1999 Pontiac Montana EX review from North America
"A giant sink hole for repair $$$"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Major transmission problem at ~54,000 miles required a $2300 overhaul. Car was shifting very rough. Claimed is was caused by a small part, that later caused the damage. Took 3 visit back to the dealership for them to repair it.
Leaking Intake Manifold Gasket at 69,000 miles resulting in an $1100 repair. This engine model (V6 3.4 liter) is plagued by this problem, and many owners report this "unusual" problem. GM is aware, but refuses recall.
Automatic right side sliding door functions intermittently, refusing to close and latch. After $240 in repairs, the motor fully fails, resulting in another $200 in repairs. After all this, it still works only intermittently and is returned to dealership for 1 week. Finally, it almost works again.
Leaking Head Gasket at 78,000 -- dealer wants $2100 to repair it, but I have had enough.
General comments?
It is unfortunate that GM is unwilling to admit the issues with this engine, transmission, and automatic door. The web is full of other reports of these problems. The problems span multiple years, so ALL Montana's are to be avoided in my opinion. It is a shame because the vehicle (when it runs) rides and handles well, and is a very functional family vehicle.
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| 1999 - Montana extented wheel base 3.4 LT Poor quality product, failed to live up to expectations. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1999 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.4 V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 1 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 78000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Maxima |
| Date of Entry | 16th January, 2006 |