Hello,

I am new to the forum, and was hoping I could get some opinions and information from the group. I just finished test driving a '97 Montero SR with 174K mi. It is fully loaded with sunroof, leather, adjustable suspension, etc. It had the 3.5l motor and an automatic transmission. Everything drove nice, the suspension adjusted fine, the 4x4 was in working order, etc. The only thing I wasn't too sure on was a ticking noise coming from the motor. It sounded like valve noise, as it sped up and down with the RPMs. The motor still seemed to pull strong.

My main questions:
1: Is the noise something to worry about - if so, what would cause it and how much would the repair cost? I can do some mechanicals myself as well.

2: The rear door won't open from the inside or outside - is this easy to fix / common / expensive?

3: Are there any things I should checkout during my next visit? Breaking points, common failures, telling signs, etc.

4: The guy is asking $4800 for it - does this sound reasonable?

Any information is helpful, and thanks in advance

--buba