Pontiac Montana

Anyone have any experience with this vehicle? I want an 8-seater vehicle that is less than $8 (I want used.), has enough cargo space for a family of 8 to go camping, and has decent gas mileage.

Is there anything else to consider?

Christine

What year are you considering? I have a 2001 Chevy Venture (same thing as the Montana) and I love it.

A friend of ours used to have one, and it had a lot of cargo room. We were also actually able to put 4 adults and 4 kids in it easily as well.

I have a 2007 Montana, and I love it.

It rides nice, rides like a car but you feel like a truck. Lots of cargo room. I've had 7 people , 6 adults and 1 child in a child seat all in at the same time , everyone was comfy. I do suggest you get one with Cpts chairs in the middle, not the bucket seats.....the bucket seats are placed very very close to the outside (about as far outside the seating area as you can get) I mean you don't even have enough room to place your foot as a step up to get in the van with bucket seats.....they pretty much are right up against the sliding doors. My dad has the buckets in his 07 Montana.

If you have a few kids in seats.....there are only 3 tether anchors, 2 middle and 1 rear position. Extended version is a better bet then the regular wheel base, gives you more cargo room behind the rear bench, but doesn't actually increase passenger leg room.

The newer you can buy the better.....older models have poor engine performance and encounter transmission problems. I think the 07 was the first yr they started using a different engine, I believe they are BMW engines now and the 07 and newer have longer power train warranty. If you can't buy new, buy as new as you can.

If she wants 8 passenger the middle row will be modular.

I question 3 across the back row though - the middle position in the older Montana's seems awfully small. It'd definately be a game of puzzling carseats to fit.

I've got a 97 with 3 across the middle and 2 in the wayback. And yes - lots of storage. Make sure you get the extended wheelbase though. Maybe not enough for camping gear unless you pull a trailer though.

As far as engine/tranny problems - my engine was rebuilt just before I bought my van (110k miles) and it's JUST starting to have tranny problems (slips when it's cold) at 138k.

My ex-husband has an 05 and loves his as well.

Currently my two oldest are in boosters. When we have the baby it'll be rear-facing for a couple years. By that point my 5 year old will be 8 and back in a booster, so 3 tether anchors will work out fine. I was looking at the extended version. We have the extended version of the ford aerostar and feel like we have tons of room. Thanks for warning me about the engine and transmission. We'll look into that.

Christine