though, my friends '97 Chevy Venture minivan (same as Pontiac) moves uphill without a hitch.

The price is the same for 1999 as far as I figure.
I am still trying to figure if I want the Montana over the Venture (the former costing about $600 more). Otherwise, it is a styling issue.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

VentureMan · October 1998

I forgot one other new feature. There are also three new color choices for the 1999 Montana. Can't wait to see them.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

jelanzas · October 1998

I read that the 99 Montana has a second generation power door. I hope this means that the door is a little more sensitive when something is in its path. I read that the current power door gives you quite a jolt before retracting, went to the dealer and got in the way of the door and it almost knocked me down before retracting. This concerns me as to what kind of damage this door could do to my 15 month old if her leg or arm got in the way. Any comments on this matter ?

VentureMan · October 1998

I would think the best way to answer this question is to put you arm in the way and let the door close on it and see how much it hurts. I put a item made of paper in the way and it didn't seem to compress it much before retracting. I guess I will have to try this.

Also, if you find out what this second generation door is, please share it. I've been wondering for some time myself.

Best of luck.

VentureMan

gator · October 1998

Well, I would think that the pressure from the power door would be less than if you slammed a manual slider on somebody's arm or leg. Exercising a little caution when operating the door is a great trade-off for the cool utility of the power door. BTW, took my 99 to the steeplechase last weekend and it was a hoot to stand about 30 feet away from the van and use the power slider feature on the key fob to confound the various drunks walking past the van. Great fun.

montodvia · October 1998

Has anyone noticed an unusual manufacturing technique on the 99 montana where a material that appears to be tape of some sort is used extensively around that rear hatch opening? It is also used along the edge of the bottom of the front door frame. It is painted the same color as the body, But you can easily tell it is tape. I may be putting a deposit on this car tomorrow and I'd really appreciate anyone who has some info on this sharing it with me!

VentureMan · October 1998

Is it tape, as in cheap tape? Or is it a strong metal ribbon tape? I'm sure it is fine. Probably a tighter seal than using a rebber plug. Let us know how you new van is.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

scottbusey · October 1998

Look what I found! - http://www.gmbuypower.com/buypower/home.html

photon1 · October 1998

I am purchasing a 98 Transport in a couple days and to prepare I have read the entire thread of this group, among other things. I can say I feel better informed. Although I am from Canada, all your insights are useful. Thank you to everyone for sharing your personal stories, especially the people who shared progress reports.

ptCA

VentureMan · October 1998

I haven't had a chance to look at any of the 1999
Pontiac Montanas yet. There were two dealerships
in my area (San Francisco Bay Area) last year and
now they have closed up shop. Has GM been
consolidating franchises?

I am very interested in the Montana, but I am
worried about logistics if the need came up for
servicing by a dealership. I cant very well
travel 45-60 minutes each way to a dealership.

Has anyone ever heard of a Chevy dealer performing
warranty work for a Pontiac?

Thanks for any help.
VentureMan

hwlarson · October 1998

After reading through 144 messages re: the Pontiac Tran Sport/Montana, I am considering a 1999 Montana. I would be interested in hearing any comments about the "Traction Control" in winter conditions.

I am leaning toward an AWD minivan from Chrysler, but I would like to hear comparisons with "Traction Control".

gator · October 1998

I have 1000 miles on my 99 so far and so far so good. No defects or problems have reared their heads and a few neat features have been discovered. The headlights are automatic, the interior lights all come on when you remove the key for ease of egress and gathering all your stuff without having to open the door first, the interior lights fade out when all the doors are closed, and after 10 minutes or so the interior lights shut themselves off if a door is left ajar to save the battery. I am also pleased with the range of the 25 gallon gas tank(even around town). Recently removed all the rear seats and loaded the thing with lumber and plywood to finish a deck and it swallowed everything with aplomb (I have the extended version which I highly recommend). I also recommend getting the eight seat configuration, you can always take one out to make an aisle. Power slider continues to be a crowd-pleaser. All in all still extremely pleased with the van. We'll see how it goes as the miles start to rack up.

scottbusey · October 1998

To VentureMan:

I don't really know if a Chevy dealer will service a Montana, but considering that most everything except some trim pieces are the same on the Venture, I think it's worth a try. Also, you should look at the maintenance schedule, because it's greatly reduced via a number of improvenments.

My 98 Trans Sport Montana is great!

Enjoy!

VentureMan · October 1998

Safty IS important.

But lets keep it in perspective. The chances of a minivan driver getting into a real bad accident is next to zero; for injury rates, see href="http://www.carsafety.org/ictl7.htm"
For death rates, see href="http://www.carsafety.org/ddr7.htm".

There are so many features and considerations that each of us must consider before making a significant purchase ( close to $30k after taxes).
To eliminate a choice simply on the basis of one
crash test --that is least likely to happen to a
minivan driver-- is paranoid. And the injuries
from a frontal crash will only pertain to adults
(children should not ride in the front seat).

All Volvo owners I have met are safty paranoid.
They are willing to settle for a smaller and more
expensive (and in my opinion, ugly) vehicle with
great safty engineered into them. But death rates
for Volvos are not any better the the GM minivans
href="http://www.carsafety.org/ddr2.htm".

So Volvo is one of the most safe cars on the road
and yet its injury and deaths are no better than
minivans.

Buy a minvan because it meets your needs and
likes, and not because of false hysteria.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

BBergie · October 1998

I bought a 1997 Pontiac Transport Montana new last October. In the year we have put 28000 miles on it. The tires are billed as self sealing. We got a nail in one. Took it to the dealer to have it patched. Less than a week later, we took it back to have it patched. After three weeks of trying to get it patched, it developed a bulge then burst. The nail was no where near the 1/4 inch spike they advertise. The computer does not seem to be very accurate for gas mileage. We have gassed up many times, expected 23 miles per gallon or better because the computer said we got that over all, but got closer to 20 miles per gallon. The vehicle seems to have problems with cross winds. When you drive along a road that has a rut running even with the direction of travel it has problems. Over all gas consumption is 20 MPG. Mostly pleasant to drive. Breaks started sqeeking about 10,000 miles, a sales man told us 12000 is standard mileage before brake pads need to be replaced but we have about 1/2 break pad usage.

VentureMan · October 1998

Thanks for the good after purchase report on the Pontiac Montana. How is the interior and such holding up? Are the self sealing tires the only big problem you have?

There are products you can put on brake pads to reduce squealing. Ask a good mechanic at a service station.

Is the gas mileage related to going greater than 55 MPH? I noticed that I get the best highway mileage at 55 MPH and it goes down as I speed up. In Calif, people travel at 65 to 75 MPH all the time.

Please report further is there is more to report.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

montodvia · November 1998

VentureMan:
The dealer explained that the tape is a special weatherstripping placed over the seams that are formed during assembly. They are supposed to protect the seams from the elements. Sounds good,but looks 2nd class. Nonetheless, delivery day approaches and at this point it will take more than some tape to turn me against the Montana. I've done more comparative shopping for this vehicle then any other car I've ever purchased, so I'm only looking forward to it. Someone just told me about something called the Montana Thunder, has anyone ever heard of it?

scottbusey · November 1998

To mommyflyer:
I've see some Trans Sport SEs available at '98 closeout prices around $20k. If you can find these deals where you live, and can add GM incentives on top, you might be wise to consider a new SE. The power door is great, but we had to have ours adjusted after about 7 months. Fortunately the dealer service was first-rate, and it was a positive experience.

TO: BBergie

We get about 28 MPG at 55-60, and about 26 MPG at 65-70. The powerplant is very effecient but a mini van punches a big hole in the atmosphere; I've run in traffic (trucks) at 75 MPH and got 34MPG with the traffic moving the air for me.

Enjoy!

VentureMan · November 1998

I heard the Montana Thunder is a model to come out in 2000. Thats all I know.

VentureMan

VentureMan · November 1998

GM is offering free installation (well, almost free) of its OnStar navigation system until Dec 31, 1999 for the GM minivans. This normally cost $1300 to have installed. You will have to have a Cell phone service and subscribe to OnStar for one year at $270/year. Not a bad price for the extra piece of mind.

If your air bags deploy, the OnStar system will automatically notify GM, and GM will send an emergency vehicle to your location (it knows where you are via satellite).

Or if you car is stolen, GM can locate your vehicle and disengage the fuel supply (I believe this is part of the security package).

Or, if you lock your keys in the car, they can unlock it via satellite. No waiting for a tow truck.

Get lost in the back country and not know were you are? The navigation system will tell you.

Doesn't sound bad for $270.

Best of luck,

VentureMan

2345 · November 1998

The Montana Thunder is a concept car that GM showed off a year or two ago. It is a totally different van than the Montana. It was extremely cool looking and had some really great features. I can't remember what all the features were, but check out this think to check out the Thunder. I would be extremely surprised if it was in showrooms in 2000. I heard it was very poplular.

http://www.auto.com/98autoshow/photos/

SAhladas · November 1998

Wow, how did you mine that gem? Actually, looking at the picture, imagine it without the grounds effect package and 70 profile tires instead of 40 profile. Now imagine the regular Montana taillights instead of that light array in the window. Is it beginning to look like the short version of the Montana yet?

I OWN a montana, and to quite honest with you, I never figured out the marketing behind it. Take a minivan, give it white walls tires and make a soft effort to imply its an SUV competitor, give me a break! We picked it over the olds because we thought the suspension was a little stiffer, not because we would ever try four wheeling in it!

Pontiac Montana

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