I am looking at a 2001 montero sport 3.5xs.
It has 172k on it and he wants 2200 for it.
Before buying it i was wondering i have been looking for a montero for a while and really wanted the sought after 95-96 sport but cannot find one.
This one popped up and i thought id go take a look at it.
The Montero is a little bigger and heavier than the Montero Sport and it also came with a few things never put on the Sport or not put on until later. The Montero Sport is pretty much a simpler, cheaper version of the Montero otherwise.
Given what you appear to be looking for, I'd recommend the Montero Sport. Its cheaper to purchase and cheaper to maintain. It also gets better mileage. There is no difference between the Montero and Montero Sport as far as quality. Both are built like tanks.
Both are coil sprung in the rear which I personally don't like. The older Montero might have better aftermarket parts availability than the 2000+ Sport. Be prepared to have stuff fabed if you're planning on wheeling it. There is virtually nothing for the 2000-2005 Sport and only slightly more for the 1997-1999 Sport.
The 3.0L Sport gets better gas mileage than the 3.5L. Even loaded up with gear. The 3.5L, however, is a torqey engine - much more so than the 3.0L, so is a better choice if you're going to be towing or hauling a lot of gear. I have both - a 3.0L LS, 3.5L Limited AWD and a 3.0->3.5L LS. Transplanted a 3.5L into my 3.0L LS crawler Sport and its awesome.
The Montero Sports have the two standard Mitsu locking transfer cases. 2WD-4WD 4H/4L, and AWD-4WD 4H/4L. The Montero could be found with the 2WD-4WD-AWD t-case. If you're going to wheel DO NOT get AWD. Stick with the 2WD-4WD t-case in whatever you get. Any vehicle that you can not take out of AWD will severely limit modifications. All Mitsu t-cases are shift on the fly, btw.
The Montero came with the DOHC. DO NOT - EVER - buy something with this in it unless you have the money and time to maintain it. All the Montero Sports came with the SOHC. Less power, but a lot less headaches. I love the Montero but I wouldn't touch that engine with a 10 ft pole.
There's no appreciable difference in the drive train otherwise. The Montero and Montero Sport share most mechanical parts and even some interior and body parts. So, as I said, from a quality standpoint there's no reason to choose one over the other.
ARB makes air lockers for the Mitsu axles. The Montero and the Montero Sport came with factory rear differential lockers for some years. That was discontinued in 2000 for both the Montero and Montero Sport. No one makes gears for the Mitsu. What you go it what you got. Whatever you purchase, make sure that you get as many off road options factory installed as you can because there isn't much chance you'll get it aftermarket. Gears, for example.
IMHO, the Sport is slightly less top heavy than the Montero. Good thing off road.
The rear of the Sport will fold down enough to let two adults sleep stretched out. I'm 5' 11" and have no issues. The older Montero's don't fold flat if I remember so that's kind of a problem.
If you get the Sport, make sure its the Wide version - big, bulgy, formed fender flairs is how you tell. The 3.5L is a good choice - that should get you the 4.90 gears.
I wheel Sports so I'm a big partial. I also put 3K a month on my big Sport - not to far from having 600K miles on it now, so I know how they behave as a DD.
That said, there's nothing wrong with the Montero other than what I pointed out above.
Don't get the DOHC. Don't get AWD. And, if you're buying a Sport, get the Wide version. Should be good if you remember those.
Mmmm. $2K for a 3.5L XLS? That's a bit low for CO, but elsewhere ... don't know. Make sure whatever it is hasn't bee wheeled and has been maintained. Mitsu's are EXPENSIVE to fix - this is not a cheap POS Chevy. Parts are not cheap and you'll learn that there are some things you have to buy OEM - the crap from China doesn't work or doesn't last. Or both. Few people know how to work on Mitsu's which means you'll have to learn or make a lot of friends at the local Mitsu dealership.
Edward