I'm reluctantly putting my 1996 Mitusbishi Montero SR up for sale. Yes, that’s a common platitude you see among car ads right? Everyone says they don’t want to sell their vehicle for this, that or the other reason. Well, here are 4 reasons why I don’t want to sell it:
1- it took me a year to find a 2nd gen Montero for sale that was taken care of and actually in really good shape. I had absolutely no desire to buy some beat-up project vehicle that needed $2k of work on top of the seemingly low price it was being sold at.
2- it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I purposefully did not want to get a Land Cruiser, or a jeep, 4runner, etc. I like that the Montero is a diamond in the rough (seriously, if you don’t know much about them look up the hardware that sits under these things, like the 9.5” semi-floating rear axle, high-pinion 8” front diff, massive 100mm CV’s on the SR, FACTORY air-locking differential) and I like that it’s uncommon.
3-It’s been incredibly reliable. Not once has this truck left me stranded, neither in my travels to remote areas or some of the more challenging off-road parks. It has always gotten me home. I can’t say that for other off-road rigs I’ve owned.
4- It’s just a solid all-around vehicle. I find it very comfortable and easy to drive, it’s low-tech by today’s standards but still had some good creature comforts for the age. I just enjoy it, a whole lot!
So why I am selling it if I like it so much? We have a family of 5, which recently grew to 6 because we adopted a dog. The Montero does a fine job hauling everyone, however, with all of our gear and bags there’s a lot involved with me having to go up and down the roof rack to load and unload stuff. On top of that, with our dog in the truck, there really isn’t much room anymore. We tried a few smaller trips but it just became too much of a hassle constantly rearranging everything (car seats, bags, the fridge, etc.). Because of this, we ended up getting an Excursion so we can throw all of our stuff into it quickly and get on the road. If I had the income, I would keep both of these vehicles and turn the Montero into more of a hardcore off-roader vs. the overlander it is now. But, I don’t have the luxury of being able to keep two unnecessary vehicles around. Anyhow, there’s some context.
One quick note about myself, before I move onto the Montero details. I’ve been burned several times when purchasing vehicles from other people. One of the worst things in the world is the gut-wrenching feeling of something going wrong, being out of pocket thousands of dollars and potentially not even being in your home state all because of something the seller was dishonest about (I’m speaking from experience here). I don’t wish that upon anyone. Therefore, I’m going to attempt to be painfully honest and upfront about anything I can be in regards to the Montero. I’m not a mechanic by any means, but what I know about I will disclose below.
The Montero SR is sitting at 147,742 miles and the VIN is JA4MR51M0TJ005603. It is not daily driven. I'm the second owner. I purchased it from a dealer in Littleton Colorado and was very pleased with the experience. The Montero has an extensive service background at Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi from the previous owners, whom I was told was an elderly couple. The dealer I purchased the Montero from had the service records and I did look them over, however, they forgot to put them into the binder of documents and I didn't realize this until I got back to Houston. I have attempted to get Bob Penkhus to fax or scan copies of the documents but was never successful- Not that they were unwilling to, but they just kept telling me they would and never did. If you need confirmation, call Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi’s service department and give them the VIN, they can confirm all the service over the years done there. As far as my ownership goes, here is all the preventative maintenance I have done within the last 5,000 miles:
- Front Axle Serviced (more on this later)
- Rear Axle Serviced (more on this later)
- All Brake pads and rotors changed, passenger side rear caliper replaced due to it sticking
- Brakes fluid exchanged
- Oil changed every 3k miles with Rotella T4
- Wheel bearings replaced with Timken parts
- Idle Air Control valve replaced
- Proforged Chromoly Idler Arm
- Timing Belt and Water Pump were replaced by the Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi and are about halfway through their service cycle
- The entire underside has been doused with fluid film
- Underbody is sprayed with Salt-Off after every trip to the beach
Here are modifications I have had done to enhance its off-roading capability and camping usefulness:
- Torsen Limited Slip Differential added to the Front Axle (hence the axle service). New shims and supporting hardware
- Bilstein 5160 Remote Reservoir rear shocks added- These are long-travel shocks on the Montero
- Bilstein 5100 front shocks added
- Aisin manual hubs added
- 5 BFGoodrich KM3 MT's 33x10.5x15's with about 8,500 miles on them now. The spare has been added to the tire rotation so they are all wearing evenly
- Custom winch mount was fabricated to keep the front looking as factory as possible
- 12,000lb Warrior Winch mounted in the front
- Front Runner Roof Rack
- Front Runner Shovel Mount
- Front Runner Antenna Mount
- OEM Gen 2.5 headlights (much better light at night!)
- Drawtite Trailer Brake Controller (already installed when purchased)
Here are parts I have purchased and are new, but have not been installed and will go with the buyer:
- ADD Extended rear brake line (this is to accompany the long-travel shocks)
- ARB Torsion Bars
- Senkei 555 Tie Rods
- OEM Mitsubishi front ball joints
- Blue light bulb for the Compass
- Various Siberian Suspension Bushings
Here are issues I am aware of:
- When I purchased the Torsen LSD for the front differential, my mechanic mistakenly thought I had wanted it for the rear axle. He removed the diff internals and cleaned the entire assembly before realizing his mistake. The problem is now the rear differential locker light on the dash does not turn solid, it flashes continuously. What is happening is there is a sensor in the differential that my mechanic believes he may have reassembled in the wrong position (because it worked fine prior) and essentially it can’t “confirm” the locker is properly activated which would turn the light solid. WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE LOCKER IS ACTUALLY WORKING. The buyer is welcome to lift the rear end and test the locker beforehand if they would like. It didn’t bother me much because I knew the locker still worked fine
- Compass bulb is out so it does not light up at night (bulb is included above)
- The factory radio and antenna worked perfectly until I changed the battery. Now the radio asks for the code, which is not in the vehicle manual. I didn’t care much about this, but any Mitsu dealer can get the code based on the VIN so I’ve read
- You need to know that this Montero was modified for actual use. I took this thing down muddy trails, fire roads, to the beach, and it has gone on many adventures. I’m not saying this for you to be worried about something mechanically, but rather be aware that there is pinstriping, rock chips, and scuffs. Pictures easily mask this and yes, the truck does look great and it is in great shape, but I just want you to be aware before you think this is in pristine show-room condition. I will say, unlike many Monteros, there is no faded paint anywhere.
- Leather is in great overall shape with minimal cracking, but the driver side does have a small tear (see pictures)
- Dash has a small paint scuff (see pictures)
- Front passenger cladding has some scuffs that were painted over, pretty badly, by a previous owner or the dealer (see pictures)
Other misc info:
All vehicle operations work properly:
-Power Windows
-Power Locks
-Power Mirrors
-Horn
-Sun Roof
-Adjustable Suspension worked until I replaced the factory adjustable shocks with Bilstein’s- The switch and indicators still work on the dash and the sensors are still there if you ever wanted to go back (I don’t recommend it, the Bilstein’s ride MUCH better)
-Transfer Case works as intended
- Third Row seats are both there, the pictures only show one as I removed it, but I can either put it back in or give the seat and hardware to the purchaser
- The door tool kit and spare tire tools are still there
- The flashlight is still there
- The truck has both sets of keys
- The manuals are still there
Okay, I think that’s about all I can think of. I have receipts and invoices for the work I’ve done on the truck and can provide that to the buyer. I have the title in hand and it is clean. I am asking $8000 as it sits. I can offer the Montero in 2 stages: One comes with the roof rack and winch and is what the listed price is or I can remove the roof rack and the winch and sell at a lower, agreed price. This is a turn-key rig ready for adventure. This is not some project truck that you’re going to get home and have to dump thousands into to get running right.
Please don’t hesitate to ask questions, I’m happy to answer them.
More pictures are available here:
https://thephotoshoppe.net/montero
1- it took me a year to find a 2nd gen Montero for sale that was taken care of and actually in really good shape. I had absolutely no desire to buy some beat-up project vehicle that needed $2k of work on top of the seemingly low price it was being sold at.
2- it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I purposefully did not want to get a Land Cruiser, or a jeep, 4runner, etc. I like that the Montero is a diamond in the rough (seriously, if you don’t know much about them look up the hardware that sits under these things, like the 9.5” semi-floating rear axle, high-pinion 8” front diff, massive 100mm CV’s on the SR, FACTORY air-locking differential) and I like that it’s uncommon.
3-It’s been incredibly reliable. Not once has this truck left me stranded, neither in my travels to remote areas or some of the more challenging off-road parks. It has always gotten me home. I can’t say that for other off-road rigs I’ve owned.
4- It’s just a solid all-around vehicle. I find it very comfortable and easy to drive, it’s low-tech by today’s standards but still had some good creature comforts for the age. I just enjoy it, a whole lot!
So why I am selling it if I like it so much? We have a family of 5, which recently grew to 6 because we adopted a dog. The Montero does a fine job hauling everyone, however, with all of our gear and bags there’s a lot involved with me having to go up and down the roof rack to load and unload stuff. On top of that, with our dog in the truck, there really isn’t much room anymore. We tried a few smaller trips but it just became too much of a hassle constantly rearranging everything (car seats, bags, the fridge, etc.). Because of this, we ended up getting an Excursion so we can throw all of our stuff into it quickly and get on the road. If I had the income, I would keep both of these vehicles and turn the Montero into more of a hardcore off-roader vs. the overlander it is now. But, I don’t have the luxury of being able to keep two unnecessary vehicles around. Anyhow, there’s some context.
One quick note about myself, before I move onto the Montero details. I’ve been burned several times when purchasing vehicles from other people. One of the worst things in the world is the gut-wrenching feeling of something going wrong, being out of pocket thousands of dollars and potentially not even being in your home state all because of something the seller was dishonest about (I’m speaking from experience here). I don’t wish that upon anyone. Therefore, I’m going to attempt to be painfully honest and upfront about anything I can be in regards to the Montero. I’m not a mechanic by any means, but what I know about I will disclose below.
The Montero SR is sitting at 147,742 miles and the VIN is JA4MR51M0TJ005603. It is not daily driven. I'm the second owner. I purchased it from a dealer in Littleton Colorado and was very pleased with the experience. The Montero has an extensive service background at Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi from the previous owners, whom I was told was an elderly couple. The dealer I purchased the Montero from had the service records and I did look them over, however, they forgot to put them into the binder of documents and I didn't realize this until I got back to Houston. I have attempted to get Bob Penkhus to fax or scan copies of the documents but was never successful- Not that they were unwilling to, but they just kept telling me they would and never did. If you need confirmation, call Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi’s service department and give them the VIN, they can confirm all the service over the years done there. As far as my ownership goes, here is all the preventative maintenance I have done within the last 5,000 miles:
- Front Axle Serviced (more on this later)
- Rear Axle Serviced (more on this later)
- All Brake pads and rotors changed, passenger side rear caliper replaced due to it sticking
- Brakes fluid exchanged
- Oil changed every 3k miles with Rotella T4
- Wheel bearings replaced with Timken parts
- Idle Air Control valve replaced
- Proforged Chromoly Idler Arm
- Timing Belt and Water Pump were replaced by the Bob Penkhus Mitsubishi and are about halfway through their service cycle
- The entire underside has been doused with fluid film
- Underbody is sprayed with Salt-Off after every trip to the beach
Here are modifications I have had done to enhance its off-roading capability and camping usefulness:
- Torsen Limited Slip Differential added to the Front Axle (hence the axle service). New shims and supporting hardware
- Bilstein 5160 Remote Reservoir rear shocks added- These are long-travel shocks on the Montero
- Bilstein 5100 front shocks added
- Aisin manual hubs added
- 5 BFGoodrich KM3 MT's 33x10.5x15's with about 8,500 miles on them now. The spare has been added to the tire rotation so they are all wearing evenly
- Custom winch mount was fabricated to keep the front looking as factory as possible
- 12,000lb Warrior Winch mounted in the front
- Front Runner Roof Rack
- Front Runner Shovel Mount
- Front Runner Antenna Mount
- OEM Gen 2.5 headlights (much better light at night!)
- Drawtite Trailer Brake Controller (already installed when purchased)
Here are parts I have purchased and are new, but have not been installed and will go with the buyer:
- ADD Extended rear brake line (this is to accompany the long-travel shocks)
- ARB Torsion Bars
- Senkei 555 Tie Rods
- OEM Mitsubishi front ball joints
- Blue light bulb for the Compass
- Various Siberian Suspension Bushings
Here are issues I am aware of:
- When I purchased the Torsen LSD for the front differential, my mechanic mistakenly thought I had wanted it for the rear axle. He removed the diff internals and cleaned the entire assembly before realizing his mistake. The problem is now the rear differential locker light on the dash does not turn solid, it flashes continuously. What is happening is there is a sensor in the differential that my mechanic believes he may have reassembled in the wrong position (because it worked fine prior) and essentially it can’t “confirm” the locker is properly activated which would turn the light solid. WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE LOCKER IS ACTUALLY WORKING. The buyer is welcome to lift the rear end and test the locker beforehand if they would like. It didn’t bother me much because I knew the locker still worked fine
- Compass bulb is out so it does not light up at night (bulb is included above)
- The factory radio and antenna worked perfectly until I changed the battery. Now the radio asks for the code, which is not in the vehicle manual. I didn’t care much about this, but any Mitsu dealer can get the code based on the VIN so I’ve read
- You need to know that this Montero was modified for actual use. I took this thing down muddy trails, fire roads, to the beach, and it has gone on many adventures. I’m not saying this for you to be worried about something mechanically, but rather be aware that there is pinstriping, rock chips, and scuffs. Pictures easily mask this and yes, the truck does look great and it is in great shape, but I just want you to be aware before you think this is in pristine show-room condition. I will say, unlike many Monteros, there is no faded paint anywhere.
- Leather is in great overall shape with minimal cracking, but the driver side does have a small tear (see pictures)
- Dash has a small paint scuff (see pictures)
- Front passenger cladding has some scuffs that were painted over, pretty badly, by a previous owner or the dealer (see pictures)
Other misc info:
All vehicle operations work properly:
-Power Windows
-Power Locks
-Power Mirrors
-Horn
-Sun Roof
-Adjustable Suspension worked until I replaced the factory adjustable shocks with Bilstein’s- The switch and indicators still work on the dash and the sensors are still there if you ever wanted to go back (I don’t recommend it, the Bilstein’s ride MUCH better)
-Transfer Case works as intended
- Third Row seats are both there, the pictures only show one as I removed it, but I can either put it back in or give the seat and hardware to the purchaser
- The door tool kit and spare tire tools are still there
- The flashlight is still there
- The truck has both sets of keys
- The manuals are still there
Okay, I think that’s about all I can think of. I have receipts and invoices for the work I’ve done on the truck and can provide that to the buyer. I have the title in hand and it is clean. I am asking $8000 as it sits. I can offer the Montero in 2 stages: One comes with the roof rack and winch and is what the listed price is or I can remove the roof rack and the winch and sell at a lower, agreed price. This is a turn-key rig ready for adventure. This is not some project truck that you’re going to get home and have to dump thousands into to get running right.
Please don’t hesitate to ask questions, I’m happy to answer them.
More pictures are available here:
https://thephotoshoppe.net/montero
