New older vehicle for the lady. Suv hunt

[PirateMcGee]

im not opposed to the montero. I really dont know anything about them tho. is there a guide or what to look for somewhere

@pirate mcgee is yours listed somewhere?

It's not currently listed but I've been tossing around the idea of selling it to get a Toyota Chinook project.

People get down on the Sport (even Montero guys) but the reality is it is a fantastic vehicle....with the 3.5 it comes with a drive train as robust as the full size montero but with 4.90's, weighs several hundred pounds less (while having same towing capacity and more cargo room than gen 2 montero), has a better departure angle, is more nimble, peppier, handles better, etc. It's slightly less cushy but rides quite nicely on bilsteins and is very quiet even by today's standards. It's very similar to a 3rd gen 4runner but has a bit more robust drivetrain, higher seating position, solid brakes, bit more power, less aftermarket, and is usually half to 2/3rds the price with less miles.

Look for a 2000+ with the 3.5 as they have coils in the rear and are very safe SUVs. The limited has leather heated seats, better stereo etc. but i prefer the 3.5xs since it weighs less and doesn't have AWD.

If she liked a WJ she'll probably like the Sport.

 

[oscar the grouch]

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/5555010290.html

this one looks nice. high miles tho

 

[justcuz]

Overall condition is more important to me than mileage. That one looks pretty good for the mileage.
I would not be afraid of it especially if he has records to show the recommended services have been done.

I daily drive a 2000 Suburban with 264,000 miles on it. It uses a 1/2 quart of oil between 3 or 4 thousand mile oil changes. Original engine, trans, t case and axles. At 300,000 I will rebuild the engine just to see what it looks like inside.

You mentioned moving to Utah in the future?
I hear these are much more popular in Utah, can you wait to buy one there?

 

[oscar the grouch]

Depends. The Utah move is a want. Time and oportunity

 

[Martinjmpr]

Montero's are very rare in the Southeast. I bought a 1990 Montero in 1992 in Denver and drove it to Fort Bragg, NC, which was my next duty station. The first couple of years I was there people would stop me on the street and ask what it was, they had never seen one nor heard of one before.

 

[oscar the grouch]

She said she's good with a tahoe/Yukon too

 

[Martinjmpr]

She said she's good with a tahoe/Yukon too

.
Should be easy to find a GMT-800 Hoe or Yuke in your sub-$5k price range as long as you're OK with higher miles (150k+). Just FYI I have heard some say the front diff and/or CV joints in Denali Yukes can go out early due to the AWD system. Non-Denali Yukes have the same drivetrain as the Tahoe, 5.3/4L60/regular 4wd with low range.
.
If you don't mind going a generation earlier, you could possibly find a low-mile GMT-400 Yuke or Tahoe, too.

 

[oscar the grouch]

I had a 2000 Silverado and it was the best truck I've ever owned so a gmt-800 would suit me fine.

Montereo gen 3 is still a strong contender. If I can find one. They are scarce down in the south

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I had a 2000 Silverado and it was the best truck I've ever owned so a gmt-800 would suit me fine.

Montereo gen 3 is still a strong contender. If I can find one. They are scarce down in the south

Here is an idea, find a Montero out west where there is little to no rust, then take a week to drive it back and explore Utah. The economy in Utah is one of the best in the nation and you will never run out of things to do.

 

[oscar the grouch]

Here is an idea, find a Montero out west where there is little to no rust, then take a week to drive it back and explore Utah. The economy in Utah is one of the best in the nation and you will never run out of things to do.

I have a hard time trusting a vehicle on that long of a push. Especially if I havent had it thru the garage for its PO (previous owner) check ups.

 

[snow60X]

Go for a Subaru Forester. There are tons of Subarus out in UT so cheap parts everywhere. I bought a 1997 Impreza Outback Sport in NC for $3500, went from 160k miles to 225k miles, 'totaled' it about 3 times doing stupid ****, only had to replace the original radiator, some cv axles, and other wear items, drove it from NC to UT in 4 days, UT to NC in 38 hours, and NC to UT in 33 hours without a single issue at all, and then could have sold it for $2500 without a problem but I gave it to a guy that was going to enjoy it for $1500. (He sold it for $2300 a couple years after I sold it to him) I also randomly saw it on a 9000 mile trip(In my 2003 Forester) from CA to NC to CA to IL in Moab, UT and it looked like it was driving strong.

Anyways, great safety, holds their value(you will make money if you sold it after the move if you don't end up liking it), great (AWD) gas mileage, easy to work on, cheap parts, very, very reliable if maintained. I picked up my 2003 with zero rust and a very clean interior for $3800 and only needed new fluids to drive those 9000 miles without an issue.

Only issue is road noise but that's an easy $5 fix with the front windows.

 

[oscar the grouch]

Ended up finding a very very well taken care of Yukon. For under 5. Had to peal a ton of stick on chrome off of it but other than that it looks almost new.

 

[balexander87]

Yukon/Tahoes are some o my favorite trucks. My family has had one Tahoe or another for as long as I can remember. Such great rigs! I'm sure it will serve you well!

 

[oscar the grouch]

Only crappie part about this one. Zw7 suspension. I ordered the parts to turn it to a normal suspension for 1/4 of what it takes to replace the self leveling shocks

 

[Martinjmpr]

The good news is that if there are any problems or issues there is a ton of information out there about how to fix it. What year is the Yuke? 5.3 or 6.0? (Denali's had the 6.0 along with AWD, non-Denali's would have the 5.3 with the conventional transfer case.)