Mitsubishi Outlander

regfootball · June 2003

agreed. bring on the grandis. the toyota wish is another similar vehicle but instead we get the big bloated Sienna.

tidester · June 2003

We should be able to find better ways of expressing our frustrations on a family friendly site! :-)

tidester, host

tnel332 · June 2003

Heck, I was being as polite as possible....8)
How on earth do these people expect to sell a car? I'll just go some place else.
What have others paid, do you know?
Thanks,
tn

tidester · June 2003

What have others paid, do you know?

You've just asked them! Let's read what they have to say - c'mon gang, help out!

tidester, host

pcs15394 · June 2003

tnel332/Tidester - I paid 19950 for a Pearl White Outlander XLS with Sun & Sound package at the end of April in Central Florida. This was only after the dealer had attempted to get me to pay that price for an LS model with an after market installed Sunroof and base model stereo(I refused). The next day Dealer called back and wanted to work out a Deal. It did help that it happened to be the next to last day of the month. Hope this is of some help.

tidester · June 2003

Thanks!

tidester, host

stever · June 2003

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety side impact crash tests

Steve, Host

pemley · June 2003

I've seen this story all over the news and the internet. Everyone is using it as a way to show that small SUV's are not safe. All it really shows is vehicles are damaged more when stuck by a larger higher vehicle then a small light one and that side airbags prevent injuries. There is no mention as to how any cars have done with the new test standards. Just that small SUV's did worst then they did with the old standard crash barrier.

Until all types of vehicles are tested on this same test, it's conclusions are meaningless and any attempt to use them is just hype.

In my opinion anyhow.

tidester · June 2003

I think the media, in general, made it clear that the new tests did not yet include regular passenger vehicles. IMO, the results are far from meaningless. They verify what we have long suspected: being struck by a vehicle with a higher frontend is significantly more dangerous.

I further expect that when the same testing is done on regular passenger vehicles we'll see even more disturbing results.

These are the first tests that I am aware of that use realistic bumper/frontend heights to better reflect the growing population of larger vehicles on the highways.

tidester, host

pcs15394 · June 2003

I happened to catch the side impact testing on NBC's Dateline on Tuesday Night. After seeing the results it made me wish I had sprung for the Luxury package that supposedly includes the side airbags... Then again it made me wish I didn't have to spend an extra grand to get side impact airbags!!!!

phi77 · July 2003

Hi did anybody noticed that the Outlander pulls to the right? I had mine in service they did alignment and some tension spring in the steering wheel but the car still goes right the dealer is telling me that this is normal but how can car arch to the right and that to be normal driving. Does anybody have any ideas how to go about this?

p.s. normally my other car goes right or left when the road slopes a little but it goes in the straight line but this one does it even when the road slopes to the left and it does it in arches I can change lines every 50yards without touching steering wheel.

wheelz4 · July 2003

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/04mitsu.htm

Hopefully the new engine is more efficient as well. It will definitely make the Outlander more of a contender.

wheelz4 · July 2003

Great review of the more powerful 160 hp 2004 Outlander in the National Post. It's not posted on their website yet but I'll post the link when it is. Basically, it now has decent power, is quieter, and has lower emissions and better fuel economy to boot.

wheelz4 · July 2003

Here's the link:

http://www.nationalpost.com/driversedge/story.html?id=29D45D91-14- 5C-4845-B72B-4423396C8E63

stever · July 2003

Updated NHTSA results:

Rollover, Crash Test Results for Fourth Group Of 2003 Vehicles

Steve, Host

ryster · July 2003

Does anyone have any information as to when the '04 models will be available in the United States? The Outlander is a very nice vehicle and I would prefer to wait for the larger engine than settle for an '03 model.

Thanks!

charley9 · July 2003

I had asked the area Mitsu dealer about when we might expect the 04 Outlander and he mumbled something about Oct- Nov?.....Don't think he really knew. I'll bet they arrive with the Sportback....If anyone knows any specifics I too would like to hear them. I am getting ready to get something new and the 04 Outlander is high on my list. I have had two Mitsu products since the late 80's and they were essentially bulletproof. I'm really tempted to go there again......

tnel332 · July 2003

Well I got my fully loaded Outlander today. I went to two dealerships. One was a bit of aggrevation (see my deleted post...oh you can't..hahaha) and quoted me a price that came to 311.00 per month. I had AWD and the ABS package (sun roof) picked out but they would have to go get it at another dealer and they wanted a thousand up front. I went to another dealer who also didn't have my vehicle in stock but they would get it on a handshake. Well I saw the color I wanted but it was fully loaded..leather, lux package, etc. To get rid of a stock item they gave me the car for the same price as the first dealer....naturally I took it and ran...or drove.. Keep y'all posted
..well anyone who reads these...hahah

lngtonge18 · August 2003

Congrats on your new car! What color did you get and is it AWD? How do you like it so far? What was the price you paid before taxes?

tootalldave · August 2003

Picked up an XLS a couple days ago. It was between that and a Dakota truck, which were going like a fire sale with the deals they were doing at Dodge. I figured I'd do the responsible thing though and go for the Outlander... More dependable, better gas mileage, less money, blah blah blah. Even got a great deal...

Huge mistake. It seemed fine for the test drive and the other times I sat in it. But, on my first long drive, I quickly became aware of the fact that I cannot be comfortable in this vehicle. I'm 6'2" without shoes. No matter what I do, it seems like my ankles are twisted. If I crank up the seat and tilt it back, my arms have to stick straight out to reach the wheel and my shoulders get sore, plus my head is so far up, I can't see lights well. The steering wheel also has to be all the way up, or it blocks the gauges, which makes the reach even worse. I've gone through many cars, and never made this much of a miscalculation. Can't really blame the car, it's actually fine otherwise. Funny thing is, I was most worried about the power, but that actually seems OK. I think the missing element is the ability for the seat bottom to tilt back, which my Explorer had. This allows the knees to be higher and the butt lower. I checked into custom seats and so on, but nothing looks promising yet. It's very hard changing stuff like that on cars now, what with all the airbag integration and everything. And I'm sure everyone can imagine the reaction of the dealership... "Sorry, wish we could help". So here I am in wonderful 'no cooling off period' California... The word SCREWED comes to mind. If there's any other pituitary cases out there with some ideas, it would be much appreciated.

"Too Tall" Dave

tidester · August 2003

You might want to browse through the postings in Recaro seats.

tidester, host

tnel332 · August 2003

I bought the AWD with ABS with the Sun and Fun package, Lux package in Urban Grey. Its a great color. I don't have the sales slip in front of me but it came to about 22300. I got it on the second to the last day of the month so they really wanted to move the car. Do I like it? Absolutely! The only problem I have is that my wife steals it when I get home from work. Its not the most powerful car in the world but I'm not known for tearing up the streets. It can, however, get you out into traffic. The first time I saw one I thought the front was ugly but then I saw more of them on the road and it began to grow on me.
TOOTALLDAVE.. I feel your pain..I was really looking at the Subie Baja but talk about no headroom!!!! I almost bought it but I didn't want my head rubbing against the roof. I've lost enough hair..... Sorry to hear about your misfortune in your Outlander.
Tom

tootalldave · August 2003

Thanks for the info... Now that I've had it awhile, I feel I can at least get it to the point where it's tolerable. It's just hard downgrading from something bigger. The way I understand it, there's almost no way to change seats in cars now, with all the airbag integration and stuff, so that's out. They can apparently shave out some of the foam in the original seats, but only so much. It also helps me to wear shoes with minimal sole height. I think the problem is the steering wheel stem length more then anything. Otherwise the seat could be moved and tilted back farther. I noticed even in a guy's Saturn, the steering wheel stem had a good 3" on mine. So I don't know why they made it so short. I notice the Matrix/Vibe suffer from the same thing.

Yes, I tried Subaru in the past and it wasn't happening. Sun roofs also make a big difference in headroom, which is why I specifically didn't want one in mine. You lose at least an inch or so.

But as somebody told me, you get use to things. I can already tell it has way better quality then the Explorer. And I don't imagine the paint will start flaking off 2 years later, like my Explorer's did, along with a stack of other problems. 4 years, and I never was able to get a decent idle out of that thing.

sheky · August 2003

We have the XLS with the premium sound. While the infinity CD player is good, it is basic and contains no cassette player. Any suggestions on how we can listen to our large collection of cassettes?

The obvious choice is to replace the infinity CD player with a cassette player and a CD changer. Any suggestions on which ones are good and compatible?

stever · September 2003

Long-Term Test: 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander

Steve, Host

phi77 · September 2003

If anybody has the same problem with a car drifting to the right cal National Safety hotline at 800-424-9393 please file a complain we have a power to force Mitsubishi to recall the car for description of the problem please see post #118

calbballmom · September 2003

I had been planning for a month or so to purchase an 04 Forrester Turbo, but stumbled across the Outlander tonight. I've read through many of the postings and wonder if I could have some of your expertise. Loved the safety/AWD/mileage of the Forrester, although the esthetics are a little lacking. I love what I see and have read on this BB about the Outlander, but am not convinced of the safety aspect -- as well any experience out there on ice and snow? Longer term owners -- are you still satisfied with the tightness of the Outlander?

subewannabe · September 2003

tootalldave, shaving seat foam will give you a sore rear without significantly changing your headroom or seat geometry. check the mounting for the front seat anchors ( i'm too lazy too look up the technial drawings online): if there are studs coming up through the floor, you may have some room to add metal or high impact plastic spacers between the floor pan and the bottom of the seat base in front. just remove the nuts from the front and rear seat anchors on both sides, raise the seat off the anchor studs, enough to drop the washers or plastic spacers on the front studs, only, then bolt it all back together, making sure you keep any wiring free from a pinch point and tighten the seat anchor nuts back properly....the result will be a seat that is higher in front, thereby creating more room for your lower leg and feet without losing any headroom. I have done this on two vehicles, but haven't looked at the anchors on the Outlander.Even 1/4 inch of additional height on the front of the seat will make a significant difference without affecting safety.

calbballmom, a Forester will give you much better handling, in part due to lower CG, and the subaru AWD system has been proven for over 20 years as the most reliable available if youre going to be on snow and ice, even wet roads or dry gravel, a lot. If you're into moonroofs..theForester's is HUGE.The Outlander will give a more "cushy" ride and more room in the rear seat. Style is a matter of personal preference.
    The Forester XT is a true performance car.....it accelerates even faster than a Porsche Cayenne, and the Outlander would soon be a tiny speck in the rear view mirror! But the fuel consumption is that of a performance car...20-21 mpg (highway) is best you can hope for, but you'll have a silly grin on your face all the time. The Forester with the standard 2.5L boxer engine is already more powerful than the new Outlander engine, and about 2 grand less than the XT. The base model Forester comes with ABS,side airbags, CD changer and weatherband radio as standard equipment. there are lots of incentives and great deals out there now on the NA Forester, whereas some dealers are getting msrp for the Forester XT with the Premium Package (Leather, moonroof, upgraded stereo, etc.) Also, Canadian buyers can get the Forester XT with the leather and moonroof and a MT, which really accentuates the performance aspeact of driving that car, whereas US buyers have to go with the AT to get the Premium package.grrrrr!
     The Mitsu 3.0L V6 ( offered in the Eclipse GTS)is a great engine, but wont be offered in the Outlander in the foreseeable future, if ever.
    Load your family into both makes and drive both the turbo and the NA Forester. its a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Good luck to both of you!

Mark

calbballmom · September 2003

Thank you so much for your reply. I am grateful for your incredible infintesmial knowledge of the Subaru product! Sorry it has taken me so long to come back here to say a huge THANKS!! You gave me all the information I needed.

mebaca · September 2003

I live in Quito, Ecuador and am planning on buying an Outlander. It was a close call between a Honda CR-V and the Outlander. The price is a little steep at $31k because of the country's taxes but the financing is not bad. The only thing that worries me is the power of the engine. I test drove one, loved the performance and ability to go from automatic to manual w/out a clutch. Quito is a city with more steep hills than San Francisco and traveling from city to city really involves climbing the Andes on winding roads that have only two lanes so passing becomes an issue and power is needed. What is the experience of drivers who have bought Outlanders and have taken the car on long drives which would include going up and down mountains. Would appreciate your opinion.

stever · September 2003

Welcome to Town Hall. You should mention that you live at a pretty high altitude too (~9,400 feet). My leather jacket came from Cotacachi :-)

Anyone driving an Outlander in, say, Leadville CO?

Steve, Host

pcs15394 · September 2003

I love my Outlander but I have to believe the 2003 Outlander may not have enough zip for the mountainous terrain you have to travel. The 20 HP improvement in the 2004 model may make a difference as will the increased thrust. I don't know if your considering a 2003 or 2004 Outlander but you may want to wait on the 2004.

ratzax · September 2003

Has anyone driven the Outlander AWD in the snow? How was the traction?

debra10 · October 2003

$16,500. for an 03 XLS AWD, 10,000 miles on it.
Should I go for it? It's the cheapest decent sized AWD I can find - the winter is supposed to be worse this year than last year. Any thoughts??
thanks!

charley9 · October 2003

That seems a tad high for a 10K vehicle. I think you could get a brand new one for another $2K or less. Probably with the latest warranty too! Hope your wrong about the Winter but I have the same fears. I suspect the Outlander will do you well. My old AWD Expo is about the same setup and will blast through snow up to the bottom of the doors. The 160 HP Outlander's will be here shortly too. The Ralliart Lancers are due this month so I suspect the engine switch is well underway.

jjpeter · October 2003

Test driven a 2004 yet? I'd be interested in reading driving impressions. Power is up, NHV has been reduced etc.

Please respond, am interested in your opinion as we are looking at this segment and think the outlander is one of the top choices.

charley9 · October 2003

Went by the Mitsu shop about ten days ago....No '04 Outlanders yet. They thought mid November. If you have never had a Mitsu transport type product before (not their sport jobs) I would evaluate my ownership goals carefully before going down the Mitsu path. The ones I have had have been dead reliable. Just do the fluid changes and you are good for 8-10 years. I have had my Expo going on 9 years now and have spent about $500 on repairs total. It just never broke. Not much style though. A little mundane...maybe a bit clunky to drive and of course 0 resale. It's a long term transport solution. Little else. Perfect for me cause I hate car shopping! I would expect a little more from the Outlander. They are a bit fancier than their parents. That said... when I looked at the '03 Outlander closely I could see the Expo/Eagle lineage in many places. Especially in the mechanicals. That was good. Those Expo's were mature designs that worked well. I will probably get an '04 AWD Outlander (base model of course!) and drive it for the next ten years should I last that long...

jjpeter · October 2003

For the Mitsu' report Charley9. Its good to know their cars are reliable. The changes to the 2.4L engine in the 04 Outlander add their version of variable timing to the valves. I don't know if this redesign is brand new or a carry over of some variation of one of their rally car engines. My concern is this is untested and not proven out. Anyone know?

Here is a good article on a test drive of the 04. Glowing remarks.

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/roadtest,view,Mitsubishi.spy?- artid=14556

lngtonge18 · October 2003

The MIVEC variable valve timing system is new to the US, but has been used for several years in Japan. The rest of the engine is basically the same, so it uses the same proven robust design. I wouldn't worry about reliability in the least. I'm waiting to test drive the 04 model to help me decide between buying it or the 04 Endeavor.

p.s. I currently own an 02 Lancer, on whose platform the Outlander is based, and it has performed flawlessly in 30k. No trips back to the dealer, not even for a rattle. It has been an extremely reliable and solidly built car.

jjpeter · October 2003

Looks like we wait a few more weeks until the dealers have them for test drives. I test drove the 03 earlier in the summer. Loved the ride quality, the auto/manual tranny and the around town zip. Looking forward to see how the engine improvements affect performance. Also, more NHV dampening applied.

charley9 · October 2003

I too have a slight concern about the new 2.4. The old 2.4's are just soooo reliable. The AWD Outlander is a little tubby though and it needs the boost. I did research the MIVEC system a bit and it looks like it is not really new . Mitsu has been building those systems in one form or another for some years now. I think it is new to the 2.4 though...If the block assembly is basically the same as the old 2.4, the engine should still be excellent. Before I purchase I will visit the parts guys and ask to see the pic's of the engine internals. I hope they did not change the main bearing cap design. The integrated main bearing cap cage on the old engine is/was amazing. I'll bet the thing would take 15K RPM without a whimper! The old 2.4 cooling system is excellent too. I have never seen my temp guage touch the mid mark in 8 years. The fan has probably kicked on twice in the life of the car. I think good even cooling equates to reliability. So I hope they did not mess with that. I see the Govt has posted the mileage numbers for the 04 Outlander. I think the AWD picked up 1 MPG overall. My old Expo does get the MPG for an AWD. I do live in the country but I average 28-32. It is a stick with no air though. Tires are overinflated a bit too...I'll bet I could squeeze 28 out of the Outlander with some tweaks. I sure wish it came with a stick though...Oh well, modern times were bound to get me!

stever · November 2003

"From my point of view, the Outlander has the most comfortable seats and the best driving position of any mini SUV,"

Long-Term Test: 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander

Steve, Host

charley9 · November 2003

The Mitsu stores in my area each seem to have a couple of the 2004 Outlanders...I spoke with one sales person today and he said they started arriving this AM.

jjpeter · November 2003

Where do you live? I'm in the SF bay area and would like to see if any dealers around here are getting in the 04's.

charley9 · November 2003

Western PA.....Seems like they would be in CA for sure!

charley9 · November 2003

Regarding your question about the 10-30 vs 5-30. The 2004 Outlander Factory Service manual makes no mention of any particular weight of engine oil. At least none that I can find..They specify engine oils displaying ILSAC certification or conforming to the API classification SJ EC, SJ/CD EC. I think you will be just fine with the 10-30. Better if you live in a warm climate. 5-30 is good for January in the North. I have been running 10-30 in my Mitsu 2.4 since 1995 and it still runs as well as the day I brought it home. Don't worry about your 2.4. Those things are solid cast iron block motors and are very stable. It will last many many years. I do change the oil every 3000 though. I think the 7500 is too long of an interval. When new I do the first change at 1000. Your Outlander is a highly under rated machine. People like to talk about it's "beak" and lack of power without examining the engineering of the components. There is a reason the thing weighs 3500 lbs(AWD). It is built to go the distance and if my experience with Mitsu is valid, it will! I'm getting a new Outlander in the Spring and I would be interested in hearing all of your experiences with yours........

rnn59 · November 2003

Just bought a new Mitsubishi Outlander. So far the car is great. At the first dealer service visit, I was surprised to see that 10W-30 Oil was used rather than the 5W-30 grade that was noted in the Mitsubishi manual that was included with the car. I did mention to the service manager that they used the wrong grade of oil and that it should have been 5W-30. He responded that 10W-30 is the only oil grade they use at the dealership.

Right now, I'm confused. By using the heavier grade of oil, am I not voiding the engine warrantee? While at the dealership I did see that they had a folder that was titled "Oil Consumption". Seeing that suggests to me that Mitsubishi may be having a problem with lighter weight oil (5W-30).

Also, I asked them to use Mobil 1 oil. They said that they recommmend using it when you have about 7,000 miles on the car so as to make sure everything inside is seated. Are they corect in saying that?

Also, does anyone have any experience with Mobile 1 oil in a Mitsubishi automiblile. I do know that Mobile did recently change there formula for it Mibile 1 oil. Just wondering why they did it?

I would appreciate your response to the above.

Thank you.

Bob N

explorerx4 · November 2003

was suprised the mitsu display didn't have an outlander or ecplise. the did have an evo and the raliart version wagon, so it wasn't all bad.

rnn59 · November 2003

Thank you for our reply charley9. I just didn't want to void my warrantee by using the wrong type engine oil. The Outlander is certaily solid. I spent a lot of time going visiting the many car dealers in the Springfield MA. area. In the end the Outlander I belive gave me the best value for the dollar spent. As good the Honda CRV is, I did not like the idea that it had no back bumper and that the tire was outside the car. If a CRV is in an accident the backend damage repair cost I image would be out of sight. The same holds true for The Toyota RAV4. For this SUV, I found the trunk area too small and I would still have a tire outside the car. As for the SUB Forester, it's price was so much higher than the Outlander and the dealers did not want to negotiate on its price. They had a take it or leave attitude. I also found that the back seat seating was not as comfortable as the Outlander. As for the Saturn VUE, its steering qualities were very vague and on the test car, the dash board had too many squeaks and the engine light was on in the car. As for the Jeep Liberty, I felt that it was unstable and talking to a few people at work who have them, they all said that they don't get the gas mileage that it's claimed to get. Of all the cars, the back seat of the Liberty was the most uncomforetable of them all. It also did not have a back bumper. As for the Ford Escape, I did not consider it at all since it was too expensive and that Ford has a notorious call back history. Of all the cars tested, the Outlander made the most sense. It was the most practical car of them all. In the end I also checked with my trusty mechanic and he did say that I would not go wrong with the Outlander. These are some of my opinions on why I picked the Outlander. Time will if I was right. I will keep you posted.

Bob N.

jjpeter · November 2003

How is the Outlander on issues...? Most forums have a separate topic on just recalls, problems, bad service departments at dealers etc. On the Outlander, there is none of that. Are people just not reporting problems, or is this baby bullet proof?

Also, what are people paying for the 04 XLS? I have a quote from a local dealer for an XLS, FWD, with the Sun and Sound and anti-lock brakes options for $20,570.

Anyone?

Mitsubishi Outlander

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles