SOLD - 1999 Mitsubishi Montero - Winter Package - 187k Miles - SoCal

nckwltn

Explorer
SOLD: 1999 Mitsubishi Montero - Winter Package - 187k Miles - SoCal
Located in Santa Clarita, CA



I’m selling my 1999 Montero (winter package) with 187,000 miles. See my notes below about getting smog passed to sell. I’m actually a little sad now to sell, because it’s running as good or better than it has in a few years (replaced valve stem seals and a clogged cat). Registered through Feb 2021.

The following maintenance has been completed (mostly) in the last 2.5 years/20k miles:

Plusses:

The following maintenance has been completed (mostly) in the last 2.5 years/20k miles:
  • Timing belt, timing belt tensioner, timing pulleys, water pump, crank position sensor, cam position sensor - 12/02/2017
  • Upper control arms, upper ball joints - 04/09/2018
  • Lower control arm bushings, lower ball joints - 03/30/2018
  • Coolant flush with distilled water (then brought back to 50/50 with antifreeze) - 05/2019
  • Thermostat, radiator cap - 2019
  • Bilstein 4600 shocks 10/17/2017
  • Front wheel bearings - 10/19/2017
  • Rebooted both CV shafts (inner and outer boots & fresh grease) - 5/26/2019
  • Spark plugs & wires - 1/18/2017
  • Intake manifold gasket - 1/18/2017
  • CARB approved catalytic converter - 3/19/2020
  • Valve stem seals - 2/29/2020
  • New starting battery - 2018
  • Brake Pads - 2019

Recent Maintenance but outside of 2.5 years
  • Auto transmission fluid flush (appropriate Mitsubishi fluid used) - 9/20/2016
  • Rear Tailgate handle replacement - 4/12/2016
  • Rear sway bar links - 4/12/2016
  • 4wd light vacuum solenoid - 5/12/2016
  • PCV Valve - 8/10/16
  • Front Sway Bar Links - 5/29/2016
  • Rear Cam Seals - 10/20/2014
  • JVC Headunit - 5/27/2014
  • Pitman Arm & Idler Arm - 7/27/2013
  • Spark Plug Tube Seals - 2/24/2013
  • Hydraulic Lash Adjusters - 1/12/2013
  • OME HD Rear Springs - 6/2/2016

The following are present:
  • Factory rear air locker
  • Dual Battery setup using the Expo simple method - 10/2016
  • Aluminum Roof Rack
  • BFG TA KO 2 - Less than 20k miles
  • 4.636 gears from a 97 SR - 07/2014
  • Suspension (bouncy) Seats
  • RAM mount base
  • White ball 4wd shifter
  • New windshield in 2018
  • Factory Trailer Hitch (not just the receiver in the bumper)
  • No rust from being in warm climates all its life
  • LED interior bulbs

I’m the 3rd owner, purchased from the 2nd in Arizona. The first owner lived in Arkansas. I purchased in January 2013 and have been using it as my daily driver from 2014-2017 and then as a family mountain/desert camping/go to Lowes on the weekend vehicle. This Montero has never left me stranded and has always taken me up the same trails and to the same places as my buddies who have rigs that cost many times more. I can cruise down the highway at 70 mph fully loaded and still get 18+mpg.

I recently took the Montero through Death Valley (Cerro Gordo, Hot Springs, Eureka Dunes and back to LA - November 2019). In June of 2019 I took my family from LA out to the grand canyon for a week of camping around the national park (1200 mile round trip).

Minuses:
  • The front seats are worn with some rips, the driver's side seat bottom is the worst with several rips
  • There is a small leak in the rear driver’s side tire, every couple of weeks I have to put 5-10psi back in
  • The ABS light is on
  • I never got around to installing sliders, and I’ve come down on the rockers twice (once each side)
  • The rear quarter panels along the ground have taken a bit of damage
  • Like many other Japanese vehicles from the 90s, the roof has lost the clear coat in front of the sun roof
  • There is a quarter sized piece on the hood where the paint chipped away
  • I think the front crank seal may need to be replaced as I do see some oil-wetness coming from that area
  • There isn’t an issue going down the road, but had the temps creep up high elevation on a recent trip to DVNP while idling, it may be related to fan clutch or radiator.
  • Passenger headlight glass has a crack.
  • Interior light turns on for a brief moment when going over large bumps
  • Trim around the rear door handle has a broken clip, but the rear handle works just fine

If you pull a carfax you will see several “failed emissions” reports in 2017. I attempted to get by with plugs/wires and some other basic tune-up types of maintenance, but in the end a new catalytic converter (CARB approved) was what it needed. I passed emissions in 2019 without any issues.

When getting ready to sell in 2020, I had to replace the valve stem seals and put in a new catalytic converter as the old one was clogged likely due to the burning oil getting past the valve stem seals. I have a current smog certificate in hand, and the emissions numbers might as well be at zeros across the board (O2, HC, CO, NOx).

I have the title in hand and it’s clean and clear ready for a buyer to come along and pick it up.
 

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Last edited:

Eli_ATX

New member
Transfer case work fine?

How about electronics (door locks, lights etc.)?

Any diagnosis on the abs light?

Thanks!
 

nckwltn

Explorer
Transfer case work fine?

How about electronics (door locks, lights etc.)?

Any diagnosis on the abs light?

Thanks!

@Eli_ATX

Electronics:
Yes, all electronics work. Sometimes the rear hatch lock take a 2nd unlock press on the Fob for it to unlock. The driver's window goes up slowly when it's cold (not really an issue in SoCal). I'll update the listing, but the interior lights do kick on for a brief moment when going over larger bumps. I think it's a door sensor, but haven't been able to pin-point which door.

Transfer Case:
No issues with the transfer case at all. With the white-ball shifter upgrade, it goes into (and out of) 4-hi, 4-hi center locked, and 4-low without any issues.

ABS Light:
I think it's a sensor on one of the wheels, but I don't have anything more than a hunch on it. There is a diagnostic that you're supposed to be able to do from the OBD2 port that should cause the ABS light to flash a sequence of flashes. You read that sequence and look it up in the FSM. I can't get it to run the flash sequence. This isn't my daily driver anymore, and I don't mind not having ABS. I actually prefer no ABS on the trails, I've found that the ABS kicks on when trying to get the wheels to dig-in while coming down steep hills and causes the truck to feel like it isn't stopping. Without ABS the tires dig in and do a good job of stopping the truck.
 

nckwltn

Explorer
*edited to include date for the recent maintenance. I went through and pulled all of the receipts as well.
 

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