Hello,
I came across a good deal on a 92 Mitsu pickup last summer and had to pick it up. I've looked through this forum a few times since then, as it looks like the best site out there for Mitsubishi 4x4s. I Herculined the bed after reading rave reviews about the stuff here, and it was definitely worth the time and effort. I have a few questions about general maintenence before I start to think about finding trails around here...

How closely is the Max related to Monties? Everyone posting here seems to have a Montero. Are both V6 3.0s the same engine? Are some of the other components the same?

I like to do as much of my own wrenching as I can, but it is growing cold up here and the only garage I have access to is a 2 1/2 car garage (2 cars deep, a half car wide)-: with two other cars that are parked in it at night (I'm on the street). I need work on the brakes and steering hydraulics, so I'm forced to take it to a mechanic.

I took it to a nearby Midas today that did the brake job on my last car. They did a good job the first time (as far as I could tell), but it cleaned out my savings. The estimate I came back with was well over half of what I paid for the truck in the first place, and that didn't even include the decaying exhaust system. I figure I can take care of replacing the serpentine belt and air filter on my own, but the brake job will be $650/800 if they can't save the rotors. The steering gear seal/flush will be $270. The part prices they quoted are 3-4 x the low end of what I could find online and close to or a little more than the better/OEM parts. The only work I had them do so far was an oil change because of the mess made the first time I changed it, with the awkward filter location and all. When I asked how they avioded dumping oil all over the control arm and skid plate, the guy said he just let it drain and "hosed it off" afterward. I have to wait until tomorrow to see how well that worked.

At these prices, would I be better off taking it to a regular Mitsu dealer? The original salesman told me the truck was identical to the Dodge D50 except for the name and emblems, but that sounds like an exageration. Should I expect to pay higher import part costs or not? Is it worth the time to shop other chain and/or independent garages? I can keep refilling the power steering fluid reservoir indefinitely, but the siezed brake calipers are eating into the rotors every time I drive it, and it sounds like he11.

Sorry for the long post and so many questions, I just hope someone here knows more about this truck than local mechanics seem to (I think I asked a dozen different people what the lock/unlock toggle switch on the dash was for and got 12 different explanations before I figured it out from reading this forum :-).