Occasionally, MMMA will provide additional detail to the local newspaper for the Normal/Bloomington area http://www.pantagraph.com Unfortunately not this month. The models not mentioned in the article above are: Eclipse Eclipse Spyder Endeavor Raider
I suspect that those models are seeing a sales decline and Mitsu doesn't want to put out any negative stuff.
The Raider in particular must be selling like screen doors for submarines. I remember years ago Mitsu made a decent small truck themselves. They even sold it to Chrysler as the Ram 50 I think. They should do that again.
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Wasn't it the Mighty Max? :P My brother had one, tough truck and it lasted forever. I think a small pickup would sell well, there's not many truly small pickups out there.
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
I don't know what Mitsu called it under there own name. I remember back in 1986 I crossed shopped the rebadged version that Dodge called Ram 50.
It was a nice little truck but like a dope I listened to Consumer Reports who said the Toyota was better. That Toyota was the worst vehicle I ever owned and rusted like nothing I've ever seen.
My brother-in-law later got a Ram 50 and it lasted quite a while with no problems.
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I had a Toyota 4x4 in the mid 80's. It rusted so bad that the frame rail rusted through and the truck tried to fold itself in half-the bed was up against the cab of the truck. The truck was only 6 years old.
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
down everyone's favorite manufacturer, Toyota, and their trucks here? You know I'm just kidding! Wow...what you say I don't dispute, though, and find it rather amusing...the myth of Toyota's "perceived" better quality thing rides on and on. No, that's "moving forward" on and on.
For a while I considered both a 2007 Toyota Yaris 4-door sedan and a 2006 Scion xA in Polar White and 5-speeds. Never test-drove the Yaris sedan but did test drive the xA and found it to be fun to drive...but the motor was kind of buzzy and somewhat gutless.
I'm glad I waited for the '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, gentlemen.
I was browsing a Mitsu dealer this afternoon and got to look at some Lancers up close. They are as nice inside as out. Very nice gauge cluster and dash. Bigger than I thought too.
One thing I was not aware of is that the Lancer is built in Japan. I found that odd considering that the Normal IL. plant is not running at capacity.
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funny you should mention origin of build. A long time ago on this very thread someone wanted to know that and I had to look on my door jam to see. Sure enough, an obscure sounding place in Japan. Just a guess here but this new Lancer and Outlander and EVO X are huge to Mitsu's continued success and if you think about it, they are a Japanese carmaker with most all of their operations over there in Japan. I'm thinking it's to control quality of build and output speed along with quality of build. Mitsubishi's CEO simply stated at 2008 Lancer release time that the answer to that question is they are all going to be built in Japan. Period. Nuff said!
They seem to be getting it right so I'm down wid it completely, bro. :P
Well the Normal IL plant has been putting out some pretty good quality too. Perhaps the American plant is only set up to build the PA platform. Since Lancer is built on a different platform maybe it was better done at home. It's not a big deal to me. I think American workers can put out a quality project if management is committed to it.
I mean, Toyota is building in USA and their vehicles are better than perfect, right?
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I must be beating the odds then. Of the four vehicles parked in my driveway the NEWEST one is 10 years old. Two are over 20 years old and the oldest is 23 years old.
The two old timers have their share of rust but you would expect that in upstate New York where we pave our street with salt. The main thing is, they all start every time you turn the key.
My Toyota just had problem after problem like blowing head gaskets and seven alternators replaced. The rust was just the icing on the cake. By the time it was 10 years old the fenders were LITERALLY flapping in the wind. Once, I skidded on ice coming into my driveway and bounced off the front of my Ford F-150. The entire grill was smashed, the fender buckled and the bumper was pushed into the tire. The Ford had no damage except a spot of red paint on the PLASTIC grill left by the Toyota's fender.
I'm sure they make them perfect now though. :P
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American workers can build just fine, thank you. I think Mr.Big Britches Toyota is struggling with some serious output growing pains now...and we've all heard of recent quality foibles from same.
But to rust and fall to crap like that doesn't speak very delicious volumes coming from Toyota in trucks. Sure, that new Tundra is built tough like a Ford and Chevy truck(and Dodge too..that thing got a Hemi?)but watch and see if it lasts through the NE and Midwest rust belt saturation period. Here in the SW desert, if I were to purchase a truck, that shouldn't be a problem. If we get snow it lasts about 3 hours and starts melting in to another wash area.
Here(more so 80 miles NW of us in Tucson) we have washes that get enormous sometimes and they do carry rigs around with them. A few weeks ago a Tucson guy in his 60's was carried away to his death by a raging wash. It only takes what, two feet of water that is moving to lift a heavy rig and move it somewhere. :surprise:
Per chance, I stumbled across this rather obscure and minimally circulated story that via a third party Mitsubishi will start selling its passenger cars in South Korea. Mitsubishi is behind Toyota, Honda and Nissan in entering this market. Mitsubishi may have a harder time than its competitors in Korea though. Similar to the U.S., especially among the older generation, the tri-diamond badge is still associated with the Japanese war-machine of the imperial period and may hamper sales.
the fact that it's Daewoo(in association with GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.)that is going to do the importing is really odd to me. The fact that GM is over there and watching trends, as are Honda and Toyota, tells me that this thing has been pie-charted to the hilt and Mitsu and Daewoo are certain of success in this project. 70,000 units by year end 2008 is a nice figure for Mitsubishi and this is really good news for those of us who are wishing Mitsubishi's sales fortunes to continue succeeding.
Odd but cheery news from the Asian market, indeed. Ahh...I must go out and gas up my Lancer GTS at this late hour here in this little SE Arizona cowboy town I reside in. It's little low fuel light came on on my 1-mile commute home from work tonight. I am not of the feeling that I can chance running my Lancer on fumes when I'm really pretty new to Mitsubishi vehicles. I could do that in my '01 Kia Sportage 4X4 all work week long and get away with it. I will gain a hundred gray hairs if I run my new Lancer out of ghastly, gentlemen. You can bank on that.
You have roadside assistance, don't you? Let Mitsu come out and fill it up. :P When we bought ours, our dealer was telling us about a girl who bought an Eclipse and repeatedly ran it out of gas and called roadside assistance. They eventually cut her off and said not to call again.
2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
yeah, we may be able to buy cars with great Warranty's like the Mitsubishi Warranty(that Finbarr O'Neill took over to Mitsu with him when he left Hyundai/Kia and their Long-Haul Warranty)and all, but...and it's a large butt, that doesn't mean we can turn our brains off after we leave the showroom floor with our new car. :P
I have run many of my rigs out of ghastly in the 70's, 80's and even 90's. I ran my Sephia out of gas and I may have run my Sportage 4X4 out, too, but that would require me having to remember events that occurred in the 2000's and that would be too hard. Is this early Alzheimer's coming on? :confuse:
No, you see, I am much more comfortable just not running my new Lancer GTS for 2008 out of ghastly. And yes, gas prices are ghastly. When oil companies can mush profits up in to the billions I don't care what futures traders involvement is in the whole picture, gas prices are still too high.
Every time someone posts Mitsu's monthly sales figures they leave out some models and tout the one that have sales increases. Last month they left out more than they included.
Thanks to another poster I was able to get September figures on one of the left outs. Eclipse (including Spyder) for September : 1801 down 39% from 2006.
That's dismal. I wonder if the new Altima coupe is having an impact? I think Altima coupe sold about 4000 units in September. What could Mitsu do to the Eclipse to regain some momentum?
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"...It's been a bit grim for most Mitsu dealers..."
Yea, but it's been grim for all the car makers for the past two months too. I haven't checked them all but I can't believe they are hiding their poor sellers like Mitsu is.
I mean, after a while you know which models are poor sellers, the ones they don't report. If I was a grinder that omission would be like blood in the water for a shark.
I want Mitsubishi to be successful here in the US. They make some interesting products. The new Dodge Caliber SRT-4 uses a Mitsu turbo to crank 285hp out of their 4 cyl. engine for example.
It just bugs me when they play hide and seek with the numbers.
BTW, there was a little blog here on Edmunds some time ago that said demand was way up for the Eclipse so don't expect many rebates. Where did they get their info? What little sales information I've seen says different.
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with the two guys in a 2008 Rally Red Mitsubishi Lancer GTS(my exact car 'cept that one in the commerical might have NAV, I dunno, but mine doesn't)that choose to go round and round the cloverleaf just 'cause they've already finished their homework on Sunday night and they're both feeling dodgy.
The one I saw last night that I hadn't seen for a month or two is the one with the guy and girl getting set to embrace in their Eclipse, then just slide right by each other and she gets in to the driver's seat. Y'all know it, well, the point I took home from that one was that Mitsu is offering a $2,000 rebate on new Eclipse's right now.
And no, I have not heard anything about great Eclipse sales for this point through 2007. I have been wrong before so someone please do enlighten us if need be.
I like both of those commercials. At least they hired a good add agency.
About rebates, There has been a $2000 rebate on the 2007 Eclipse since December of 2006. There's a $4500 rebate on the Raider I think, since that model has really bad numbers.
The 2008 Eclipse has a $500 rebate currently. If sales of that model are down 39% they better put some more money behind it. If they can't even move 2000 units/month now, what are they going to do when the Accord coupe gets to dealers in big numbers.
As someone mentioned before, Lancer and Outlander are keeping them afloat.
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Add the EVO X and future Lancer Ralliart to the mix...although neither are out and for sale just yet. I think it would be hard to disagree that on the U.S. sales front, the Lancer and Outlander are keeping Mitsu afloat.
On the one-eyebrow slightly raised high above the other category, I have just had my 2nd flat tire repaired on my '08 Lancer GTS. The first one caused some air to go out(and my Lancer's Tire Pressure Monitoring System worked as it was built to do, telling me of an air-pressure deficiency going on). I took it to the Standard Chevron at the west end of town for the repair. Left rear tire and he pulled out a nail about 4 inches long out of the edge of the tread going down in to the center of the tire. That was about a month ago and the mechanic plugged it. Done right the first time...OK fine.
Well, the other day I drive home from work on my 1/2 mile commute and noticed a weird sound coming from one of my tires. OK then! I drive to the mini-market about a half-hour later and hear the sound. This one produced no graphic visual on my driver's information graphic system at all. And I felt no tipping to one side. I asked my son to get out and see if he could see a nail or bolt on my tires anywhere. Right front tire was the suspected villain so he got out and took a look. Sure enough he says...it's a bolt stuck in my tire. Right in the center of the tread going down in to the heart of the tire. What the? I drove both of my Kia's months and more like years between tire problems of any kind. They wore their tires out very slowly and flats were about as common as Britney Spears going out in her car and not hitting something or cutting her hair off or yelling at somebody or basically acting like a mature adult. Basically never happening. My Kia's tires were excellent in every way and helped my Kia's ride well.
With my '08 Lancer GTS I have enjoyed my Dunlop's but I am starting to wonder if they don't have an affinity of some kind for picking up nails and bolts. On the latest incident I took the Mitsubishi sedan in to my local Big-O Tire Store to have them fix it. Job done in about 25 minutes with a light cost of $10.
The Dunlop performance tires are good tires and I love their look with my Lancer's great looking Seattle Supersonic 10-spoke wheels. I like their ride and am happy with them. But two flat tires within a month has me raising one eyebrow curiously high up above the other. Hummm?
I do notice that a lot of my local hometown's cowboys and hicks drive pick-em-up trucks that, yes, must be dropping nuts, bolts nails and dogbones off and out in to the street. While these two flats have occurred I have noticed that upon perusal our bumpy streets have bolts and crap laying around on them.
So stay tuned on this one...it's not a product deficiency but rather it could be a performance tire phenomenon combined with a hot and dusty SE Arizona cowboy town with free thinkers on every corner and streets that resemble inside dustpan bottoms on a metal shop floor. :surprise:
With my '08 Lancer GTS I have enjoyed my Dunlop's but I am starting to wonder if they don't have an affinity of some kind for picking up nails and bolts.
It's possible that you are just having more construction in your area now. I do agree that some cars are magnets for nails and other sharp objects. Where I used to live there was a lot of construction so I had flats all the time. After I moved that dropped almost zero. I really feel for all those people who have RFT's! Most of the time you need to buy a whole new tire for like $300! Worse if the tread is low and then you have to replace 2 tires! Is that a pic of an EVO as a Pace car or a Lancer as a Pace car? I hope the EVO comes in at a low budget price with the 5 spd! Supposed to be about $26K in Japan if you convert the prices! The MR is a paddle shifter like what you have. So hopefully the prices will reflect a HUGE price difference.
posted two posts up is a Mitsubishi EVO X pace car. $26K for a 5-speed EVO X? Wow, that must reflect a currency manipulation....ummm...I...I mean a currency exchange difference of some kind. At any rate, if you're buying one in Japan I would snap one of those up in a heartbeat.
Yes, I am not worried about my '08 Lancer GTS getting two flat tires in one month but I am raising one eyebrow precariously up above the other and wondering a tad. You may be right, our little SE Arizona is experiencing some light growth, including a new city jail. I may have picked up a nail and a bolt somewhere's along the way.
What kind of tire are you talking about when you say RFT's?
posted two posts up is a Mitsubishi EVO X pace car. $26K for a 5-speed EVO X? Wow, that must reflect a currency manipulation....ummm...I...I mean a currency exchange difference of some kind. At any rate, if you're buying one in Japan I would snap one of those up in a heartbeat.
One of the car mags I forget which one had posted the price and they had converted the Yen to the Dollar and that's what the price was. That doesn't mean we will get that price because the Japanese will charge us more than locally. The Yen is tied to the dollar. I have a few friends who are living/working in Asia right now so I hear a bit of what's going on. The 5 spd is the one that is $26K. Currencies fluctuate and it does cost big $$$ to ship them to the US and that is also factored into the US price.
Arizona is experiencing some light growth, including a new city jail. I may have picked up a nail and a bolt somewhere's along the way.
I have friends who live in AZ or are from there and in some areas construction before the crash was way up. So anytime you have construction going on flat tires go up in frequency.
What kind of tire are you talking about when you say RFT's?
Any of them the BMW forums constantly complain about using RFT's versus GFT's. The RFT disintegrates after it's flat and after so many miles is useless but from what I have read and seen I would never use RFT's on a car. Easier to crack your rims, very few places will patch them and replacements are big $$$ BMW is a big supporter of RFT's since the MINI and the 3 series only have RFT's. They are not optional. Thankfully Mitsubishi doesn't use them yet. It would be nice if we had solid US pricing on the EVO and the STi. They really drag it out to the bitter end. I want firm prices and a time the cars will be on the dealers lot for sale. My Poor Subie is pushing 200K and needing work. So I'm holding off until I see what both cars come priced out as.
with the EVO and STi pricing.I remember in early February 2007 Mitsu released a few more pictures of the Lancer. Now we had a lot better idea what the whole Lancer looked like and it was really hard to wait for the next crop of pictures.
I wanted Lancer prices so bad and Mitsubishi took so long to release them. Then they finally did(around the first week of March '07) and I found a link to a website that gave a great early test-drive review of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. I was stoked to get this information!
I wanted Lancer prices so bad and Mitsubishi took so long to release them. Then they finally did(around the first week of March '07) and I found a link to a website that gave a great early test-drive review of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. I was stoked to get this information!
Well my Rex has just a wee bit under 200K on the clock and it's really time for me to buy a new car. I won't buy the new WRX, not a chance and the Lancer doesn't have enough juice for me. The EVO X and the STi could be possibilities but sometime next month is the earliest they will release prices. I have got to buy something soon. My wife doesn't like my Rex and my driving her car is killing me. But I don't want to wear it out either. Gotta decide soon. i figure by December is as long as I an hold off. I've got a friend who will be coming back to the US and he's asking me what I think about various cars since I'm here and I think there isn't much available that I like. Looks like if the EVO or the STi are going to be up in price then I'll probably get a Mazdaspeed 3. Although I'm not a fan of Ford products. Autospies does come up with some juicy info from time to time. Be nice to see something fun hit the showrooms soon, but I know November is the unveiling so we have to wait.
As you can see only two of the four models are selling better than last year. The 9% decrease in US built Mitsubishi models is misleading, since it includes the Raider truck which is built by Chrysler.
Tiff, edumicate me please. What is a "Rex"? Mazda RX-7?
Oh hehe sorry, that's Subie (Subaru) lingo for Subaru WRX. I guess every make has their own lingo Bimmer beemer etc... In these forums i've had to learn a lot of new acronyms myself.
Oh, and not to worry, there are no Ford parts on the Mazdaspeed 3. Hey, maybe you can find a leftover Mazdaspeed 6.
Really no Ford parts?! I'll have to tell my buddy overseas about this. He'd like one being the lunatic driver that he is. :shades: But he won't buy anything Ford. He's been worrying about what to drive so that he and his lunatic wife can tear up the world in. Really good people although I haven't met his wife, she's a real car fan. Wants to learn to drift and auto-x and Rally according to an email I got from them. Crazy girl, too bad my wife wasn't more insistent that I buy an EVO X or an STi. :sick: They sold out of Speed6's a while back and yes if they were available as an AWD I'd buy one tomorrow! My poor Scooby is ready to push up daisy's and it's sooooooo close to the 200K mile mark now. Thankfully I have a buyer for it! I'm hanging on for the EVO and STi after that I have to figure something out. When you have high "production volume" equipment breakdown and it needs to be fixed yesterday, no one wants to hear about something trivial like a blizzard! :sick:
is the buddy you're talking about stevecebu per chance? Because if it is I'm also in conversation with him by e-mail. He's in the Philippines. Apparently anything goes on the road there. There's a huge variety.
The EVO X is in the running for his wife and he(she's a huge driving and racing fan like you describe)and the other ones I do not recall.
On the home front, I'm happy to relay the good news that my family and I made a trip in my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS in Rally Red metallic paint, bodykit, foglights, sunroof and 650-watt RF stereo to tiny Portal, AZ, yesterday and incurred not a single flat tire!
Actually, the little cowtown I live in is where I'm catching the nails and bolts. This route yesterday includes about 17 miles of bumpy, unimproved road to travel on. It was bumpy but not peppered with nails and bolts from hick's pick-em-up trucks. I remember when I drove my Dad's '63 GMC Jimmy pickup back in the 70's and did construction work. At the end of the workday you just throw things here and there and I don't remember being very steadfast about debris slinging around in the bed back there.
Both the Mazdaspeed 3 and Mazdaspeed 6 are pure Japanese built. Also, if you can get some more life out of your Rex, you may also want to look into the Lancer RalliArt, which is expected to be turbo/AWD this time around. It may be launched a soon as March 2008 or as late as fall 2008...
is the buddy you're talking about stevecebu per chance? Because if it is I'm also in conversation with him by e-mail. He's in the Philippines. Apparently anything goes on the road there. There's a huge variety.
Yeah, how'd you know?! He runs by that name online. Good guy, overly opinionated, crazy driver! He used to drag race locally for titles as he got tired of people bad mouthing his car. He won 2 cars before people got the hint that his Vega was as much go as it was show. We worked together a long time in a different industry than I'm in now. Don't ever race him, he's insane when it comes to racing. I went and visited him in the Philippines before he got married. That country is as wild as they come. He was driving his Monster Landcruiser what a backbreaker with 36" tires on it for city driving! Fun as hell! Crazy drivers over there, just like in Mass. :surprise: I think he was on Edmunds for a while but he's coming back to the US with his wife and I guess he's real busy with stuff. He wants me to buy a Mazdaspeed 3 so he can thrash it to see if he wants to buy one! LOL
The EVO X is in the running for his wife and he(she's a huge driving and racing fan like you describe)and the other ones I do not recall.
Yeah she's a spitfire that one! A real hottie and super cute! My wife gets visibly jealous just looking at her pic! LOL! Plus she's into all sorts of car stuff. I can only imagine how she drives since he taught her! LOL Yeah he's a power fan and likes to use it usually he doesn't do the crazy race in traffic stuff like he used to except in the Philippines. I remember him doing over a buck 20 in the breakdown lane on Rt. 3 through Billerica when it was jammed up. His Filipino Buds call him Steve McQueen. An E-ticket ride for certain! Anyway if he does get an EVO I hope he lets me drive it! His real interest is the new stubby BMW 1 series but it's not AWD but for sure he'll drive that, probably the STi as well. His wife really wants him to buy a Porsche 911 but he really won't spend that much on a car. He trades his cars just before the warranty runs out. I keep mine until they fall apart. My wife is tight with money, his wife lets him do whatever he wants lucky so and so! Too bad he hasn't been on here for a while. Don't ever go 4 wheeling with him! I did with him in the Philippines. His stunner GF at the time was too scared and no belts in the back so I went, scary stuff knowing you are 12,000 miles away from a decent hospital. Have you been to the Philippines? Wild place Man!
On the home front, I'm happy to relay the good news that my family and I made a trip in my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS in Rally Red metallic paint, bodykit, foglights, sunroof and 650-watt RF stereo to tiny Portal, AZ, yesterday and incurred not a single flat tire!
Do you normally get flats in your cars? I haven't had a flat in a long time. They say it's construction but I dunno. Seems some cars get them more than others, might be the tires or something? Your Lancer sounds nice. I drove one my wife hated it as she couldn't see out the back window due to the spoiler, she's fairly short. but the car IS very nice. Power is ok, and looks real sharp. I bet Steve went off about how gutless it was or something, especially if it's an automatic, oh God don't get him started on automatics! :sick: :P
Actually, the little cowtown I live in is where I'm catching the nails and bolts. This route yesterday includes about 17 miles of bumpy, unimproved road to travel on. It was bumpy but not peppered with nails and bolts from hick's pick-em-up trucks. I remember when I drove my Dad's '63 GMC Jimmy pickup back in the 70's and did construction work. At the end of the workday you just throw things here and there and I don't remember being very steadfast about debris slinging around in the bed back there.
Sounds like it could be stuff bouncing out of the trucks beds when they bounce down the road. Most work trucks aren't all that pretty and have a few chinks in the armor. I don't think it will matter what you drive when you pick up a nail just right. I wonder if directional tread has something to do with it? It seems some tires might pick up the nail and position it to be run over.
Anyway do you have any idea what the new EVO's are going to come in priced as? Steve says they cost about $26K in Japan. But pricing varies all over so I doubt even the low end 5 speed will be that cheap. I'll be able to buy one if it is. :shades:
Both the Mazdaspeed 3 and Mazdaspeed 6 are pure Japanese built. Also, if you can get some more life out of your Rex, you may also want to look into the Lancer RalliArt, which is expected to be turbo/AWD this time around. It may be launched a soon as March 2008 or as late as fall 2008...
My current Rex is just a whisker under 200K. I can't hold off past December. I will have to buy something. My wife also wants a car but thankfully she likes cheap subcompacts which she can see out of. I'd happily buy the RalliArt if it has a good AWD system and is available. There's no local Mitsubishi dealers near me most are a fair haul to get to 30 minutes or a bit more in there's traffic. I still want one but the price has to be right, thus saith my wife.
today and they state the opening price for the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X is going to be $33,000. That has got to be the 5-speed manual transmission.
They had a lot of fun test-driving the EVO X in this article. Drifting is a gas they say and that is something stevecebu and his wife love to do.
This new EVO X sounds like the car for them, it really does.
Yeah, I love my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS. Today I took it in to get it's oil changed and tires rotated. To answer your question tiff c, no, I don't get flat tires very often. That's why I'm bringing it up. I think it's just a chance encounter with a local bolt and nail. At least it's all fixed up and there's no lasting problem from it.
Oh, besides the L-O-F and the tire rotation and 27-point inspection, they washed my baby for me! It looks great and I'll tell you, I brought that baby in really dirty. I mean it was filthy!
They had a lot of fun test-driving the EVO X in this article. Drifting is a gas they say and that is something stevecebu and his wife love to do.
Yeah, it will be fun to head off to the Rally's with them. The SCCA tells you you have to go slow to go fast so he's going to have to nail the going slow part down. $33K sounds good, not good enough for my wife, under $30K or no soap. :sick:
Yeah, I love my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS. Today I took it in to get it's oil changed and tires rotated. To answer your question tiff c, no, I don't get flat tires very often. That's why I'm bringing it up. I think it's just a chance encounter with a local bolt and nail. At least it's all fixed up and there's no lasting problem from it.
That's good, I know a few guys who I work with when I'm actually at the plant and one guy has had a lot of flats I think 5 or 6 this past year alone. We all get them but some places or cars seem to get them more. If you had Run Flats you'd probably be shelling out $200+ for a replacement right now. Glad the Lancer is such great fun and you enjoy it so much. Those cars are always the best ones. For me until I see a firm price I can hold off but at this moment it's Mazdaspeed 3 unless mitsubishi drops their prices a few grand. The New EVO has great looks and sharp, but for $33K they should give you all the goodies on the MR model. :surprise: Well I can dream can't I?
As much as I like the IDEA of owning an EVO, I don't think I have enough boy racer left in me to actually buy one. The Ralliart sounds better, not so hard-edged.
What engine are they using in the Ralliart? Is it the same 2L turbo?
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As much as I like the IDEA of owning an EVO, I don't think I have enough boy racer left in me to actually buy one. The Ralliart sounds better, not so hard-edged.
I don't think you have to be a Boi racer to buy an EVO or an STi, at least not anymore than you would be a reject from the 70's to drive a Corvette. The stigma of the Vette is long gone and there is no stigma with the STi/EVO unless you count the Playstation. The Fast and Furious crowd is not as much into EVO's and STi's as other cheaper cars like the Eclipse and then modding it to the gunnels. I guess since I've been driving my Rex for so long now and yes it's old but no one even notices it any more it's not a head turner any more than a Honda Civic is. As far as hard edged can't say until I drive one but they don't look as hard core as before and from the sounds of it they aren't as hard core to drive either. The Ralliart might be a possibility but no specs, only rumors at this point. It's a shame it will be delayed for so long.
I agree. I was just saying that I'm not up to that kind of performance machine anymore. God, its been years since I've driven over 80.
Well understandable if you live in a State like Virginia. :P Not that you do but with all those cameras and speed traps it's no longer worth buying a flatout performance car. I like my Rex because I have AWD and have a world of fun in the snow and no one is out at that time of night. Cop cars are very bad in snow, and the speeds are parking lot stuff but since they made it illegal to use the sandpits.... No need to have lots of power if you won't use it. Comfort is a Camry or an Accord type of vehicle. performance and comfort is expensive. Middle ground is a tough call as I am looking myself right now, so far nothing. :sick:
I also know several guys who drive Corvettes and they are all rejects from the 70s. Where would a young guy get the 60K to buy one?
Not all Vettes are bought new and I was going to buy a 1978 Silver? Anniversary Corvette. My roommate wanted one so we tried for a deal. Not a chance! They were like $18K or less back then. I'm not a Vette type of person. I like the car well enough but I can think of other sports cars that I'd rather have. The Mazdaspeed 3 is likely going to be my next car. If the MINI dealer was closer then I'd consider that. Not many choices this year for AWD that I like and can afford. The EVO X and the STi I think make the best compromise also the BMW 1 series, but all just out of my range. I can afford them but not comfortably and my wife seems to have a problem with seeing the nose and tail end of the car so her insurance is waaaaaay up there from dings and dents when she bumps others cars parallel parking. :sick: I call her the Dentmeister. The 350Z would never appeal to me, not in looks or performance, ditto the RX8 but for different reasons. I have a bad back from all the heavy lifting I used to do so a great seat is very important to me a Camry seat makes my back ache after 30 minutes! I can ride in a BMW all day with no discomfort. So what are you planning on getting?
I'm settling down around mid-sized sport coupes. I've looked at Eclipse (if the rebates get to where I like), Altima coupe, G6 coupe Or the new Accord coupe.
I think I've eliminated the G6 (quality issues) and the Accord (too pricey) so it's really down to the other two.
What I've heard about the Lancer Raliart sounds good too.
I've still got a couple of months so I'm not going to rush into anything. I'll firm up my choices at the car show this Friday though.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I'm settling down around mid-sized sport coupes. I've looked at Eclipse (if the rebates get to where I like), Altima coupe, G6 coupe Or the new Accord coupe.
Those sound like good choices depending on what you are looking for. Myself a Coupe wouldn't work for me. I'd have to hit the Lottery in order to justify a coupe. I really need more room and 4 doors. The lancer Ralliart looks promising but it will come out too late for me considering my wife has to drive my Rex locally and even she's worried about a breakdown. It has reached it's age where it needs a lot to get it really sorted. The Eclipse doesn't sell well and I've always wondered why. I take it you never considered the Mazdaspeed 3? It's not very sporty looking but goes like stink. My default car is the Speed3 if I don't find anything better by December. I hope whatever car you are looking at works out really well for you.
The Mazda Speed3 sounds like a really hot car. I remember researching it some time ago and deciding that it was not for me. Maybe it was the MT (wife doesn't know how to shift). I've always read that the Mazdas have good handling. I don't think the 3 is bad looking although I like the looks of the 6 better.
One thing that makes me steer away from the small performance cars like the 3 is the turbo. I keep my cars for about a million years and I worry about expensive repairs just as the car has lost most of its value due to age.
BTW,you mentioned before about driving in Virginia. I'm in NY and although we don't have that nutty fine system it's almost as bad here.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The Mazda Speed3 sounds like a really hot car. I remember researching it some time ago and deciding that it was not for me. Maybe it was the MT (wife doesn't know how to shift). I've always read that the Mazdas have good handling. I don't think the 3 is bad looking although I like the looks of the 6 better.
I really need the utility of a hatch or a wagon, so for me going from my Sedan WRX into something else should be a benefit. Gas just hit $96 a barrel, that makes me a bit concerned with a performance car, as I drive so much as part of my work. If you like sedans or coupes the market has a lot to offer but if you need an automatic then the fun stuff diminishes a bit. Have you tried the new Lancer GTS? It has those paddle shifters. I found the power to be lacking but overall the car is very nice. I have kept my WRX for 200K miles now, not forever but long enough. If I was doing the same I'd really consider the Accord even if it is a bit pricier. Chances are you can get 10 years out of it. If they were coming out with the diesel this year in LX trim, I'd probably be buying one. After this next car I buy I will probably switch over to diesels when it comes time to replace my soon to be bought cars.
One thing that makes me steer away from the small performance cars like the 3 is the turbo. I keep my cars for about a million years and I worry about expensive repairs just as the car has lost most of its value due to age.
My Rex has 200K on the clock and not a problem at all with the turbo! They aren't the crappy turbo's of the K-Car era that's for certain. But they can wear out and they are expensive to replace if they go belly up. If I worried about turbo failure I'd personally be buying a Civic or an Accord as they are normally aspirated. too bad the Sedan no longer has a manual V6. A deal killer for me!
BTW,you mentioned before about driving in Virginia. I'm in NY and although we don't have that nutty fine system it's almost as bad here.
Yeah that's why it gets very difficult to justify a performance car nowadays as there are so many cops out there. I set the Cruise at 5mph above and hat's about it. Lots of highway driving and boredom doing the long drive. Police are into revenue and I don't want to provide them with any.
I'm still holding off on a purchase until I see if I can afford the EVO or the STi. But the new Mitsubishi is a great looking car and the EVO has a fantastic AWD setup in it. The 5 spd should be cheaper and that's what I'd buy.
a spoiler like this. This is a larger spoiler than the one on the Eclipse I saw at the Super 8 in Grants, NM, on July 21st, 2007, that I commented on liking. This one is good but the one I saw was skinnier and looked a titch better.
Comments
Unfortunately not this month.
The models not mentioned in the article above are:
Eclipse
Eclipse Spyder
Endeavor
Raider
The Raider in particular must be selling like screen doors for submarines. I remember years ago Mitsu made a decent small truck themselves. They even sold it to Chrysler as the Ram 50 I think. They should do that again.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I don't know what Mitsu called it under there own name. I remember back in 1986 I crossed shopped the rebadged version that Dodge called Ram 50.
It was a nice little truck but like a dope I listened to Consumer Reports who said the Toyota was better. That Toyota was the worst vehicle I ever owned and rusted like nothing I've ever seen.
My brother-in-law later got a Ram 50 and it lasted quite a while with no problems.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The truck was only 6 years old.
For a while I considered both a 2007 Toyota Yaris 4-door sedan and a 2006 Scion xA in Polar White and 5-speeds. Never test-drove the Yaris sedan but did test drive the xA and found it to be fun to drive...but the motor was kind of buzzy and somewhat gutless.
I'm glad I waited for the '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, gentlemen.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I was browsing a Mitsu dealer this afternoon and got to look at some Lancers up close. They are as nice inside as out. Very nice gauge cluster and dash. Bigger than I thought too.
One thing I was not aware of is that the Lancer is built in Japan. I found that odd considering that the Normal IL. plant is not running at capacity.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
They seem to be getting it right so I'm down wid it completely, bro. :P
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Well the Normal IL plant has been putting out some pretty good quality too. Perhaps the American plant is only set up to build the PA platform. Since Lancer is built on a different platform maybe it was better done at home. It's not a big deal to me. I think American workers can put out a quality project if management is committed to it.
I mean, Toyota is building in USA and their vehicles are better than perfect, right?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I know vehicles only last about 9 years, but a well maintained, low mileage truck should not be crap because of frame rust.
I looked at a co-worker's new Tundra Limited the other day. Very nice truck.
I must be beating the odds then. Of the four vehicles parked in my driveway the NEWEST one is 10 years old. Two are over 20 years old and the oldest is 23 years old.
The two old timers have their share of rust but you would expect that in upstate New York where we pave our street with salt. The main thing is, they all start every time you turn the key.
My Toyota just had problem after problem like blowing head gaskets and seven alternators replaced. The rust was just the icing on the cake. By the time it was 10 years old the fenders were LITERALLY flapping in the wind. Once, I skidded on ice coming into my driveway and bounced off the front of my Ford F-150. The entire grill was smashed, the fender buckled and the bumper was pushed into the tire. The Ford had no damage except a spot of red paint on the PLASTIC grill left by the Toyota's fender.
I'm sure they make them perfect now though. :P
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
But to rust and fall to crap like that doesn't speak very delicious volumes coming from Toyota in trucks. Sure, that new Tundra is built tough like a Ford and Chevy truck(and Dodge too..that thing got a Hemi?)but watch and see if it lasts through the NE and Midwest rust belt saturation period. Here in the SW desert, if I were to purchase a truck, that shouldn't be a problem. If we get snow it lasts about 3 hours and starts melting in to another wash area.
Here(more so 80 miles NW of us in Tucson) we have washes that get enormous sometimes and they do carry rigs around with them. A few weeks ago a Tucson guy in his 60's was carried away to his death by a raging wash. It only takes what, two feet of water that is moving to lift a heavy rig and move it somewhere. :surprise:
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Mitsubishi may have a harder time than its competitors in Korea though. Similar to the U.S., especially among the older generation, the tri-diamond badge is still associated with the Japanese war-machine of the imperial period and may hamper sales.
See links below.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2007/10/09/69/0503000000AEN200710090013- - - 00320F.HTML
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200710/200710090009.html
Odd but cheery news from the Asian market, indeed. Ahh...I must go out and gas up my Lancer GTS at this late hour here in this little SE Arizona cowboy town I reside in. It's little low fuel light came on on my 1-mile commute home from work tonight. I am not of the feeling that I can chance running my Lancer on fumes when I'm really pretty new to Mitsubishi vehicles. I could do that in my '01 Kia Sportage 4X4 all work week long and get away with it. I will gain a hundred gray hairs if I run my new Lancer out of ghastly, gentlemen. You can bank on that.
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I have run many of my rigs out of ghastly in the 70's, 80's and even 90's. I ran my Sephia out of gas and I may have run my Sportage 4X4 out, too, but that would require me having to remember events that occurred in the 2000's and that would be too hard. Is this early Alzheimer's coming on? :confuse:
No, you see, I am much more comfortable just not running my new Lancer GTS for 2008 out of ghastly. And yes, gas prices are ghastly. When oil companies can mush profits up in to the billions I don't care what futures traders involvement is in the whole picture, gas prices are still too high.
Simply...ghastly.
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Thanks to another poster I was able to get September figures on one of the left outs. Eclipse (including Spyder) for September : 1801 down 39% from 2006.
That's dismal. I wonder if the new Altima coupe is having an impact? I think Altima coupe sold about 4000 units in September. What could Mitsu do to the Eclipse to regain some momentum?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Yea, but it's been grim for all the car makers for the past two months too. I haven't checked them all but I can't believe they are hiding their poor sellers like Mitsu is.
I mean, after a while you know which models are poor sellers, the ones they don't report. If I was a grinder that omission would be like blood in the water for a shark.
I want Mitsubishi to be successful here in the US. They make some interesting products. The new Dodge Caliber SRT-4 uses a Mitsu turbo to crank 285hp out of their 4 cyl. engine for example.
It just bugs me when they play hide and seek with the numbers.
BTW, there was a little blog here on Edmunds some time ago that said demand was way up for the Eclipse so don't expect many rebates. Where did they get their info? What little sales information I've seen says different.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The one I saw last night that I hadn't seen for a month or two is the one with the guy and girl getting set to embrace in their Eclipse, then just slide right by each other and she gets in to the driver's seat. Y'all know it, well, the point I took home from that one was that Mitsu is offering a $2,000 rebate on new Eclipse's right now.
And no, I have not heard anything about great Eclipse sales for this point through 2007. I have been wrong before so someone please do enlighten us if need be.
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I like both of those commercials. At least they hired a good add agency.
About rebates, There has been a $2000 rebate on the 2007 Eclipse since December of 2006. There's a $4500 rebate on the Raider I think, since that model has really bad numbers.
The 2008 Eclipse has a $500 rebate currently. If sales of that model are down 39% they better put some more money behind it. If they can't even move 2000 units/month now, what are they going to do when the Accord coupe gets to dealers in big numbers.
As someone mentioned before, Lancer and Outlander are keeping them afloat.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Add the EVO X and future Lancer Ralliart to the mix...although neither are out and for sale just yet. I think it would be hard to disagree that on the U.S. sales front, the Lancer and Outlander are keeping Mitsu afloat.
On the one-eyebrow slightly raised high above the other category, I have just had my 2nd flat tire repaired on my '08 Lancer GTS. The first one caused some air to go out(and my Lancer's Tire Pressure Monitoring System worked as it was built to do, telling me of an air-pressure deficiency going on). I took it to the Standard Chevron at the west end of town for the repair. Left rear tire and he pulled out a nail about 4 inches long out of the edge of the tread going down in to the center of the tire. That was about a month ago and the mechanic plugged it. Done right the first time...OK fine.
Well, the other day I drive home from work on my 1/2 mile commute and noticed a weird sound coming from one of my tires. OK then! I drive to the mini-market about a half-hour later and hear the sound. This one produced no graphic visual on my driver's information graphic system at all. And I felt no tipping to one side. I asked my son to get out and see if he could see a nail or bolt on my tires anywhere. Right front tire was the suspected villain so he got out and took a look. Sure enough he says...it's a bolt stuck in my tire. Right in the center of the tread going down in to the heart of the tire. What the? I drove both of my Kia's months and more like years between tire problems of any kind. They wore their tires out very slowly and flats were about as common as Britney Spears going out in her car and not hitting something or cutting her hair off or yelling at somebody or basically acting like a mature adult. Basically never happening. My Kia's tires were excellent in every way and helped my Kia's ride well.
With my '08 Lancer GTS I have enjoyed my Dunlop's but I am starting to wonder if they don't have an affinity of some kind for picking up nails and bolts. On the latest incident I took the Mitsubishi sedan in to my local Big-O Tire Store to have them fix it. Job done in about 25 minutes with a light cost of $10.
The Dunlop performance tires are good tires and I love their look with my Lancer's great looking Seattle Supersonic 10-spoke wheels. I like their ride and am happy with them. But two flat tires within a month has me raising one eyebrow curiously high up above the other. Hummm?
I do notice that a lot of my local hometown's cowboys and hicks drive pick-em-up trucks that, yes, must be dropping nuts, bolts nails and dogbones off and out in to the street. While these two flats have occurred I have noticed that upon perusal our bumpy streets have bolts and crap laying around on them.
So stay tuned on this one...it's not a product deficiency but rather it could be a performance tire phenomenon combined with a hot and dusty SE Arizona cowboy town with free thinkers on every corner and streets that resemble inside dustpan bottoms on a metal shop floor. :surprise:
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It's possible that you are just having more construction in your area now. I do agree that some cars are magnets for nails and other sharp objects.
Where I used to live there was a lot of construction so I had flats all the time. After I moved that dropped almost zero.
I really feel for all those people who have RFT's! Most of the time you need to buy a whole new tire for like $300! Worse if the tread is low and then you have to replace 2 tires!
Is that a pic of an EVO as a Pace car or a Lancer as a Pace car?
I hope the EVO comes in at a low budget price with the 5 spd! Supposed to be about $26K in Japan if you convert the prices!
The MR is a paddle shifter like what you have. So hopefully the prices will reflect a HUGE price difference.
Yes, I am not worried about my '08 Lancer GTS getting two flat tires in one month but I am raising one eyebrow precariously up above the other and wondering a tad. You may be right, our little SE Arizona is experiencing some light growth, including a new city jail. I may have picked up a nail and a bolt somewhere's along the way.
What kind of tire are you talking about when you say RFT's?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
One of the car mags I forget which one had posted the price and they had converted the Yen to the Dollar and that's what the price was. That doesn't mean we will get that price because the Japanese will charge us more than locally. The Yen is tied to the dollar. I have a few friends who are living/working in Asia right now so I hear a bit of what's going on.
The 5 spd is the one that is $26K. Currencies fluctuate and it does cost big $$$ to ship them to the US and that is also factored into the US price.
Arizona is experiencing some light growth, including a new city jail. I may have picked up a nail and a bolt somewhere's along the way.
I have friends who live in AZ or are from there and in some areas construction before the crash was way up.
So anytime you have construction going on flat tires go up in frequency.
What kind of tire are you talking about when you say RFT's?
Any of them the BMW forums constantly complain about using RFT's versus GFT's.
The RFT disintegrates after it's flat and after so many miles is useless but from what I have read and seen I would never use RFT's on a car. Easier to crack your rims, very few places will patch them and replacements are big $$$ BMW is a big supporter of RFT's since the MINI and the 3 series only have RFT's.
They are not optional.
Thankfully Mitsubishi doesn't use them yet. It would be nice if we had solid US pricing on the EVO and the STi. They really drag it out to the bitter end. I want firm prices and a time the cars will be on the dealers lot for sale. My Poor Subie is pushing 200K and needing work. So I'm holding off until I see what both cars come priced out as.
I wanted Lancer prices so bad and Mitsubishi took so long to release them. Then they finally did(around the first week of March '07) and I found a link to a website that gave a great early test-drive review of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. I was stoked to get this information!
http://www.autospies.com/news/Spies-give-you-an-early-preview-of-the-next-Mitsub- - - - ishi-EVO-12186/
After reading this autospies piece on the '08 Lancer I set my sights on getting one. The rest is history.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Just a guess--Run Flat Tire?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Well my Rex has just a wee bit under 200K on the clock and it's really time for me to buy a new car. I won't buy the new WRX, not a chance and the Lancer doesn't have enough juice for me. The EVO X and the STi could be possibilities but sometime next month is the earliest they will release prices. I have got to buy something soon. My wife doesn't like my Rex and my driving her car is killing me. But I don't want to wear it out either.
Gotta decide soon. i figure by December is as long as I an hold off.
I've got a friend who will be coming back to the US and he's asking me what I think about various cars since I'm here and I think there isn't much available that I like. Looks like if the EVO or the STi are going to be up in price then I'll probably get a Mazdaspeed 3. Although I'm not a fan of Ford products.
Autospies does come up with some juicy info from time to time.
Be nice to see something fun hit the showrooms soon, but I know November is the unveiling so we have to wait.
Just a guess--Run Flat Tire?
Oh sorry I thought what brand since the debate has been between the BridgeRocks and the Continentals.
RFT = Run Flat Tire
GFT = Go Flat Tire
I'd rather have GFT's or normal tires than the blasted RFT's with all their problems.
Oh, and not to worry, there are no Ford parts on the Mazdaspeed 3. Hey, maybe you can find a leftover Mazdaspeed 6.
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/10/27/money/doc4722c71471ed6860643789.tx- t
As you can see only two of the four models are selling better than last year. The 9% decrease in US built Mitsubishi models is misleading, since it includes the Raider truck which is built by Chrysler.
Oh hehe sorry, that's Subie (Subaru) lingo for Subaru WRX.
I guess every make has their own lingo Bimmer beemer etc...
In these forums i've had to learn a lot of new acronyms myself.
Oh, and not to worry, there are no Ford parts on the Mazdaspeed 3. Hey, maybe you can find a leftover Mazdaspeed 6.
Really no Ford parts?! I'll have to tell my buddy overseas about this. He'd like one being the lunatic driver that he is.
They sold out of Speed6's a while back and yes if they were available as an AWD I'd buy one tomorrow! My poor Scooby is ready to push up daisy's and it's sooooooo close to the 200K mile mark now. Thankfully I have a buyer for it!
I'm hanging on for the EVO and STi after that I have to figure something out. When you have high "production volume" equipment breakdown and it needs to be fixed yesterday, no one wants to hear about something trivial like a blizzard! :sick:
The EVO X is in the running for his wife and he(she's a huge driving and racing fan like you describe)and the other ones I do not recall.
On the home front, I'm happy to relay the good news that my family and I made a trip in my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS in Rally Red metallic paint, bodykit, foglights, sunroof and 650-watt RF stereo to tiny Portal, AZ, yesterday and incurred not a single flat tire!
Actually, the little cowtown I live in is where I'm catching the nails and bolts. This route yesterday includes about 17 miles of bumpy, unimproved road to travel on. It was bumpy but not peppered with nails and bolts from hick's pick-em-up trucks. I remember when I drove my Dad's '63 GMC Jimmy pickup back in the 70's and did construction work. At the end of the workday you just throw things here and there and I don't remember being very steadfast about debris slinging around in the bed back there.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Also, if you can get some more life out of your Rex, you may also want to look into the Lancer RalliArt, which is expected to be turbo/AWD this time around. It may be launched a soon as March 2008 or as late as fall 2008...
Yeah, how'd you know?! He runs by that name online. Good guy, overly opinionated, crazy driver! He used to drag race locally for titles as he got tired of people bad mouthing his car. He won 2 cars before people got the hint that his Vega was as much go as it was show.
We worked together a long time in a different industry than I'm in now. Don't ever race him, he's insane when it comes to racing. I went and visited him in the Philippines before he got married. That country is as wild as they come. He was driving his Monster Landcruiser what a backbreaker with 36" tires on it for city driving! Fun as hell!
Crazy drivers over there, just like in Mass. :surprise:
I think he was on Edmunds for a while but he's coming back to the US with his wife and I guess he's real busy with stuff. He wants me to buy a Mazdaspeed 3 so he can thrash it to see if he wants to buy one! LOL
The EVO X is in the running for his wife and he(she's a huge driving and racing fan like you describe)and the other ones I do not recall.
Yeah she's a spitfire that one! A real hottie and super cute! My wife gets visibly jealous just looking at her pic! LOL! Plus she's into all sorts of car stuff. I can only imagine how she drives since he taught her! LOL
Yeah he's a power fan and likes to use it usually he doesn't do the crazy race in traffic stuff like he used to except in the Philippines. I remember him doing over a buck 20 in the breakdown lane on Rt. 3 through Billerica when it was jammed up. His Filipino Buds call him Steve McQueen. An E-ticket ride for certain!
Anyway if he does get an EVO I hope he lets me drive it!
His real interest is the new stubby BMW 1 series but it's not AWD but for sure he'll drive that, probably the STi as well. His wife really wants him to buy a Porsche 911 but he really won't spend that much on a car. He trades his cars just before the warranty runs out. I keep mine until they fall apart.
My wife is tight with money, his wife lets him do whatever he wants lucky so and so! Too bad he hasn't been on here for a while.
Don't ever go 4 wheeling with him! I did with him in the Philippines. His stunner GF at the time was too scared and no belts in the back so I went, scary stuff knowing you are 12,000 miles away from a decent hospital.
Have you been to the Philippines? Wild place Man!
On the home front, I'm happy to relay the good news that my family and I made a trip in my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS in Rally Red metallic paint, bodykit, foglights, sunroof and 650-watt RF stereo to tiny Portal, AZ, yesterday and incurred not a single flat tire!
Do you normally get flats in your cars? I haven't had a flat in a long time. They say it's construction but I dunno. Seems some cars get them more than others, might be the tires or something? Your Lancer sounds nice. I drove one my wife hated it as she couldn't see out the back window due to the spoiler, she's fairly short. but the car IS very nice. Power is ok, and looks real sharp. I bet Steve went off about how gutless it was or something, especially if it's an automatic, oh God don't get him started on automatics! :sick: :P
Actually, the little cowtown I live in is where I'm catching the nails and bolts. This route yesterday includes about 17 miles of bumpy, unimproved road to travel on. It was bumpy but not peppered with nails and bolts from hick's pick-em-up trucks. I remember when I drove my Dad's '63 GMC Jimmy pickup back in the 70's and did construction work. At the end of the workday you just throw things here and there and I don't remember being very steadfast about debris slinging around in the bed back there.
Sounds like it could be stuff bouncing out of the trucks beds when they bounce down the road. Most work trucks aren't all that pretty and have a few chinks in the armor.
I don't think it will matter what you drive when you pick up a nail just right. I wonder if directional tread has something to do with it? It seems some tires might pick up the nail and position it to be run over.
Anyway do you have any idea what the new EVO's are going to come in priced as? Steve says they cost about $26K in Japan. But pricing varies all over so I doubt even the low end 5 speed will be that cheap. I'll be able to buy one if it is. :shades:
Also, if you can get some more life out of your Rex, you may also want to look into the Lancer RalliArt, which is expected to be turbo/AWD this time around. It may be launched a soon as March 2008 or as late as fall 2008...
My current Rex is just a whisker under 200K. I can't hold off past December. I will have to buy something. My wife also wants a car but thankfully she likes cheap subcompacts which she can see out of.
I'd happily buy the RalliArt if it has a good AWD system and is available. There's no local Mitsubishi dealers near me most are a fair haul to get to 30 minutes or a bit more in there's traffic.
I still want one but the price has to be right, thus saith my wife.
They had a lot of fun test-driving the EVO X in this article. Drifting is a gas they say and that is something stevecebu and his wife love to do.
This new EVO X sounds like the car for them, it really does.
Yeah, I love my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS. Today I took it in to get it's oil changed and tires rotated. To answer your question tiff c, no, I don't get flat tires very often. That's why I'm bringing it up. I think it's just a chance encounter with a local bolt and nail. At least it's all fixed up and there's no lasting problem from it.
Oh, besides the L-O-F and the tire rotation and 27-point inspection, they washed my baby for me! It looks great and I'll tell you, I brought that baby in really dirty. I mean it was filthy!
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Yeah, it will be fun to head off to the Rally's with them.
The SCCA tells you you have to go slow to go fast so he's going to have to nail the going slow part down.
$33K sounds good, not good enough for my wife, under $30K or no soap. :sick:
Yeah, I love my '08 Mitsu Lancer GTS. Today I took it in to get it's oil changed and tires rotated. To answer your question tiff c, no, I don't get flat tires very often. That's why I'm bringing it up. I think it's just a chance encounter with a local bolt and nail. At least it's all fixed up and there's no lasting problem from it.
That's good,
If you had Run Flats you'd probably be shelling out $200+ for a replacement right now.
Glad the Lancer is such great fun and you enjoy it so much. Those cars are always the best ones.
For me until I see a firm price I can hold off but at this moment it's Mazdaspeed 3 unless mitsubishi drops their prices a few grand.
The New EVO has great looks and sharp, but for $33K they should give you all the goodies on the MR model. :surprise:
Well I can dream can't I?
What engine are they using in the Ralliart? Is it the same 2L turbo?
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I don't think you have to be a Boi racer to buy an EVO or an STi, at least not anymore than you would be a reject from the 70's to drive a Corvette. The stigma of the Vette is long gone and there is no stigma with the STi/EVO unless you count the Playstation. The Fast and Furious crowd is not as much into EVO's and STi's as other cheaper cars like the Eclipse and then modding it to the gunnels.
I guess since I've been driving my Rex for so long now and yes it's old but no one even notices it any more it's not a head turner any more than a Honda Civic is.
As far as hard edged can't say until I drive one but they don't look as hard core as before and from the sounds of it they aren't as hard core to drive either.
The Ralliart might be a possibility but no specs, only rumors at this point. It's a shame it will be delayed for so long.
I agree. I was just saying that I'm not up to that kind of performance machine anymore. God, its been years since I've driven over 80.
I've talked to people who have driven 350Zs and EVOs and I guess I am willing to trade some performance for comfort these days.
I also know several guys who drive Corvettes and they are all rejects from the 70s. Where would a young guy get the 60K to buy one?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Well understandable if you live in a State like Virginia. :P
Not that you do but with all those cameras and speed traps it's no longer worth buying a flatout performance car. I like my Rex because I have AWD and have a world of fun in the snow and no one is out at that time of night. Cop cars are very bad in snow, and the speeds are parking lot stuff but since they made it illegal to use the sandpits....
No need to have lots of power if you won't use it. Comfort is a Camry or an Accord type of vehicle. performance and comfort is expensive. Middle ground is a tough call as I am looking myself right now, so far nothing. :sick:
I also know several guys who drive Corvettes and they are all rejects from the 70s. Where would a young guy get the 60K to buy one?
Not all Vettes are bought new and I was going to buy a 1978 Silver? Anniversary Corvette. My roommate wanted one so we tried for a deal. Not a chance! They were like $18K or less back then.
I'm not a Vette type of person. I like the car well enough but I can think of other sports cars that I'd rather have.
The Mazdaspeed 3 is likely going to be my next car. If the MINI dealer was closer then I'd consider that.
Not many choices this year for AWD that I like and can afford.
The EVO X and the STi I think make the best compromise also the BMW 1 series, but all just out of my range. I can afford them but not comfortably and my wife seems to have a problem with seeing the nose and tail end of the car so her insurance is waaaaaay up there from dings and dents when she bumps others cars parallel parking. :sick:
I call her the Dentmeister.
The 350Z would never appeal to me, not in looks or performance, ditto the RX8 but for different reasons.
I have a bad back from all the heavy lifting I used to do so a great seat is very important to me a Camry seat makes my back ache after 30 minutes! I can ride in a BMW all day with no discomfort.
So what are you planning on getting?
I'm settling down around mid-sized sport coupes. I've looked at Eclipse (if the rebates get to where I like), Altima coupe, G6 coupe Or the new Accord coupe.
I think I've eliminated the G6 (quality issues) and the Accord (too pricey) so it's really down to the other two.
What I've heard about the Lancer Raliart sounds good too.
I've still got a couple of months so I'm not going to rush into anything. I'll firm up my choices at the car show this Friday though.
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Those sound like good choices depending on what you are looking for. Myself a Coupe wouldn't work for me. I'd have to hit the Lottery in order to justify a coupe. I really need more room and 4 doors.
The lancer Ralliart looks promising but it will come out too late for me considering my wife has to drive my Rex locally and even she's worried about a breakdown. It has reached it's age where it needs a lot to get it really sorted. The Eclipse doesn't sell well and I've always wondered why.
I take it you never considered the Mazdaspeed 3? It's not very sporty looking but goes like stink.
My default car is the Speed3 if I don't find anything better by December.
I hope whatever car you are looking at works out really well for you.
The Mazda Speed3 sounds like a really hot car. I remember researching it some time ago and deciding that it was not for me. Maybe it was the MT (wife doesn't know how to shift). I've always read that the Mazdas have good handling. I don't think the 3 is bad looking although I like the looks of the 6 better.
One thing that makes me steer away from the small performance cars like the 3 is the turbo. I keep my cars for about a million years and I worry about expensive repairs just as the car has lost most of its value due to age.
BTW,you mentioned before about driving in Virginia. I'm in NY and although we don't have that nutty fine system it's almost as bad here.
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I really need the utility of a hatch or a wagon, so for me going from my Sedan WRX into something else should be a benefit. Gas just hit $96 a barrel, that makes me a bit concerned with a performance car, as I drive so much as part of my work.
If you like sedans or coupes the market has a lot to offer but if you need an automatic then the fun stuff diminishes a bit. Have you tried the new Lancer GTS? It has those paddle shifters. I found the power to be lacking but overall the car is very nice.
I have kept my WRX for 200K miles now, not forever but long enough.
If I was doing the same I'd really consider the Accord even if it is a bit pricier. Chances are you can get 10 years out of it. If they were coming out with the diesel this year in LX trim, I'd probably be buying one.
After this next car I buy I will probably switch over to diesels when it comes time to replace my soon to be bought cars.
One thing that makes me steer away from the small performance cars like the 3 is the turbo. I keep my cars for about a million years and I worry about expensive repairs just as the car has lost most of its value due to age.
My Rex has 200K on the clock and not a problem at all with the turbo!
They aren't the crappy turbo's of the K-Car era that's for certain. But they can wear out and they are expensive to replace if they go belly up.
If I worried about turbo failure I'd personally be buying a Civic or an Accord as they are normally aspirated.
too bad the Sedan no longer has a manual V6. A deal killer for me!
BTW,you mentioned before about driving in Virginia. I'm in NY and although we don't have that nutty fine system it's almost as bad here.
Yeah that's why it gets very difficult to justify a performance car nowadays as there are so many cops out there. I set the Cruise at 5mph above and hat's about it. Lots of highway driving and boredom doing the long drive.
Police are into revenue and I don't want to provide them with any.
I'm still holding off on a purchase until I see if I can afford the EVO or the STi. But the new Mitsubishi is a great looking car and the EVO has a fantastic AWD setup in it. The 5 spd should be cheaper and that's what I'd buy.
on the Eclipse I saw at the Super 8 in Grants, NM, on July 21st, 2007, that I commented on liking. This one is good but the one I saw was skinnier and looked a titch better.
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