Mitsubishi Lancer 2007 and earlier

lngtonge18

The sportback has the larger engine standard.

vocus

I am actually in the market for another car soon. I like the Lancer, as I rented one before. I think it hurt my back though, it's been too long.

One thing that would get me to get a Lancer would be the 0-0-0 offer. I have to check into that...

Lngtongue: You got rid of the Aerio? That's a shock. I wanna hear more, feel free to email me about it.

kagedude

The rebates and the 0-0-0 offer on the 03 Lancer is very enticing. With the money saved, you can buy 17 inch BBS rims and tires from tirerack.com. Even put on a body kit from http://www.body-kit.com/index2.html. So tempting.

vocus

The thing that bothers me is I want the OZ Rally model, but only the LS comes with anti-lock brakes, something I am not willing to give up. Will the 04 models change that? If so, it might be worth waiting for.

lngtonge18

The 04 Lancer Ralliart with the new 2.4 liter 162 hp engine will offer ABS as an option, but I'm not sure if the OZ Rally will. The Ralliart may be more money than you were looking to spend though. What kind of damage did the vandals do to your Jetta? Have you had it appraised yet?

Yep, the Aerio is gone (if you want to see a full list of everything I encountered, check out the Aerio SX forum in the hatchback section and look a month back). The problems annoyed me to no end so I traded it in on an 03 Tiburon GT V6. I can finally say that I'm very happy! I love my Tib and only wish I had bought the car in the first place. It would have saved me a lot of money and heartache in the process!

kelz33

hi. I'm interested in buying a new car within the next year. I don't want a sports vehicle but rather a good looking reliable car. The new lancer seems to fit my description. Would you recommend this as a first car? If not, keeping in mind safety, reliability, price, and appearance, would there be any other car you might recommend. Thanks for the help.

lngtonge18

If you want reliability, good looks, safety, and an affordable price, I think the Lancer is the best choice out there. I love my 02 and have encountered no problems whatsoever in 23k. The Elantra is a good choice too, but only the GT model looks sporty. The Civic and Corolla are nice cars, but they are rather blandly styled (particularly the Civic) and a little too expensive. I say go for the Lancer. It has to be the best kept secret in the economy car world.

sandman46

I just bought this car after having Toyotas for the last 15 years and I'm quite impressed so far with the whole car. I tried the Protege, Lancer, Corolla, & Sentra and ended up with the Sentra. It's worth a look, even if you don't buy it. I checked out all my options, and it helped to make an informed decision!
Just my $.02, but good luck with what ever you decide on. Also, check with your insurance person before you do buy.

The Sandman :-)

vocus

Check out the Jetta forum and scroll back about 3 pages for pics linked there. Still waiting for an estimate on the car, and it's been over a week.

I checked out the Lancer, but I had rented an ES model before and, if I remember correctly, the seat hurt my back. It's been too long though, so I will check another one out if I do need to buy another car.

I also drove an Elantra GT and liked it alot, but I want ABS and you have to get a sunroof in that car to get one. I can't get a 'roof, because I am too tall to fit with it.

I have an 03 Aerio GS sedan as a rental now and I like it. There isn't enough legroom in front for me though, and it blows around in crosswinds on the highway.

thenebean9

i have a spec-v and i love it! lots of power, fun to drive. i havent test driven a lancer, but my friend was looking at compact cars, and i told her to check out the lancer. i think its a very cute looking car, good price, nice features. the only gripe i have about it (styling wise, since thats all im qualified to gripe about i s'pose) are how small the wheels look, granted, i think the wheels on the aerio look even smaller and more lost in the wheel wells...i just think the lancer (at LEAST the OZ rally edition) would look SWEET with bigger (say 16-17" rims?)and lower profile tires. i think thats what really differentiates the spec-v from the sentra styling wise, as well as the front facia. it just looks sportier with bigger wheels!

anyways, random, somewhat off topic, but my .02! congrats to all who have lancers, and love them! yay for cars!

-thenebean

lngtonge18

The Lancer does look sweet with 17" wheels. I saw one that was lowered about 2 inches and had nice 17" rims and the car looked very mean. The Lancer Ralliart is a step in the right direction.

thenebean9

i saw the ralliart at the NY auto show, very nice car! definitely like it! im a power junkie, i like my cars to have some extra HP...and 160hp in the ralliart, plus some nice styling makes for a great looking car! (being loyal to nissan though, i will probably just push it on others instead)

i think if you wanna make a car "sporty" you have to put bigger wheels, at least 16"! it gives it a more athletic stance, IMO.

jlgolden

I rented an '02 Lancer over the weekend, and I was very impressed! I almost bought one last year, but I wanted something with more power. Although not nearly as fast as my Sentra SE-R, the Mitsu was a pleasure to drive. I felt like I was driving a little luxury car...smooth ride. Excellent interior layout, great visability, great seats, comfortable thick steering wheel rim to hang on to. Even for a hard-used rental car, it was solid! Lancers are relatively inexpensive, and in my opinion they are one of the best kept secrets in the compact car market. If I had to replace the Sentra today, I would get a new Lancer.

vocus

03 ES, 17K miles. Rattles in both front doors, but rides pretty nicely. Wish it had cruise, but oh well. Also, no power whatsoever with the AC on, and still gets 23mpg. Used to my turbo VW, but it's literally in pieces right now so that's not happening until later this summer or this fall.

The Lancer is pretty roomy for a small car though. Two things I like are the retained accessory power for the windows (they give you a couple seconds to roll up before cutting the power), and the auto-off lights. Nice touch when driving at night and being in and out of the car. You don't have to keep turning the lights off and on. Functional, but not as maddening as those darn automatic lights.

lngtonge18

Just thought I would write a quick update on my 02 Lancer OZ. I now have 24,500 miles and it still remains trouble free. The only thing I notice is a pull to the right so I need to have the alignment checked, although it could be a problem with the tires since there is a TSB mentioning this problem and stated it was caused by the Goodyear Eagle LS tires. My Lancer hasn't been to the dealer since it had 1700 miles so this car definitely has a great track record so far. I can't say enough good things about the Lancer. There is no reason why those looking at the Protege, Civic, and Corolla shouldn't look at this car. Any other owners out there with updates??

vocus

I have noticed a somewhat annoying problem with the Lancer. I had a soft drink cup from a fast food establishment in the cup holder on Friday night, and I drove about 45 miles on the highway with it in there. I parked the car at night, so it wasn't hot inside. When I got in the next morning, the bottom of the cup had melted and the soda had filled the cup holders! Some cheap paper towels cleaned it right up, so I thought it was fine.

Tonight, I had another drink from Saturday in there (another paper cup) and had left it until tonight. As I picked it up, after another 40 mile highway drive, I noticed this cup did the same thing. I cleaned up the mess right away (less than the last one, but still annoying). As I cleaned, I could feel the bottom of the cupholder and how hot it was. I guess the heat from the transmission makes it hot, thus causing the mess.

Have you had this problem with your OZ (this rental ES is auto as well)? Seems kinda like not enough insulation or something, pretty cheap and inconvenient...

lngtonge18

I have never noticed that problem with the cupholder. That is very strange! I think the bottom of my cupholder does get on the warm side, but never hot enough to melt a cup. Perhaps the heat shield for the exhaust is missing?? My 92 Miata does have a very hot center tunnel though. You can't expect a can drink to stay cold very long if on the highway.

mdaffron

That's the standard-equipment coffee warmer!

Works great for those little plates of nachos from 7-Eleven too!

Meade

cpo

..and no problems so far. ('03 ES) I've changed the oil twice, at 2k and 5k - and no need to visit the dealer for unscheduled maintenance. I kinda expected this, but am pleasantly surprised it is this trouble-free, knock on wood. Like Vocus, I too have experienced an occasional rattle from the driver door after a couple miles in the morning, but it seems to disappear quickly. Hopefully that won't develop more, but can think of a lot worse things to have happen also. Mechanically, it is quite sound. I get about 32 mpg hiway. HAven't measured in town. It's a great commuter. Good purchase price, no interest, comfortable, solid, reliable and lots of neat extras. I don't see many on the road around here in farm country (central valley, calif).. Just big ol' pick up trucks n' tractors. Soon, though, perhaps their adolescent kids will be seen in 'em. The Jetta-esque styling is appealing, I think.

cpo

Oh.. And the automatic coffee mug warmer is quite innovative. Front hole for hot, rear for cold. They should label them. Them Japanese think of everything! (tongue planted firmly in cheeck)

vocus

Went on a 400-mile highway trip in my Lancer ES rental this past weekend. Seats weren't the most comfortable after about 2 hours, but I have sat on worse. My back wasn't throbbing, so that was a good sign. Wish the car had more highway passing power, but it is an economy car so that's to be expected.

Fuel economy was a high of 27mpg on the trip, speed average of about 75-80 with the AC on the whole time. Mostly flat land, and merging foot to the floor from 3 different tolls. Not too bad I guess. Plenty of room to stetch out, which was a good thing.

lhin

I'm a starving college student and have been considering the Lancer (did lots of research). I know the safety rating for front side impact is poor and was wondering if anyone has been in any accidents in their car? I HATE the hyundai elantra... went to test drive it but it has a pretty good safety rating all across the board (because of the Side AB's). My family is a Honda family but i dont' want to be another lemming on the road. Please convince me to get the Lancer.

-Lisa

lngtonge18

If you are worried about the side impact test, get the Lancer LS with the optional side airbags. I haven't been in any accidents in my Lancer (thank God) but it feels like a sturdy safe car and it does well in all other crash tests (especially the demanding offset impact test). I personally don't see a reason to mark a car off the list due to one crash rating in a controlled environment.

My car has been just about perfect after over 25k miles. I have a pull to the right which I will have looked at at the 30k service. Otherwise, the Lancer is a quiet, refined, great riding car with excellent build quality and reliability.

vocus

No brake pads yet? All the rental Lancers I drove had squeaky brakes at around 23-26K miles. But of course, I am sure they were driven a little harder than your car.

lngtonge18

Actually, I have noticed a few times a slight squeaking from the front brake pads that can only be heard outside of the car. The pads do look like they are down to 25% or less. I will probably have to replace them by 30k. This is the fastest wearing brakes I have ever had but the car is driven only in the city so that could have increased brake wear substantially.

lngtonge18

Well, I will have to do the first repair to my Lancer. The front driver side brake is now making a lot of squeaking noises from the brake wear sensor. Noone carries brake pads for this car yet even though it is already 2 years old! The dealer wants a ridiculously expensive $61 for them!! I will admit I'm a bit disappointed the brakes are worn out after only 26.5k. Hopefully Mitsu has made replacement pads thicker or longer wearing....Other than that and the pull to the right, my Lancer continues to do well.

vocus

Every Lancer (all rentals) I ever drove with 23-25K on it had squeaky brakes. They always seem to go at that point for some reason.

The same was true of the front brakes on my 99 Mazda, they went at 26K miles as well, plus I had to get the rotors resurfaced too. The shocker was with that car, they were mostly highway miles from commuting 50 miles one way to and from work. Maybe it's just all small cars in general, I don't know.

lngtonge18

I replaced my front brake pads yesterday. The inner pads were indeed quite thin, but the outer pads still had another 5k or so left. The brake job was extremely easy, including pulling the rotors off (a total of 4 bolts holding everything together). I was going to have the rotors turned but no one does it anymore except Firestone and they wanted $35 a piece to do it! So I just put the rotors back on since the brakes weren't really warped or anything. So far so good. No more squeaking and the brakes feel strong again. I applaud Mitsu for designing very easy to replace brakes. Let's just hope these brakes last a bit longer.

lngtonge18

I encountered my first small problem with my 02 Lancer at 26.8K, although it wasn't really the car's fault. While making tight turns, I heard what sounded like water sloshing around inside the car. The noise got louder and on a couple of turns, it sounded like water hit my interior fan and caused a gurgling sound. Turns out the AC drip hose had become plugged, causing the evaporator box behind the dash to completely fill with water (at least a gallon if not more). The water even leaked out and soaked the passenger footwell. The AC drip hose is located on the driver-side firewall right above the back engine mount. A pine needle was hanging out of it. I was able to pull it out and a small ball shaped item and water gushed out of the hose. Problem solved! It's a bit odd the hose got plugged so early but I guess I need to be more careful about what gets into the louvers at the base of the windshield. I'm just hoping the interior fan wasn't damaged by the water.

carguy58

Saw them in the current issue of Motor Trend. I don't know what Mitsu is doing when their designing cars anywhere past the 02 model year but their styling has gone way downhill. What happened to the designers who designed the 95 Eclipse and 98 Diamante? Did Mitsu fire them or something?

cambo

Look like mitsu actually created a car that I would like to drive. All the reviews I have read have been positive. Still want to see one in person to understand the styling. I liked the 03's looks better.

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/roadtest,view,Mitsubishi.spy?- artid=15501

vocus

I was reading a Consumer Guide price book on Sunday in the bookstore, and found a very nice review of the new 04 Ralliart models. They look like very promising cars, and just the shot in the arm that the Lancer line needed. I also like the new Evo front end on all of them as well.

lngtonge18

The Ralliart model is definitely a sweet package. I may have to convince the other half to get another Lancer when its time to trade instead of something else since the OZ has been an extremely reliable car and I love the style, room, and economy.

asa0526

I drive a lot --- now 22K since buying my ES last January. No problems ...
1. Quiet car
2. Rooooooomy
3. Nice upscale feel (have tan interior/RED exterior) unlike Sentra (plush but tooo gray) and Elantra (chiclet buttons). It is comparable to the interior of the Corolla.
4. Responsive engine (once in the 50-70 mph range)
5. Getting 32 - 34 mpg highway (highest was 34.5 mpg --- highway).
Wish list:
1. More lower end power/torque (for passing)
2. MPG still not as high as Corolla or Honda (but comparable to Sentra/Protege)
3. Stock tires poor traction and too noisy on certain grades.

No problems yet... change my oil every 6-7K but will revert to 4-5K now (although my driving conditions are ok for 7K intervals acc. to the manual).

lngtonge18

Thanks for the update on your car! Nice to hear someone talking about their Lancer. Eveything is going great here as well. 28k on my 02 OZ. I'll let you know how much the dealer charges to flush the tranny and coolant at 30k.

bigdaddycoats

pricing - Lancer Ralliart $17997 + 575dest.
$18572 without options. Seems prettygood if it lives up to initial reviews. Models should arrive this month. Will definately go drive one.

alfa5

Anybody out there have a problem with a Lancer clutch?

I have an '03, in service for less than a year, with 26,000 miles on it and the clutch just bit the dust. Obviously with that mileage in 10 months there is a lot of highway driving. The dealer tells me that the warranty on the clutch is 12/12 because it is a "wear item". I am the only driver and have been driving stick for a long time and NEVER replaced a clutch. My last Mitsu, an Eclipse, was traded on the Lancer with 142,000 miles and the original clutch.

Mitsu factory tells me "you can't compare an Eclipe with a Lancer." What does that mean, that the Lancer is junk?

This car is so new that there aren't even after market clutches available yet. This is going to cost over $600 and then the car gets traded.

Any comments?

alpha01

Does the Lancer Ralliart include sideairbags and ABS as standard?

~alpha

lngtonge18

The Ralliart sedan has standard ABS, but the side airbags are optional. The Ralliart wagon has both standard.

lngtonge18

When you get the clutch replaced I would push them to look for manufacturer defects in the clutch that would prove something was wrong with it. Or I would ask to speak with the regional rep and push for a "good will" repair. Since you are a repeat Mitsu buyer, the car has low mileage, and if you threaten this will be your last, I would think they would go ahead and replace it under warranty or for half the cost. Theoretically, the clutch is only covered for 1 year or 12k so it is totally up to your bargaining power and the pity of the regional rep. Good luck!

However, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a repair on such a new car that is still under full warranty and than trade the car in. You will just bleed money doing that. Unless the car is a total lemon, I highly suggest you just keep the car and get your money's worth out of it.

sraevsky

Hello everyone!

Just bought a new '03 Lancer ES. Love all the standard features, sporty feel (I was driving a 92 Saturn before). I was also looking at an '02 OZ & that's the car I fell in love with (almost wish I bought that one). I noticed the seats in the OZ were much more comfortable than my seats. Has anyone's seats gotten more comfy over time? Any suggestions on making the seat more comfortable?

Txs

vocus

I know someone has an 02 OZ (I think it's 'lng' who frequents this forum) and got a cushion or something to make it feel right.

I have had 2 rental ESs and found them both to be uncomfortable for me. No back support whatsoever.

lngtonge18

There is no difference in the seats between ES and OZ except for different fabric. If you are short like me, I have found that lowering the seat all the way down moves the offensive lump sticking in my lower back up to a more tolerable position. The seat is uncomfortable if the height is set at anything else. It's the one big drawback to this car.

sraevsky

It's too bad, because it is such a nice car. Mitsu was very thoughtful with so much. I do have the seat all the way down, but that helps minimally. Maybe I should pick up a cushion or something.

subarusaleshou

Just bought a 2003 ES with the option pkg. last night for our daughter. It should serve her well through high school and college both and long enough to get established once she graduates. Then she can upgrade to whatever she chooses. The Lancer gave the best package of safety, features and price of anything in it's class. She's one very happy camper at this time.

lngtonge18

My 02 Lancer OZ is now 2 years old and has 30k. I just took my car in to have the tranny service. Total cost from the dealer for a tranny flush is $150. This is on the expensive side, but let me warn every Lancer owner about servicing their automatic tranny. Mitsu uses a special SPF fluid instead of the more common Dextron. No quick lube or tranny shop uses this fluid. If Dextron is put in your tranny, you risk destroying the tranny as early as 10k. I was told by my buddy, who is the service foreman for the Mitsu dealer, that if you have your tranny serviced by a quick lube joint at 30k and then your tranny fails at 45k, Mitsu will refuse the warranty repair. You would be forced to go after the quick lube joint to get it fixed. So I highly suggest all automatics be serviced by your dealer or you buy the fluid from the dealer and make sure the shop uses it to avoid this potential problem.

On another note, my car remains tight, solid, rattle free, and extremely reliable. The pull to the right was finally fixed. According to the receipt, it was a tire pressure problem. Since I'm anal about checking tire pressure, I'm assuming it was something else since my friend was going to try to fix the pull without having to charge me. I do have a couple of minor complaints, one was fixed and the other wasn't. First, my AC drain hose clogged up twice in one month and thus flooded the passenger footwell, stinking up my car. I thought it was just a fluke and was able to clear the clog myself both times (pine needles were the culprit), instead of going through the hassle of taking it to the dealer. It turns out there is a TSB to fix the problem and it is rather common. Debris is getting inside the car through holes around the mounting points of the windshield wipers. Mitsu has designed screens that cover these holes and keep debris from coming in. I was told this should keep my AC drain from clogging again. The other problem I'm having is with the driver side floormat. With the slightest pressure, it pops off the clip and bunches up under the accelerator. It's an annoyance and the mat is all wrinkled now. The dealer said since the clip wasn't broken, there was nothing they could do about it. Has anyone else had problems with their floormat?

After living with this car for 30k, I think I made a great choice. The Lancer is a well designed and reliable car. It's a shame a lot of people overlook this car. Since this is my second Mitsu and both have been great cars, I plan on staying in the Mitsu family when I'm ready for a new car in another year or so. The only thing I've been wishing for is more power, and Mitsu finally addressed this for 04 with the Ralliart model. Now if only they could bolt in the much more comfortable seats from the Outlander!

asa0526

Thanks Ingtonge18 for the update.
My 03 ES ... which is barely a year old is at 26K. I suppose I win for the highlest annual mileage contest if there ever was one.

I am getting great mileage ... 33 - 35 (up to 35.9) mpg. My 35 mpg was no fluke as I did this on 3 separate occasions. However, I could only replicate this on a certain brand of gasoline.

Complaints on the car ... still wish it had more power during freeway merging - but once on the freeway, I could easily keep up if I wanted to.
No rattles whatsoever ... but my hood is battered with a lot of nicks.
Has anyone tried a cold air intake?
Do they work on the Lancer?

I will go to Mitsu for that tranny fluid ... but do u know what the 'rating' on that fluid was ?

lngtonge18

You are accumulating mileage rapidly! Good to hear your car has been as good as mine. I don't know what the rating on the tranny fluid is. I just know it's an SPF fluid which is thinner then Dextron.

subarusaleshou

Our daughter is extremely happy with her Lancer so far. She's had if for about two weeks now and has about 300 miles on it. A number of her friends have commented on what a nice car it is. When you're a junior in high school any car is nice but when it's a new one and as nice as this that's extra good.

bbf65

has anyone here tried the just released ralliart lancer sedan?
on paper, it looks pretty impressive.
does anyone know if the engine is the same as the galant's in-line 4? (of course with MIVEC).
the 5speed manual should be sweet as it comes directly from the EVO.
and the styling is quite nicely done - with sideskirts, front and rear airdams and its own seat fabric...plus the white gauges too.

would appreciate any inputs.

thanks.