That Old Montero Sport and then some

[Ibaloi]

Why is mitsu passing it off as something from this century? Isn't that a bit backward? I could understand why it took so long for the Hilux (4x4) to totally change to something like what it is today, because the Hilux is a CLASSIC vehicle, that changing the formula seem to be the hardest thing to do to that vehicle. I remember die hard off roaders where aghast when they introduced the IFS Hilux 4x4, it took time for them to adjust to the new change. Case in point: the jeep wrangler when it sported rectangular headlights instead of the classic round ones. The jeep community was in an uproar. I wouldn't consider the Montero to be a classic, no one seemed to notice as far as the majority of the motoring folks in this country that the montero sport is a very old vehicle, that it doesn't have anything to make it a classic vehicle. Is Mitsu trying to test the waters and hope that folks will snap it up like hotcakes? I wonder how the motoring community will react to the specs of the upcoming Toyota Fortuner or the rumored entry of the Isuzu MU as compared to the Montero Sport. Or is it worth comparing? No offense to the Montero Sport fans and owners, I just think that this vehicle came in too late in an era when everything should be forward looking. What are your thoughts on this?

[BlueBimmer]

thats common with mitsu, they always sell OLD cars with old engines here

[ssaloon]

i think they're disposing old inventory (it was already discontinued in the US) here in the philippines.

[eggman]

I think yung Montero Sport dito ay kaparehas nung sa Europe at South America.Ok naman siya at saka maraming bumibili ay dahil 4X4 at Montero Sport siya.

[kimpOy]

typical mitsubishi...
the gen 3 pajero was available as early as 99 yata.
dito nung 99 bagong labas palang ang gen 2.5

[KCboy]

i agree with ibaloi. but i think the gen 2 pajero is a classic. d naluluma yung itsura at gwapings pa din. kahit sa china, the factories there are mass producing that model.

[OTEP]

The MS is still in production in Japan and is still being sold in most other world markets. One of the few markets where it is not being sold is the US because it is not really suited to the market's needs and Mitsubishi has developed a replacement based on the USDM Galant. The parts sharing will save them tons of cash and they will have lesser parts to inventory unlike with the MS because it does not share much with any of the US offerings (wala namang Strada sa US).

Though the MS may not be a big hit here or in the US, it still has its own cult following. Maganda din ang following ng MS in other Asian and European markets though hindi MS ang tawag sa kanya in most other places.

And unlike most SUV's which have gone soft through the years, the MS has remained true to the core values of midsize 4x4's.

[boybi]

the capabilities of the Montero is not questioned here, but the late introduction of Montero by Mitsu Phils in this country. ang as Ibaloi posted, passing it as if it was just developed this century, wherein it was first introduced in other countries more than 10 yrs ago!

[airshaq20]

They are in trouble as we all know it and they try to put all their crappy cars up for sale as long as people buy them.

Examples:
1. Box type Lancer (1982 to 1988) - 7 years for a car that was only sold to 3rd world countries
2. Box type Galant
3. L300 (1987 to present?) - now this is what we call, the beetle of mitsu, almost 20 years and still selling
4. The montero sport (1997-2003) - old and yet sold as "new" model to other countries.....its almost 10 years old
5. Galant....they still sell the old style galant..they were redesigned for 2004.....the 2005 galant was discontinued in 2003....

Jap car manufacturers usually redesign in 4 to 5 years.....What mitsu is doing is trying to survive which, unfortunately, they pass primitive products to their customers.

[nugundam93]

yeah, sana they introduced them dati pa.

[A121]

ung boxtype lancer at 4th gen na galant ay minarket ng ganun katagal dahil wala silang kakumpetensya sa panahon na iyon. old and aging yung mga models ng mitsu sa pinas except for the Grandis. dapat ng ilabas yung 4G92 MIVEC sa PINAS!!!

[OTEP]

Mitsubishi never did see the need to launch the MS back in 1997. At that time (even up to the more recent past), the Pajero was the dominant force in the market and nothing came close to it in terms of sales.

But when the GEN III was launched, a void was created since the GEN III moved pricing to a very upmarket region. The Outlander is not exactly filling that void very well, hence the MS.

[Ibaloi]

A little side note on this ...I have just borrowed a copy of C! for the month of March and they have this section (darn, what's the name of that section again? My memory fails me.) where they get to bash a car, without mentioning the brand or name just giving hints and clues to who made that car. The section on the march issue talks about a prize for a golf tournament wherein the car is a prize for a hole-in-one. From the description of the car they are trying to brand as old...could it be that the vehicle they mentioned is the montero? From what all it indicates...it seems to be it. What's your guess?

[edgee]

Hello Guys,

ako i am still looking forward of buying a Pajero FM, i kknow it's a decade old but hey, i still like the looks and amenities besides i cannot afford to buy the GenIII or other SUV's of its class. Paj FM comes with DVD-LCD which Prado is a million bucks more kaso wala. i guess my point here is depends naman on your needs. i believe not all new models are better!

We bought an CRVand 8mos pa ako nagpila, sabi ng dealer 18km/l when i got it, DAMN! swerte kana sa 8km/l. baka 5-6 nga lang ata but it's a new engine of honda i-vtec sabi nila masmatipid pa yung lumang CRV.

well it's only my opinion.