Comments: 1-15, 16-18
HAVE HAD THE CAR ONE DAY SO FAR
With only 43,000 miles...
Much flimsy plastic, either broken or can be broken by touching it:
Front cup holder - Broken
Rear sill plate - broken
Rear seat belt mount - fell off while we were driving today
Windshield rubber trim strip - fell off while we were driving today
Rear hatch interior plastic lining, can lightly pull center with hand and separate it from the door more than 12" (not enough screws)
Driver side interior door panel, came loose when I started to close the door
Rear Seat Belt Trim Ring - fell off when I pulled on the seat belt.
Side (near rear) interior plastic panels falling off (attachment points VERY flimsy and under-designed
Front bumper - VERY thin plastic w/stuffed with loose foam to hold its shape - foam falling out - cheesy design (same engineering practices used to design Tupperware).
Rattles - Oh my gosh, many rattles between the interior plastic walls and the interior steel.
Right Side Mirror - Loose and rattling
THIS IS ALL I FOUND THE FIRST DAY!!!
I thought GM hit its low point in the 70's when American Quality was a contradiction of terms and the Japanese were stealing market share hand over fist, capitalizing on GM's weaknesses. I would say the Montana takes this to a new low!!! This is unbelievable. You can walk around the car, pull on things, and pieces will come off in your hand!!! I hope everyone who has been mislead to believe there is hope with this vehicle reads this. There is no way this thing can make it to 50,000 miles still in one piece. I expect mine to drop parts on the highway here and there once or twice a week. I just need to keep a running list of what to buy as it falls off.
Uh, the problems you're describing are all minor cosmetic problems at best. Sure, maybe there's a few more problems than there should be... but I'm not sure you should be comparing your van with GM's products of the 70's. Even if they're not the best, GM's current products are LIGHT YEARS ahead of the crap they put out in the 70's. As a side note, my folks drive an '03 Montana, and no problems so far (mileage: about 40k).
You didn't test drive the vehicle before you bought it? Or was it given to you?
Anyway, your comment about teenagers may be true from a parents point of view, but neither of my teenagers would have anything to do with my Venture (same vehicle) when I was looking to replace it. They just didn't want to drive a mini-van. So I ended up trading it in. I traded it in because I didn't want to be responsible for selling it. It wasn't as bad as the Montana you describe, but I didn't trust the engine (which had the intake gasket replaced already, under extended warranty), transmission, or the stupid wipers that kept coming loose. I could deal with fixing it if it was still in the family, but I didn't want to deal with complaints from somebody I sold it to.
My 2005 Montana is a gem. Not one problem with it, it has 41,500 miles and not one single thing has fallen off of the van. Not one interior piece, not one exterior piece. And that is after rear ending another car with it. Nothing has been required other than gas and oil changes, and a new set of wiper blades. Sounds to me like this review is totally bogus, as my mother has a 2002 Montana with 120,000 miles, that has held up in the same manner as mine, and has not had the intake manifold problem either. I'm truly convinced (and others should beware!) that reviews like this one can make this site a bit inaccurate at times. Thank you.
I don't think this review is bogus. I believe he has these problems.
Montana's as with most North American cars are very hit and miss. There are differing problems that you will encounter depending on climate and driving styles. Let there be no mistake about it, GM has some very annoying design problems such as the ignition systems for some of these engines failing constantly and wipers not parking properly. Sunfire's, Montana's and to a lesser extent Malibu's all have the wiper problem and you will see it often enough to notice in cold weather climates as far as I see and the dealer will claim not to have any other problems with it.
The bottom line is you get what you pay for and if you bought the North American version of a mini-van because it was less expensive than an "import" which was probably built in a state or province near you, then admit that these problems are to be expected and all of that money you saved buying domestic is going to be spent on flawed designs needing repairs.
Good Luck.
I have a 2001 Montana. It drives great, but I am one of the people who all had to replace the intake manifold gasket at 80,000 km and at 84,000 km had to replace the engine. Anti-freeze had leaked into my engine, mixing with the oil and my engine seized. I also find the steering has always been very stiff. The bearings have been replaced twice in the steering column and it is still stiff and makes a rubbing sound with every turn.
I recently purchased a 01 Montana. It drives and rides great. I bought it from someone I know, who purchased the vehicle new. I believe he had the intake manifold gasket replaced at about 60K miles. On June 29, the transmission died on me. It's costing me $2,500 to have it rebuilt. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem.
I own a 2001 Montana with 120000km, the transmissions has just died. Needs to be replaced ($2500).
I think coming to forums such as this before throwing down hard earned cash of a vehicle is the wisest way to start searching for a new vehicle. Then go test drive and inspect the vehicle before making the final decision. If you find out the seats are missing after the purchase, don't tell us about it.
I'm in the Navy and away from my family at the time. The need for a new vehicle came up. My wife and I decided on a 2001 Montana with 90,000 miles on it and no significant problems in it's history. Having read up on them I know they tend to have their problems, but I think other things factor in such as preventive maintenance and yes, luck. Not sure how long I'll hold onto it, but for a steal of a price (which was paid in cash) and an excellent history, I'm happy and more importantly, the wife is happy.
My mechanic told me I would probably have to replace a gasket around 75,000 miles on the 3.8 litre engine. Evidently it is the 3.8 problem across the board. My problem is the left rear tail light seems to be getting water into the electrical connection. Has anyone else had this problem whether it be 01 or other year?
I'm trying to figure out how the original reviewer missed all the stuff listed when they bought the van, and how on earth they managed to drive it 1000 miles the first day they owned it!!???
I just brought my 2001 Montana in to get the intake manifold gasket replaced. It has a 3400 engine in it. The mechanic told me 3100 and 3400's have that problem around 50, 000 kms, and will likely happen every 50, 000kms or so afterward. Until I found out about this problem I thought it was a pretty good van.
I recently got a 2001 Montana and love it. Because of some of the negative reviews also bought a warranty plan. I love my van and plan to drive it about 12 hours to New York tomorrow. My only complaint is the front windshield wipers are stuck in an upright resting position. A minor repair. I think with any vehicle it's about proper care. I will update on how the van handled the 12 hours of straight driving.
I have a 2001 Pontiac Montana- bought 1 year ago. When I first got it, it was smooth and in good condition. First thing I did- took it to san diego from WA and back. Ran good. Found out there was a leak in the AC. Ran good up until now- need to replace the Transmission and Engine mounts- The engine keeps coming up, I got the mounts replaced last year in May 2006. True the exterior parts do come off easily. The front right bumper part is hanging and flaps as I drive. Also in the rear right it is coming off. It is reliable when in good shape. But when it's down it is down.
I have a 1999 Montana that has been nothing, but trouble. Lots of brake repairs and now the roof where it meets the windshield is rotten and the windshield/roof could fly off anytime. I have heard that this happens so I am curious to find out if this has happened to anyone else.