Mitsubishi Galant

1151618202149

Comments

  • mich2001mich2001 Member Posts: 9
    I got ES'99 V6 around 41K mileage.
    Looking to change front brakes and rotors.
    Are somebody could recommend high quality rotors
    and pads(brand,price,source???)
    Your input guys will be very appreciated.
  • cayennered1cayennered1 Member Posts: 193
    Had my 99 Galant in for service yesterday.

    Took care of a recall, oil change and high speed humming noise (wheel bearing replacement).

    Have 30000 on the vehicle but no one tried to sell me a 30000 mile service I'm happy to say.

    Also had low speed rumbling noise which they indicated was a tire problem and should be taken to a tire shop down the street who were familiar with the Galant tire problem which would require replacement under tire warranty (prorated).

    Has anyone had this tire problem and is this a safety issue or just a noise issue?
  • madman390madman390 Member Posts: 72
    Hey all!

    Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth to everything here.

    We bought our 2001 GTZ in February, and have put 15,000 miles on it since then. Lots of city driving, but also, 2 cross-country trips between Texas and Colorado.

    We've had no problems with it, and it is not only a great looking car, but runs great too. I know it won't have the resale value of Honda or Toyota, but we paid lots less for it also.

    Only good stuff so far.

    We are happy.

    Madman
  • boscarajboscaraj Member Posts: 3
    Still looking for input on the recommended replacement mileage for the timing belt on 1999 Galant?? Owner's manual states 60,000 mi except for California, Massachusetts and another state I can't remember (recommends check only at 60,000 and replace at 100,000 if not previously replaced). Does this mean that my California car does not require timing belt change until 100,000?? Dealer says no, all Galants require change at 60,000!
    Thanks for your input....
  • cbnearlacbnearla Member Posts: 28
    I have a 2K ES-V6. I would change the belt at 60K mi. They don't put different belts in cars for different states. Since the warranty ends at 60K mi, why take a chance on having to pay for engine repairs, due to a worn belt, yourself?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I too would change the belt at 60K. The wording is probably a legal issue in Calif. You live there, I'm sure you know how it works...LOL! Damage can occur if the belt breaks and 60K is a safe number. It shouldn't be more than $300 to change the belt.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I read through some posts here and there does not seem to be a consensus on the car. Some people love them, some are upset. I'm looking for a mid size sedan and I didn't want a "cookie-cutter" Accord. Galants start around $15k here in Atlanta so I wanted to check on them here. What do you think? Would you buy another one?
  • boscarajboscaraj Member Posts: 3
    Response to claywaterfill: Yes, I would definitely buy another Galant if I had to do it again. Can't beat the "value = price + reliability + non-cookie-cutter" I've had my 4-cyl SE for over
    20,000 miles with not one service visit other than oil changes and 3 MINOR recalls!!
    Very impressive IMHO!
  • cayennered1cayennered1 Member Posts: 193
    Just turning 30000 miles on my 99 ESV6 and I'm still a happy camper. Some minor problems but frankly less than I had with my Toyota Avalon or Honda Accord.

    I would recommend the vehicle highly. Car is virtually identical from the A Piller back to a BMW 5 Series and it cost me about half the price. 195hp,leather,ABS=$21,000. BMW 5 with same hp and trim about $40000. You keep the snob appeal, I'll take the looks, performance and small payment.
  • lindeman1lindeman1 Member Posts: 9
    I had the opportunity to rent a Galant recently...actually it was a trade for a piece-of-crap Neon with a bald front tire and a hard pull to the left (this on a 2001 model with only 9800 miles). The rental place "upgraded" me to a new 2002 Galant with only 800 miles. I was very impressed...very smooth and peppy (thought it was a V6 until I opened the hood to find the 2.4l 4 cyl. !) This car was very comfortable and extremely quiet at speed...Mitsu has obviously refined this car since it's introduction. Downsides include very poor (in my case) fuel economy for a 4 cylinder (I drove the car gingerly and averaged about 20 mpg with a healthy dose of highway driving...my old minivan did better...) and a very cramped rear seat...the new Lancer has it over this Galant in rear space...go figure. Overall a great driving and comfortable car but mileage and rear seat comfort would have to be improved to win me over. I'll stick with my Honda for now...
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    The mpg was probably off because of the low miles on the car. My wifes V6 averages about 24mpg mainly around town/backroads. Closer to 30 on the interstate. She's only got 5K miles on it now but is still very happy. I like driving it much better than the Camry that it replaced which I never thought I'd say. The car feels more in tune with the road. I Don't like the OEM tires, but she hasn't complained much about them so they're staying for now.

    Seems like Mitsubishi sizes their cars in between others. The Galant is a bit smaller than the Accords/Camrys and the Diamante is a bit bigger. I would have liked to drive the Diamante but she said she really liked the Galant and that was good enough for me. After two days of driving umpteen vehicles she was happiest with the one that was by far the cheapest. Momma didn't raise no fool! But seriously, I think it's a helluva nice car and I like driving it. The backseat is tighter than the Camry/Accord but the front is just as comfy to me. If we hauled adults around alot I would want something bigger than a Camry/Accord anyway so it wasn't an issue for us.
  • cayennered1cayennered1 Member Posts: 193
    I Average 22-23 in mostly city driving with a Galant V6. Highway driving returns about 29. The back seat is a bit cramped but I rarely use it and actually haven't had anyone complain who did.
  • cajun626cajun626 Member Posts: 54
    My '94 4-cyl averages 24 mpg city (30 mpg hwy). As far as buying another, it has 103K miles (original owner) and ZERO problems SO FAR. The exponential depreciation makes a slightly used Galant a heck of a bargain. OTOH, the recent stink about Mitsu hiding defects might scare me off.
  • 4u24u2 Member Posts: 17
    The Mitsubishi Galant ES V6 is a great car. After fifteen months, I have not experienced any problems with the Galant. It is a tremendous value in the compact/mid-size market, and appeals to different audiences. Young twenty-somethings (like myself), families, and senior citizens all dig this car. The styling is head-turning, and it is fun-to-drive. Recently, a friend of mine drove my car, and commented on the smoothness of the V6. I am a happy Galant owner, and would not hesitate considering another Galant.
  • edsadosedsados Member Posts: 5
    2K Galant ES I4 @ 21500 miles no problems so far.

    Noticed lately squeeking/humming noise probably coming form the right front or rear wheel when applying brakes before coming to a stop.

    I'll check and see if the rotor, break pads are ok.
  • mitsubabemitsubabe Member Posts: 1
    I have a squeaking/humming noise that just started coming from the front when breaking...it seems to be getting worse...any ideas what it could be? Will it be under warranty?(y2K galant es with 24k miles.) I also have had a funny smell come from the air conditioner on occasion - any ideas on that one?? Otherwise, I luv my mitsu!
  • steve109steve109 Member Posts: 13
    (Sigh) My '00 ES 4cyl. "Service Engine Soon" light illuminates on occasion at 38,000
    miles. When the engine is cold, it idles very rough, like it is missing, but after it warms
    up to normal operating temperature, the engine just idles fine. However, if I let the
    car idle for a small period of time in park, the "SES" light will come on. Any suggestions
    on what might cause this?? Dealer wants $89.99 to do a diagnostics test to "see" if it
    might still be under warranty. I'm a little agitated that this has happened 2K after the
    basic warranty ends. Any comments welcome!!
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Sounds like something in the emissions control system. I'm not positive, but most of that stuff is covered under warranty for quite awhile. The only thing that may not be covered would be an oxygen sensor as these might be termed as normal maintenance items. It could be something else as well, but a good dealer would perform the work under the 36K warranty regardless. They have the power to do that. If you can, try another dealership. My grandpa was regional service rep for Chryco before retiring and the dealership service writers have the ability to get anything done under warranty if they are good at what they do. I've seen free engines and transmissions pushing into 100K miles under the right circumstances.
  • pc2mac2pc2mac2 Member Posts: 4
    Anyone else took advantage of this deal? We bought a Galant last year thinking it was great but, it was a hassel to refinance the car. The dealers don't give you a good rate on the original sales contract but, they say you can easily refinance it as a new car before the twelve months are up. Well, my credit union told me that once it is registered, it is considered a used car so I had to take the used car loan rate which lucky for me, is pretty low now.

    The other gotcha is that the resale values of Mitsubishis drop like a rock (Minus $5K) and I almost didn't get the loan because the loan amount was higher than the worth of the car. Fortunately, they gave us a break but, others may not be so lucky. I guess I'm staying clear of deferred loans from now on.

    Has anyone else a similiar experience? I guess if you are going to take advantage of the 0-0-0 deal, take it only if you can get a good interest rate up front or if you know you're going to put a big down payment later on.
  • pc2mac2pc2mac2 Member Posts: 4
    ...we got over 20,000 miles on it during the past year and no problems so far. Just had to deal with the two recalls but, other than that, it still drives pretty good.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    If I'm not mistaken, you pay nothing that first year, right? If you send $400/mo, then the $4800 will just about make up the difference on the depreciation, right? If it is 0% the first year, then that is your chance to pay down the principle big time since every dime you send is going towards principle--right?
  • pc2mac2pc2mac2 Member Posts: 4
    True, that would have been the smart thing to do but, then again, isn't the appeal of this deal is not having to worry about any payments for 12 months since the interest doesn't accure during this period?

    The way the dealer made it sound, it sounded like it would be no problem to refinance and they will take care of me when I'm ready which wasn't the case. My fault for taking the dealer for their word. Anyway, 12 months later, I'm much wiser now and was able to refinanced the car through my credit union.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    is you listened to the dealer! He was telling you what you wanted to hear to buy the car. Once you bought the car, refinancing it was your problem--he had your money! At least you're good now.
  • pc2mac2pc2mac2 Member Posts: 4
    ..let the buyer beware, it is so true.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    It isn't that hard to refinance with every bank, athough everyone should be aware of their bank's policies. My credit union will refinance a car as new as long as the mileage is below 12k. After 12k, it is considered a used car. I recently bought an 02 Lancer OZ with the 000 deal. I may or may not try to refinance depending on whether I can keep the mileage down and how much money I put towards the car in the next year. I'm not too worried about it. So far I love my Lancer! 1800 miles and no problems. My first visit to the service department was pleasant. They took care of the minor paint defect on my door sill and called me twice during the day to let me know how things were going. I'm very happy with my new Mitsu!
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I've always been leary about 0 payment deals. As fast as a car depreciates, the last thing you want to do is not make a payment. I always take advantage of 90days same as cash type deals but cars are a different breed. Imagine how much cash you would have had to come up with if the car had been wrecked and the insurance company gave you a check for book value?

    We bought ours in April and got 1.9% for 60 months which is a helluva deal IMHO. I can make 5-6% on the money in relatively risk free investments. I financed the entire purchase price plus tax and the dealership wrote me a check for our trade. I think they have 0% for 60 months now, but I'm not crazy about the '02 model front end.
  • marcinmarcin Member Posts: 64
    I bought my '99 ES only b/c of the front-end (well, almost 'only' :). it is very cool looking. like bmw or LS-like. the 2002 model is, just my 2 cents, plain ugly. i would never even consider buying it.
  • cxshortiecxshortie Member Posts: 15
    I love my 02! I liked the 99-01 as well, they were really elegant. I think the front end of the 02 looks more aggressive.

    I probably would have bought a 01, but my 02 was the only Galant on the lot with a sunroof minus the GTZ. Plus, I like the carbon fiber on the inside better than that wood trim in the 99-01.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I'll go with you on that. I'd take carbon fiber or black over the woody look anyday. Especially when it's not very convincing. Wonder if I can get the c/f from the '02's on our '01? Did the interior style change any besides cosmetic?
  • cbnearlacbnearla Member Posts: 28
    Yes, you can get the carbon fiber trim from a Mitsu dealer. I've heard it's about $350 (!!!) for all the pieces. Will fit all 99+ Galants. I agree the fake wood trim doesn't look very real, but with the tan interior (which I have) it's at least tolerable, unlike the gray interior where the fake wood looks horrible, IMO. But does it look bad enough to spend that much to replace it? You decide.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I've got the grey interior, so it may be worth it. Do all the '02 Galants have carbon fiber only, or do some have wood or just plain black? Black would be fine with me if it's cheaper.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the new "high-luminance" gauges on the 02 models and the old gauges? Are they just backlit in a different color? Just curious. Also, for those who have the wood trim, did Mitsu use different colored wood for tan and gray interiors, or just the same color? I noticed the Lancer uses a different shade for gray than it does for tan, which makes it look a bit more convincing. The gray interiors have a dark walnut trim, whereas the tan interiors have a bright orangy trim. The orangy trim would have looked terrible and out of place in the gray interior. Maybe the wood trim on the 99-01 Galants looked cheaper because they didn't color key the trim like they do on the Lancer.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Just a correction. The 02 models don't have carbon fiber trim. Carbon fiber has a checkered look to it usually. They have fake aluminum trim. It looks good on the dash and around the shifter, but the door trim looks cheesy and out of place. They should have kept that trim wood or made it flat black on gray interiors and tan on beige interiors.
  • gtz02gtz02 Member Posts: 8
    I bought an 02 GTZ in October. Took advantage of the 0-0-0 because I plan to pay it off in 11 months, so it's free money. I agree with the comments on the interior needing some upgrading - but the carbon is much better looking than the fake wood was; and the leather is much better than the leather on a Camry or Accord (they remind me of cardboard!)The sunroof cover could be beefier, and the armrest storage bin is a fraction too shallow for CDs.
    The car looks great and handles incredibly well. My wife has a 2001 Audi A4 Quattro and I'd rather drive my GTZ - better pickup and feel overall(though on a winding road in the snow I guess I'd take the Audi.)
    For the money this car cannot be beat. We had a '92 Galant that never needed anything but brakes - hope this one holds up as well.
    Noticed the comments about Bell Mitsubishi in Jersey; Action Mitsubishi in Nyack, NY treated me pretty much the same way. When I asked if he had a GTZ I could see, he told me that he didn't think so but I could go up the road and wander around their storage lot to see what they had!
    However, White Plains Mitsubishi couldn't have treated me better. I e-mailed them with a request and they called two hours later with an excellent price - no pressure, no haggling. It's a small no-glitz dealership but I'd recommend them.
  • hzhuhzhu Member Posts: 3
    My 95 Galant ES has about 87k on it. This morning I found that when I pushed the recirculation switch to let the outside air in, I heard a very loud clicking noise coming from behind the glove compartment. I opened the glove box and reached my fingers inside I could feel some sort of vibration. Now, I have to drive with the air recirculating in the car 'cause I can't tolerate the annoying noise. Does anybody know what's causing the problem? Thanks.
  • steve109steve109 Member Posts: 13
    Maybe you have some debris in the air intake, like leaves and small sticks that might be swirling around in there.
  • hzhuhzhu Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for your info. But how do I find out whether this is the problem? Is it easy to get access to the air duct? Thanks in advance.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Hey all, I'm new to this board, I have found it helpful thus far. My family is actively pursursing the purchase of a Galant with the 0-0-0 program. I'm a bit confused however; we want a 4clyinder with ABS... on the corporate website, the ES is listed as having ABS as a $610 (MSRP) option, but in the Galant brochure, the only way to get ABS on the 4cyl is the LS model, and we don't really need or want the sunroof. So does anyone know if the ES-4cyl is ACTUALLY available with ABS?
    In addition, after reading this board and calling a few dealers, I now know that the 0-0-0 deal actually means that you make no payments for the first 12 months, but once the payments do start, you pay a 9.9% interest rate. According to the dealers, people choose to refinance this loan, and that was confirmend by a few posts on this board. My questions to anyone who can help are: when is the best time to refinance? (can it be done immediately after signing the deal?), what questions should I ask the dealer, and/or my credit union/bank, and does it really pay to still be making payments on this car after the powertrain warranty is up? We are used to Toyotas and have never had a Mitsu- can I expect solid reliability from this Galant, now in its 4th model year? Consumer Reports ranks this model as having average reliability, and I do not know how thrilled I am with that.
    ~Thanks in advance for all your help.
    If you prefer to email me, feel free at jmc415@psu.edu.
    ~Joe
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Pay no attention to brochures as they often have little mistakes. ABS is available as a stand alone $610 option on the ES. As for the 000 deal, call your credit union and make sure you can refinance the car after a year's time as a new car. If they allow that, make sure you find out how many miles you can put on the car and still keep it in the new category. Don't refinance right after you make the deal or that nullifies the 0 payments and 0 interest. I would wait until the year is up before refinancing as long as your bank allows it. I would also set aside some money each month so you can put a nice chunk down at the end of the year to take advantage of the 0% interest and thus lower your payments.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    Thanks for your information, I had hoped to get a couple more responses, but I suppose given the Galant's limited owners base, I shouldnt be surprised. As a side note, the most recent Consumer Reports survey marks the Galant as having worse-than-average reliability, down from the average rating in their April auto issue. NOW I have SERIOUS reservations about BUYING this car. Too bad, its a good deal. Any one willing to offer reliability comments on their 99-02 Galant?
    ~alpha
  • jdbtensaijdbtensai Member Posts: 122
    www.thegalantcenter.com
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    We've only had our '01 V6 for 6 months and 5K miles but it's been excellent. In initial quality, it ties my 92 Camry V6 as the best on any new vehicle I've purchased, and that includes 2 other V6 Camrys. How will it hold up in the long run? Don't know, but my wife was tired of boring looking/driving vehicles. None of the decent looking (in our eyes) cars out there have stellar reliability records like the Camry/Accords and such. The last new Camry we bought (97) has been the worst so we weren't falling over ourselves for another one. I don't think the Galant will be less reliable than any domestic. Comes down to what you really like and need. If the car starts having issues down the road, I'll just buy something else. If we were going to buy new right now, I'd probably buy the Galant again because there's nothing out there I like better today than there was six months ago. Although I'm not crazy about the new grilles on the '02 Galants.
  • cayennered1cayennered1 Member Posts: 193
    31000 miles on my 99 Galant V6 and I've had a minimum of problems. I would rate it at least as reliable as my Toyota Avalon.

    There are no guarantees, but based on my experience I've had a very pleasant 28 months or ownership. The car's great performance and looks-wise too.
  • cxshortiecxshortie Member Posts: 15
    As i mentioned before, I have a 2002 Galant. I have only had the car for 3 months so I cant offer too much information on the reliability. I have 6500 miles already and there hasnt been a moment when I have regretted my purchase. This is my second mitsubishi and I love their cars because they arent what everyone else has. The warranty appears to be pretty decent and contrary to popular belief, my dealership is great. With great pickup and many standard features the vehicle a great bargain. The only problem I have had so far is a slight rattle (not constant) from the seatbelt on the door. I am taking that in to be fixed this weekend. The sound system is great for a base model system and sounds better than many vehicles I previously test drove.
  • alpha01alpha01 Member Posts: 4,747
    to everyone who has posted regarding Galant initial and long-term durability.
    I am going to be visiting a Central NJ Dealer this weekend to discuss the 0-0-0 financing option. Most likely, we will be getting a 4cly with ABS. (But hey, if incentives are good enough could always go ES V6). Not certain that a deal will be made, but can't hurt to try in these high incentive times. I'm a die-hard Toyota fan, but the likelihood that my fam will need a decent car at a great price and soon is high, so accordingly, we'll be checking out the Galant.
    ~alpha
  • lawman1967lawman1967 Member Posts: 314
    I just purchased an 02 Galant ES (4 cylinder - no options) and am thus far delighted with it. It handles about equally to my wife's Saturn L200, but rides a bit smoother and quieter. Power is about the same, and although the Saturn gets better fuel economy, it isn't better by much.

    Build quality appears about the same as Saturn (ours has had no problems over the year we have owned it), and while perhaps a bit behind Honda/Toyota, it does seem as well put together asthe Nissan I traded in for it.

    As noted above, the base stereo system is more than adequate, and the only "missing" features are a remote opener for the fuel door and a proper folding back seat (has a small pass-through on passenger side).

    The 4-cylinder engine is exactly what I expected it to be, which is every bit as good as the sixes of a few years ago. It is extremely smooth and quiet (the only noise is from wind and tires), and has plenty of low-end torque for acceleration. The transmission is just as good as the engine, and while not quite as clairvoyant as the Saturn automatic (the best AT I've ever driven - GM does it right), it hasnearly imperceptable upshifts and downshifts crisply on command. In 200 miles of enthusiastic driving I was able to catch it in the wrong gear once, something I have yet to do in the Saturn (I've tried).

    Seats are firm and supportive, though my daughter would like an armrest in the back like "mommy's car" has. The front seat back s have a hard plastic cover, which is great for dirty kid feet, though map pockets back there would be nicer.

    The cup holders aren't the best, and the rubber insert is too small to stay put. Another place where Saturn did it better.

    The dash board is covered in a nice soft-touch plastic up where the driver and passenger might actually touch it, and a shiney hard plastic as you get back tot he windshield. This looks cheap, and isn't done on Camry, Accord or Altima. The gauges themselves are very well done, with very clear sightlines through the steering wheel rim, high-contrast and very pleasing illumination. I almost bought the less-expesive DE model, but my wife thought the gauges looked very cheap, as they put this tacky looking line pattern accross the whole cluster. Also, for 2002 they ditched the super-cheap-looking fake wood and put in a metal-finished plastic that looks much better.

    I really can't think of anything else to say. It is not the nicest mid-size car on the market, but for my requirements represented the best combination of price, value, content and quality.
  • lawman1967lawman1967 Member Posts: 314
    To the person who asked about putting the 02 interior trim on the older cars, there are three varieties; titanium, bronze and black plastic. Of course all three are actually made of plastic, but the titanium-look plastic in my 02 (gray interior) is very nice looking. The base DE model has plain black plastic which hopefully will be much less expensive, and honestly looks almost as good.

    Whatever you replace the fake wood with though will be an improvement, especially since you have the gray interior.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Have to check into that. Wife didn't really like the wood, and didn't like the titanium enough to warrant the $$ or time.
  • lawman1967lawman1967 Member Posts: 314
    Its not real titanium anyway, as far as I can tell, though for almost $400, it should be.
  • cxshortiecxshortie Member Posts: 15
    On the website it says its aluminum something or the other.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.