There’s a segment of vehicles that has been relatively sleepy for some time; what I mean by this is the collector car market hasn’t been exceedingly hot for genuine SUVs that were sold by Japanese manufacturers in the 80s and early 90s. This class of vehicle included the likes of the Nissan Pathfinder, Isuzu Trooper, Ford Explorer, and the Dodge Raider / Mitsubishi Montero seen here on craigslist. These may have seemed like light-duty trucks but were actually quite capable on-road and off, with some critics saying at the time they were actually too geared towards rugged terrain. My, how times have changed.
I have a soft spot for these vehicles owing to the fact that I own a very similar model: in this case, a 1989 Isuzu Trooper RS, which was a limited-production short wheelbase example of the conventional Trooper. The Dodge Raider and its corporate twin, the Mitsubishi Montero, didn’t make its shortened rock hopper a limited-edition offering like Isuzu chose to; in fact, I’d argue most of the vehicles in this family came in two-door form. The Dodge/Mitsubishi was a slick package, with a sporty three-spoke wheel, bucket seats, and a nifty gauge package on the dash that included an inclinometer. This one is equipped with the optional automatic transmission.
The automatic isn’t quite the penalty box you’d assume it to be, as when it comes to off-road use, not having to massage a clutch out of a tricky spot may be preferred. Whatever your preference may be, these were all pretty gutless vehicles, so the manual wouldn’t turn it into some sort of speed champion. The Raider and Montero came equipped with an optional V6 that put out a decent 143 horsepower and 168 lb-ft of torque; I say “decent” because my Trooper makes about 120 b.h.p. from its 2.6L four-cylinder. None of these trucks were meant to be quick, so I’ll never complain about a 0-60 run that takes less than 20 seconds.
The Raider shown here has been upgraded with a variety of tweaks that make it well-suited to an adventure-seeking lifestyle. This includes all-terrain tires, a ladder rack, roof rack, and a pull-out awning. The Raider supposedly has a rebuilt engine, and the seller cites $6,000 in receipts showing ongoing maintenance. He believes the paint to be original, along with the interior. Overall, when you find a rig like this that hasn’t been abused or pounded into the dirt, it’s a good sign that it’s been loved. This one seems like a fair deal at the current price – did any of you drive a Raider or Montero back in the day?
I like this Raider!!! I had a friend many years ago that had a 1990 Mitsubishi Montero 4 door, green, tan interior, very nice. It’s funny, I have in common with Scotty having had a 1970 Olds 98 in our past, and with you Jeff, I had a ’90 Trooper. But mine was a 4 door. Base model 2.6 4 cyl with a 5 speed. I loved that truck and miss it to this day. Although I admit, I always wanted one like yours!!! But sadly, the frame rotted out and wasn’t really safe to have the family in anymore. I remember seeing the Dodge Raider from time to time and always liked them. This is really nice too, being the 2 door short model. I was a huge Mitsubishi fan years ago, I wanted a pickup so bad I could taste it, but unfortunately at that time it just wasnt possible. Hope this gets preserved and respected and stays in this nice a condition .
I’ve owned several Mitsubishi Monteros, an 89,
90, 91, 95, 3-98’s and an 06. Only One shorty like the featured truck.
The reason I liked these is the chassis; fully boxed front to rear, several proper skid plates, and just overbuilt.
I currently have a 98 that I’ve owned twice; a friend was in dire straits and a couple days before moving east I sold it to him. 11 years later I bought it back!
I’d like to find another shorty but just don’t have the room right now…
I like it, but I don’t $8k like it.
I bought a new 1986 2 door 4 cyl with the manual transmission. It was an off road beast. Nimble was its middle name. It was tippy in town with any quick turns but easily controlled. It came with auto self locking hubs and a drivers seat that had weight adjustable springing. The engineering was excellent and was very repairable but the engine ate head gaskets about every 100k miles. We only got rid of it because it was impossible to get child seats in and out of the back seat. I would love to have another but they are difficult to find in any condition. I believe most were road hard and put away wet!
Another in the long list of Chrysler’s forgotten imports.
Like the Omni
I love this and had my eye on these for a long time. The auto box is a complete show-stopper for me even if the price was less optimistic.
There’s one in Tennessee with a 4 cylinder and manual for less money.
80s and 90s SUVs are definitely getting collectable. Second and third gen 4Runners took off a few years ago. They’re great little vehicles, I had one. Currently, I’m daily driving a ’99 5.0 Explorer. I remember the Isuzus and Mitsus were a bit underpowered on the highway, nice little around town or light duty offload whip.
These are mechanically similar enough to the Mighty Max (and rebadged Dodge Ram 50) pickups that the Haynes manual covers both. The MightyRam50 forum is a great resource for “shop talk” about these.