3rd Gen Montero? Worth considering?

[Aegis]

Morning all,


As I've continued the search to acquire a new rig to build up for my family (fiancee & 90lb dog), it never occurred to me to consider the Montero. I've mostly been ping-ponging back and forth between either a RRC, a D2, or a 2nd Gen Trooper.


... Recently though, I've started to take-notice of Monteros. I see the Gen2s and Gen2.5s, and they're starting to appeal to me. Moreso, I'm really starting to like the lines and look of the Gen3 Montys.

I've done my fair share of searching, but I can't seem to find anything too in-depth regarding people's thoughts on the Gen3. Usually, someone posts asking, someone replies and says "Montys are awesome, I love my 2.5!!1!" and then it just sort of degrades from there, turning into convincing the guy/girl to wait it out for a 2/2.5 lol


What I'm looking for are some honest opinions on the Gen3. I don't plan on doing any SERIOUS crawling, but I do plan on taking it pretty far off of the beaten path with the pup and the misses. I know the aftermarket options are somewhat limited, but I've also seen people produce some fairly awesome looking rigs.


So. What says ye? Worth considering? Too new/refined to be a considerable rig?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RttH]

I have not driven a Gen 3 but I think that their clearance is better than Gen 1 and 2 stock. I don't wheel hard core and I actually like the idea of independant suspension when driving down dirt/washboard roads. They are very reliable and under-rated in the U.S. market. Very capable trucks! Prices are good too! 2006 is last year for US market. Might return in 2014-15 year.

 

[Aegis]

Yeah, there seems to be quite a few available up here, and the prices for a nice 2002 Limited with low miles aren't that bad!

 

[Mudrunner]

There a number of people here with the GEN 3 if you look in the build sticky (if you haven't already) there are some good builds and you could find a few stories by the owners of the GEN 3's.

 

[Aegis]

There a number of people here with the GEN 3 if you look in the build sticky (if you haven't already) there are some good builds and you could find a few stories by the owners of the GEN 3's.

Honestly, I don't know HOW I missed the Build Sticky, but I somehow did hahaha.

Duly noted!

 

[plh]

Not affiliated, I'm always looking for a Gen 2.5 and ran across this today. This looks like a pretty good price on a Gen 3

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/ctd/4086096367.html

 

[Inyo_man]

Our Montero works great for what we ask it to do on and off road! We use it for the same purposes as you are looking for...back-country exploration, overlanding, and general bombing around off the pavement. It's also the DD, and works a treat on the pavement. We are a family of four with a male German Sheperd. I built a platform behind the second row seats that the dog rides on (with gear under)...with a roof rack in place you're set. One of my favorite things about the Gen. III is that you can be just as comfortable driving across the country on the highway as picking your way through a trail. The Driver Fatigue factor is a big selling point for me. Our rig has 150k miles, and is running like a top.
The Gen. III is a very good value IMHO.



...from a five day trip last winter.

 

[Aegis]

Our Montero works great for what we ask it to do on and off road! We use it for the same purposes as you are looking for...back-country exploration, overlanding, and general bombing around off the pavement. It's also the DD, and works a treat on the pavement. We are a family of four with a male German Sheperd. I built a platform behind the second row seats that the dog rides on (with gear under)...with a roof rack in place you're set. One of my favorite things about the Gen. III is that you can be just as comfortable driving across the country on the highway as picking your way through a trail. The Driver Fatigue factor is a big selling point for me. Our rig has 150k miles, and is running like a top.
The Gen. III is a very good value IMHO.


View attachment 190527
...from a five day trip last winter.

Thanks for taking the time to reply -- you're right, it sounds like we're on the same page about vehicle use! Glad to hear too that there's space for your GSD in the back; my Service K9 is a Rottweiler x Doberman, and definitely will be coming with us regardless of where we go, paved or otherwise

Love the look of your rig too!! Do you have a build thread anywhere?

 

[Inyo_man]

Thanks for taking the time to reply

Love the look of your rig too!! Do you have a build thread anywhere?

Not a problem...

Thank you for the compliment.

No, I've never gotten around to putting one together.
The few things that aren't listed in my signature are:
Uniden CB with a front firing speaker mounted below temp. controls
HD RhinoRack tracks and cross bars for roof rack
rear platform for big dog
control switch for power antenna
bed liner on rocker panels, wheel well trim and plastic on rear bumper

Good luck on your search.

 

[Aegis]

:ylsmoke:

 

[off-roader]

Gen 3's are very nicely refined and quite capable. Plus the prices are almost impossible to beat.

 

[Aegis]

Gen 3's are very nicely refined and quite capable. Plus the prices are almost impossible to beat.

The price-point is DEFINITELY one of the major things going for them right now! Done a bunch of reading tonight too, sounds like they really are quite the rig when done-up properly (and in stock form too)!

 

[Mudrunner]

Plus get better MPG than most of the competition out there.

 

[magoh76]

Satisfied owner of a Gen 3 here. I haven't done much to mine yet except switching wheels and tires, but it's taken me everywhere I've pointed it so far. I really like Inyo_man's rig, also go see Imnosaint's build to see another nicely done Gen 3: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/81212-ImNoSaint-s-Gen-III-Build

 

[MontyMcV]

Find my thread on the Gen III rear diff issue. You say "pretty far off the beaten path." You will want to make the $200 in parts repair before you need it.
.
If you need the third row much for travel, the Gen III misses the mark with a much smaller seat. The rear HVAC is a big plus. I'd say search for 2003 an dup to get the 3.8L. I'm not an AT person, as people know, but the 5spd AT behind the 3.8 drives very nicely.
.
One lesser plus is that you can easily relo the HVAC controls to below the dash in place of the CD changer, and then fit a double din up high in the dash.
.
No HL washers is an unfortunate reality of the Gen IIIs.