Hopeful new owner

Hoplite666

New member
Good afternoon all,
I've spent the better part of the last few weeks researching Montero's up and down and have gotten myself up to speed and ready buy a gen3.

Wanted to share my dissapointing experience.
Last week I emailed a dealership that has an 04 for sale. Seemed clean. 73k.
They failed to reply to my emails in any kind of timely manner and also failed to "call me back" several times.
The car is 2 hours away and I wanted to hear more about it and verify availability before making the trek.
I was also curious where in the hell the nearly $16k price tag was coming from.
Eventually the man I was in communication with told me an owner or manager was treating it as a daily driver since it came to them and perhaps that individual wasn't too eager to let it go, hence the stupid high price. But the "real" price was actually $10k. Still high in my opinion. Even for what carfax was telling me is a one owner car. Blue book excellent condition is somewhere close to $6k.
So I arrange to have the car made available between 1130 and 12 today. They tell me who ever is driving it will be there and the Montero will be ready for me to check out and test drive etc.
I get there and the man I had emailed is squirming, he passes me onto another saleswoman and together they tell me it's down the road at there other dealer. I think they were expecting me to be more upset than I was. Maybe I should have been. I did take time to try ensure it would be there and told then I was coming from out of the area.
So I drive over there with the saleswoman. 10 mins down the road.

The Montero is dirty. Child seat in the back. Mud kicked onto the back of the seat. Trash and receipts strewn about. They made no effort to prepare it for any kind of inspection. Leather is cracked here and there. Under carriage a mildly rusty and typical sweaty, seeping oil here and there. Check engine light on for a catalytic converter they say they are installing before sale. Power antenna broken. Also being changed before sale.
So much for being ready for me when I get there as was implied.
Sooo, those were the obvious things. It drove well enough. I'm an industrial mechanic and have turned more than a few wrenches. My initial visual inspection revealed typical things and the test drive left me feeling good about stopping starting turning and all that good stuff.
The engine is super clean.
Come to find out they changed it. Why? They don't know. Have to find the paperwork. Is it from a junked car... they dunno..
Oh wait. Now it's a "rebuilt engine." "We can find the paperwork."
There were other odd bits and statements here and there.
Am I venting? Lol
In a nutshell.
Car not as clean or pristine as implied. Wishy washy stories and background as far as maintenance and pending repairs they are supposed to be doing. No professionalism and or consideration for my two hour drive and request it be there and ready for me to buy.
All of that aside a proper detailing and the completion of pending repairs certainly would make it a good example of a gen3. The engine block, intake manifold and other heartbeat type equipment under the hood does look brand new. Trans fluid cleanish. Newer winter tires. No clunks, squeaks or other stand out issues.
I basically left the dealer politely thanking them for wasting my time and said to contact me if and when its repaired, newer engine paperwork in order and cleaned and ready for me to give it a look over. Even then though I said it still only seemed like a $6k car. Not 9k and certainly not 16k.
This isn't a cheapo used car dealer either. Very large reputable regional auto group. I don't want one of you guys stealing this car out from under me..hahah.. it may clean up nice and they may get the story and paper work in order and I may go back and consider it again. But if you want to see what I'm talking about you can find it on auto trader for sale in the Gettysburg area. Renn Kirby Kia
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
The downside to Monteros is that most dealers will treat them as a wholesale piece when taken on trade no matter how nice they seem to be, then drive them for a bit and sell at auction. We haven't bought a car from a dealer since my wife bought her Mazda in 2005, all private sale these days.
 

Hoplite666

New member
The downside to Monteros is that most dealers will treat them as a wholesale piece when taken on trade no matter how nice they seem to be, then drive them for a bit and sell at auction. We haven't bought a car from a dealer since my wife bought her Mazda in 2005, all private sale these days.
I try to stick private party as well. But low miles, one owner, reasonable distance away. Had to give it a try.
 

normal_dave

waytoomuchwritinginposts.
This one looks promising, decent history, mostly Southeast, not too much time in Virginia (salt). Limited, Black with grey leather interior, at the Cadillac dealer, stock number indicates a trade in on a new vehicle. Posted on cargurus about 3 days. I'd get over there and at least take a look. Radley Cadillac, Fredericksburg.
2002 Montero Limited
It has the 3.5L, and won't have the electronic traction control of the '03 and up, but everything else should be good to go options wise.

Edit: expanded thoughts. If someone is trading their Montero on a brand new Cadillac, and said Cadillac dealer thinks its nice enough to put into their used vehicle inventory, there's multiple good possibilities in my book. Don't worry about the mileage, these thing's are getting old. To me, in general, a new Cadillac buyer stands a pretty good chance of having taken care of, or paid to maintain their Montero, but I'm always looking at the glass half full.
 
Last edited:

Hoplite666

New member
This one looks promising, decent history, mostly Southeast, not too much time in Virginia (salt). Limited, Black with grey leather interior, at the Cadillac dealer, stock number indicates a trade in on a new vehicle. Posted on cargurus about 3 days. I'd get over there and at least take a look. Radley Cadillac, Fredericksburg.
2002 Montero Limited
It has the 3.5L, and won't have the electronic traction control of the '03 and up, but everything else should be good to go options wise.

Edit: expanded thoughts. If someone is trading their Montero on a brand new Cadillac, and said Cadillac dealer thinks its nice enough to put into their used vehicle inventory, there's multiple good possibilities in my book. Don't worry about the mileage, these thing's are getting old. To me, in general, a new Cadillac buyer stands a pretty good chance of having taken care of, or paid to maintain their Montero, but I'm always looking at the glass half full.
Would be nice if they posted some pics of it. Probably worth checking out, yes.
I do sorta have a rule about buying used cars with under 100k on the clock. Just about kills off all the options I'm likely to come across though.
 

Michael Brown

You followed me, so now we're both lost
They also will probably not lower the price much. I'd expect that they overvalued it to get them into another car on the lot.
 

coffeegoat

Adventurer
It's worth an ask, whats the worse they would say, no?

Mine was valued at something like $5800 on the lot, I ended up paying 3750, and they took the offer immediately, I was kicking myself for not offering lower...
 

normal_dave

waytoomuchwritinginposts.
Tough crowd...:cool:

Don't forget, you can register your vehicle with Mitsubishi, and see current recalls and any Mitsubishi branded/dealer service history as well, in addition to what may or not be reported on CarFax.
Mitsubishi "My Garage"
 

Onyok

New member
I have a Burgundy Red 1999 Montero Winter Package w/ RDL.
I drive her mainly in SF Bay Area. Never seen mud or snow!
If you are interested you may send me a private message.
 

SampaGuy

Member
They might have taken a very low offer that day, could have been a buying opportunity. In my book, they were lazy and unprofessional, but never crossed the line into purposefully deceptive/dishonest, which is the point I walk away.
 

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