Looking to Buy a GEN III

[Deshet]

I am driving several hours to look at a GEN III this weekend.
I have reviewed this post and many others across the internet and youtube. It seems like the GENIII is what I am looking for.
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/166001-So-is-the-gen-III-really-that-good/page4?highlight=buying+gen+III

I have done a lot of research. Some people call the traction control system on the GENIII legendary but I did find one post that seemed to knock it a little but it almost seemed like he knocked because he could not find a 2003 and up in his price range at the time.

I know that the vehicle needs rear springs and something is wrong with the emissions canister/system. It is a 2003 model under 150,000 miles. Are there any weak points that I should really look at closely. It has been used onroad almost exclusivley since it was new. I want something that is easy for my son to handle going back and forth to college in the mountains. He only has experience on the flat ground and the drive is about 5 hours one way. I want something that is car like at on-road mountain inclines and declines but can get through some snow if needed.

I drove with a buddy not long ago up to a friend sky house house in the montains and the drive in the LC 80 seriers was not ideal. My buddy a know it all had the breaks glowing because he refused to downshift as we passed several cars that had experience failures. Within a mile we were also on the side of the road. The stance of the GENIII seems low enough that it will perform well enough in the mountains for an newer driver and it isn't a rocketship.

I haven't driven one in a long time (1997) this was more truck-like.

Let me know what you guys think and if it is the wrong way to go completely. I have also been considering an AWD Element but I think the GENIII is something that he would appericate more as he grew older.

Thanks,

 

[Skidmarkart]

I am driving several hours to look at a GEN III this weekend.
I have reviewed this post and many others across the internet and youtube. It seems like the GENIII is what I am looking for.
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/166001-So-is-the-gen-III-really-that-good/page4?highlight=buying+gen+III

I have done a lot of research. Some people call the traction control system on the GENIII legendary but I did find one post that seemed to knock it a little but it almost seemed like he knocked because he could not find a 2003 and up in his price range at the time.

I know that the vehicle needs rear springs and something is wrong with the emissions canister/system. It is a 2003 model under 150,000 miles. Are there any weak points that I should really look at closely. It has been used onroad almost exclusivley since it was new. I want something that is easy for my son to handle going back and forth to college in the mountains. He only has experience on the flat ground and the drive is about 5 hours one way. I want something that is car like at on-road mountain inclines and declines but can get through some snow if needed.

I drove with a buddy not long ago up to a friend sky house house in the montains and the drive in the LC 80 seriers was not ideal. My buddy a know it all had the breaks glowing because he refused to downshift as we passed several cars that had experience failures. Within a mile we were also on the side of the road. The stance of the GENIII seems low enough that it will perform well enough in the mountains for an newer driver and it isn't a rocketship.

I haven't driven one in a long time (1997) this was more truck-like.

Let me know what you guys think and if it is the wrong way to go completely. I have also been considering an AWD Element but I think the GENIII is something that he would appericate more as he grew older.

Thanks,

So, here's some info from Gen. owner -

They are great, great vehicles. If I found another with low miles I would buy it tomorrow. Mine has 200k on it and has only had standard maintenance and a replaced alternator. If you get a good one, they are bulletproof. I use one as my business vehicle, third car, family mall-crawler. It is comfy, performs well, and goes anywhere (I often take it to the mountains of NC and drive in heavy snow in the winter). It gets good mileage for it's size, and abilities. The cons, are that it's very heavy, it goes through brakes if you live in the mountains (also easy to warp), and it's thirsty, and good tires are expensive. Also, it's top heavy, and did I mention a very heavy vehicle in general. I say that because it had somewhat of a reputation for roll-overs. In the hands of an inexperienced driver, on a mountain road, you need to make sure your son understands... you can flip these things. It isn't a car, and I'll probably get flack here, but I wouldn't want my kid driving around in one on mountain roads, with little experience driving there. That is the truth.

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/21/business/fi-12917

https://www.yourlawyer.com/product-...o-rollover-defective-vehicle-injury-lawsuits/


That said - if you keep that in mind, it's a great SUV. Like a Range Rover that doesn't break, or a Land Cruiser normal humans can afford.

Hold out and find a good one with NOTHING WRONG. There are plenty out there and they are cheap. I took mine to Utah when it was 12 years old and had 160K + and wheeled around on some bad-*** trails for several days, then drove back to NC. It's bone stock and didn't have a single hiccup!

Good luck.

 

[KyleT]

I own two. Not really top heavy IMO. Not near like any other suv.

Traction control is really good. But you have to let it do it’s thing. Some people don’t and try to bully the car though. I’ve heard that Land Rover used the algorithm to base their terrain response on.

Biggest complaint is it’s underpowered.


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[Deshet]

I am happy with underpowered. He is used to power a 300hp Thunderbird....he started driving dirt bikes at 5.
No tickets or accidents
They don't look like they would be top heavy....like a Bronco II or Trooper II.
I have no experience with the GEN III but I would not be scared of him driving my LC 100.

Skidmarkart,

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun...iness/fi-12917

https://www.yourlawyer.com/product-l...jury-lawsuits/

Your links have me a little concerned. I wonder did the traction control of the 2003 fix any of this. Second, is the Insurance going to be too expensive? Most of the people that I know with Gen III are women that just drive.

Thanks



Thanks

 

[plh]

'03 or new, Limited, 3.8l, traction control.

Find one under 70K miles, I'll take another.

 

[KyleT]

Those links are taking about the consumer reports BS lane change test. The second link looks like some computer generated ad for that firm. They are one of the more stable SUV’s you can buy that’s still a capable off roader. To me feels more stable than both the 100series and first gen sequoia.


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[Deshet]

I am not spending a ton to buy him a college putt around car. They did not sell many of them so I don't have a lot of choices. It seems that the 3.8 is more reliable with higher mileage. Under 70.000 miles I would be concearned with odometer rollback unless it was the orginal owner. Even a 2006 at that mileage would be hard to find.

I wonder if the Consumer Reports magazine had anything to do with Montero not being sold here any longer. If they said the GenII was top heavy I would have believe that as it looks a lot like the Trooper and a High School friend had his trooper on two wheels all the time acting like and idoit.

Is the insurance high on the Gen III? I don't want to get screwed on my monthly premiums. I have driven a 1st Gen Sequoia a lot and would have no issues with him driving one of those. I guess anything can happen but it would take a crazy on-road situation to roll a Sequoia or a 100 series.

The one thing about the article that seemed odd to me is that consumer reports had only tested 118 vechiles in 2001; they had been doing this work since the 1960s. How do they pick and choose what they test? I have heard that they are not fully impartial and wonder if a Montero competitor got them to perform the test. There is no way the GENII was evaulated in the same manor and did better then the GENIII. I have never owned a bad Mitsubishi product and recommend them over Honda, Toyota, and Nissan due to the cost and reliability.

Thanks

 

[Salonika]

Any vehicle can flip under the right circumstances. Some are more likely to flip than others. Given the fact that no two situations are ever the same, I don't think it was fair for Mitsubishi to be singled out. I'm not aware of there being a standardized test to rate rollover tendency 20 years ago. I know rollovers occurred......but given the tens of thousands of Monteros and millions of miles driven, it wasn't like the damn Pinto catching on fire. BTW you want a Gen-2 not a Gen-3. Ha

 

[plh]

I am not spending a ton to buy him a college putt around car.

What year in college? My daughter is a junior and still avoiding a car there. PIA to park at her apartment, extra cost for parking space, impossible to drive or park on campus. She bikes, walks or buses about everywhere.

I'd do everything possible to avoid sending a vehicle.

 

[KyleT]

Fwiw rarely are the ones I see on the parts listing rolled. Tons of front and rear Enders.


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[Deshet]

Any vehicle can flip under the right circumstances. Some are more likely to flip than others. Given the fact that no two situations are ever the same, I don't think it was fair for Mitsubishi to be singled out. I'm not aware of there being a standardized test to rate rollover tendency 20 years ago. I know rollovers occurred......but given the tens of thousands of Monteros and millions of miles driven, it wasn't like the damn Pinto catching on fire. BTW you want a Gen-2 not a Gen-3. Ha

I know the Gen-2 is more capable and cheaper but I don't like the looks of them and I would be worried about flipping one of those.
He is a Freshman and I hate driving to his school. 5 hours one way with out traffic

 

[evomaki]

I recently bought a gen III, which will go to a college kid in the spring. I am going through it and fixing various deferred maintenance issues. I just put the vehicle on stands to do the brakes and install an unnecessary (for a college kid) lift kit from ADD. But why not? Anyhow, I just noticed that the Gen 3 multilink rear end looks virtually identical in layout to another vehicle I own which is well known for its excellent handling. Identical but much oversized in comparison. That other vehicle would be an Evolution 9. I own one of those with a buddy as a track car. You can hardly ask for a better suspension design layout. Minimal camber change on compression/flexion. I had a race engineer tell me the Evo suspension is designed to move. Fast Evo's are not slammed to the ground. The suspension is set up to move and then you stay on the throttle for the AWD to hook up. Swaybars are giant on the Gen III as well. That Consumer Reports BS was a hatchet job. Nothing wrong with the Monty. You can flip most cars if you drive like a moron.

 

[Deshet]

what year did you get?

It seems like the lift kits are just spring and shock replacements. I think I want to keep everything stock and keep the center of gravity low but the lift does sound interesting. I just don't want to change the vehicles handling. I would be interested in wider tires.

Thanks

 

[evomaki]

Bought an 06. I think I posted about it somewhere. One owner car. But even those, with dedicated but unaware owners, can be not what you think, due to **** mechanics who have worked on them in the past 12 years. My car had a timing belt changed. Except it didn't. Mechanic never replaced it but charged for it. I was changing it anyway, but disappointing nonetheless.

I am installing a mild lift from Adventure Driven Design. Spring rate stiffer so roll resistance probably improved. I am going to upsize the tire very modestly (maybe 3 to 4%). Not changing gear ratio on this one. 4.90 too tall. Would need 35's and this one will have too much highway for that.

If I lived within A days drive of those ADD guys I'd try to convince them to make it great and just take it there and give them $. Good luck

 

[1morebike]

I have a 2003 I bought it a year ago with pretty good maintenance records with 140,000 miles on it for $6000. I also owed a 97 lc. I love my gen lll it's been pretty low maintenance so far and runs like a champ. I think it would be a fine college car but a Forester would get better gas mileage.