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Mitsubishi Lancer 2007 and earlier

2456712

Comments

  • timtrantimtran Member Posts: 29
    de toute facon, "le chien aboie mais la caravane passe."
  • deltawhip1deltawhip1 Member Posts: 8
    en ingles, por favor?

    translation: "hello? in english, please?"
  • stupideaglesstupideagles Member Posts: 9
    After I saw the commerical several weeks ago, I saw at least 2 Lancers in the Chicago area. 1 is yellow and the other one is black.

    It is not a good-looking car but I will still wait for the EVO VII !
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    One bu!! ugly car! With uninspiring features and performance!

    But the EVO 7 is going to be worth the wait.

    Quite similar, really, to the Subaru Impreza situation. The RS (base) is and has always been ugly and a bad performer, but the Impreza WRX is a whole different animal. And people are snapping them up, despite the awful looks :-) (Even I'm considering the WRX for a future purchase in about a year!)

    I just hope I don't have to see any Lancer's on the road, after the glimpse I got at the dealership - I'm still traumatised. And they're selling them at sticker, too - imagine that!
  • kostamojen2kostamojen2 Member Posts: 284
    Theres a dark grey metallic OZ edition at a dealer that surprizlingly looks nice (the color helps) but that rear end just looks soooo disperportionate...
  • trd4metrd4me Member Posts: 14
    I just read in one of the tuner/import car magazines (couldn't remember which but it has the EVO VII on the cover this month) that Mitsubishi is definitely releasing the EVO in the US late '02 or mid '03. It was announced at their latest sales conference, but supposed to be kept quiet for awhile. They did it in face of increasing demand for the Subaru WRX. So don't be mistaken, the Lancer is not the EVO in any shape or form. It's just a mirage with a different cover. Also, with the release of the EVO, expect Subaru to counter with its WRX Sti.
  • geegee1958geegee1958 Member Posts: 29
    but then again, I drive an Echo!! Have seen two on the road in the past few days, a silver one (exactly like the one on the tv commercial where the dopey people are singing that stupid song), and a dark (almost navy) blue one.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I recently test drove both the manual and automatic equipped Lancer. I was shocked with how much I ended up liking the car. The interior is this car's strong point as its spacious, very comfortable, and very quiet. Rear seat passengers sit high and have amazing foot space underneath the front seats. There is also plenty of legroom. The front seats are firm, yet plush. I had no problems getting comfortable. I really liked the layout and design of the dashboard and the blue gauge lighting was cool. The fabric had a nice pattern and was of high quality, except for the cloth used on the doors which looked industrial and felt rough. The 2-tone gray scheme was very attractive. The doors closed with a solid quiet thunk. No rattles were heard during the test-drive and the whole car felt very solid. In fact, almost nothing was heard at all! This car has an amazingly quiet engine! Some road noise is heard once you get up to 60, but the engine is barely audible until you push it beyond 4K rpms. The engine is extremely smooth, willing to rev, and provides plenty of power, even with the auto. The layout under the hood is very clean and easy to service. The manual tranny had a smooth engaging clutch but the shifter wasn't the best. The auto shifted smooth and seemed willing to downshift. The ride is plush, although body lean in turns is noticeable and handling feels about average. The steering is real light and quick, which makes the Lancer feel light on its feet around town, but I wonder if its dull sense of str8 ahead and too quick action would make it more tiresome on a highway once road imperfections, high speeds, and crosswinds are taken into account. The brakes had good initial bite, but didn't feel all that powerful. The trunk is a bit on the small side and the rear end styling is still too bland. However, the front is stylish and the Lancer looks elegant in Royal Blue Pearl. One advantage to the Lancer's styling its its excellent visibility with the use of large side windows and a low trunk. Parallel parking in this car would be much easier than most newer cars with their ridiculously high wedge shape profiles that makes seeing anything directly behind you difficult if not impossible.

    Overall, I liked how the Lancer drove and ended up walking away quite impressed. Its quiet, stylish, roomy, and comfortable interior, peppy engine, solid structure, and quality feel are enough to offset its dorky rear-end styling, too soft ride, and smallish trunk. This is definitely a good choice for someone who doesn't want a me-too Civic or Corolla. Anyone else driven the Lancer that would like to share their impressions?
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    but lacking substance and perceived reliability.....
  • dweezildweezil Member Posts: 271
    on Van Nuys Blvd. a month or so ago.
    Here's the shocker: last version of a Mitsubishi compact, the Mirage sold 32,000 units last year- 75% of them to rental agencies [AutoWeek, last week].The OZ edition on the lot was 15,800 with 1000 dollars of dealer packs and an ADDITIONAL DEALER MARKUP OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!! $18,800 for a vehicle that is no more than a warm version of the standard Lancer, for which there is no such demand that would justify a 2000 premium over the MSRP. These people are sooo clueless.Especially with those dopey ads.
    It's a shame, because the car is quite good looking to me. The interior is cheap looking with upholstery that looks like left over cloth from 57 DeSoto production [the Chrysler connection again?]but not enough to qualify it as "retro".Not a great leap beyond the Mirage.You can't get one without power windows,which is, to me, needless complexity and expense. Use that money to improve the upholstery, Mitsubishi.[While I like the DeSoto upholstery, I am not the ordinary buyer either:one of my cars is a 63 Valiant, but others probably won't!]
    I would really consider this as my next vehicle; but the sort of audacity and arrogance shown at this dealership, if any indicator, will scare people away from what is really a pretty neat vehicle.Do they want to sell em or DUST em???
    Over all I like it. The regular Lancer, without all that corny OZ junk on it is very handsome.Now do some DE-Contenting on it and lower the price,and they might sell a few......or have I just read the next generation Neon's future????
  • mirde98mirde98 Member Posts: 95
    LAST WEEK I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW LANCER . AS A PREVIOUS MIRAGE DE OWNER,SO IM VERY FAMILIAR WITH MITSUBIHI PRODUCTS.MINE IS SILVER WITH GRAY INTERIOR. IM VERY IMPRESS WITH THE CAR. THE INTERIOR IS HUGE AND THE SEATS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE. THE INTERIOR MATERIALS ARE OF HIGH QUALITY AND THE STYLE IS PLEASING.THE ENGINE IS SMOOTH AND VERY ECONOMICAL. THE STEREO/CD PLAYER SOUNDS VERY GOOD.THE TRUNK IS NOT THAT BIG,BUT IS OK.THE FIRST THING THAT I NOTICED IS HOW QUIET THE INTERIOR IS.THE DOORS CLOSE WITH A SOLID SOUND.OVERALL A BIG IMPROVMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS CAR.MY NEXT TOY IS GONNA BE A MONTERO. SO,ARE YOU IN?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I saw a new Lancer last night here in Maryland at a Carmax store, and I think it was something like $800 below MSRP. That's still kinda high for a compact car. Right now, anything above invoice+$100 is high to me (I paid $250 below invoice for my 2001 Protege, but with special pricing). The interior is huge, but the driver's seat lacks lumbar support for me. Maybe an uplevel model has an adjustment for it? Not sure. Anyway, I am kind of intimidated with the 120hp rating. It's kinda low, and only 15-inch wheels on the OZ Rally? Come on now, give it the 2.4 Eclipse engine, 16 inch wheels, ABS and traction and watch it fly off dealer lots. It is a nice car though, and definitely huge inside. I didn't, however, get to drive it. Maybe next time I will.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The horsepower may be a little low, but it has 130 pound feet of torque at a relatively low 4250 rpms. It was tuned for low-end grunt at the expense of high-end horsepower. That rating is up there with the most powerful engines in the class. It beats all the Civic engines and the Corolla. The Protege has 135, the Elantra 133. This means the car accelerates pretty good for its class. Car and Driver has already tested the Lancer at 8.8 sec from 0-60, same as the Focus ZX3. Not real fast, but not a slug either. Test drive one and you will see it has plenty of power. You wouldn't want the 2.4 from the Galant as its mileage is way too low for an economy car.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I just brought home a Munich Silver Metallic Lancer OZ Racing Rally Edition!! It has black cloth, automatic, and the optional rear spoiler (I would have preferred the Royal Blue Pearl with a stick shift). This car looks sharp! So far I love it. I especially like the fact the car is rare; mine is one of only 2 in my whole city (you could never say that about the Civic or Corolla). I went over the car with a fine toothed comb and couldn't find one defect. It's so quiet and solid. The tranny is real smooth and even has an engine braking feature when coasting below 20 mph. You also sit real high in the car, giving you the sensation that you are in a small pickup and providing excellent visibility. I have a few minor gripes: the trunk is puny and the front seats seem to have too much lumbar support and there is no adjustment to get rid of that problem. Otherwise, the car is great. Only 40 miles on the car so far. I will post here frequently on how well the Lancer holds up and what kind of mileage I get. I lucked out and got the 0 0 0 deal. I have no interest until Jan 03 and no payments until Feb 03 and I didn't put a penny down. Not bad considering I'm still in college. The downside is the interest rate, which is 9.9%, but I plan on financing it through my credit union before a year is up and get 6.95%. I just have to make sure to keep my mileage under the magic 12,000 mile used car barrier.
  • colorsofspringcolorsofspring Member Posts: 16
    To see the Lancer. Surprisingy, the Lancer was MORE comfortable to sit in for my 6' tall husband than the Galant was. The interior did have a surprising amount of headroom. He didn't like the styling enough though. HE said the car is not MANLEY enough. LOL. The dash board is so plain and boring it hurts. But that is not very important to me. The OZ version looks great n yellow!
    Its a perfect car for my 5'4 frame.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I got 26 mpg on my first tank with a 50/50 split between city and highway driving. Not bad, definitely an improvement over my 97 Altima which only got 22 mpg. The gas gauge is very accurate. My gas light was not on and the gauge still read above E, but it took 10.5 gallons to fill it up, not too far from its 13.2 gal max. According to the manual, the light turns on when you have 2.2 gal left. Very nice to know that the gauge and light is so accurate. Only one small annoyance: the driver's seat sliding mechanism is hard to operate; a little lubrication should fix it.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    It seems only a couple of people have bought this car. I like the way they look, but the price seems way up there to me. I would get an LS simply to get the folding rear seat and a few other standard goodies, but a comparably equipped Sentra GXE is much less. Any thoughts out there from owners about this car?
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I have only seen like 3 or 4 on the road since they came out. The prices do seem kinda high as well, but Mitsu does offer that whole 0-0-0 thing too, so it's kinda balanced out. The Lancer is a cute little car though. I just don't like the drab interior (as someone else said), and the engine seems kinda low on numbers (power). I looked at them a couple weeks ago, and they seem pretty cool. But I wonder why they aren't selling though? Makes no sense.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    Must be price. Mall of Georgia Mitsubishi near Atlanta advertises Lancers from $12,999 and Galants from $14,999. Why wouldn't you do everything in your power to come up with another 2 grand and get the Galant? You can get a better equipped Sentra GXE for less than 13 grand.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    There is not that big of a price difference between the Lancer and the Sentra. A Sentra GXE costs $15358 (Edmunds TMV), when you add automatic, cruise, fog lamps, spoiler, 15" alloy wheels, and premium CD (synergy package). A Lancer LS costs $16130 with its standard automatic, cruise, alloy wheels, and 6 speaker CD. So there is only a $772 premium paid for the Lancer. Part of that price difference comes from the fact that the Lancer is built in Japan, whereas the Sentra is built in cheap labor Mexico. If you are graduating from college, there is a $500 rebate available in addition to the 000 deal, which lowers the price difference to a measly $272. Besides, the Lancer in OZ trim looks so much more upscale and sporty when compared to the bland Sentra with its droopy, bulbous rear end. Not to mention the fact that the Sentra is downright cramped, whereas the Lancer is roomy and comfortable. So for me, the more expensive Lancer was a nobrainer.

    As for them not selling like hotcakes, I like that! It makes my car more unique, which is one of the reasons I got the car after being so sick of seeing a beige Altima (my old car) at every light. I have never been in a car that has got as much attention as this car has! People have stared at the car at stoplights and craned their necks trying to see the rear end to see what kind of car it is. I even had a 20 year old guy at a car accessories shop run outside from the front desk saying, "Is that the new OZ?". I just beamed with pride as he checked out the car, saying "Sweet ride!". With the attention I've been getting with this car, you would think I was driving a Porshe, lol. Apparently I'm not the only one that thinks the OZ package looks cool, even if it is a poseur with no real performance behind it. The car has plenty of pep though, even with the automatic. The tires will lose traction without brake-torquing and the tranny responds quickly to the need for downshifts.

    Lastly, there are many reasons not to spend the extra money on the Galant. The main reasons being poor fuel economy in the city and a lack of room considering the much bigger size. The Galant may be bigger on the outside, but the Lancer feels less cramped and has a much more open and airy feeling to the interior. It has been praised for its large and roomy back seat, whereas the Galant is criticized by magazines and owners for having a small interior. The only thing that the Galant gets from its larger size is a larger trunk. Visibility is poor in the Galant from its high trunk line, steeply raked windshield, and low seating position, whereas the Lancer has awesome visibility with its huge windows, low trunk line, and high seating position (the rear seat has that stadium effect). I saw no reason to spend a little extra money and get the Galant. Besides, I like the feel and manueverability of a smaller car.

    So far, 650 miles and I have loved every minute of it! My only complaints are a slow to respond tranny when shifting between reverse and drive and a driver's seat that requires a hard shove to move forward (will lubricate the rails soon and hope that fixes that annoyance). Otherwise, the car is rock solid, super quiet, comfortable, roomy, and has plenty of pep. I highly recommend this car if you are sick of the me-too blandness of the Civic, Corrolla, and Sentra. Just try to keep the buying spree to a minimum so I can enjoy the uniqueness for as long as possible, ok?? :)
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    By the way, I installed fog lamps on my car for a measly $26 from Discount Auto (the box was mashed a bit so they gave me a discount form the original $59). Took about an hour for me to install them. I got circular fog lamps that are yellow when on, although the lenses look blue when they are off. They look cool and add to the sporty looks of the OZ trim. They made a noticeable improvement in visibility directly in front of the car and to the sides as well.
  • 1994corsica1994corsica Member Posts: 8
    from what i understand the evo headed for america could very likely be "watered down". aimed to compete with the current us wrx, not the sti. i hope this is not true because right now i plan on buying a sti impreza when it hits our shores late next year or early '03. a non diluted evolution is the only car that could make me change my mind unless of course chevrolet knocks the msrp on a Z06 corvette down about 20k! (year right!:) )
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I'm glad you love your Lancer. I never said they were bad cars or ugly or anything like that. I was just commenting on the high price as being probably why they aren't selling. The Sentra price I was referring to was what you can buy one for, not the MSRP. In the Atlanta area, dealers advertise 2002 Sentra GXEs with the pwr features, keyless, air, cruise, and CD (no auto) for $10,997. That's what I meant by the price difference. You are right that the interior is a little bigger than Sentra. Sentra's head and shoulder room are a little bigger than Lancer, but Lancer has a big advantage on leg and hip room--as per the 2002 Lancer and 2002 Sentra brochures. Anyway, glad it's a god car, and happy motoring!
  • diamanteguydiamanteguy Member Posts: 11
    I like Mitsu cars, especailly the Diamante, but the new Lancer is a rip off. It has poor performance and hardly any attractive otions,even for its small price tag
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I would not call it a bad car. Its back seat--I believe--is the same size as the Diamante's. I see them advertised for $12,999 with the power features, air, CD--you know,all the standard goodies. That's not bad--especially when you consider its interior size compares favorably to midsize sedans. I find it odd a Mitsu owner would bad mouth a Lancer. I could not picture a Honda owner bad mouthing a Civic or a Toyota owner bad mouthing an Echo. Anyway, Lancer is on my short list for my next car with Elantra and Sentra. I was thinking to go with an LS. By the time you add automatic, keyless, folding rear seats, etc. to an ES, you are at the price of an LS anyway. The LS gives you other stuff like 15" alloys as well, so you might as go along with the LS. Anyone bought one and have any comments?
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Just finished my first long distance trip with my OZ. She ran beautifully! This car is very quiet at 80-85mph. In fact, its got less wind and road noise than my mom's 01 Audi A4. It is also very stable and isn't buffeted much by semis. Another plus: my engine is far from fully broken in and yet it achieved 31 mpg at 80 mph while using the AC most of the time and idling at a dead stop for half an hour. The sticker only advertises 30 mpg. I think this car can easily get 33 mpg if it's driven at a more sane 70 mph. I'm very happy this is one of those cars whose sticker lowballs the mileage. I kind of thought it was odd that the EPA rated it so low on the highway.

    As a side note, I will have my first service encounter with my Mitsu dealer on Monday. Mitsu dealers seem to be known for their poor service, but so far I have been very impressed with how well I have been treated. They will be repainting the ground effects panel below the driver's side door due to a minor paint defect and will lubricate both of the front seats so they will slide easier.

    Diamanteguy: You must be kidding right? Poor performance? You must never have driven an anemic Civic with an automatic. The Lancer is geared low and has plenty of pep (in fact, it readily chirps its tires). It could run circles around any auto equipped Civic. Merging on the freeway is accomplished without full throttle or noisy high revs. As for options, what more could you want in an economy car?? Just about everything comes standard so there's no need for options. The only options missing are a power sunroof and a cassette player. I would like to see the ABS/side-impact airbag package offered on the OZ model though. At any rate, the Lancer offers just as many features as any other economy car, so I don't see what you are complaining about. This isn't supposed to be a Diamante you know!
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    ... when I near graduation:
    Can't get a non-OZ edition (that OZ trim is such a lame appearance pkg.) with 5sp and ABS. What are they thinking? This is an economy car! Economy cars are the epitome of the standard transmission. It just makes me sad, cause I want to like the car....
    ~alpha
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    You'l have to forget the ABS, but you'll get the 5 speed if that's what you want. Also, the spoiler is an option--not standard--so don't get it if you want to tone down the appearance package some.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The O-Z is a silly poser package, and I WANT ABS. Most likely, I'll be considering Sentra or Protege, but also the new Corolla and Matrix when they come out. I'm also disappointed the Galant doesnt offer stick. I have a while to wait though, so maybe things will change.
    Happy Holidays,
    alpha
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I thought manual transmission was more important than ABS, sorry. You can get an Elantra with 5 speed and ABS--plus it's more powerful and less expensive with a better warranty.
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    had it been out last summer. I DO like the looks. Better than the Elantra that I did purchase.

    However, I have to agree with Clay that the Elantra is simply much more car for the money. Especially compared to outdated, decontented platforms like the Corolla. When I made my choice it was between the Focus and the Elantra. I took the Elantra because of the warranty and because the posts on Edmunds indicate that owners were MUCH happier with their cars. Both of these cars are huge inside compared to the competition-- a trait the Lancer shares.

    The Corolla IMHO was no better than my daughter's 1990 Prizm. Toyota is going to have to do something other than depend on a twenty year old reputation. Their snotty corporate attitude regarding the sludge issue will eventually catch up with them.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    The Elantra suggestion is very true, and I appreciate your input... but again the ABS thing is an issue... very very hard to find ABS on the Elantra in the Jersey region. I feel so much more confident in poor weather with ABS, its a shame to me that miseducated people who don't understand the technology have inhibited its widespread adoption in the automotive industry. The new Corolla should be interesting, and hopefully there will still be the possibility of 5sp/ABS.
    ~alpha
  • rowbinerowbine Member Posts: 1
    There sure are lot of whiners on this board! I'm glad that I bought my black OZ before I read some of these posts. I love my Lancer. It's got great get up and go, Quiet ride, really comfortable seating and roomy too! I checked out and drove other cars like the Mazda Protege SE ($2,000 more than I paid for my Lancer), Ford Focus (which is butt ugly), and the Kia Yugo whatever it was. One test drive in the Lancer and I was sold!
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I'm very glad you love your OZ. I was not saying Elantra was better than Lancer or people should whine about Lancer. I just tried to help the person who wants a car with manual transmission AND anti lock brakes--a combo Mitsubishi does not offer here.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    It might be worthwhile to check out the Lancer after all. Right now, Mitsu is offering that 0 0 0 deal (no down, no interest, no payment until 1/2003). That would definitely be cool to have no payments for a year right now. :)
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    Yeah, but they get you in a year! You gotta watch it because YOU have to refinance it in a year--and you have made no payments. So, your car may have depreciated (just an example, not a fact) $5000, but you have to arrange financing on the original purchase price of the vehicle. The dealer won't tell you that part because he wants to get you in the car today. This is a great deal, however, in that you can pay down the car for a year interest free, thus refinancing the lower balance a year later. There is a post in the Galant thread about a guy who had a hard time refinancing his car because noone wanted to grant a loan on a car not worth the loan amount.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    You could just keep the loan through Mitsubishi and pay it that way. Of course, you are paying for a whole year of interest, as well as paying for the car an extra year. That does suck.

    I would personally get the car now, and refinance it down the line before a year through my credit union. Also, I could put some money towards the balance while it was interest free.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I got this deal. It is simply a 6 year loan with a higher interest rate then what most are offering. The first year is interest free and payment free, so thus it's really a 5 year loan. The interest for that year is not tacked on to the loan if you don't pay anything. It's a good deal for those who have other bills they would like to get rid of but also need a new car. It's good for me for that reason and the fact that I'm trying to sell my 97 Altima, which I'm still paying for.

    1800 miles so far and no problems. My first encounter with the service department was very pleasant. They called me twice to keep me up to date. They were friendly and did a good job repainting the door sill. Overall, I'm very pleased.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Didn't you just get the Altima?
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I know the deal is GREAT if you need a new car now and you wish to not make payments for the next year to have money for other things. That being said, I was just talking about the guy in the Galant thread who mentioned it was not as rosy as he thought it would be to refinance in a year. Also, in this day and age of people wanting to get new cars every 3 or so years, this would be a bad deal o take. Why? If you have the car three years but have only paid for two years, you will be WAY upside down. You will want to be sure this is a car you will want to keep 5 or 6 years to et the full benefit of this deal, otherwise you will get it at trade in time.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    With most small cars, you are going to get it anyway. They don't hold their value well. And Mitsubishis don't hold their value well as a whole anyway. So it's a lose-lose deal from the beginning. I never thought about it like that.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    A lot of cars are upside down after 3 years, but your Mitsu will proably be upside down after 4 because you've only paid on it for 3. A lot of cars are right side up by that point.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I always heard that it usually takes 2.5 years for the car to even out with the balance owed. But, of course, that's with average mileage. If you drive more than 15K a year (which alot of people do), then it will remain upside down.
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    There is at least one small car that holds it's value pretty well. It has been described here as anemic in terms of perfomance, but with >300K sales a year (US) they must have something to offer. I am amazed at the depreciation for Mitsu in general, not what I'd expect from a Japanese nameplate. Doesn't matter so much to me because I keep a car forever, but it must matter to some.

    Motorweek reviewed the O-Z on this weeks show. I'm sure it is online as well.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    A lot of cars are even after 2-3 years, but one bought on a 0-0-0 plan probably won't be. I keep cars for a while too--so it doesn't concern me much either.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Yeah, I got the Altima 6 months ago. It's a nice car and all, but I quickly got bored with it. I see one at every light in the same exact color. Plus, it just got broken into for the second time! Both times, they wanted the car. Not to mention the mediocre mileage for a four banger, choppy ride, tinny sounding doors, and numb steering. It is a reliable car though, just too boring.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Didn't you test drive it before you bought it? You should have found most of the stuff out on the test drive. But I can agree about not having a boring car though.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    At the time I bought it, it was an improvement. I had a 91 Stanza that was burning a quart of oil every 400 miles, had loud valve tapping problems, needed CV joints, and was a barebones though reliable car with 140k on it. The Altima looked good, was much newer, drove sportier, was fully equipped, only had 60k, and had no mechanical issues. I also got it at a great price with no need to negotiate. At the time, it fit my budget and my requirement for a reliable fully equipped car. I just got tired of the fuel economy in the city/suburban (21-22 mpg is all it would do), the gas guage that read empty at 10 gallons and never read full, the 2 tires that would drop to 22 psi every week (a porous alloy wheel is the culprit on one), and its apparent popularity with thieves. One time they bent back both left-hand door frames, breaking the weld and costing me $200 to fix, but didn't get in the car. The security light scared them off I guess because they broke into my neighbor's Chrysler Concorde the same way, but actually got in the car and tore up the ignition, steering, and dash (lesson to be learned, don't buy a car with door frames that sweep up over the roof-line; they are extremely easy to break into). Their car was undrivable, mine just had 2" of sunlight coming through the door and a lot of wind noise. Now, they broke out the passenger window and stole the stereo faceplate. Another $200 gone, and no faceplate to operate the nice cd player. They tried to get the car, but I disconnected the battery before leaving town so I guess they gave up. I'm sick of it!! No Altima ever again for me! I live in a quiet community where no other cars are touched and crime is at a low-average rate for the area. They just keep picking out this specific car. The cop told me the Altima was 3rd most stolen, behind Honda and Acura. I did not know the fuel economy and thieve popularity when I bought the car, which are my two biggest complaints with it. Anywho, I'm done fuming about that car.

    My Lancer, in contrast, is much quieter, more refined, more solid, just as roomy, rides and handles better, is not seen at every corner, and gets better mileage. Mitsus aren't too high on the break-in list either. Enough to sell me on the car! I just wish the 000 deal had been around 6 months ago so I never would have bought the Altima.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    What year is your Altima?
    ~alpha
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    It's a 97, the last year for the 1st generation design. I wouldn't think the older ones would still be so popular with thieves. Oh well.
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