1998 Mitsubishi Montero

SUV

3.5L V6

Automatic

JA4MR51R0WJ006279

Clear

Gasoline

**** SOLD 100% AS-IS. NO WARRANTY. ALL KNOWN ISSUES LISTED BELOW **** SCROLL DOWN FOR 40+ FULL SIZE PHOTOS I have owned this vehicle for 8 years. I've done a lot of maintenance and repairs and have driven it only about 15,000 miles during that time. It's been a great truck but it's getting old and I no longer have time to give it what it needs. Hoping someone else can give it some love! The GOOD: Engine runs very well. Silky smooth and very quiet (better than some new cars I’ve been in, seriously). Makes good power. Tires (Cooper Discoverer AT3) are in excellent condition with nearly 100% tread remaining. Rides and handles much better than you would expect for an old box on wheels. Suspension is firm. Holds the road very nicely. Transmission shifts very smoothly and responds instantly. 4WD works great. The thing is pretty unstoppable. Has 2WD, 4-Hi with unlocked center diff (like a Subaru—lets you be in 4WD even on dry pavement, 4-Hi-lock (traditional 4WD), and 4-Lo. Cold AC. Timing belt, water pump, and associated tensioner, pulleys, cam and crank seals were done right after I purchased it, so less than 15k actual miles on that stuff. Lots of other new-ish parts (battery, catalytic converter, belts, alternator, rotors, brake pads, and more). No warning lights are on. Passed emissions when last tested about 2 yrs ago. Relatively clean and in-tact inside and out. Has all the original bits like manuals, jack, toolkit. I have a spreadsheet of the maintenance I've done to it. Clean title. I've had no accidents with it and carfax was clean when I bought it. No known/obvious engine leaks. (other than the beginnings of a fuel leak explained below) THE BAD AND THE UGLY: It's 19yrs old and lives in a state that uses road salt. So the undercarriage and frame is rusty. Please see the pictures and judge for yourself. Frame has areas of what I would call 'heavy surface rust.' Whenever I scrape off loose fuzzy stuff and then bang with a hammer, it still sounds very solid underneath. I cannot find any frame cracks, holes, or blatantly dangerous things of that nature. The thin metal parts like heat shields, brake backing plates, little brackets, etc are heavily rusted. If you are scared of rust, this vehicle is not for you. The metal pressure line coming out of the fuel pump has started a slow seeping leak. Because of this I do not recommend driving the vehicle for any long distance. It's not enough to even form a drip yet, but it will get worse at some point. There is a company that makes replacement fuel pump hanger assemblies out of plastic so that would be the most proper fix. There's an access panel in the cargo floor which makes for a much easier repair. There are other options too, I just don't have the time/interest in doing it myself. Other metal fuel/brake lines, though not currently leaking, do look crusty and will need attention soon. One fuel line has also been repaired with a nylon section. Horn is stuck "ON" (blows constantly). I just uplugged the horn fuse to stop it. Some wiring connections down under the frame (like grounding points) look crusty. I added an extra ground wire directly from alternator to battery neg to help out. Tires themselves are like new and in great condition, but they leak air slowly due to corrosion on the alloy rims. They need to be dismounted, have the rim cleaned up with a wire wheel and remounted. Common problem that any tire shop would be familiar with. Or you can add air every week or two like I do now. Engine burns some oil. Worn out rubber valve guide seals are common on these Mitsus. I'd estimate it burns about a quart every 1,500 miles, small amout of visible blue smoke from tail pipe after periods of idling. Power windows and sunroof sometimes operate slowly (sticky seals). Power tailgate lock sticks sometimes and needs to be turned by the key, especially in winter. A rubber hose is broken off where it connects to a metal tube on the rear differential housing. I belive it is a vacuum line to actuate the rear locker, so locker may not lock until that's reconnected. Supposedly has keyless entry but I've never been able to get the clickers to work. Cosmetic Concerns Rust on center of rocker panels. Both sides. Visible in pictures. Light rust on inside lower lip of rear doors. Left fender is dented. Previous owner nudged a fence post while backing out of the driveway. (pictured) Driver’s seat leather is torn (pictured) Steering wheel leather has some typical wear. A few light bulbs in the center console are burnt out. Normal scuffs, chips, dings, etc that you would expect for this age/miles. That's everything I can think of. If you have specific concerns please ask! Terms: $100 deposit due via PayPal immediately after auction close. Remaining balance must be paid by CASH IN PERSON. Happy to meet at a bank if you like. Any payment method other than CASH IN PERSON must be considered and approved by me BEFORE you bid. Please contact me to discuss. Can be shipped at buyer's expense, but vehicle must be fully paid for before you make shipping arrangements. Again, due to the early stages of the fuel leak I do not recommend driving it any long distance and take no responsibilty if you do. On Mar-03-17 at 19:24:41 PST, seller added the following information: UPDATE 3/7/17: If cash in person is not possible for you, I would also accept a wire transfer (such as Wester Union). Has to be a cash pickup on my end, and buyer must pay all transfer fees.