To answer one of your questions, the Eclipse is a hatchback like the TC and the 240SX. The subwoofer does take up some space but it won't make or break a trip since it takes up the same space as a small square duffle bag would. I'm also pretty sure the Eclipse's seat is height adjustable, but it probably makes more of a difference in the tilt of the seat rather then just a plain up and down. My Lancer wagon has this and it does raise the seat a good bit. The TC will have more back seat room but the Eclipse is wider which should make it feel roomier in the front.
Although I am not familiar at all with the TC, I test drove an 06 eclipse GT just yesterday. While it's not the exact model your looking for, the interior volume should be the same for both models. With that said, I can not see how space inside of the car will ever be a problem. I normally run into problems because I'm tall, and on alot of sportier cars my knee will hit the steering wheel when I go to shift. I was amazed yesterday when I sat in the car, reached down to put the seat ALL the way back out of habit, and couldn't reach the pedals! I don't think I've ever been in that situation.
For those that are Eclipse fans as I am, this car drives like a dream. I currently own a 2000 RS, and before that had a 1990 plymouth laser RS, the 2006 GT is obviously a night and day driving experiance compared to those other 2 cars. Acceleration was fast, and the gears shifted smoothly. I even got the chance to test out the brakes because someone in a minivan thought they could beat me as they made a left turn out of a side street. The car slowed very nicely and I was able to make a quick turning manuever to avoid the van. This was nice because my biggest complaint with my 2000 RS is the brakes. That car just does not want to stop due to it's rear wheel drums. The interior of the car is much nicer than the 2000 model, and appears to have a much higher quality. The seats were extremely comfortable, and while the seat did have height adjustment, I think I read somewhere that is not available on the GS. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
There are a couple things I did not like about the car. The first being the gauges. They seemed much smaller than the older model, and a little hard to read. I've seen reviews that mention they are much easier to read at night time when they are lit up. I also did not like the placement of the side view mirrors. To me, it just felt like I had to turn my head too far to the left to see out of the mirror. I did not have any trouble seeing out of the rear view mirror, but there is a huge blind spot when looking over your left shoulder to change lanes. I feel it is even larger than the blind spot in the last version of the car.
I had narrowed my new car search down to the 06 eclipse and the 350Z. The eclipse costs about $2K less, and comes with a substantially better warranty. I test drove a 2004 Z last spring, and while the Z outperforms the new eclipse, take a look at the 350 Z forums and you'll see they plagued with a variety of problems. Factoring in my previous good experiances with Mitsubishi (I've driven the 2000 RS for 111,000 miles with no complaints), the better warranty and price, I will probably be calling up the dealer tomorrow moring to put a bow on it for me. The dealer was asking MSRP for the car and will not offer any deals on it, other than the manufactures $500 loyalty discount if you already own a mitsubishi.
Well cost wise, if the Z is within $2k of the Eclipse, in the long run, the Z is cheaper. That should be easy enough to predict for resale values. Have you looked at, or in anyway considered a Crossfire? I do not like the blind spots, but I think the two cars you are looking at now kinda have the tall doors and think B pillars. The Crossfire should be sub $30K now while the year end close-out is on. It is truly a unique one of a kind look. OK, the Eclipse is too. The Z had some issues with tire wear. Be sure that was fixed before ever considering buying one. Those are not cheapie tires it was eating. The Z is very much a performance car though, and if it is real close in price, it may prove to be the better value. As for the Eclipse, it does look cool - they did a pretty good job with the design. Also be sure the dealership in your area for Mitsu. looks sound, as in being around for the following years. Looks wise I like all three, but the Crossfire has that something special look to it. As for the Z, I prefer the 300ZX of 1995 looks wise. I think it is a cleaner look. Really liked the look of the Dodge ( Mitsu.) Stealth that I owned many years ago. I had the first one in my area. I did have some problems with it though. Loren
is the use of your car. Is it your daily driver or a weekend play toy? I too was a 350Z fan, but when I actually went to buy, I had to be somewhat practical and look at something other than a 2-seater. I still love the 350Z and admire it's looks every time I see one, but I just couldn't do the deed when it was time. The tire issue also got me - I can manage to afford a pricey set of tires that have worn according to expectations, but I can't afford them at the rate some folks are needing to replace them.
As far as resale, no mass production car truly holds it's value that much better than another. I bought a 2001 Eclipse, used, for $19K, drove it for 4 years and got $12,500 on a trade. Everyone warned me about Mitsu resale numbers, but that's the best I've ever done on a car. I don't even consider resale when I'm shopping - buyers and the market are way too fickle to predict. Hence, I bought an rx8.
I'm a big fan of the Eclipse - I like the older ones, the model I had, and I think the new one looks great. I hope to be an owner of the Spyder when it arrives next spring. I'm busting my hump to pay off the 8 so I don't have to trade!!
Good luck with your purchase!
PS My Mitsu dealer is selling Eclipses for $1,000 UNDER MSRP.
Hello, everybody. Today around 11 AM, I went to Mitsubishi dealership – Anderson Mitsubishi in Rockford Illinois to test drive a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Dealer asked me several questions about my plans for buying it. After I told him that I plan to buy a new car in a couple of months and that maybe Mitsubishi is going to offer 0% interest, dealer told me that Mitsubishi is not going to offer 0% just to keep the value of Eclipse. After that, dealer refused to let me test drive a new Eclipse. I was really astonished. This never happened to me before. Usually dealerships advertise to get potential customers come for test drive and this one got me there and refused me.
Well that sucks that they didn't let you test drive it. I think it was because you aren't buying it anytime soon so they figure why waste our time. Still they should have maybe let you take it for a spin to see if you like it more and might buy sooner. I never talk about the buying part until after I test drive the car.
I bought a 2006 Eclipse and I think it is an awesome car, but I need more. Does anybody know where I can get any after market performance parts for this car? The best thing about this car is the chics really dig it.
I also had some bad experiences with Mitsubishi dealership in Vancouver.
In US, the 2006 Eclipse GS is MSRP US$19,399 (C$23,000) and the "Sun & Sound Package" is US$1500 (C$1770).
When I went to the Mitsubishi dealership in Vancouver, I was totally shocked that they simply add another 10% on top of the US price (i.e. C$25,500) and add another 69% on the "Sun & Sound Package" (i.e. C$3000).
I showed them the US price & asked the dealership how they can rip-off Canadian customers like this. Instead of giving me any reasons or try to negotiate the price, they simply tell me that it is their company's policy & I can either take it or leave it.
I was really astonished with the way Mitsubishi treat their customers. I can imagine what will happen if I buy a Mitsubishi Eclipse & have to put up with that type of treatment everytime I take the car to the dealership for repairs or service.
There are many choices on the market, I don't think I can trust Mitsubishi who treat customers like that. It will be sad to get stuck with them after buying the car from their dealer.
i visited 3 dealerships just to look at it - i wasn't looking to buy - and 2 of the 3 had market adjustment stickers. one was about $3000 and the other almost $3500 on top of the mitsubishi msrp. the third dealer (this is MY dealer who serviced my 01 eclipse spyder and the one where I bought my current rx8) - they started selling at msrp on the eclipse and within a month or so, they were selling at $1000 BELOW msrp. My point is, it's not solely a canadian thing and I don't think it's a mitsubishi thing, it's the dealers doing it. It is sad and I absolutely won't buy from a dealer that bumps a car to more than msrp.
Most of the Mitsubishi car dealers have been surviving on used car sales for the past three years due to Mitsubishi's precipitous drop retail sales. The dealers are making an ill conceived move to take some extra profits on the new Eclipse. The 2006 Eclipse was supposed to generate more traffic in the dealers showrooms for all Mitsubishi vehicles, but I see yet another failed campaign. I live in Southern California and have seen a grand total of four 2006 Eclipses since they started shipping in May. The dealer surcharges won't last long, especially with new sports cars like the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky coming out. The latest issue of Consumer Reports didn't even mention the 2006 Eclipse in their review of new models.
Well there is a demand for the car right now. Honda did the same thing in the 80's with the Accord and added all those adjusment stickers. Chrysler did the same thing when the Crossfire came out a couple of years ago. If Chrysler dealers weren't getting MSRP for the Crossfire they would turn the buyer away. Think about this: wouldn't you wait till 07 when all the first year bugs get worked out of the car and the price is more reasonable? Wait till supply catches up with demand.
As for Consumer Reports not reviewing the Eclipse I don't think they have even test drove the 2006 Eclipse because its new and it just got on the market. I heard Hyundai dealers were demanding MSRP for the new 06 Sonata when it first and nobody is going to pay that for a Sonata.
The latest Consumer Reports has a general article on the new cars for 2006--this is not one of the test drive articles. Mitsubishi was probably left out because their sales are becoming insignificant, which is why Consumer Reports had to put an asterisk next to the Mitsubishi Cars in the latest reliability ratings. The note next to the asterisk said that they didn't receive enough responses.
I'm sure there's some pent up demand for the 2006 Eclipse from current Eclipse owners, but that's it. The 2006 Eclipse has received mediocre reviews which is why I've probably seen so few people driving them in Southern California. Eclipses were popular 3-4 years ago because Mitsubishi literally gave them away with the now infamous 0-0-0 financing. Many people literally walked away from the cars when they had to start making payments. Others were furious when they found out how much upside down they were on their car loans when they tried to trade them in after a few years. Consumer Reports said that the Eclipse has one of the highest rates of depreciation for any car--something like 75% in five years.
"The latest Consumer Reports has a general article on the new cars for 2006--this is not one of the test drive articles. Mitsubishi was probably left out because their sales are becoming insignificant, which is why Consumer Reports had to put an asterisk next to the Mitsubishi Cars in the latest reliability ratings. The note next to the asterisk said that they didn't receive enough responses."
The Last CR issue I have is from from late last year. Does CR have the new book out already for 05 reliability ratings? I know 04 models CR did not have enough data to rate the Galant, Eclipse, and Outlander. They did however have a picture and a review from the Galant for the new Eclipse. The Galant and Eclipse are based on the same platform.
"I'm sure there's some pent up demand for the 2006 Eclipse from current Eclipse owners, but that's it. The 2006 Eclipse has received mediocre reviews which is why I've probably seen so few people driving them in Southern California."
Well the Eclipse gets the citicism its not the hot road machine that it was in the 90's. I know about the 0-0-0. I didn't see the high depreciation rate of the previous Eclipse in CR magazine. Reviews of cars are sometimes are misleading. Alot of Mazda's get great reviews but that doesn't equate to alot of sales except for the 3. Nissan gets the critcism for cheap interiors in their current cars but they may break the 1 million sales mark for the first time in their history.
and alot of the mags report. They survive on advertising just like everyone else and the big spenders probably get the big reviews. I read them occassionally just to see what's new and what's coming up. And, let's face it, most drivers are not so into their cars that they give a crap about some of the things they bash cars for (the 0-60 time, stopping distances...). Most folks want a reasonably priced, reliable car that looks good to them. For some that may be a honda, some may want a mitsu, and any company can make a lemon or a car that will last for a long time.
As for depreciation on mitsus, i bought a 2001 eclipse spyder gt used in dec 2001, paid $20,000, drove it until march 2005, traded for a 2004 rx8, and got $12,500 for the eclipse on trade. I don't think that's too bad. You wanta talk depreciation, go out and buy one of these super-mass-produced so-so cars (like a grand am) and see what resale is. When there are a few thousand to pick from even in the smallest of areas, they are worth squat minus 10 !!
These ADMs are not from the mfr. The individual dealers set their own prices. If a dealer is tacking on an ADM, I'd look elsewhere, especially with so much power in your mouse.
Nobody should pay over retail for this car. It will drop like a lead hawk the minute the rubber touches the street.
Mitsu is not a prestgious or exotic car manufacturer & Eclipse is not a limited edition car. Nobody in their right mind should (or would) pay over retail for this car. I also agree that the price will drop like lead once we see more Eclipses on the street.
However, that is exactly the point : You have to understand the reason why I want to buy the new Eclipse in the first place...it is not because the Eclipse is a good or reliable car, it is not because it has good resale value, it is not because of its performance......
To tell you the truth, the only reason why I was attracted to buy a new 2006 Eclipse is because it (in its own way) looks a bit "unique" & "handsome"....and I am a lusty kind of guy who want to be the first to own the first Eclipse when there is only very few of them on the street.
To be honest, once its new car smell is gone (i.e. if I see more Eclipses running around on the street), you will not be able to drag me into the dealership with a thousand horses.
In the past, I was a Mitsu fan. It is sad that Mitsu got lousy & greedy dealers in Vancouver. My lust to own the car has already been turned-off by their greed.
The Eclipse is in for some serious competition once the Solstice starts shipping in volume. And next year the Saturn Sky starts shipping, and that is one sharp looking sports coupe. Mitsubishi will end up having to discount the Eclipse by thousands of dollars.
with the eclipse gs (the wimpy 4 cylinder), but I don't think that the folks interested in the gt with 263 hps will change their minds and go for a 179 (????) hp car? My mitsu dealer says they are selling the gt's and very few gs's. I know I'll take a hard look at the gt spyder when it arrives next summer. I like the looks of the solstice but have had enough experience with pontiac plastic (and our local dealer is BAD to work with) to bypass it.
I think the biggest hindrance to mitsu sales is the fear that the company will not be around much longer (entirely possible) and the lack of excitement for the company and it's cars at the moment. I have to say that I was very pleased with my 01 eclipse and my first dealership was a bad experience on service, but the 2nd was great to me and my car.
Anyone know how many 2006 Eclipses have been sold? I saw one the other day, and maybe one a month or so ago, which is not too many sightings on the road for the Central Coast of California. Around here, in the good ol' days for Mitsu, the latest Eclipse was spotted everywhere once out. My guess is that the dealerships are dissapearing, along with the customer base. I give it a few more months at this rate for Mitsu. I could be wrong, and I am sure for the sake of Mitsubishi and their customers in USA, I hope I am wrong. The company will be around, but possibly not here in the States.
Most of the people that I see driving around in an eclipse seem to be in the 25-30 age category. Can they afford a 2006 gt, which with tax and license is going to cost them $27-30K? I think that one of the primary reasons for the eclipses popularity before was that it was a relatively inexpensive sports car, especially with the 0-0-0 financing for anyone with a beating heart. Mitsubishi sales started their precipitous decline in 2003 when Mitsubishi had to stop selling cars to people with poor credit histories. We'll have to see what the sales are like over the next few months, but I'm remain skeptical when I can count on one hand the number of 06 eclipses that I've seen so far. And what happens when Mitsubishi needs to start diverting some of its meager advertising budget to the new Raider? Right now it seems that they can only afford to advertise one car at a time. I agree that the biggest hindrance is that many people don't expect Mitsubishi to survive in the US. That includes several friends of mine who work at Mitsubishi headquarters and have either sold or are in process of selling their homes.
32, 33, 34... Slightly older crowd (I'm talking about 2000-2005 body style) and those models were at roughly the same price as the 06 models. My 01 spyder gt would have retailed for about $30K had I bought it new. and, they only had 200 hp's and 210 in later models. the 06's are a much better value, in my opinion. I have to say, though, I have not driven one, I'm simply stating that based on numbers and what's on the car.
As i said earlier, I will consider the 07 spyder when it hits the market. My buying or not buying will depend on: the reputation of the car at that point, the status of the company overall, and, of course, what the convertible looks like.
Yes, I think people in that age range can afford them. I'm 36 and have an rx8 which retailed higher and I am OLD for this car!!
Can they afford them without the cheap financing that existed before? 0-0-0 was zero down payment, no payments for a year, and 0% interest rate. On top of that, you could qualify for the loans with a less than stellar credit rating. Remember, Mitsubishi's sales dropped like a rock in 2003 when they had to stop offering loans to people without good credit. The credit side of the company had to write off over $1 billion in bad loans, and ended up laying off virtually everybody, as well as selling most of the remaining loan portfolio at a huge loss. Needless to say, Mitsubishi can't afford to offer those same deals anymore.
that can afford the Eclipse Gt without the 000 financing. Like I said, I have a mid-range rx8 (about $31K), I'm old compared to most 8 owners, and these youngsters are buying the loaded 8's and then swapping out wheels, adding turbos... They seem to be able to afford them. However, these are exactly the "kids" that the Eclipse does not appeal to because of the FWD, weight...
I agree with you that the 000 probably attracted people who truly could not afford them. They see they can drive the car for a year for "free" and by the time they have to start making payments, well, something really good would happen by that time and they could make the payments when they had to. Not so = bad debt. And, i suspect the people who could afford an eclipse realized how stupid it is to not make payments on a car for a year while it's depreciating rapidly.
Ok, so when we look at all this, whatever possessed Mitsu to make such a stupid offer? To move cars? It doesn't take a Harvard grad to see that moving cars but getting no money is not smart. Seriously, what was the motive behind the 000?
Now you know I like Mitsu, but there is no secret about it: Mitsu USA is in deep, and has been for some time. Looks like it's continuing too, from those early returns on the Eclipse. It's maddening, considering what they can deliver.
The are directionless right now, and the new car, IMO, really emphasizes this. Ithas no idea what it's supposed to be. What's underneath in no way matches what's going on outside. The outside is slippery-stylish and recalls a real sporting image, yet what underpins it is mostly Galant ES in character, which is not all bad, but not a match either.
I wasn't keen on it when I first saw it, but this looks like something they could win a few hearts and minds with (from Autoweek):
Most likely, Europe will get it in early '07. If the current company trend continues, we'll never see it.
I like Mitsubishi, loved my spyder. But, I know the grim reaper is knocking at their door. And, likewise on the eclipse - it's like something homeless wandering around. The Sportback really grows on you and has some potential if they could get it here.
Why would Mitsubishi make such a stupid offer? Put an ambitious CEO in charge of both sales and credit. Sound like a conflict of interest? Gagnon thought that he had the credit risk under control. His sales slogan was "500,000 by 2005". The focus was entirely on increasing sales. In addition to 000, fleet sales became huge--sometimes 30-40% of total retail sales for a month. When Mitsubishi started selling cars in Canada, they rushed to open dealerships all over the place. I heard that some places were literally parking lots.
Just thought I'd post this to guage a response and get opinons. I'm in love with the new 2006 eclipse but sadly won't be buying one because of horror stories i've heard from people i've spoken to first hand about problems with Mitsubishi's service department/warranty repairs. I simply do not trust them or the 10 year warranty and that's sad because i'd happily spend the money on one otherwise. I haggled with the salesperson at my local dealer and agreed to $500 over invoice, yes invoice but when I spoke to the manager and to the service department to get a sense of where they were coming from I felt a strong sense to stay away from them completely. slimy is the only word i can think of. Instead I'm going to opt for the 06 Honda civic si even though I wanted a hatchback and I'm not thrilled with owning another Honda (boring). I'm not worried that Mitsubishi will be a dead company in a year or two like some people are...more that while I do own the car I'll have one headache after another and after all, who wants to date the hottest girl in the class if she's going to cheat on you?
You are right, there is nothing worse than getting stuck with a greedy car dealer. After ripping you off when they sell you the car, they will continue to squeeze your wallet when you bring the car back to the dealer for spare parts, service or repairs.
If you buy a Honda Civic, there are dozens of dealers nearby & there are always someone with the spare part in stock in case you need them. You can shop around for better prices & better service.
If you buy a Mitsu Eclipse, there is only 1 dealer around & there are limited spare parts in stock waiting for your car in case you need them. Your Eclipse may have to sit in their repair shop for weeks waiting for the spare part to be ordered or shipped from hundreds or thousands of miles away. And when it arrives, the sky is their limit when they are preparing your repair bills.
If they are greedy & rip you off when they sell you the car, you can bet that they will be greedy & rip you off when you take the car to the dealer for service or repair.
I rather be boring when I take the Honda for service....than to get excited with the repair bills when I take my Mitsu to the dealer.
A number of posts were removed this evening. Please remember that civil, on-topic discourse is expected here. Posts that don't fit that description will be removed.
I have seen a few dealers offer the GT wit the Premium Sport packages at $27,800 - a grand under the $28,800 MSRP. but then I am in the DC area. What are people paying and where? I am a serious bargin hunter.
I'm in Iowa and I've got a 2006 loaded 6 speed on order from Charlie Zook Motors in Sioux City, Iowa that I will be paying $26000 + ttl for. My sales guy has been absolutely fantastic - no funny business and very prompt when it comes to returning emails and phone calls. The other really great thing about this dealer is they only requested half of the deposit the dealer here in Des Moines wanted along with selling the car for about $1500 less than the lowest possible price I could get in my area. In addition, I have in writing that if the car comes in and I don't want it for ANY reason, I can renege on the deal no strings attached and my money will be completely refunded.
I never had a car that premium gas was recommended. Do I HAVE to use premium? Will it hurt the car if I dont? Who is actually pumping premium every time they fill up their 2006 GTs? :shades:
I've heard some people say that you can use a grade that is slightly lower but personally I wouldn't do it.
I intend on buying premium when I get my GT but since I will only have to fill up about once a month, the increase in cost isn't going to be that horrible.
i was just curious if people that own an 06 eclipse gt could give me an idea about their satisfaction with it??? are people generally satisfied with it, unsatisfied, satisfied but not thrilled? anything would help. im considering the gt or maybe a scion tc and im trying to get some input about the gt to help me make up my mind. i own a 97 gst and im unsure if the new gt has been treating people as well as my gst has treated me. any help would be much appreciated. thanks
I bought this new ECLIPSE 2006 GT 2 weeks ago and I am already having problem with it. PRobably that is is the reason they came wup with that warranty plan and the dealer says "YES, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WE FIXED IT, AND SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN" you can take the car now.
The problem I had was over the weekend it started flooding the carpets under the dashboard on passengers side. Took it to the dealer, they said it happened because of a clogged air conditioning drainage. I told them, sice the day I bought this car I have not used the Air Conditioning, how would it get clogged so soon, if at all it does get clogged because of dirt. The answer from dealer was "Sometimes things happen and we fixed it and now you can take the car". I do not understand how they would like to take me a car whose carpets got flooded and bulges out due to dampness. Doesn't it lead to possible rusting and corrosion on the base board or even mold formation.
I am just not ready to take the car and they want me to pick the car by tomorrow.
Please guide me if there is anything that I can do to resolve this issue and get it replaced. I am very unhappy with the state of things with Mitsubishi, about how they train their dealers and deal with customers.
I forgot to mention that it rained over the weekend and thats when it started flooding under the dashboard.
When I asked the dealer to expidite this case with Mitsubishi, first of they are reluctant and explains me that under warrantee they will fix the problem and give me the car back. When I asked the car is 12 days old, and they repeasted the same line "Sometimes things happen". I do not understand how would I understand the logic of this explanation.
Bought my GT a few days ago and I am having a ball. It really is a nice car. Get the premium sport package if you can. I almost didnt but the stereo and leather seats let me know I did the righ thing by getting them. Wait until you see the blue lights in the dashboard - beautiful. And tap the gas to change lanes and watch the other cars get small in your rearview mirror in a hurry! And you already knows it looks sweet as hell! :shades:
Sorry to hear about the flooded carpet in your brand new GT (2 weeks only). If the car is designed or assembled properly, it is very hard to understand how the air condition drain can be clogged in a brand new car. If the drain can clog when the car is brand new, it will possibly clog again in the future.
The air conditioner unit is inside the dashboard & there are a lot of wires & electronic components inside, it is quite possible that moisture had condensed inside the dashboard & may cause rust & corrosion.
Beside rusting on baseboard & mold underneath the carpet, you will also have to worry about rust & corrosion inside the dashboard.
It is a brand new car only 2 weeks old, Mitsubishi should replace it with a new car.
I was searching online for aftermarket exhaust systems for the new Eclipse GT. I really do not like anything that sounds like a "rice-burner" I would really like the deep sound that a V8 puts out. My brother has a 2003 mustang GT with a Mac Cat-back system on it and it sounds really good. The deep "muscle-car" sound. Anyone know of any exhaust that I could get a deep sound from??
No resolutions so far, and dealer gave me the car back with wet carpets and wet dash stating the reason that it is not a big problem, its just air conditioning drainage clog. Few questions arise from their explanation:
The stated its a clog, and they do not know what was material that clogged it. Their guess was "it could be anything, maybe spider web or dust. But you said you car was covered all the time, so it could be spider web".
First of all I do not understand, if its a air conditioning drainage clog, why would it leak inside, and if at all it does leak it should be because of condensation and that happens only when the air conditioning is on. But in this case I have never switched on the air conditioning. So there is no question of condensation of moist air.
Secondly, if the leak was rain water because of the clog or not, the rain water entering the car itself is a problem in a long run as it is pretty caustic and impure. So I do not understand why the dealer does not think its a big problem.
Yes I had to pick up the car as the arguments with dealer were futile, and in fact the sales manager was off on the day when I was called to go and speak to them. So had to explain the whole situation anew again to Asst. Sales Manager and he said all he can do is pass the message to his manager.
All I am asking the dealer is to cooperate with me to take this case up to Mitsubishi and let the Mistsubishi answer this situation. I want to reach their General Manager, as I was told by the customer rep at Mitsubishi customer service. And that can happen only through the dealer.
I am running out of time, and resources and nothing looks positive. IT looks like a one bad decision to give a chance to Mitsubishi from its down trending business, and buy this PROBLEM.
to play around. Since I'll get my post pulled if I blatantly spell it out (even if it helps you out), I'll give you some hints - who made your car? forum.com . Anyway, I've not spent much time there, but I did see at least one mention of a new eclipse with water entering into the floor board. This post mentioned a faulty firewall between the engine compartment and the inside of the car?? Maybe you can get some answers and/or advice there.
PS I would, at the very least, make them replace my carpet and floor mats. After the problem has been fixed. Good luck!!
All they did was sucked the water out and gave the car back to me, and said I can contact Mitsu directly. When I did that Mitsu customer says I can do so only though dealer. A real catch 22.
I want to know rain water entering inside, is it serious issue. Dealer says it is not.
I will try to get to that forum posts that you mentioned, but if you can get me any pointers to those popstings that would be great. Thank you very much for the posts lhess and bigal.
We have had out new Mitsubishi Eclipse 2006 since August 23 our 35 th anniversirty. This is my wife car and she just loves it. She has put 1734 miles on the car so far. We looked at the G6, Crossfire,350Z and R8. She liked the GT the best because she had a 1992 Dodge Stealth that was made by Mistubishi and she loved that car, so the Eclipse was the winner. We have had no problems yet and hope to have none in the future.Price paid was 27,350 for the GT with everything, except the 10" speaker in the back. Our dealer bought the speaker back just for the sell. My wife wonted more open room in the back. We still have the up graded stereo system but no 10" speaker. The car is fun to drive and does good on gas mileage.
If the dealer bought it back, how much did he knock off the price? I havve the same fully loaded GT and I paid $27,500 with the Sunset Pearl paint which is an extra charge.
I bought the first one that our local dealership had delivered (GT, 6spd, sunset pearl). Have already made my 4th payment, and haven't had a single cause for concern. I absolutely LOVE this car. I don't feel at all like I've downgraded vehicles, even though my previous car was a Saleen Mustang (which was totalled, btw).
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For those that are Eclipse fans as I am, this car drives like a dream. I currently own a 2000 RS, and before that had a 1990 plymouth laser RS, the 2006 GT is obviously a night and day driving experiance compared to those other 2 cars. Acceleration was fast, and the gears shifted smoothly. I even got the chance to test out the brakes because someone in a minivan thought they could beat me as they made a left turn out of a side street. The car slowed very nicely and I was able to make a quick turning manuever to avoid the van. This was nice because my biggest complaint with my 2000 RS is the brakes. That car just does not want to stop due to it's rear wheel drums. The interior of the car is much nicer than the 2000 model, and appears to have a much higher quality. The seats were extremely comfortable, and while the seat did have height adjustment, I think I read somewhere that is not available on the GS. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
There are a couple things I did not like about the car. The first being the gauges. They seemed much smaller than the older model, and a little hard to read. I've seen reviews that mention they are much easier to read at night time when they are lit up. I also did not like the placement of the side view mirrors. To me, it just felt like I had to turn my head too far to the left to see out of the mirror. I did not have any trouble seeing out of the rear view mirror, but there is a huge blind spot when looking over your left shoulder to change lanes. I feel it is even larger than the blind spot in the last version of the car.
I had narrowed my new car search down to the 06 eclipse and the 350Z. The eclipse costs about $2K less, and comes with a substantially better warranty. I test drove a 2004 Z last spring, and while the Z outperforms the new eclipse, take a look at the 350 Z forums and you'll see they plagued with a variety of problems. Factoring in my previous good experiances with Mitsubishi (I've driven the 2000 RS for 111,000 miles with no complaints), the better warranty and price, I will probably be calling up the dealer tomorrow moring to put a bow on it for me. The dealer was asking MSRP for the car and will not offer any deals on it, other than the manufactures $500 loyalty discount if you already own a mitsubishi.
Loren
As far as resale, no mass production car truly holds it's value that much better than another. I bought a 2001 Eclipse, used, for $19K, drove it for 4 years and got $12,500 on a trade. Everyone warned me about Mitsu resale numbers, but that's the best I've ever done on a car. I don't even consider resale when I'm shopping - buyers and the market are way too fickle to predict. Hence, I bought an rx8.
I'm a big fan of the Eclipse - I like the older ones, the model I had, and I think the new one looks great. I hope to be an owner of the Spyder when it arrives next spring. I'm busting my hump to pay off the 8 so I don't have to trade!!
Good luck with your purchase!
PS My Mitsu dealer is selling Eclipses for $1,000 UNDER MSRP.
You might also want to ask in our Aftermarket & Accessories Forum.
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In US, the 2006 Eclipse GS is MSRP US$19,399 (C$23,000) and the "Sun & Sound Package" is US$1500 (C$1770).
When I went to the Mitsubishi dealership in Vancouver, I was totally shocked that they simply add another 10% on top of the US price (i.e. C$25,500) and add another 69% on the "Sun & Sound Package" (i.e. C$3000).
I showed them the US price & asked the dealership how they can rip-off Canadian customers like this. Instead of giving me any reasons or try to negotiate the price, they simply tell me that it is their company's policy & I can either take it or leave it.
I was really astonished with the way Mitsubishi treat their customers. I can imagine what will happen if I buy a Mitsubishi Eclipse & have to put up with that type of treatment everytime I take the car to the dealership for repairs or service.
There are many choices on the market, I don't think I can trust Mitsubishi who treat customers like that. It will be sad to get stuck with them after buying the car from their dealer.
As for Consumer Reports not reviewing the Eclipse I don't think they have even test drove the 2006 Eclipse because its new and it just got on the market. I heard Hyundai dealers were demanding MSRP for the new 06 Sonata when it first and nobody is going to pay that for a Sonata.
I'm sure there's some pent up demand for the 2006 Eclipse from current Eclipse owners, but that's it. The 2006 Eclipse has received mediocre reviews which is why I've probably seen so few people driving them in Southern California. Eclipses were popular 3-4 years ago because Mitsubishi literally gave them away with the now infamous 0-0-0 financing. Many people literally walked away from the cars when they had to start making payments. Others were furious when they found out how much upside down they were on their car loans when they tried to trade them in after a few years. Consumer Reports said that the Eclipse has one of the highest rates of depreciation for any car--something like 75% in five years.
The Last CR issue I have is from from late last year. Does CR have the new book out already for 05 reliability ratings? I know 04 models CR did not have enough data to rate the Galant, Eclipse, and Outlander. They did however have a picture and a review from the Galant for the new Eclipse. The Galant and Eclipse are based on the same platform.
"I'm sure there's some pent up demand for the 2006 Eclipse from current Eclipse owners, but that's it. The 2006 Eclipse has received mediocre reviews which is why I've probably seen so few people driving them in Southern California."
Well the Eclipse gets the citicism its not the hot road machine that it was in the 90's. I know about the 0-0-0. I didn't see the high depreciation rate of the previous Eclipse in CR magazine. Reviews of cars are sometimes are misleading. Alot of Mazda's get great reviews but that doesn't equate to alot of sales except for the 3. Nissan gets the critcism for cheap interiors in their current cars but they may break the 1 million sales mark for the first time in their history.
As for depreciation on mitsus, i bought a 2001 eclipse spyder gt used in dec 2001, paid $20,000, drove it until march 2005, traded for a 2004 rx8, and got $12,500 for the eclipse on trade. I don't think that's too bad. You wanta talk depreciation, go out and buy one of these super-mass-produced so-so cars (like a grand am) and see what resale is. When there are a few thousand to pick from even in the smallest of areas, they are worth squat minus 10 !!
Nobody should pay over retail for this car. It will drop like a lead hawk the minute the rubber touches the street.
However, that is exactly the point :
You have to understand the reason why I want to buy the new Eclipse in the first place...it is not because the Eclipse is a good or reliable car, it is not because it has good resale value, it is not because of its performance......
To tell you the truth, the only reason why I was attracted to buy a new 2006 Eclipse is because it (in its own way) looks a bit "unique" & "handsome"....and I am a lusty kind of guy who want to be the first to own the first Eclipse when there is only very few of them on the street.
To be honest, once its new car smell is gone (i.e. if I see more Eclipses running around on the street), you will not be able to drag me into the dealership with a thousand horses.
In the past, I was a Mitsu fan. It is sad that Mitsu got lousy & greedy dealers in Vancouver. My lust to own the car has already been turned-off by their greed.
in volume. And next year the Saturn Sky starts shipping, and that is one sharp looking
sports coupe. Mitsubishi will end up having to discount the Eclipse by thousands of dollars.
I think the biggest hindrance to mitsu sales is the fear that the company will not be around much longer (entirely possible) and the lack of excitement for the company and it's cars at the moment. I have to say that I was very pleased with my 01 eclipse and my first dealership was a bad experience on service, but the 2nd was great to me and my car.
Loren
YTD '05 is 12,499, and again contains a fair number of closeout '05 sales, while YTD last year was 9,195.
25-30 age category. Can they afford a 2006 gt, which with tax and license is going
to cost them $27-30K? I think that one of the primary reasons for the eclipses popularity
before was that it was a relatively inexpensive sports car, especially with the 0-0-0
financing for anyone with a beating heart. Mitsubishi sales started their precipitous decline in 2003 when Mitsubishi had to stop selling cars to people with poor credit histories. We'll have to see what the sales are like over the next few months, but I'm remain skeptical when I can count on one hand the number of 06 eclipses that I've seen so far. And what happens when Mitsubishi needs to start diverting some of its meager advertising budget to the new Raider? Right now it seems that they can only afford to advertise one car at a time. I agree that the biggest hindrance is that many people don't expect Mitsubishi to survive in the US. That includes several friends of mine who work at Mitsubishi headquarters and have either sold or are in process of selling their homes.
As i said earlier, I will consider the 07 spyder when it hits the market. My buying or not buying will depend on: the reputation of the car at that point, the status of the company overall, and, of course, what the convertible looks like.
Yes, I think people in that age range can afford them. I'm 36 and have an rx8 which retailed higher and I am OLD for this car!!
zero down payment, no payments for a year, and 0% interest rate. On top of
that, you could qualify for the loans with a less than stellar credit rating. Remember,
Mitsubishi's sales dropped like a rock in 2003 when they had to stop offering loans
to people without good credit. The credit side of the company had to write off over $1 billion in bad loans, and ended up laying off virtually everybody, as well as selling most of the remaining loan portfolio at a huge loss. Needless to say, Mitsubishi can't afford to offer those same deals anymore.
I agree with you that the 000 probably attracted people who truly could not afford them. They see they can drive the car for a year for "free" and by the time they have to start making payments, well, something really good would happen by that time and they could make the payments when they had to. Not so = bad debt. And, i suspect the people who could afford an eclipse realized how stupid it is to not make payments on a car for a year while it's depreciating rapidly.
Ok, so when we look at all this, whatever possessed Mitsu to make such a stupid offer? To move cars? It doesn't take a Harvard grad to see that moving cars but getting no money is not smart. Seriously, what was the motive behind the 000?
Now you know I like Mitsu, but there is no secret about it: Mitsu USA is in deep, and has been for some time. Looks like it's continuing too, from those early returns on the Eclipse. It's maddening, considering what they can deliver.
The are directionless right now, and the new car, IMO, really emphasizes this. Ithas no idea what it's supposed to be. What's underneath in no way matches what's going on outside. The outside is slippery-stylish and recalls a real sporting image, yet what underpins it is mostly Galant ES in character, which is not all bad, but not a match either.
I wasn't keen on it when I first saw it, but this looks like something they could win a few hearts and minds with (from Autoweek):
Most likely, Europe will get it in early '07. If the current company trend continues, we'll never see it.
The
Civic Si should be out soon.
The Solstice....
xkss, "Pontiac Solstice" #919, 19 Sep 2005 3:39 am
Loren
If you buy a Honda Civic, there are dozens of dealers nearby & there are always someone with the spare part in stock in case you need them. You can shop around for better prices & better service.
If you buy a Mitsu Eclipse, there is only 1 dealer around & there are limited spare parts in stock waiting for your car in case you need them. Your Eclipse may have to sit in their repair shop for weeks waiting for the spare part to be ordered or shipped from hundreds or thousands of miles away. And when it arrives, the sky is their limit when they are preparing your repair bills.
If they are greedy & rip you off when they sell you the car, you can bet that they will be greedy & rip you off when you take the car to the dealer for service or repair.
I rather be boring when I take the Honda for service....than to get excited with the repair bills when I take my Mitsu to the dealer.
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I intend on buying premium when I get my GT but since I will only have to fill up about once a month, the increase in cost isn't going to be that horrible.
The problem I had was over the weekend it started flooding the carpets under the dashboard on passengers side. Took it to the dealer, they said it happened because of a clogged air conditioning drainage. I told them, sice the day I bought this car I have not used the Air Conditioning, how would it get clogged so soon, if at all it does get clogged because of dirt. The answer from dealer was "Sometimes things happen and we fixed it and now you can take the car". I do not understand how they would like to take me a car whose carpets got flooded and bulges out due to dampness. Doesn't it lead to possible rusting and corrosion on the base board or even mold formation.
I am just not ready to take the car and they want me to pick the car by tomorrow.
Please guide me if there is anything that I can do to resolve this issue and get it replaced. I am very unhappy with the state of things with Mitsubishi, about how they train their dealers and deal with customers.
Thank you in advance for any guidance.
-Sunny
When I asked the dealer to expidite this case with Mitsubishi, first of they are reluctant and explains me that under warrantee they will fix the problem and give me the car back. When I asked the car is 12 days old, and they repeasted the same line "Sometimes things happen". I do not understand how would I understand the logic of this explanation.
The air conditioner unit is inside the dashboard & there are a lot of wires & electronic components inside, it is quite possible that moisture had condensed inside the dashboard & may cause rust & corrosion.
Beside rusting on baseboard & mold underneath the carpet, you will also have to worry about rust & corrosion inside the dashboard.
It is a brand new car only 2 weeks old, Mitsubishi should replace it with a new car.
The stated its a clog, and they do not know what was material that clogged it. Their guess was "it could be anything, maybe spider web or dust. But you said you car was covered all the time, so it could be spider web".
First of all I do not understand, if its a air conditioning drainage clog, why would it leak inside, and if at all it does leak it should be because of condensation and that happens only when the air conditioning is on. But in this case I have never switched on the air conditioning. So there is no question of condensation of moist air.
Secondly, if the leak was rain water because of the clog or not, the rain water entering the car itself is a problem in a long run as it is pretty caustic and impure. So I do not understand why the dealer does not think its a big problem.
Yes I had to pick up the car as the arguments with dealer were futile, and in fact the sales manager was off on the day when I was called to go and speak to them. So had to explain the whole situation anew again to Asst. Sales Manager and he said all he can do is pass the message to his manager.
All I am asking the dealer is to cooperate with me to take this case up to Mitsubishi and let the Mistsubishi answer this situation. I want to reach their General Manager, as I was told by the customer rep at Mitsubishi customer service. And that can happen only through the dealer.
I am running out of time, and resources and nothing looks positive. IT looks like a one bad decision to give a chance to Mitsubishi from its down trending business, and buy this PROBLEM.
PS I would, at the very least, make them replace my carpet and floor mats. After the problem has been fixed. Good luck!!
I want to know rain water entering inside, is it serious issue. Dealer says it is not.
I will try to get to that forum posts that you mentioned, but if you can get me any pointers to those popstings that would be great. Thank you very much for the posts lhess and bigal.