2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport - Want To Buy But Not Sure If It's The Right Choice

washington_1933
Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:13:02 +0000
Buying/Selling

I found a very nice 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport LS 4x2 for sale a few miles out of town. It has 201,000 miles and an asking price of $5000. The two previous owners kept up with maintenance according to Carfax, the dealer also recently replaced brakes, and it’s surprisingly clean for a vehicle that’s been exposed to heavily salted winters. The owners must not have driven it during the winter time.

Looks almost brand new underneath with minimal amounts of rust, only the last few inches of the rear frame is a concern but it’s nothing that can’t be repaired. There’s a couple spots of rust on the body, most of it is on the lower driver’s side fender near the door, it has a rust bubble barely coming through the paint. Overall not bad for something that is 21-years-old with 200k miles.

It does need some more parts to have it run right, just like any other used vehicle. The rear springs/shocks are probably bad because the car sits down when accelerating, and there was a little bit of a shake in the steering wheel. Seeing how it’s been discontinued for nearly 20 years, the availability of replacement parts might be in short supply. I’m a little hesitant on buying because of that reason. If this was a 4Runner in the same condition for example, I would probably take it home today, no questions asked.

With that in mind, I think it’s a decent vehicle for what it’s worth. I like a straightforward car and the Montero does just that. The reason why I wanted to buy this is because I need a midsize truck or smaller SUV for both moving people and hauling the occasional home improvement project, and because it’s kind of unique in the wave of SUVs that flood US streets. You don’t see many Monteros around here.

What I don’t know is what kind of misery and woe I can expect from one of these. While browsing the Internet, people who’ve left reviews and opinions in recent years on forums and car-related websites have spoken highly about it’s good reliability and their enjoyment of one both internationally and in the US.

Let me know your thoughts and thanks for your replies.

31 posts - 10 participants