"Ol' Monty" keeps on truckin'.

I bought "Monty" as we've grown to affectionately call it, in 1997 as a new vehicle (150 miles.) We've only driven it 76,000 miles in eight years, but its proven to be extremely reliable and useful. Its never seen the inside of a garage, but the finish is still perfect, excepting of course the few scratches and surface abrasions from normal wear and tear. The interior has held up similarly and I could probably sell it as "garage kept" and no one would know the difference!

This vehicle feels like a brick compared to the plasticky Fords and Chevys I've ridden in. It is truly designed for sport and utility both on the outside and underneath. From the durable body cladding (which makes tar removal easy and resists scratching) to the solid chrome bumpers, stainless steel exhaust, and various skid plates, this thing is a comfy family hauler and a rugged work and sport truck all in one.

In the last year or so, I've had several strangers appraoch me and ask me about my Montero. They have all shared with me amazing stories of how their Monteros have run and run with virtually no repairs from 160k up to over 300k on one guy's MOntero who uses it every day as a work truck (he's painetr).

It drives a little chunky, that is to say the 3.0 liter 6-cylinder is barely adequate and handling feels a bit top-heavy, yet it does take the twisty backroads of Virginia at a good clip once you've gotten comfortable with its feel.

At about 60,000 miles, I replaced the rear brake shoes (still not the front) and did a full 60k service for around $1,000. Not because it required that much work, but because I wanted to do everything I needed to make it go another 60k without another repair. That was two years and 16,00 miles ago and no repairs yet. I do, however, have a shake in the wheel when I drive it in the morning that appears to be a loose CV joint in need of replacing - no biggie and normal for the age of vehicle.

As I write this, I have the opportunity to buy a 2004 Explorer at an incredibly low price but am having trouble justifying it when I hop in "Monty" and realize it is as good as new nine years after it was built!

Our Montero has been a great workhorse, camping/canoeing, and family beach-going vehicle. If I do sell the Montero for an "upgrade", with all the new safety and luxury features of a new SUV, I'll truly miss our old faithful "Monty".