Vehicle Review: Pontiac Montana

There are so many minivans out there I figured I would do another to compare the last one to, 2002 Pontiac Montana

Automatic
Front-wheel drive
17 MPG
Top speed – 163km/h (101mph)
0-60 – 10s
Tank 94.6 liters (25 gallons)


Pros:
Decent speed
Lots of fuel
Lots of space
Reliable
Common

As mentioned before, not a lot changes between minivans and what applies to one often applies to all. So keep that in mind when deciding what vehicle to use. Many things will be consistant in each class of vehicle and some will change or stand out. As with most minivans this one has lots of fuel capacity and space for gear or passengers (or sleeping.) It has a decent speed for a minivan but nothing special and most other classes will beat it in speed. The best thing about the Montana is that it is a very common van and most mechanics will have worked on it and be some what familiar with it. Also what started as a flaw will actually prove useful to survivors. When this vehicle was first sent out almost every single one had an issue with the intake gasket. But what that means is that now, at least nine years later, any that are still running have had that problem solved and probably other things looked at by mechanics as well. This also adds to the chances that a mechanic has already worked on this type of van and will be familiar with it in a tight spot.

Cons:
Power
Low mileage

The downfalls of the Montana are those of most minivans, power and mileage. The power of this vehicle does not match it's size. It can tow another vehicle of roughly the same size under controlled circumstances but don't expect any amazing feats of power and strength out of it. Even for a minivan this van has low mileage, while better then SUVs and some trucks the mileage to speed or power ratio is quite low and you will be using a lot of gas travelling around ruined cities. On the highway this van actually has much better mileage, going as high as 23 mpg.

Over all this van is great for length of travel. Lots of room and comfort with a standard that most mechanics know well enough to work on outside of a shop. Plus that high mileage while highway driving is a very nice surprise. This vehicle is not perfect and wouldn't even be amoung the top choices, esspecially if the planned use includes a lot of urban travel. But it is a decent choice and will serve the needs of a medium sized group needing to relocate.

Good luck, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,
Mike D.