| Author | Message | ||
     Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 173 Registered: 01-2003 |
Well I got my disco running and I expressed to one of my co-workers that I was pissed at it for all the money it has cost me. He told me his brother needs to sell his truck now and would give me a hell of a deal. As my wife is going to graduate school I think this might be a good idea for the next couple of years. I'm going to look at it tonight, but for $4000 I could get a 1991 Montero that has being owned by a Mitsubishi technician since day one. It has 113K miles and a 5 spd with the 3.0l V6. It was a LS model so all the goodies. It has the flowing mods; ARB front bumper with warn 9k winch, Kaymar rear bumper with tire and jerry can holders, OME 3" lift with bilstein shock (12k miles on them all), 33" bfg mud terrains in 15", HD drag links, tie rods, pitman arms, ARB lockers front and rear, HD axles and HD c.v.'s in front, IFS  , Confer rack with a rear ladder, KC lights, CB, sliders, skid plates on gas tank and for diff and transmittion, front susp/steering, Safari snorkle, dual optimas, red and yellow tops. I love my LR, but if this truck is going to be more relible I could be swayed to get it. I don't like the lights, I'll swap with mine, nor do like the fact its IFS. Also it stickered up like someone sponsored then damn thing for a NASCAR event. At least I can remove the stickers and lights, but the IFS, will I hate it? Also I have a 95 d1 with 107k miles. My fuel pump and radiator have been replaced, whats next? My vss? alternator?, water pump? I have a lift, a rack and an arb on the front w/out a winch yet, still stock gears and diff. Any input? Thanks for any help, I don't want to cheat on my disco, but she giving me a hard time and its hard to love her right now. She was broken down for 4 weeks and when she got home the pass. side windows stopped working then the door handle on the back door broke. I'm starting to think she doesn't love me any more. | ||
| Glenn Guinto (Glenn) Senior Member Username: Glenn Post Number: 549 Registered: 02-2002 |
All I know is the Montero/Pajero dominated the Paris Dakkar at some point. I think they are more baja type racers than say, rock crawling and what not. But I think they are decent vehicles. If it's a '91, then it's somewhat shaped like a Disco. That sounds like a very good price too! Glenn | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2268 Registered: 04-2002 |
hey just because you go mitsubishi doesn't mean it can't still be a Rover!! (hopefully you can make the sticker out, it got distorted when I resized)  You should also look at XJs  | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 174 Registered: 01-2003 |
Nice, I could put a LR tire cover on the spare, what animal should I get? | ||
| Land Rover Certified Used A**hole (Jason) Senior Member Username: Jason Post Number: 469 Registered: 04-2002 |
There's probably $4000 in mods alone...considering the price doesn't sound too inflated for a '91 Montero, the price is especially good with every mod you'd mentioned. Sure it has IFS, but it will go wherever you point it and drag itself out if needed. BUY IT!!! | ||
| Doug Campbell (Dougc) New Member Username: Dougc Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2002 |
Andy--I had a 94 Montero with auto and a 3.0. It could barely get out of its own way before I changed the stock tires to 31x10.5. It was a real dog with bigger tires, but unstoppable off-road. IFS was not a problem (OME rear 1.5" lift with torsion bars cranked up to level) on most surfaces, but, if the bars on this '91 are cranked up 3 inches you will lose a lot of suspension travel. My truck had 150k miles when we traded it (my wife drove it after we got the 5 spd Disco; she thought the Monty was too slow. She traded for a 325 convertible). Should last a while if you get it | ||
| Chip Salisbury (Disconites) New Member Username: Disconites Post Number: 20 Registered: 10-2002 |
I wheel regularly with a guy that has a fairly stock Montero. I agree with Doug, it is grossly underpowered. My Disco has much more pick up and power than that truck. However, off road it holds it's own. The Montero has a 3 link in the rear. It has huge wheel wells so you can fit large tires without trimming. It's downsides are there is literally NO travel in the front end. He has his torsion bar cranked a bit for lift, but still the truck only has about 4" of travel. He is constantly hanging the front end. The truck also has about as much aftermarket support as the Rover does. All said, it's a good truck, and with the mods you are looking at, it's certainly worth the price. | ||
| Joe M. (Little_joe) Member Username: Little_joe Post Number: 104 Registered: 11-2002 |
We had a 1994 Montero that made Rover reliability seem better than Honda or Toyota. Biggest POS ever and too slow. Expect trouble w/ the 5-spd, gearing is terrible for offroad use (1.92 low range), and you will likely encounter IFS problems w/ that much t-bar crank (can it even be aligned?). Also check 4x4Wire Mitsu forums: http://www.4x4wire.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=69 joe | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) New Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 27 Registered: 02-2003 |
Sounds like a deal. The extras alone are worth that price. Can you do a ball joint flip on those to regain the lost front droop? I know that's what you do to Troopers once you've cranked the t-bars. Start digging around here --> http://www.4x4wire.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=69 I doubt the IFS will be that big a problem in general, unless you want to get into some serious rock crawling. It may not be fast, but I'm sure it will do... it's not like a 3.9 Disco is a rocketship. ;) Probably look into regearing if it's that big a deal. | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 175 Registered: 01-2003 |
Well if it seems like to good of a deal, it probably is. I checked it out, some details were wrong. It had a 1.5" ome lift, with an arb locker in the back only. I thought this was a private sale, but the truck is owned by a dealer. The co-workers brother-in-law is a sales man. I went and talked to another salesman and he was great, super honest and knew a bunch about the truck. The price is $7500 at the lowest they can go. It had 32" bfg m/t's, I never drove it because of the price, but it had lots done to the engine. The price was too high, but when I sat in it I realized how nice my discovery is. I felt cramped inside and the materials it was made of; looked like the typical asian plastic utility. My leather D1 just felt way nicer and the interior very homey and easy to ride in for say a 6 hour drive. I don't think I would want to ride in that Monty for that long. I guess I have to forgive my truck for it recent problems and just relax, its a LR. The worst part was the websites that dealt with Montys, no where near as good as dweb. I guess DWeb and Land Rover has spoiled me. | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) New Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 28 Registered: 02-2003 |
Ah the old adage...e if it seems to good to be true, then it probebaly is. Too bad. | ||
| Kevin Bridges (Craniac) Member Username: Craniac Post Number: 80 Registered: 02-2003 |
Andy, sounds like you got the full Monty  | ||
| Todd W. McLain (Ganryu) Member Username: Ganryu Post Number: 199 Registered: 10-2002 |
FWIW, most serious off-road types in Japan won't touch a Pajero/Montero. Too many quality-control problems. There was a big scandle here a coupel of years ago where they found out that MMC was covering up customer complaints for decades. Mitsubishi Motors facing criminal charges over cover-up Japan: Police Raid Mitsubishi Motors or, my favorite, Mitsubishi Motors: The Home Simpson of Car Companies | ||
| Bob (Yomtov) Member Username: Yomtov Post Number: 46 Registered: 01-2003 |
Monteros have always been my second choice when shopping for a 4 x 4. They are quite sturdy and reliable although the engines are prone to burn oil . They are funky looking as well at least the 87 - 91 models. I especially like the 2 door Dodge Raider version. But good ones are far and few between. Better off with a later model Montero 92 - 98. To me they are the Land Rovers of Japan ! | ||
| John Friederich (Jfriedlvcmcom) New Member Username: Jfriedlvcmcom Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2003 |
Long rambling, boring post follows... Well, well, In 1990 my wife & I decided we'd like to be able to explore the mountains and deserts of Nevada (we live in Las Vegas). We bought an almost new 1989 Dodge Raider (2 dr, 3.0 V6, 4k miles on it) from the local dealer. We got quite aggressive with our destinations, almost always breaking the first rule of offroading - we went alone. We have other daily cars, so the Raider was used just for camping / exploring (off-roading). Last year, with 52k on the Raider, we decided to look for a replacement. We drove everyting. Only the Disco measured up, so we bought an '01 with 8k on the clock. The Raider was worth so little by now we just kept it, and it now gets used as a second vehicle for visiting friends / family wanting to see the surrounding mountains / desert. The Raider has a very short wheelbase and virtually no front or rear overhang, so it is more 'jeepable'. We have scratched the living crap out of the sides (even the top!) of the D2 already, going where we were used to going with the Raider. The D2 is much more comfortable in the process of getting to and from remote camping spots, and has much more room. We love it as much as we loved the Raider, and are perfectly willing to live with the scratches and small dents it is accumulating. The Raider has never been to a mechanic, just routine maintanence. 2nd and 3rd gear syncros started getting balky right after warranty expired many years ago, but have never gotten to the point where I need to worry about them. Sitting side by side the resemblance is striking, the D2 is just a bigger, more comfortable way of getting everywhere we want / need to go. I'm sure we'll own this Disco at least as long as we've owned the Raider, and I wouldn't be surprised if we still own the Raider 12 years from now... John & Phyllis LV NV | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 177 Registered: 01-2003 |
It was a good looking truck. The dealer I guess bought it a year ago for $12,500 as a advertizing thing. Wow, I think someone ripped a dealer off. It would be a nice truck, had I not gotten the "full Monty" in reguards to the price. I'm starting to like my truck again, its running fine and now is even making 17 mpg (highay) with a full size roof rack, so I am slowy liking it again. (till it breaks down again) | ||
| Erik Olson (Jon) Senior Member Username: Jon Post Number: 368 Registered: 02-2002 |
I've had the 4 cylinder 3-door "SWB" Montero and the 6 cylinder V6 3.0 five-door "LWB". The V6 wasn't all bad - both trucks had excessive body-roll and zero front articulation. I'd still buy the very hard-to-find V6 SWB "Sport" made from 89 - '90 only. Montero 4-bangers are known for top-end problems and noisy clacking tappits (sp?). Something to do with half the train being hydraulic and the other half not... manual transmission on that wasn't much good either. The V6 auto was much smoother than the Discos for whatever that's worth. The V6 only ever needed a valve cover gasket replaced in 25k miles... | ||
| Brad Russell (Bradnc) Member Username: Bradnc Post Number: 228 Registered: 03-2002 |
Is it just me or did mitsu copy of the Disco for the mid nineties models? I mean...headlamp washers, general shape, rear lights on the bumper, etc.? | ||
| Erik Olson (Jon) Senior Member Username: Jon Post Number: 369 Registered: 02-2002 |
Who copied who? The Montero had this same styling from 1988 - rear tire to the right, swing-away single door with covered handle, 60/40 split seats etcetera.  | ||
| Erik Olson (Jon) Senior Member Username: Jon Post Number: 370 Registered: 02-2002 |
Who copied who? The Montero had this same styling from 1986 - rear tire to the right, swing-away single door with covered handle, 60/40 split seats etcetera.  |
