Who needs a '02 Montero Limited

Look what is coming up this Tuesday at my local IAA Insurance  auction...  

2002 Mitsubishi Montero Limited 

Claims to have only 89k miles but then there is an odd designation that title reads 90k miles actual.   I'll check for signs of mileage changes/tampering/or other oddities.  

If you have been following along, I bought a '01 Montero Limited earlier this year at the same insurance auction.  Mine has 200k but is in great shape.  

EvanB and Mazda-man out east expressed interest in one of these if another surfaced.  I'll be going to look at it on Monday which is the only day they can be seen.  It is officially auctioned of Tuesday but can be pre-bid up until Tues 8am.  

So, what we have here is Progressive saying it has a an Actual Cash Value (ACV) of $4,865 in pre-accident condition and has an Estimated Repair Cost (ERC) of $4,349.  As such, Progressive paid the owner rather than fix it.  Now Progressive owns it and wants to get rid of it so off to auction it goes.  

Front damage is just a bend/slight tear in rubber/plastic bumper.  If it were me, I would message it back into a reasonable shape and call it good enough.   Slight trim missing off outer wheel well.  

The rear has a busted up bumper corner.  Fix or not??  Oddly, the entire license plate holder section is missing.  It appears that the small white piece is the actual latch/handle to open the rear.  My guess is it works fine.  All that seems to be missing is plastic and sourcing a replacement should be easy.  

My black '01 shown for comparison.  

No need to commit yet.  I'll be going to look at this one anyway and it it is nice I'll buy it to flip it.  I'll be honest, if it is ultra nice, i'll keep it and sell the black one...  But, my black one is very nice.  

Other things I see in the pictures:  

In this photo, the rear seat leather looks a little funky.  I almost wonder if it has gotten wet (too wet.)   These have sun roofs (really big ones.)  I wonder if it is leaking?   From the controls in the center console you can see that this one has the optional rear AC controls.  Some wear or dirt also on center arm rest.

That thing looks perfect for the start of a 4x4 build!  Interested to see what it ends up selling for - I have a 97 Montero that is going to die one of these days...

What's it gonna cost?

Here is the original listing for my '01 Montero Limited.  That was won with a $1,300 bid and after fees that was $1,750.  Mine was stated to have an ACV of $3,790 and ERC of $2,322

This '02 Montero Limited with only 90k? miles is stated as ACV: $4,865 and ERC: $4,349.  My guess is bidding will go to $2,100 and with fees that will be a complete cash outlay of $2,700.  Add to that 6.75% sales tax = $2,882.25 and then nearly $100 more to get the truck state approved as Rebuilt and not Salvage = $2,982.25.  Add in a modest $250 for my efforts and expect to be nearly $3,200.   

Could be less.  Could be more.

I would love to have that. Unfortunately I'm about to drop used car money on replacing my garage addition roof and can't afford it now. I need to stop being lazy and fix my Montero so I can drive again. It is probably only 3 hours of work away from being on the road but I keep putting it off.

If the interior is nice, I would be interested.  I'm willing to find the missing body parts, not willing to deal with a trashed interior.

In reply to akylekoz :

I'll report back here on Monday after I look at it. 

I have mentioned before that buying these cars off pictures is risky.  I often say of the 10 cars I might be interested the one I am often most interested in off the pictures turns out to be a huge disappointment in person.  Such is the case here...

The Montero is TRASH.  No way does this car have 89 or 90k miles.  It has an amazingly dirty and neglected interior.   It is currently already pre-bid up to $500.  With fees that means $805.  It has already exceeded it's value

I took some pictures but even they miss the overall level of neglect.  I have never seen a headliner so dirty.  Not sure why.  Smokers car too.  The seats are generally just trashed. 

Yes, that is a collection of straws stashed up under the driver's visor.  Notice also the excessive makup on the visor too.  There were ketchup packets everywhere.  

Add to all this your typical levels of rust for a 16yr old Cleveland car and this Montero has few redeeming qualities.  

Ewwww

Wow, I want no part of that grossness.  

Pre-bidding went to $1200 !!!  After Fees that could be as much as  $1,600.  My guess is the high bidder went off the pictures only.  Someone's going to be hugely disappointed!  

I'll report back later with how high the live bidding went (if higher.)  

I didn't see the live bidding online but bidding went $1,600.  With fees that means $2,130.  Sucker!