Used 1999 Pontiac Montana Minivan Consumer Reviews
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Why not??
I bought this van 2 years ago with intentions of using it as a beater, Well this van now has 140,000 miles on it and i have drove it the last 40,000 miles (20,000 a year) heck with only one oil change. It is more reliable than any other car i have owned. I read others reviews but come on seriously people usually only write a review when they have problems. I would absolutely buy another at the drop of a hat!
Should have listened to Edmunds!
Bought this van second hand, with 153,000 km. Since then, I replaced water pump,spark plugs, wheel bearing, rocker panels, head gasket, intake gasket, thermostat. Also, roof leaks, needs front and rear struts, rear windshield wiper doesn't work, abs light is on, air bag light comes on and off. Front end vibrates. Get about 500 km to a tank. Needs a transmission part, up shifts and down shifts hard.
12 years and still running
I bought my Montana new 12 years ago. It currently has 172,000 miles on it. Overall, I have been very happy with it, but I have had a couple of moments. I've had to replace the intake gasket twice - clearly an issue with this vehicle! Everything else was a result of age & normal wear & tear.
Great Van -few problems
I love my van. Had trouble with intake gasket at 75,000 replace for under $500. Routine maintenance and fuel pump. Rides well and comfortable. I drive my van to work and on long trips with extended family. We have put carrier on top and loaded it full. It is still running strong. Could not ask for a better minivan.
Should have know better!!
Bought new since it was first minivan with VHS entertainment system. Overall was fun to drive but had several major mechanical problems. Had to replace intake gasket twice so far - 1st time at 24k and 2nd at 60k, needed major transmission rebuilt at 56k at $2500 cost. Just right now the AC went out. Cupholders next to seat were useless - didn't hold anything and spilled coffe often. We will probably get rid of it now since we are getting afraid we will get stuck. If reliability would be better, would have been great experience - this is the reason GM is going out of business.
Great Vehicle for Family
I bought the vehicle brand new, I do not have any complaint about the product. Great, reliable, dependable, comfortable van. I'm going to purchase one more of it soon. No other vehicle beats it.
GMC 3.1L & 3.4L V6 ENGINE/INTAKE MANIFO
ENGINE DESIGN FLAW: GMC 3.1L & 3.4L V6 ENGINE/ INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET***** GASKET ALLOWS ANTIFREEZE TO GO INTO OIL CAUSING AT MINIMIUM REPLACEMENT OF GASKET. BUT GOES UNDETECTED CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO ACT LIKE GLUE THROUGH OUT YOUR ENGINE. CAUSES ENGINE FAILURE. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DAMAGE!! GMC AWARE OF THIS FLAW. REFUSES TO HELP CUSTOMER WITH COSTS OR WARN OF PROBLEM. check for recalls and complaints. DOT auto safety hotline with U.S. dept. transportation. nhtsa.dot.gov/hotline/ GMC could warn customers and help them avoid costly bills.
Lots of Miles
My van has 281,000 miles on it. The major problem with them is related to antifreeze. Everything that has cost me money to fix was antifreeze related. I had to replace parts that wore out like struts, steering components and such. I use it as a cargo van daily loaded down with 1500 pounds of weight daily and carry a ladder on top. I get about 17 mpg. When I drive it empty I still get 24mpg. The body is still in good shape, I just had to replace the door hinge because I open the door way too many times. The v6 is still has a lot of torque with all those miles. At 250k it finally got a hole in the leather seats, not to bad for a work truck.
Wish they made them past 2004
Wish they wouldn't stop making these.
5 years old and no out of pocket repairs
We bought our 7 passenger Transport with the Montana package 10/98 for family vacations. We have had no unexpected repairs, but it has been recalled twice. We maintain it by the book. After 3 trips from the midwest to Orlando and numerous 1000 mile, or more, trips we are still confident in the van. We just used an Expedition for a trip with 8 people to San Antonio. It was a surprise that the Pontiac has more driver, passenger and cargo room than the SUV (not to mention 7 mpg better economy and half the insurance costs). We will either replace the present Minivan with another or perhaps a Yukon XL. But will not even consider the cramped Expedition.
what I think of my Pontiac Montana
I bought the vehicle new. It has 51000 miles on it. Tires are about a year old. I'm 76 years old and am wanting a new one like it. It has an extended warranty good until august of this year.
So far-so good
This is the first review of our (new to us) 1999 Pontiac Montana. We have a huge extended family and a total of 5 so far in ours. We are a softball/ baseball family as well and travel to tournaments. I will report our findings both good and bad as this seems to be a very solid van. By the way I am 6'2" @ 235lbs and I FIT IN THIS VAN! Woo-hoo..
Very Pleased with the Montana
First minivan and I was quite surprised at how well it has done. Power from the 3400 engine is outstanding. Seats are comfortable and easy to remove. Gas mileage is exceptional (19/24). Great family truckster.
engineered to fail
Owned it for 3 years now and everything I heard would fail did. I even changed the tranny fluid and antifreeze when I bought it at 20000 miles (32000km) but this year the tranny was revving high before changing gears and failed, then 3 months later there is a slight smell of antifreeze when the engine is warm and we find out the intake gasket is leaking - this is all before hitting 50000 miles (80000km). I know 4 other people who have similar vans and have had the same things changed. I bought the vehicle with really low miles so i wouldn't have to buy the ext warranty MISTAKE! if you get suckered into buying this do youself a favour get the ext warranty cause you will need it!
Good buy but dealer is less than helpful
The van is great! We're having problems with the dealer not wanting to correct a brake problem we found when we bought it. Otherwise we like the van :)
I feel sorry for those other moms
For someone who never wanted a minivan, I sure can't live without mine! I researched them all. The Montana extended was the only one (at the time) to have 8 seats that can all be moved around. The engine and all the major parts have never had to be serviced. The brakes wear out fast and the cup holders broke right away. The rubber seals on the doors keep rotting out even though I keep my van in the garage! The kids' seat belts have been replaced twice. Overall I'm VERY happy with the van. It's dependable and the important parts have always run well. It's roomy, comfortable, and with the suspension package upgrade, it drives like a sedan, not a van.
Repairs plus Repairs
Just lost the tranny the other day with only 62,000 miles and most of the miles on the vehicle are highway miles. The heating system has been a disappointment from day one. Power Window and Door Locks have been more problems that what they are worth. Over $800 were spent on trying to diagnose why the service engine light was on, only to have it come on again and have the dealer say a valve is going out in the transmission, but it won't hurt to drive it - right? The van was religiously serviced but apparently the American quality just isn't there. I have a problem when you pay over $25,000 for a new vehichle and it has major system failures only after 62,000 miles.
Watch your wallet
We have replaced the following since purchasing new in 1999: head gasket at 75K followed by 3.4L V6 engine at 125K. Intake manifold gasket failure is the likely culprit. Not through yet. Engine trouble light continues to display with replacement engine. CD player quit working at 30K. Pontiac Customer Service offered no goodwill assistance. Total cost of major repairs so far = $6K. Driving excitement = zero.
Satisfied Buyer
I bought my 99 Montana new as a demo. I bought the extended warranty bumper to bumper for 100,000 miles. I did have transmission problems at 95,000 miles but the repairs were covered under the warranty. That was the only major repair. Now it has 145,000 miles and I still drive it every day. Most of the miles are city driving, but I also make cross country trips every year. Now I am giving this Montana to my son who starts college this fall. I will buy a new car.
still love it
I test drove many vans, but wanted one with the entertainment TV package & was thrilled when I found this Montana. It looks great & compared to the other vans out there this was the nicest, most luxurious, best features. I have had it in the shop several times, rear speakers that crackled, some engine leaks, power window motor, catalytic converter and a power door recall. Pontiac was great about fixing these things for free, even after manufactures warrenty was expired. I purchased this van with 35000 miles already on it, and now am nearly to 50000, and am very happy with it for the price. Nothing else in the price range compared with the Montana for style.
None better
We bought our Montana new and have had very good luck with it. We just got back from another trip to NY and got 28 mpg.. very good for a 4,000 lb safe vehicle. We get approx 30,000 on a set of average tires and 30,000 miles on brake pads, unlike stories I hear from other vans. The body looks like new. The galvanized body panels are the best, they resist rust better than any other metal. The original stainless steel exhaust will last much longer. It's still in great shape. The interior does not show wear after all this time. The best interior material we ever had. Our Montana has moved, hauled and transported many kids and material. We will be buying another Pontiac.
montana
bought it used, transmission tanked at 103,000, no warning, rebuilt it, two more transmission rebuilds, broken rear wiper, broken power window, all in 40000 kms of owning. Nice to drive, but not reliable mechanically, left me stranded several times, and the window drives us nuts, $700 later, and it still sticks, have to realign manually for it to finish going up. Gas tank level suddenly off, ran out of gas twice before we figured out that problem, not fixed.
Love My Van
I purchased this van and immediately was impressed with the comfort since I have 4 major disabilities with my lower back. Secondly, it was fun to drive and felt like a solid (no rattles)automobile. Being a 7 passenger is handy at times as I live in Sr. housing and often transport my friends to and from their appointments. And, they are also impressed with the can and the comfort.
Good van, w/ problems
It has run really well - handles great. BUT, the lcd in radio and fuel gauge do not work. Plastic radio buttons wore off - looks really bad. It's been a pretty good van, wish these little problems hadn't arisen b/c it takes away the pleasant experience we've had w/ van.
oh that intake manifold leak
First 70,000 miles were heaven, the most favorite vehicle we have owned. Great to drive, wonderfully comfortable on long trips with kids and dogs, dependable. Did have one event with the brakes not working one night but nobody ever found anything wrong, we may have boiled the fluid by having the parking brake on, which is easy to do on this van. First major problems were the seat belt-airbag interlock going (very expensive), then the manifold leak that caused loss of heat in the winter-$500, now the wiring harness is corroded and they want to replace it and the airbag! My wife, an original Mini driver, still loves driving it, but with the kids almost grown, it may be time to move it on.
Montana '99
We've been so pleased with our Montana we are considering a 2003. We have driven Plymouth and GMC and this has been our favorite so far. The ride and gas mileage are terrific. There have been no major repairs in 4+ years. The overhead console, power seat, steering wheel controls, front and rear air, to name a few, have all been excellent options. The only down side to the vehilce is that is doesn't seem to retain much of a trade in value, which is disappointing.
Buy a different van
This minivan is nice to look at but it pretty much ends there. I had to put a new transmission in it at 90k kms and just blew the second tranny 100k kms later. Wipers run into each other, intake manifold leaked, seat fabric is subpar and is starting to deteriorate, back door latch and key lock no longer work and the body has already shown signs of rust. Front bumper lost all its paint within the first 3 months of ownership. Airbag light comes on when it feels like it. All in all this was a very expensive dissapointment.
Recent Purchase and Happy...
We have found this van to have everything we were looking for. The front and rear heat and air adjustments are great. We are very happy with the comfort of all the adjustments over all.
Pretty to start
We bought this new and enjoyed it greatly. This was our 2nd choice, the honda van was not available at a reasonable price. The initial ride, power and economy were as promised. The dealership offered the car at a reasonable price fully optioned. Now with 130,000 miles it is long in the tooth and not aging gracefully. Even with careful maintainance there are too many nickle and dime problems. Warrenty repairs: trip computer, radio, seatbelts, power door, power window. Non Warrenty repairs: Intake gasket at 70k (900.00 repair avoided using 2.00 can of stop leak , still holding at 130k), c/v joint, a/c compressor, air shocks, brake calipers & rotors.
Love it /HATE it
We bought this new and had it dealer maintained regularly since new. First 2 years OK, then PROBLEMS. Electrical, electrical, cooling system, intake gasket, etc... We love the van when it works but became more and more afraid of what would break next. Sounds like a fairly common problem - check the messages on some of the other boards. We took a hit on our trade but dumped it to buy a NON-GM minivan. Sad and too bad - GM we must part ways. Previous Pontiac was not much better - I guess now we learned. CANNOT recommend this van unless you want to just sit in it without driving anywhere.
A Great Visit to Montana
After steering clear of General Motors vans, in 1999 we purchased the newly designed Montana. We have been so pleased that we just traded it for the 2002 model. We drive other vans for rental or the ones owned by our children. The Montana has the best interior room and handling. We have had no problems in 44,000 miles. We believe it is a top quality vehicle.
A GEM
Bought my montana new in 1999. Wow what a Gem. I've had no major mechanical issues at all other than doing schedule maintance and normal wear. As of today I have 166,000 miles on it and still no signs of major trouble. I will be looking to buy a used (2004) in the near future. I guess regular maintance and care pays off as with anything else.
What were they thinking?
From the beginning, we thought we were purchasing the best mini-van on the market in looks, reliability, and performance. Okay, we got the looks but what were they thinking with the realiability adn performance? We have been back to the dealership several times. No, we didn't purchase the extended warranty on the used vehicle but who would have thought we would need to with an American made vehicle? Where's the American pride? We've had numerous inconvenient problems such as power windows not working, electronic sliding door opening while going down the road, gas gauge not working, cup holders breaking easily, directional not working, coolant problems -- so far over $2,000 in costs plus!
Montana
The electrical functions of this car were always a concern to us. Also the interior parts of the car that are made up of plastic cracked or broke and needed to be replaced.
Love the room...watch out for manifold
Bought this van when we started having a family...it's a perfect family vehicle. The EXT offers seating for 8 AND room for cargo. Have used it like a truck (with seats out) and of course as the family vanster on extended trips... have really been pleased with everything - except chronic problems with the intake manifold gasket. Original plastic part couldn't be torqued properly... extreme temp changes in northern climates led to expansion/contraction which caused leaks. Replaced manifold gasket at 47,000 and again at 66,000 mi (thankfully before antifreeze could gum up engine). GM has re-engineered the part (and assure this chronic problem has been fixed)... the second repair GM paid 80%.)
Pleased with my Montana
No problem with my Montana. Of course, we always have had the regular maintenance performed and that is the only thing it has required.
nice van - poor quality
I have owned the Montana for about 4 years. I purchased it used with 40K miles. I like the ride, the comfort and the features. I do not like the poor quality and the continual repairs. Engine gasket leak, fuel gauge went out requiring replacement of whole fuel system at hundreds of dollars. Even a simple brake job is expensive because the rotors have to be replaced the first time because they were built with no room to turn them even once. Electrical problems with water leakage into lights caused the whole system to act up costing hundreds to diagnose and fix.... etc etc etc.
99 montana
we love to drive our montana, but at 32,000 had engine replaced ..had brake problems front and rear replaced rear cyclinders and now need master cyclinder..rear brake light cracked leaking water into trunk. pass.seat gear is broken .won't stay up..they want $420 to fix it..just replaced tires at 48,000 miles..resale value is poor for a $30,000 vehicle.
8 years ... $0 in repairs
Knock on wood. So far our "99" Pontiac Montana has been just about flawless and has not cost us one red cent in repairs so far. We bought it new and are very pleased with this Van. We had some minor problems that were fixed when taking it in for inspections at not cost to us. We had a minor leak in the rear hatch.. one of the seat switches was replaced which we really didn't know was bad and the sliding door was recalled to have it recalibrated the door has never failed. The van still looks like new and still has it's original exhaust. We get a easy 25 mpg on the road. We will be buying a new vehicle next year... we will most likely buy another GM v
I'm not a minivan owner, am I?...
Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine someone as cool and as hip as ME would ever buy a minivan, but I've got to admit, this has been a great vehicle. From vacations to baseball tournaments, the Montana has handled all that I've thrown at it and has performed admirably. I get about 26 mph, which is crucial when you dive as much as I do. After 118,000 miles, you would expect SOMETHING to want to fall of the vehicle, but the most I've had to do to it is replace the master cylinder. One con: it does not handle well in icy conditions (I couldn't write a completely glowing review!!!).
An excellent Mini Van
Since 9/11 we have been very aprehensive about flying as a family, so we have been driving everywhere. Two years ago we drove from NY to FL. During this 24 hour drive we well all very comfortable and delighted with the performance of the Montana. Since then we have gone back to FL, driven to MI, & MA a few times. The Van is more comfortable to drive than my family sedan. I am very happy with the product and intend to by another.
Montanas break!!
Bought used with 47K miles on it. Luckily bought the Gold extended warranty on it otherwise we'd have had to pay over a 1K in repairs after only owning it for over a year. Water pump went, 2 weeks later the lower intake manifold gasket had to be replaced. The airbag light kept coming on and off then finally stayed on. Turns out GM knows that this is a defect(corroding wires) but considered part of the warranty. Could have to have it fixed again in 6 months at over $100 a pop. This is a safety issue. If the connection isn't there for the airbag, if in an accident, the airbag might not deploy. The left ti-rod needs to be replaced.
Best Minivan- Pontiac Montana
re: true cost to own. 9 years I would like to submit my true cost to own a 1999 Pontiac Montana I sold recently to buy my new Buick. Total repair cost for 9 years. $82 Two rear stop lights... price $12 One tie rod end ... price $50 first part to fail 8.5 years old. 75K miles Charge A/C ..... price $20 one can of refrigerant. total $82 The rest of repairs were two sets of tires two sets of brake shoes oil changes every 3K Thats it. Van bought new $17k plus tax. Van sold 9 years later $5100 $11900 total depreciation $1322 depreciation per year. This Van was driven 95% in the Pgh area .. salt in winter potholes,hills, average trip was about 3 miles. It still looked like new no rust
montana review
The vehicle is veratile with good seating. The quality is poor and GM's response has been poor. They failed to replace a transmission solenoid that failed at 31,000 and 72000 miles respectively the second time it failed. The water pump and manifold seal failed at 58,000. The digital displays have intermittant failures. The 3.4 liter engine is not as good as previously offered 3.8 liter engines.
Great van
Our 99 Montana is great to drive. More than enough power,perfect ride, interior could not be set up better and it has been 100 percent reliable. I repair cars for a living and very seldom do you ever see one of these or the other GM versions for anything other than maintenance. So if you like getting you vehicle fixed this is not for you. Try the Chrysler van if you like paying for car repairs.
the pontiac montana
we were in a car accident and my two children were not hurt. The rear end that was hit at about 35 mph was damaged and was almost totalled but we all walked away from the crash with very minial injuries.
Engine blown at 30k
Our beloved montana which has been a great car just blew the engine at 30k. It is older than 3 years so the warranty does not cover it.
worth decreases too fast
Overall satisfied, jsut ready for a change
Junker
Purchased new in 10/98 and traded 5/2002. It was loaded and we used it for travel. Had 65,000 primarily highway miles when traded. Had to have a new transmission at 48,000 miles and continual power door problems for 2 years. I had intended to keep but got tired of electical problems eg drivers power window and power door, shaking, bouncy ride. Glad to get rid of it. Always had it serviced at the dealership and they were good.
Wont get fooled again
Bought my 1999 Montana new in 99 and since then have had to repair/replace the entertainment system , power door , and transmission and the vehicle doesnt have 45000 miles on it. Was hoping to drive it into the ground (10 years or more) but I dont believe gm builds anything of that quality any more. My previous vehicle (a new 94 gmc jimmy) had an engine which seized at 60k under warranty but the dealer couldnt fix the engine properly and I had to dump that gm headache too. Until gm starts building with a little quality in mind I wouldnt consider their products . If you want a minivan spend a few $ more and buy a Honda like I'm going to have to .