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Pontiac Montana

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What is this discussion about? Pontiac Trans Sport, Pontiac Montana, Van

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#21 of 1454 98XLTSP by 98XLTSP Dec 30, 1997 (4:40 am)
3mmm's p.s. go to www.kbb.com and start from scratch. the zip code in which you live may have some effect on the pricing..i'm not sure Jim
#22 of 1454 jboater by jboater Dec 30, 1997 (7:49 pm)
To 3mmms In addition to the base price and options you mentioned, the Montana package ($1,010) with the 1SD package ($1,640) plus destination ($570) gets close to the figure your referring to. Edmunds does list these items under the options section. Hope this is of some help.
#23 of 1454 3mmms by 3mmms Jan 02, 1998 (8:24 am)
To 98XLTSP and jboater Thank you for your help in trying to figure out these prices. I believe that the pricing is sufficiently complicated that it is not meant to be simple, clearly understood or made easy to calculate.... (The Chevy, right now is the easiest, the Silhouette more challenging and the Transport/ esp., Transport Montana, impossible). Yesterday, hubby and I searched most of the day for a van. Went to at least 5- 6 different dealerships. ( A van marathon search)... I have narrowed it down from the Sienna to one of the GM products (Chevy or Old's) , based in part, on your and other's great input and my daughter's and hubby feed back and van availability. Now, if I can find the right price and a dealer willing to bargain on the price. At one of the dealerships, I found out a reference to " GM Buying Power". This was at Browning Oldsmobile in Cerritos, Ca.. . In the dealership was this huge (at least 3 and 1/2ft. x4ft. with 2 -2/2 inch lettering ) sign designating its pricing policy. It seems that " GM Buying Power" means that the GM corporation has determined certain automobile and option packages pricing returns, which are suppose to reflect a reasonable (fair) cost, a (fair) return or profit to GM, (fair) return to the dealer and yet also be a ( fair ( ha- ha) price to the consumer .
#24 of 1454 3mmms by 3mmms Jan 02, 1998 (9:07 am)
To 98XLTSP and jboater Thank you for your help in trying to figure out these prices. I believe that the pricing is sufficiently complicated that it is not meant to be simple, clearly understood or made easy to calculate.... (The Chevy, right now is the easiest, the Silhouette more challenging and the Transport/ esp., Transport Montana, impossible). Yesterday, hubby and I searched most of the day for a van. Went to at least 5- 6 different dealerships. I have narrowed it down from the Sienna to one of the GM products (Chevy or Old's) , based in part, on your and other's great input and my daughter's and hubby feed back and van availability. Now, if I can find the right price and a dealer willing to bargain. At Browning Oldsmobile in Cerritos, Ca., I found out a reference to " GM Buying Power". In the dealership was this huge (at least 3 and 1/2ft. x 4ft. with 2 -2/2 inch lettering ) sign designating its pricing policy. It seems that " GM Buying Power" means that the GM corporation has determined certain automobile and option packages ( MSRP) pricing and returns, which are suppose to reflect a reasonable (fair) cost, a (fair) return or profit to GM, (fair) return to the dealer and yet also be a ( fair ( ha- ha) price to the consumer . The "ultimate" gist of the message was "the prices are what they are and are non- negotiable" euphemistically referred to as a no- hassle pricing. ( I wonder if all of GM is moving in this direction; first with Saturn and at least with this Old's dealer or if this is just one (non-Saturn) GM dealer trying to do the Saturn thing. Also, I'll bet you anything that if you add up invoice cost of the items you'll find a 12 %- 15% profit margin,including dealer hold backs.) I would want to and suggest to anyone to double check figures for accuracy and to verify the "buying power" or package option/offering by any automobile dealer. The figures for base invoice price and options for the Chevy were more simple, straight forward and came out about right. However, the Old's Silhouette had more complicated package option offerings. I used dealer costs indicated on the internet for each of the option items designated in two different packages offered in the GM buying power or preset packages. If the figures I found/used were correct, there was a difference of $250 in one and almost $500.00 in another from what the total would be if you took the invoice cost of the van and added in the cost of each additional option, one by one. The Pontiac's Transport and Montana packages are so generally (vaguely) described and package offerings, so complicated, that it is impossible to relate it to an index and be certain that each item was the same or be able to ascertain that the prices charged actually reflected the goods obtained. Also, I could not find a complete or thorough base index of options and their costs to use. (I wonder if this is also why you nor I can get the figures for the Montana to jive; but had the ($500 + differences). .... I like the grocery receipt ticket, thank you, where each item is itemized and the price is clearly shown. I hope that there is some alternative to this GM Buying Power thing, the package options offering and to the non-negotiable pricing, as I don't see how they are really going to be good for us, the consumer... Also, I really don't understand how dealers can refuse to negotiate a lower price for the automobile.
#25 of 1454 Speedy8 by SP8 Jan 09, 1998 (1:53 am)
After driving a '94 Pontiac Transport for some time, I have experienced very few minor problems - the biggest one being I had to replace battery in remote. Any Chrysler or Ford drivers able to match this? Forget about Consumer Reports biased testing. Check out how many drivers they have to test drive the many , many cars they say they test in so short a time. Baloney! Motor Week tests a few but over quite a bit of time. I have more trust in this Town Hall Owner's report.
#26 of 1454 minivanman by minivanman Jan 18, 1998 (11:44 pm)
Some of the comments in this topic are scary! I am in the process of buying a minivan. The crash test results, consumer reports frequency of repair records, and the list of problems that the previous "chatter" wrote about in a 1200 mile-old Transport make me closer to the Sienna . Are experiences with the Olds Sillouette the same? better? worse?
#27 of 1454 We had a '94 Transport by frankk Jan 22, 1998 (11:54 pm)
Overall we liked it. It had a powerful engine. We did, however, have many reliability problems with it. At around 20K miles it started consuming oil at an alarming rate (fixed under warranty). I would say that on average it was in the shop for warranty work once a month. The power sliding door is a great feature, and I am suprised that Toyota is the only other make to offer this feature.
#28 of 1454 kenathens by kenathens Jan 23, 1998 (7:01 pm)
We are looking at minivans and have test drove about all of the models. We like the Honda since the middle window rolls down and the Pontiac for the engine and ride and traction control (and the middle windows at least crack open unlike the Caravan and Sienna). Worried about Pontiac reliability and have read the responses above.
#29 of 1454 minivanman by minivanman Jan 24, 1998 (4:08 am)
Do you think there is variation amoung the GM "family"? Is the Olds more reliable? Mechanically it is the same, but is there a build quality difference? I have looked at both the Silloutte and the Montana. Clearly aimed at different demographics. The Montana is more sporty, but not as "finished" looking inside. The leather seats also seem nicer in the Olds. My wife likes the exterior looks of the Montana better, though.
#30 of 1454 soodien by soodien Jan 25, 1998 (4:19 am)
Just bought a 98 montana three weeks ago. Love the way it drives. Have had a few problems though. During the first week, the radio died. Since they were back-ordered, the dead radio remained in my car. During the following two days, I had to have the van jump started twice--seems there was a short in the radio which drained the battery. The dealer was able to fix all the problems and so far (knock on wood) there have been no problems (which is good considering I only have 700 miles on it). I have a three year lease on this van---I may be back to Volvos in 2001.

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