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Mitsubishi Diamante

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Comments

  • foolcatfoolcat Member Posts: 10
    I am about to turn my 97 loaded Diamante ES back to Mitsubishi next month. I thought I would take the opportunity to share my perspective on the car based on my experience.

    First, and this is probably not news to anyone who is familiar with them is not to buy the car unless you are planning on driving it for a long while. A combination of excessive MSRP and depreciation will eat you alive. Mine MSRP'd for $32,500 with 16K residual on diamond advantage program. It's current value is 12K or less. Thank goodness I didn't buy it.

    Quality - seals around doors are poor having been replaced twice and still allowing way too much wind noise. Leather seats have cracked and worn look after just 50K miles indicating cheap materials. My previous cars (92Audi A6, seats exemplary condition up to 86K when traded, 89 BMW 5 series, minor wear after 116K)

    Reliability - Transmission replaced twice under warranty, brakes warped (warranty). Windows don't want to stay in track.

    Engine - 210hp has performed well. Fairly smooth power delivery

    Styling - was ahead of its time in 97 and rear end has been copied. Still handsome but needs update to styling now. Looks heavy around the middle.

    Interior - overall nicely done. Steering wheel could be a little smaller and console material needs to be better quality.

    Handling/Steering - It's biggest weakness to me. Steering feel and feedback numb with way too much play in the wheel. Reminds me of older American Buick which is not good. Handling is competent but poor in this class/price of car, does not corner well and feels ponderous and every bit if not more than its curb weight. Really has no fun factor to it which is big disappointment

    Ride - Overall is good but has too much road/tire noise and rough road surfaces transmit too much shimmy and shake back to driver

    Summary; With its depreciation, it is a good used car value with its decent looks and relatively smooth ride but don't expect any sport performance no matter what you think of its looks. I am not happy with the quality on mine, hopefully that's an anomaly, doesn't feel as solid as other premium cars I've owned and I would be scared to own it for another two years.
  • cprenticecprentice Member Posts: 4
    Based in great part on all the posts in this forum and how awesome the car drives I brought a used 2000 AS with 5K for $19,500. First question is I feel like I got a great deal, how does this compare with others out there.

    How many of you are using synthetic oil and what has your experience been with it. I traded a 1997 Carry EL on this and can tell you that the 2 cars do not compare at all. The car out drives and out handles it. A very cool car

    Chris
  • ucscucsc Member Posts: 48
    Hi,

    Has anyone ordered parts from Magauto.com? I talked to them about rear brake calipers. They told me I could return the broken caliper core to get $20/each back. I was worried about getting refurbished parts back and asked them what kind of "new" brake calipers I would get. First time they told me everything they sold was Brand New, not refurbished. I called them one day later and another assistant told me that Mitsubishi periodically refurbish calipers. So the calipers could be brand new or Mitsubishi factory refurbished carrying same warranty.

    Also magauto.com charges 20% reinstock fee.

    UCSC
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    ucsc--What you want is a "Caliper Mounted" rotor lathe doing the turning. There is another type of on-car lathe called a "Hub Mounted" lathe and that doesn't give you the results you need.


    If brake rotors are turned with a bench lathe or a hub mounted lathe, any microscopic variations in the hub surface will be reflected in the finished rotor. Remember a rotor must have no more runout that 1/4 the thickness of printer paper. So if the hub had some rust on it, that could throw off the runout. By using a lathe that mounts on the caliper bolts, you are assured that the rotor will be exactly machined to the caliper and runout will be zero.


    Here are some links that show the difference, and some caliper mounted lathes:


    Caliper Mounted Lathes:


    http://www.accu-turn.com/8750&8800.htm


    http://www.brake-lathe.com/kwikway.htm


    Hub Mounted Lathes:


    http://www.procutinternational.com/html/lathes/vbg620.html


    http://www.hunter.com/pub/product/lathe/4236T/4236t.htm


    And a page with caliper, hub and bench lathes:


    http://www.hightechequipment.com/autobrake/main.htm


    An article in favor of hub mounted lathes. This article shows good pictures of both types. It favors hub mounted lathes, but both sides can make compelling arguments. Essentially, if the hub is indeed very clean and measured with precision to have no runout, a hub mounted lathe will work. But in reality, most brake mechanics lack the precision machine shop skills to use such measuring tools. The caliper mounted lathe works best for the actual shop practices found at any brake shop or dealer. But this article provides good information:


    http://user.icx.net/~adams/lathe.htm


    And, finally, here is my article on the subject:


    http://www.geocities.com/diamanteowner/article2.htm


    Good luck!

  • spearlspearl Member Posts: 2
    I am shopping for a new car in the $25,000 range. My wife liked the Diamante very much but I am up in the air. We have looked at the Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima, and Honda Accord. I am leaning toward Nissan or Toyota because we have owned a Camry in the past and we currently have an Infiniti I30, which we love! Any feedback on the new Diamante? How is the service history, gas mileage, ride, and is it safe?
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    The Diamante is excellent and a step above the Camry, Maxima and Accord. It competes in the near-luxury segment along with the Acura 3.2TL, I-30, ES-300, etc.

    Reliability: Because Mitsubishi only imports 10,000 each year, the number of owners that respond to the Consumer Reports reliability survey have not met their minimum response criteria for several years, so there haven't been reliability ratings from Consumer Reports since 96. The Diamante fared well in the years when CR reliability data was reported and the Diamante appeared on the CR recommended used car list. Same thing goes for the Carpoint reliability ratings which are based on actual repairs reported by mechanics. For those years where there were sufficient responses, the Diamante ranked a "5" which is the highest rating, exceeding the Toyota Camry which got a "3" for the same years.

    Gas mileage is 20MPG in town and 28MPG on the highway. I have gotten up to 30MPG on the road, but I think 28MPG would be more realistic.

    Ride: Well, test drive one. I like the ride a lot, as well as the handling and overall feel. This is one comfortable car that hasn't taken the fun out of driving.

    Safety: There is no US crash data for the current Diamante. The Australian "real world" insurance injury-death rating for the Verada (same as Diamante) is better than the Toyota Camry. The Diamante has seat belt pretensioners along with the usual air bags, beams, crumple zones, etc. The only thing that is lacking is side air bags, but I think there is still work to be done to make those safe, particularly for kids.

    I have personally known quite a few Diamante owners with up to 180,000 miles on them and not one has had a reliability issue. In fact, the common response I get from a Diamante owner is "best car I have ever owned!". That convinced me to buy mine two years ago and it has been fantastic.

    Remember that his forum represents just a few people and by no means constitutes a statistically accurate survey. Also keep in mind that car magazine reviews are interesting, but represent the opinion of a journalist. Only you can make up your mind that you like a car or not. I think you will find that the Diamante is as reliable and safe as any other car based on actual industry surveys as I mentioned above. The rest is up to you. Test drive one. Admire its outstanding interior and exterior looks. This will be one car that people will notice and compliment.

    Mr. Vivona
  • bohlen_backbohlen_back Member Posts: 2
    The Diamante is a very poor choice for several
    reasons:

    One: It is not well-assembled and designed as
    experienced by myself and many others on this board.

    Two: It has one of the worst depreciation records of ANY CAR on the market today: you simply throw your money away by buying it.

    Myth: It competes with the likes of Acura TL & Lexus ES300...think again. It is inferior to Accords and Camrys in terms of construction quality and overall value, forget near-luxury competition which simply blows it away.

    Conclusion: there are BETTER, MUCH BETTER cars on the market to choose from (in my humble opinion).
  • foolcatfoolcat Member Posts: 10
    I own a 97 Diamante ES that is loaded. But I would be very careful before buying one. Depending on how long you plan to own it, the depreciation is enormous so if you want to buy consider a one or two year old low mileage D.

    Here are my impressions. I stress mine because people of different expectations od what a sports sedan is, what is good handling, steering and how the car feels as you drive it. Go test drive one.

    V6 210hp engine provides smooth power and adequate acceleration but nowhere near head of "near luxury car class" it competes in.

    Exterior Styling - was ahead of its time in 97, and rear end has been copied, but competition has caught up and styling is still essentailly the same on D and it is past time for an update. But it is still handsome looking car.

    Interior - Lots of nice bells and whistles which is expected in this class. Interior attractively done. I felt quality of some materials was poor however. Console which was some sort of metal has worn after 50K. The leather seats are excessively worn which indicates cheap grade of materials. Dashboard has held up well.

    Steering/Handling- To me this is the weakest point on the car and one of key reasons I'm not going to be a repeat customer. The steering feel is numb with a lot of play in steering wheel (which I think is too large) and the handling is competent but not good. Check out edmund's and car and driver comparison tests of near luxury cars and you will see that the D finishes second to last and/or dead last. It is not a fun car to drive from my persspective. It is strictly a luxury car with competent handling/steering. There ain't no sports in it. But if your expectations don't include great handling and steering and you value ride comfort highly it is a comfortable car.

    Reliability- I have been disappointed and maybe it's just this particular car. How about the transmission being replaced twice in first 15,000 miles. The brakes were warped after less than 10,000 miles. The rubber seals around the windows in back have been replaced numerous times and still allow excessive windnoise and won't stay in place. The back windows themselves without being extremely careful come out of their tracks. The top of line Michelin tires (and I give Mitsu some points here for putting performance tires on the car) were not been able to acheive 40k miles before needing replacement (yes, I rotated them
    three times).

    Other stuff: The car strikes me as too fragile. The trunk sounds tinny when you close it. It does not have quite the same solid feel as other near luxury cars I have driven. It needs to lose some weight (100-200 lbs) to help with nimbleness and handling. It is not way out of line weight wise but it is one of the heaviest (excluding American land yachts like Aurora and Lincon LS, 300M) near luxury cars.

    In summary, if you want one, try a diamond advantage program or lease and see if you like it. That way the depreciation won't get you. I admit I am particular when it comes to handling and steering so many people may be satisfied with the D's performance. If so, you can and should get a big discount in pricing and will surely be able to buy one for less than the competition.
  • dkrazydkrazy Member Posts: 14
    I have a 2000 ES. I have 10k+ miles and am very happy with it. Gas mileage sucks but so did my other car. I don't know about handling being superior or inferior. I do well on the freeway up to about 90 m.p.h. without even noticing anything different. For some reason its more bumpy at slow speeds and really super smooth at high speeds. I love my car. I don't have leather seats so I can't really comment on them. My friend has an Acura T.L. which is to me much better quality as compared to the Diamante LS which is close to the same class. But my ES was almost a $10k price below the T.L. and within the same price range as the Maxima, Accord and Camry, so the choice was easy for me. Its much better than the Camry and Accord but I don't know about the Maxima those are nice. The styling is still ahead of its time to me because it looks like a small car from the front view and the back view. Quite a good looking car. I don't know I think with the D it could be hit or miss. If you really want to know about the D visit the Diamante Owners Group site. Viv knows the web address. Theres a message board there and a lot of Diamante enthusiasts who absolutely love the car.
  • dkrazydkrazy Member Posts: 14
    If you want additional information about the D don't limit yourself to this site. MSN Carpoint has consumer reviews and so does carreview.com as well as epinions.com.
  • ccancioccancio Member Posts: 91
    Well its been around 6 months now since I bought my 1999 Diamante from the Mitsi dealer with 5,000 miles on the clock.

    Here is the status:
    - Oxygen sensor went at 8,000 miles. The "Service Engine" light lit. Replaced under warranty ($140). Waited 2 weeks but car was driveable during the wait.

    - No sign of brake warpage or transmission problems. Car stops on a dime and shoots out from a stop.

    -Now its 15,000 miles and I have no complaints.

    *** Advise for other posters:
    - I have felt the ride floaty ONLY when I did not follow follow factory recommendations on tire pressure ( 29 front / 26 rear). I did 30 psi front and back and then felt the floaty ride.
    I notice that tire pressure needs to be checked every 3 weeks.

    - I am happy with the steering and do not think they are too large.

    - I program my transmission by pushing hard on accelerator pedal several times during my drive. The torque and the acceleration is very respectable and a lot of bang for the money.

    - There is no way in I will compare the D with a Camry, a Maxima and Accord. I have driven all these cars for an extended duration and they do not match the D in performance and interior space and design.

    - The V6 Accord interior is spartan and lackluster. When you place food in the trunk you can smell it in the passenger compartment.
    And besides..EVERYBODY has an Accord! When was the last time you heard someone actually stop by an Accord on the road and say, "Hey, this is one good looking, distinctive car!"

    *** Sorry Bohlen, but the only time I would notice you in your Accord is when you paint it pink with fluorescent purple stripes.

    - The same with the V6 Camry, very functional but the exterior styling has no character, other than possibly a prop from the TV series Battlestar Galatica. It doesn't win and beauty contests. And besides...everybody has a Camry!

    - The Nissan Maxima made for the US market is not in the same league as the Diamante, it interior space is way too small compared to the Diamante. You have to compare it with the Nissan Infinity I30 ( Maxima for the rest of the world ).

    The I30 to me is a good car, but again the exterior design does not stack up to the D in my opinion.

    - The Acura TL is a nice looking car, but seating 3 people in the back was tighter than the D and the price was around $10K more...nah!

    -C-
  • foolcatfoolcat Member Posts: 10
    To elaborate a little more on diamante steering/handling. I did confess to being more particular in that area than probably most people.

    I agree that the D will put you in a more unique crowd and the reason I initially got it was it was a better deal than an accord/camry in terms of features, comfort vs. price. But as I say watch out for resale value where it doesn't match up. In the maxima case, I believe the max has better handling/steering and feel. That v6 in the max is hard to beat for smooth power delivery vs any car but price vs content the D can certainly hold its own. The D has more rear room than max.

    If I was considering Acura TL, I can certainly understand choosing a D because of huge price differntial vs performance doesn't justify $10K difference to me either.

    I chose a 99 5 speed Maxima Se this time and I had to pay a good price to get into it. (not the same premium level as BMW/audi obviously).But I can be very forgiving of a car's capabilities if it is a lot of fun to drive. With a 3000 lb curb weight the Max feels very responsive &while it may not quite handle like a 328or A4, it has more room and good size trunk. I felt it was best compromise of price vs performance for me. The reliability also played in my decision. If you read a lot of car reviews like I enjoy doing, you can understand after driving the Max why it is compared across a wide spectrum of cars from pure sports sedans (BMW/Audi) to family cars (v6 accord/camry,Passat) and near luxury cars (Infiniti I30, 300M, Acura). But what ultimately swayed me was the fun of its 5 speed and awesome v6 in a light weight mid size four door sedan with its reasonable price and reliability.

    If I was looking for a near luxury car and most have curb weights of 3300-3500 lbs with automatic transmission then it would have been between a Diamond advantage D because of resale and reliability and used I30t.
  • ucscucsc Member Posts: 48
    Hi, Mr. Vivona:

    Thank your advice about caliper mounted rotor lathe. Now I have a question about car alignment. How often should I have my D aligned? My D was aligned about 2.5 years ago. A mechanics told me factory suggested alignment every six months. Is this true? What symptons do bad alignment cause?

    Thanks!

    UCSC
  • camoncamon Member Posts: 98
    I had 2D's, one with 200,000 miles and one with 50,000 miles. I have not found it necessary to have either aligned, ever, since owning them. The tires last over 60,000 miles per set and show no signs of uneven wear. I found the best guage of a need for alignment is a pulling of the car to either side when driving straight (which I never experienced) or unusual tire wear. This is just my experience and I'll let Mr Vivona give his response to you.
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    What camon says is very true. A Diamante should not ever need an alignment unless a suspension part is very worn or bent. You should easily go the life of the car without an alignment. My last "Diamante" (1987 predecessor, called Galant back then) went 110,000 miles and never needed an alignment, or brake rotors turned for that matter. The same is true for my wife's Galant is at 80,000 miles. I expect my Diamante to do the same.

    Alignments are a "cash cow" for shops but the fact is that the modern Japanese branded car only has an alignment setting for tow-in. All other suspension parts are precision built to exact alignment and cannot be adjusted. Only if a suspension part is very worn or bent would an alignment be needed, and that can only be accomplished by parts replacement. Suspension parts are very durable and have sealed lubrication (a modern car never needs a lube job) and should easily last well over 100,000 miles. The old wife's tale about "hitting a curb can knock out the alignment" just isn't true. Tow-in adjustment is made any time parts are replaced, particularly tie-rod ends.

    If your car is out of alignment the car will quickly drift to the left or right if you let go of the steering wheel. But this can, and usually is, also be caused by a bad radial tire. Only after the front tires are switched to determine if the drift is tire related should the alignment be checked. Bad alignment can also cause irregular tire wear, like excessive inside or outside tread wear, or feathering of the tread segments.

    So if the last alignment was done properly, leave it alone. Each time you have your car aligned you stand a good chance that it will be done incorrectly leaving the tow-in adjustment set wrong and then you will notice excessive tire wear and think your alignment "went out" and keep bringing the car back regularly so they can not only "re-align" it, but sell you other services.

    In the next month or so I will be writing a full article about alignment and how to check it yourself with a piece of string. When it is done, I will post the URL here.

    Mr. Vivona
  • garydkgarydk Member Posts: 5
    I have a 1999 Diamante. Brake pads were replaced at 15k miles because of squeal. At the 30k service, the brakes had to be totally replaced again because of wear!

    Has anyone else had similar problems? I suspect either material or design flaw. Most of my driving is highway driving and never had a similar problem with previous autos driving the same route for 20 years. Any suggestions on possible recourse?

    Overall, the Diamante is a nice car with good styling. However, my last car was an I30 (both leased) and the Diamante just doesn't quite compare in the class. It rides quieter but the overall quality is just a step down from Infiniti. Moreover, the Infiniti service and warranty is much better. My dealer charged $450 for the 30k service (and another $300 for brake job). I thought Infiniti was expensive to maintain until I got this bill - at least with the I30, I got a loaner car!

    Thanks,
    Gary
  • ucscucsc Member Posts: 48
    Hi, Mr. Vivona:

    Thank your advice about alignment. I haven't noticed any uneven wore out or quicky left/right shift on my 92'D LS. So I won't do alignment.

    I have another question about oil change. Which oil filter and engine oil do you use? OEM or after market ones? How many torque should be applied to the oil drain plug to tighten it? Have you ever tried K&N air filter?

    Thanks!

    UCSC
  • ucscucsc Member Posts: 48
    Hi, guys:


    On consumer reports: http://www.consumerreports.org/Recalls/Reports/all/Mitsubishis(variousmodels)91-95.html, it talks about recall on brake hoses on various models, including Diamante.


    UCSC

  • DastoDasto Member Posts: 14
    I have a 2000 'D' that has a fuel door that is becoming increasingly difficult to latch shut.
    Any tips to remedy?
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    Pad wear varies considerably based on driving habit, number of stops, speed before stopping, rotor surface finish, etc., so mileage is only a rough rule of thumb. That said, you should get 40,000 on a set of pads under normal conditions. If your dealer turned the rotors at the 15,000 mile replacement, they may have left a rough surface on the disk which would increase pad wear.


    I get amazed at what dealers charge for brake work. If all that was needed was a pad replacement and if you are mechanically inclined, pad replacement isn't much more complicated than a tire change. Genuine Mitsubishi pads cost about $70 per axle and it shouldn't take you more than a couple of hours.


    I am at 18,000 miles and based on current pad wear, I expect to make it to over 40,000. Because the EPA outlawed asbestos, today's pads do not wear as long as those of 10-15 years ago. My last Mitsubishi got 57,000 miles on pads, but it was an 87.


    What did the 30,000 mile service consist of? $450 is a lot of money. You should only do what is recommended in the Owner's Manual and not let the dealer do extras, like alignments, fuel injector cleaning, etc. Those are almost always unnecessary and costly money makers for the dealer.


    If you have a choice of Mitsubishi dealers, you may want to call each and ask what they do and charge for a 30,000 mile service. That may lead you to a better dealer next time.


    By the way, MAKE SURE you check the lug nut torque on your wheels after the dealer touched your car. You stand a 90% chance that the lugs are overtightened and that will lead to brake pulsation in about 5,000 miles. See my article at:


    http://www.geocities.com/diamanteowner/article2.htm

  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    I use Pennzoil 10W-30 with Purebase. I always use the Mitsubishi factory oil filter. It looks much better constructed than the aftermarket stuff and you will eliminate any arguments should you have an oil filter failure that causes engine damage during the warranty.

    The drain plug should always get a new o-ring at each oil change, and be tightened to 29 ft. lbs.

    The recall is an old one. It seems that on the first generation Diamante if the wheel was fully turned and the suspension was fully extended, you could run out of brake hose length and that would stretch the hose and may lead to early failure. The fix was a longer brake hose. The recall does not apply to the 97 or newer Diamante.
  • zmneurozmneuro Member Posts: 1
    Hi everybody,

    I recently bought Diamante '93 station wagon. I have a problem with the car which I would like to discuss. If you have had experienced the same problem and know what is the solution please let me know, I will greatly appreciate.
    Here is my problem: When a speed reaches 65mph the passenger side window glass starts vibrating so that it produces loud noise, similar to that produced by
    high frequency resonators. The noise gets stronger as speed goes up and
    becomes absolutely intolerable. It happened to me when I drove the car first
    time on a highway and I made it little bit quiet after I put a piece of cloth between the glass and a door frame. Did anybody have faced the same problem? Could you advise which part I have
    to replace? I will appreciate all advises.

    Thanks,

    Zakaria
  • tommyj69tommyj69 Member Posts: 1
    Hi.... I am looking to get a new (to me) car pretty soon...
    I'm 18 and hate my current 94 POS TBird... The tranny is going and i still owe way too much money -- basically I wish I never bought it, but anyhow.

    I have pretty much narrowed it down to:
    97+ Nissan Maxima SE or GLE
    99 Toyota Solara SLE or SE V6
    97+ Mitsubishi Diamante
    95 Acura Legend, LOW mileage

    I doubt I will get the Acura even though they are gorgeous -- it will be hard to find an extremely low mileage 95.

    I plan on owning my next car at least 5 years... perhaps more maybe up to 8.

    It willbe used to drive to work 20 miles round trip every day in summer and winter (not too concerned about winter performance as my TBird is RWD and I managed so none of these can be worse)

    Also will start driving to college upwards of 80 miles round trip maybe 3-4 times a week max.

    So I will be putting a lot of mileage on the car and I need something reliable. My dad keeps telling me to get a new car -- but the only thing I can afford (he wants me to get a Ford Focus :he works for Ford: HAHA Focus... anyhow) but the only new things I can afford are economy cars and after having a car with a V8, Climate control, comfy ride, etc.... I'm not apt to going back to a noisy loud rattly 4 banger.

    So that leads me to my current predicament. Which car to buy?????? I know the Solara's are/should be VERY reliable as are the Maxima's. How about the Diamante... I won't trust CarPoint because they said my Tbird was 5 out of 5... ha! Consumer Reports doesn't have enough data because it is not a very common car (diamante)

    So I would like your opinions, also what you hate/love/like about the diamante or the other cars if you've driven them. What's your avg. diamante mileage? Do you drive like a fiend or regular person when you get this mileage? Thanks for any and all input.
    ~tom
    TommyBoiSxty9@aol.com
  • garydkgarydk Member Posts: 5
    Mr. Vivona,

    Thanks -- what a help your response was! The article on your site was great. It certainly points towards my problem -- brake pulsation when breaking at high speed -- probably caused by overtightening the lug nuts. Is the 75 ft lbs a Mitsubishi spec? I will get a torque wrench and check this out -- I bet you are right about them being overtightened.

    Regarding the high cost of 30k service, I have always let the dealer do all recommended procedures since it is a leased car and I want a record (at least for 15k and 30k) of proper servicing at the time I return the car. My fault I didn't ask in advance but I just assumed it would be more in line with my old I30 - appx $350. Well, what's that they say about "assume" making an [non-permissible content removed] of me?

    Thanks again for your help!

    Gary
  • garydkgarydk Member Posts: 5
    Tom,

    Check my earlier comments about my 99 Diamante -- I think they changed the model in 97 or 98 -- not sure but if it was 98, my comments are obviously not valid for the 97. Mileage, combined city/hiway is about 22mpg (I drive "normally"). On a recent long distance trip however, I got almost 30 mpg!

    Personally, I'll probably go back to Infiniti when my lease is up. The 1996 I30 (basically a Maxima with extra sound insulation)I had was VERY a solid car. Styling was very boring but the engine was fantastic and didn't have one mechanical problem in the three years I had it. Oh, and don't forget that Nissan's will hold their value a LOT better than the Diamante. Finally, I can definitely speak to safety. My son, who purchased my I30 off lease, wrapped it around a telephone pole at 40 mph -- totalled the car but he walked away without a scratch! Your dad will appeciate this.

    Good luck,
    Gary
  • johnmcknightjohnmcknight Member Posts: 1
    I am on my second D. I chose a 1998 this time around, just last year. I put alot of miles on this car and it seams to keep up with me. However, I have been encouraged to have the timing and tension belts replaced. I have 67K on the car (selling it by the way!) I know it will take some time to get rid of so, what would you suggest? It's just so costly.
  • ccancioccancio Member Posts: 91
    John,
    If you are already decided to sell your car and you will not keep it...
    ...the "street smart" rule of thumb is NOT to replace anything in the car!

    But instead (if you're nice person) - to notify any potential new owner that there is a scheduled to change the timing belt etc., thus you are lowering the price of the car to accomodate for that fact.

    And to me the only reason a car is hard to sell after you advertise it is because the owner has set an unreasonable price for the vehicle.

    Don't expect to recieve retail for your 98 D. ask for trade price less the cost to replace the timing belt if you wish. Let the new owner fix it and handle any warranty claims on the job if need be.

    And you are probably aware the debate that is going on whether there is indeed a need to change the timing belt at 60K...but thats another story.

    -C-
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    Hello all,

    I recently purchased a 1997 Mitsubishi Diamante ES loaded with only 23,000 miles. I was in a pinch and needed to trade in my 98 Mustang GT convertible. Just wasn't a good car for my new 4 month old son. I worked out the best deal I could and I now save $85 a month in payment and $45 a month in insurance. The purchase price of the car was $15,800. I had to eat $500 beans on the Mustang though with trade in at $16,500.

    I have driven the car for a week and I am very pleased. It has good power and I enjoy the overall handling of it after driving a Ford Taurus for most of the winter. (Yes, Mustangs do not like snow!) Prior to buying the Mustang last year I drove a 98 Accord and hated the handling of that car on the highway.

    The interior is clean but the leather is starting to crack on the drivers seat. Could this be an indication of odometer roll back? or maybe cheap leather. The weather stripping is busted a little so I am going to ask the dealer to replace it on the drivers side also.

    *************IMPORTANT STUFF BELOW***************

    I do have a question to other Diamante owners about the transmission shifting. Sometimes it downshifts hard from 2nd to 1st. Exspecially when I am going up a hill and slow down, then give it gas in a turn situation. Do other owners expierence this or did I buy a car with a bad tranny? I bought a 2 year 24k bumber to bumber and its going back to the dealer on tuesday. I want to be ready for any crappy lines they feed me.

    Most of the time it shifts fine. It's only happened a few times. Other than that it feels kind of soft. I mean the it feels like it coasts more than other cars do without giving it gas. Maybe thats why people have brake problems on this car; they need to push them more often!

    On the phone the dealership said it may need a computer module upgrade. Are they giving me a line?

    I hate car dealers. They are below lawyers in my book!

    Anyways, any responses will be greatly appreciated.
  • fz8893fz8893 Member Posts: 2
    Just wondering if there were questions I should be asking the dealer before and after the replacement of the head gasket. This gasket, most likely, has been bad from the beginning. Thanks for any ideas........
  • bigmike7bigmike7 Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 94 Diamante with 125000 miles. I don't know the previous owner so I don't know when the timing belt was last changed. I understand that if this should break, It could cause considerable damage to the valves. Any thoughts on if I should replace the belt as a preventive measure? Is this something the average person could do?
  • taurus2taurus2 Member Posts: 63
    I was at the autoshow the otherday and someone told me that Mitsubishi might discontinue the Diamante. Is that true? I didn't think so. I live around the Cleveland area and I dont see many Diamantes around... I went to the dealer and there were only two of them... Are Diamantes popular or what? Cause at the autoshow there were lots or people standing around looking at the Diamantes. It also ticks me off that Mitsubishi only advertises Galant, Montero sport, and Eclipse. What about Diamante? Maybe if Mitsubishi started to advertise Diamante it would sell as well. I just hope they keep it in production or redesign it. Its a beautiful car! I even like the Diamante's leather seats better then the Mercedes S-Class. The Diamante's seats had great lumbar support as well as nice, comfortable head rests.
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    I took it to the dealer today and could not replicate the wierd downshift on the transmission.

    I did reproduce the flutter I occaisionaly get and the mechanic noticed it. He said that he is going to flush the fluid and we'll see if that clears it up.

    He also said that it doesn't seem to need the computer module looked at.

    What do you think? What causes a tansmission to flutter?

    My wifes taurus also does that after she had it repaired. This is the second used car I have bought under 30,000 miles with transmission flutter!!!!!!!
    I guess I will have to buy new for now on but you get so ripped off....
  • twoof1twoof1 Member Posts: 308
    I have read that Mitsubishi is going to be closing some plants (by order of Daimler-Chrysler) and limiting their product line. The plants I read about were all in Japan. I believe the Diamante's imported into America are all made in Australia where they have a fairly limited production capacity.
    Still it makes you wonder.....
    Does anyone else have any info on the Diamante's future?.

    BTW: 72,000 miles on my '98 ES and not a squeek, creek or rattle. Just replaced timing belt and major tune up. Engine is still strong and smooth.
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    Unlike the sedan, the station wagon has frames around the window glass. The glass will vibrate if the glass is not held firmly by the window channel that is mounted around the inside of the door glass frame. Roll up the window and press the glass in and out and see if that door has a lot of play in the glass compared to the other doors. The window channel may need replacing.

    Mr. Vivona
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    A used Diamante makes an excellent used car purchase. Use www.kbb.com to get a good price estimate on the ones you look at.

    The Diamante is a reliable car with very few recalls or service bulletins. I have known many people to get over 150,000 without a problem. Some older 92-96 models may have valve guide leakage, so check out any prospecitve purchase carefully.

    I like my 1999 Diamante very much. The acceleration, braking and handling are all very linear. I feel in full control of the car and can drive it for hours without getting tired. It has been a troublefree car.

    With spirited driving, I get 20 in town, 27-28 on the highway.

    Mr. Vivona
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    Leather cracking may be more a result of sitting out in the sun and lack of maintenance than excessive mileage. Leather seats should be treated with Lexol cleaner and conditioner every three months. Once they are cracked there is nothing you can do to "uncrack" them, but regular Lexol treatments can keep it from getting worse.

    A hard 2-1 downshift can be caused by several things. Start with the accelerator switch and throttle position sensor to make sure the transmission is getting the correct inputs.

    Mr. Vivona
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    Yes, I hate how it is so simple to keep leather in good shape but no one ever uses the conditioner. I have actually had good luck using a conditioner and a blow dryer (on low) to heat the leather and work out small cracks. Have you ever tried that?

    Vivona, what do you think about a fluttering transmission. When you excelerate fast and the car hits fourth gear it flutters for a few seconds. Do you understand what I mean by flutter?
  • edwardoplunketedwardoplunket Member Posts: 31
    Hello Everyone

    My wife and I bought a 2001 LS recently and like it so far. We were down to a Maxima or D and she liked the D's interior and styling much better. Cheaper as well.

    Anyway, I want to put a better horn on the car. The primary horn is too quiet. It sound great when both horns sound (alarm and primary) when the alarm goes off. Has anyone done this yet? Or can you reccomend something from an auto parts store or say from a specific vehicle from a junk yard? Thanks

    BTW - I just took a drive in a Lexus ES300, and was struck by how much the interiors are similiar. one obviously copied the other.

    Ed
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    A blown head gasket at 11,000 miles is very unusual. It was either a defective new part, or was blown by overheating. Did you have your radiator flushed? If so and the tech did not bleed out the air from the coolant before starting the engine, the water pump could have not circulated coolant and that would cause the block to heat up quickly. But if you bought the car new and never had cooling system work done, or never lost a hose or belt that resulted in overheating, then the gasket may have had a manufacturing defect, though that is rare.

    As to replacement, I would want to see the old gasket and be shown the place where it was blown. While the head is off, I would want to see the block and head surfaces in the area of leakage and be sure that there is not a scratch or crack in the metal that led to the leak. I would also want to be sure the mechanic torqued the head bolts exactly as specified in the service manual using an accurate torque wrench. I would insist on a factory gasket, not an aftermarket equivalent. Getting to my service manual is not convenient as I write this, but if the manual requires retorqueing the head bolts after so many miles, I would want that done. Ask the dealer to let you read the shop manual while you wait. You can be pretty sure the mechanic won't be looking at it! It they say they don't have a shop manual I would worry because each model of car may have particular procedures and torque settings that apply to it and not consulting the manual is a sure-fire way to have problems later.

    Mr. Vivona
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    I just got home from the dealership and all they did was flush the transmission's fluid and change the filter for my fluttering transmission.

    It is definatley improved in shifting and the car doesn't feel as loose as it did prior. Now you can feel the tranny slowing the car down when you are not accellerating where before you could barely feel any slow down / resistance.

    I have a few questions though:
    1. How could flushing the fluid and filter make that much of a difference?
    2. Why in the world does a car with 23,000 miles on it need the transmission fluid flushed? Seems soon doesn't it?
    3. They didn't even check the computer module. Do ALL 1997 Diamante have a bad computer module and is it a recall? Should I go to another dealer and demand it be checked while I'm still under warranty?

    The ride home from the dealership is long (40 miles) so I got to test it a little. Now it shifts 2nd - 3rd and 3rd to 4th without me even noticing. Smooth as silk and impressive. But, it is noticeable downshifting from 2nd to 1st. Not as bad as before the service though. More time will be needed to tell if its a problem at all.

    The damn service tech got grease on my passenger side leather seat and even put a nice 2 inch scratch in the leather! Grease was bad enough, but to scratch my leather! And what was he doing on that side of the car? for the service provided, why would he have been on the passenger side at all. I noticed he moved the passenger seat all the way foward. Any ideas what he could have been doing on that side?
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    As to the Diamante horn, you can replace it with a louder aftermarket horn but be sure to not exceed the amperage rating of the original horn. If the louder horn draws more current, you will need to add a relay and have the horn circuit activate the relay and a second circuit and fuse provide battery voltage for the horn.


    JC Whitney has both horns and horn relays. As of this writing, the links are:


    HORN RELAY: http://www.jcwhitney.com/item.jhtml?ITEMID=195


    HORNS: http://www.jcwhitney.com/catsubpic.jhtml?CATID=3127


    I do not have the current draw rating for the original horn and the JCW catalog does not list the rating for the horns they sell. You are probably okay with just replacing the horn with one of the 130db ones since a horn does not run too long and overcurrent is not as big an issue as continuous duty items. Before ordering from JCW, try a local auto parts store. JCW has very high shipping costs and you may find exactly what you want locally. And you may be able to find out the current draw before buying the horn.


    As to the Lexus ES300 looking like a Diamante. Yes, they are similar, but I note several upgrades in the Diamante interior:


    1. The horizontal seams between the console and the dash in the ES300 are high up where they are seen, but they are low in the Diamante and more out of sight, giving the Diamante a better quality look.


    2. The side window defrosters in the ES300 are in the dash (like the Camry) but in the Diamante there is extra duct work that goes through the door to give you side defrosters that are right by the window glass -- a more expensive and better arrangement.


    3. The bottom of the ES300 door panel is plain vinyl and shows scuffs when you accidentally hit it with your shoe. The Diamante is nicely carpeted.


    4. The door arm rest is one sloping piece in the ES300. In the Diamante it has two distinctive shapes, with the arm rest portion more horizontal and better placed for comfort.


    5. The top compartment door in the center console is single hinged in the ES300, the Diamante has a more expensive dual opening hinge.


    I like the Diamante better!


    Mr. Vivona

  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    I assume by fluttering that you mean the transmission makes the drivetrain shudder. I would suspect that it isn't really going into fourth gear but immediately after fourth gear (overdrive) engages and the torque converter locks up. If the transmission fluid was ever changed to an aftermarket ATF, that can cause a shuddering torque converter. Start by making sure the ATF is exactly the Mitsubishi product called for in your owner's manual.

    Transmission problems can be caused by a bad sensor, problems with the computer, interconnecting harness problems, internal hydraulic problems or internal mechanical problems. Too often a tech will just "try a few things" without actually using a scan tool to check for error codes, measuring electrical inputs and outputs to be sure the transmission is getting the correct commands and checking hydraulic pressures to verify they are correct. What happens is that many transmissions are rebuilt or replaced unnecessarily.

    A good investment is the factory Diamante service manual. It is two books with a total of about 5 inches of pages with step-by-step information on diagnosis and repair procedures for every part of your Diamante. The cost is about $150 from the dealer parts department, or cheaper from MagAuto 1-800-229-1001, a Mitsubishi dealer that sells mail order for wholesale.
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    I keep up on news stories about the future of the Diamante and have not read anything that says they are going to discontinue it. All Diamantes sold in the US are made in Australia and there has been speculation that one of the factories will be closed, but this is not certain and that does not mean the other factory cannot meet the production capacity needed.

    There is the possibility that Mitsubishi will combine the Diamante platform with the Galant and make it in the USA. That is done with the ES300/Camry and Acura TL/Accord twins, so that is not that far fetched. But the Diamante is based on the Magna/Verada in Australia and most likely would be best continued to be sourced there. Besides, their build quality is excellent.

    Who knows where the Daimler/Chrysler connection with Mitsubishi will lead? Only time will tell. I will keep watching news stories, particularly those on Australian automotive web sites, to see if anything surfaces regarding the Diamante. I will post that information here.

    Mr. Vivona
  • toomanychoicestoomanychoices Member Posts: 18
    Interesting idea, Mr. Vivona. Although I don't think they actually combined platforms, Mitsubishi stopped making the beautiful 3000GT but beefed up the more popular Eclipse so that it looks like a combination of the older version of the Eclipse and the 3000GT.

    Could this be the future for the Diamante? That would be sad.
  • edwardoplunketedwardoplunket Member Posts: 31
    I bought a factory service manual from Norco Mitsubishi (1-888-689-1788) for about 90 usd. I also have an 89 galant and am a member of Club DSM (Diamon Star Motors) which support the Eclipse/Laser/Talon. Long story short - ask for the club DSM discount, and they take 20% off their list price on parts. Orders over 100 usd are shipped free. No tax of course outside CA.

    I think the best local dealer price I got was 110+tax. Dealer closest to my house wanted 150+tax. Just goes to show that some dealers will try and gouge you every chance they can - but I guess that's the business their in.

    One last thought - The manual was somewhat dissapointing for 90 bucks becasue it does not have that good of description and operations sections for vehicle components. For example - no detail whatsoever on how the traction control system functions, etc. I was told by Mitsibishi that that info is only available to dealer techs through Mitsubishi factory training! Bummer

    Ed
  • edwardoplunketedwardoplunket Member Posts: 31
    Rode with co-worker that has a 96 ES300 w/56k miles. Don't know what the trim level was. Was not very impressed at all. Doors were notably loose when you shut them, and interior didn't seem as nice as on my 2001. Of course thats not a fair comparison, however I was dissapointed in how well it seemed to be holding up w/such few miles. When did they start building them here?

    Ed
  • vivonavivona Member Posts: 410
    You are correct that the factory service manual contains less descriptions of how things actually work. The manual for my 87 Galant had much more introductory pages in each section describing how things were designed and worked, then went on to the diagnosis and step-by-step sections.

    The manual for my 1999 Diamante leaves out the introductory pages, but the overall manual is almost twice as thick as the one for the 1987 Galant. Over the years the complexity of the electronics used in cars has made it necessary to include more pages of diagnostic flow charts and scan tool procedures than in the past. Without a scan tool the manual isn't as useful as the previous ones. All these extra pages came at the expense of leaving out the nice description pages. I guess they had to cut somewhere, but I too miss those description pages. In fact, I kept my 1987 manual just to have those descriptions since some of them still apply.

    Mr. Vivona
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    Well, after another day of driving my 97 D since service flushed my transmission fluids and filter, I am convinced I have a bad transmission.

    Since the service, it is improved in shifting / downshifting in higher gears but is still sorta clunky 1st to 2nd. Exscpecially downshifting to first, the main complaint I had.

    Today I was merging onto the highway and came to almost a complete stop / under 5 mph. Then, once it was clear I gave about 3/4 gas and it had a decent hesitation before going. It didn't feel like slipping but yet the engine did rev prior to it getting in gear and there was a delay. My sister-in-law also noticed it.

    Its always at that slow roll that I notice a problem. Whether I am going to give it gas from the slow roll or I brake to a complete stop to create a clunky feel downshift from 2nd.

    I will call the dealer where I purchased it from last week and tell them its not completly fixed. I am sure I will be told it wasn't detected and there is no problem.

    Can I continue to complain? Is this an attribute to this car and there is nothing wrong? How does the Diamante transmission feel to people who drive other auto transmission.

    If I sound paranoid it is because I bought my wifes car with 28,000 miles and it had a simular feel in the tranny. The main difference was I could repoduce an error by putting it in reverse to show the mechanic. The dealer fixed the main problem but it has gotten worse in time again.

    Maybe I will test drive another Diamante from the dealer to see if it is the same as mine.

    Opinions please?
  • bob_pabob_pa Member Posts: 18
    I thought all the Diamante owners with roter head-aches would be interested in this link I found:


    http://www.lemonlaw.com/galant.html

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