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New Mitsubishi Outlander Owners Give us your report

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Comments

  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    One thing I've heard about the factory Navi package is that updates are infrequent. Not sure if this has been corrected since reading about it here, but I think they were over a year old last I heard. Aftermarket GPS are far cheaper and updates are frequent. I know one thing I absolutely hate about my RF (non-music server) is the red LED readout is useless in daylight (washes out with any sun or is too dim when lights are turned on in the rain). If the sound wasn't so great I'd be ripping it out.
  • 20vcq20vcq Member Posts: 82
    Nav system - updates cost $190 are two years out of date when you get them - go with a hand held Garmin etc

    Sound system its pretty good - can't see why you would change - unless you go high high end and are an audiophile.

    Warning - this is a plow horse compared to the Morano - don't go hot into the corners as you would have .. you wont like the plow understeer - and the "on demand" all wheel drive can get very annoying with its momentary delay in tight snow covered corners. Other than those comments I also like mine - and it can tow 3500 lbs of trailer to boot.
    But it is no Audi or Morano :)
    IMHO
  • dkrwdkrw Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2012
    hi could you tell us how your paint prob got resolved? we are having same thing an now dealer says i have to buy mud flaps all around. we bought a 2011 outlander in aug . paint is really chipped around rear doors where it meets the fender please help if you can
  • 20vcq20vcq Member Posts: 82
    No solution from manufacturere or dealer. I put an insurnace claim through for total or almost paint job and installed a plastic coating to the area below belt line on both sides and front end of car - but also installed ROMIC running board which was the real solution to the side chips.
    http://www.invisiblecarbras.com/
    Oh and if you decide to install the invisible bra - heed the warning about no breezes while working tith the front especially - you REALLY need a closed garage :)
  • mcollismcollis Member Posts: 25
    After NO help from Mitsubishi (though the dealer did install a bit of 3M protective material on their own dime), I solved the problem by turning the vehicle in and going back to Volkswagen. Nary a chip on the VW, so I KNOW it's not "my roads."
  • bubbawillybubbawilly Member Posts: 9
    Sounds like Mitsubishi has yet to correct their paint problem. Like the previous poster I traded mine in. The X4 I drove through 3 Colorado winters (and on exactly the same roads) survived without a single chip, and the XRS we purchased last fall made it through the first winter without a chip, and without the rear floor carpeting coming up, and without replacing the transmission, etc. I'll never buy another Mitsubishi, and I warn anyone who asks to stear clear.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    Yes Mitsubishi Motors has a paint problem and it is a pity, really, because the car is very good in all terrain. Cars can be protected by installing flexible mud flaps in the front (not mud guards) which unfortunately are not sold in the USA. Your dealer (part department) may order from you directly from Japan. It is costly but it works. The kit part number is MZ531375 (25,000 yens). The kit provides mud flaps for the front and rear of the car. The flaps will protect your car from flying stones produced by the front wheels rotations.

    Flying stones are also produced by trucks and cars at high speed travelling in both directions to you. These stones can chip not only your car paint but also lacerate your wind screen. No car paint can sustain this punishment regardless of car make.

    Protective film kits are also a good help (e.g. AUT07yxx01) and hood protector (e.g. MR936650), etc. You may need to change them every 3-4 years for new ones. However after this time you may be thinking in trade your car for a new one.
  • dkrwdkrw Member Posts: 3
    yes and thank you we feel also never buy another mits bought it in aug and car hasnt been on the road since january. thats what i say cheap paint job whats the diff between flaps and mud guards? as in previous post?
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    The mud “flap” is made of a very strong and flexible plastic a bit wider and longer than the mud “guard” which are made of very strong plastic. The “flap” distorts according the shape of the road while the “guard” does not. I used these “flap” in my adventure to Alaska, and indeed it works. I personally ordered them from Japan and the Japanese seller (accept VISA card) sent it to me to my address in the USA. Although I protected the vehicle from flying stones from the front wheels, many paint chips on the body where done by passing by vehicles (e.g. big trunks).

    You may take your VW, BMW, Subaru, etc to Alaska and you will see that there is not paint strong enough to protect your car’s paint.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    i have an 07 outlander. it's black.and i don't have any paint chips. why? I installed mudguards and flaps early on. the first week of ownership, it was very apparent from the amount of road splash that the rear door is getting hit bad by road debris.i didn't wait. I bought OEM mudguards, and still got a little bit of road debris even after that. Tha's when I decided to install longer mudflaps in addition to the mudguards. see here: http://goo.gl/vSx2E. 6 years and counting, no paint stripping. got dings and scratches but not paint stripping.

    this vehicle has design problems, especially the bottom part of the door. i don't think it's the paint at all.you can repaint it with other paint types but if you don't protect it with a long mudflap, it will get stripped.
  • 20vcq20vcq Member Posts: 82
    edited March 2012
    While I am the one that started this string - In a small defence of Mitsu paint - the "new" water based paints are less resilliant and the '07 I am told was the first to use it. All new autos now receive this type of paint.
    No excuse for the lousy support from Mitsubishi Canada i.m.o.
    Mud flaps / mud guards - english term vs. N.A. term i believe - and they are available at Canadian Mitsu dealers you can find reference to them here:
    http://www.mitsubishi-motors.ca/en/vehicles/outlander/2012/accessories/

    As to buying another one? Probably not for me - they are simply to noisy on the highway compared to competitors vehicles. But mine has been trouble free. The only annoyance has been the suspension noises caused by the rubber bushings - and getting them to make the noises when at the dealer!!
    Apparently a common problem on the east coast salty roads but as I own one of only 4 '07 Outlanders sold at the then new dealership - they do not have the volume of returns some eastern dealers record. And of course Mitsu Canada will once again not acknowledge this as a problem.
  • bubbawillybubbawilly Member Posts: 9
    "Flying stones are also produced by trucks and cars at high speed travelling in both directions to you. These stones can chip not only your car paint but also lacerate your wind screen. No car paint can sustain this punishment regardless of car make. "

    Perhaps you didn't read my post completely. 2 cars and 4 full winters later (the Mits didn't roll off the showroom floor until January), and no chips on either car. Same roads, same flying stones, gravel, sand, and magnesium chloride. 3 years more on one car, and 3 months more on the other. No sand blast effect, no chips. Windshields need to be replaced almost annually here in Colorado, but not paint. There is clearly a significant difference in the application and/or quality of the paint (also waterbased). Either there is more paint, more clear coat, or both are higher quality, or all of the above. The Mits would have had no paint remaining by now. There isn't a mud flap big enough. It would have had to cover the entire car. Pity is correct. As another poster said, use your common sense. Based on my direct experience that would be not buying a Mits. Sorry!
  • dkrwdkrw Member Posts: 3
    thank you for all your input on this. not much help from the u. s. mitsubishi motors either. please keep us aprised of any new info, an we will do the same
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    indeed. i mean if you're worried too much about your car's paint getting damage by road debris, might as well not buy a car. i consider road debris as normal wear and tear.more in some locations than others.what can i say?people say i wont buy another mitsubishi.that's fine.that's your opinion.maybe if you had bought a toyota or a honda then your car's paint would stay chip-free and no stripping from road debris?
  • jonoxjonox Member Posts: 100
    2010 Outlander, black, no mudflaps, no gravel roads, no paint chips.
  • batman47batman47 Member Posts: 606
    I think it is a matter of perception. I will never personally buy a car based purely on whether the car’s paint fragments easily or the car’s paint hardly chips. What matters are the drivability / manoeuvrability and the sense of safety whilst driving the Outlander on hostile terrain. The difference at the end between cars is the number of paint spots covered with touch paint.
    The Mitsubishi undoubtedly will have more paint spots if I do not take care at the very beginning to protect the paint of my car. For many owners the numbers of scars are synonymous of battles performed or gained against the aggressive terrain.

    Not any comparable (BMW, Audi, etc) cars as far as the number of differentials (which are responsibly for your safety) equal the Outlander GT performance. So if I care about my safety a few more paint chips are worth having.

    If you have relatives in Australia you may request front mudflaps: These mudflaps, as I said, help to protect your Outlander’s body work from paint chips caused from stones and other obstacles that are flung out from beneath the tires.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    My '07's been through 5 Wisconsin winters, no mud flaps. There are some chips on the rear door, nothing major. I touch them up each spring, paint and interior quality could be better on this car, mechanically it's been excellent.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • beargator56beargator56 Member Posts: 35
    I just traded in my 2008 that had 72k miles on it for a 2012 GT. Both are FWD V-6, and both have sunroof, navigation, leather, and Rockford Fosgate stereo.

    There's not a lot of difference between the cars, honestly. Performance is virtually identical, other than MPGs suffering right now. More than likely, that's due to the break-in period.

    Things I like:

    -Fog lights
    -Auto headlights
    -Color info center
    -Auto-sensing wipers
    -Navigation with traffic
    -Soft feel application on doors and dash, although they should have done the whole dash
    -Reverse camera
    -More aggressive styling

    Things I miss:

    -The "secret" compartment in the middle of the dash.
    -The 5 spoke 18" wheels. Much sportier than the 7 spoke
    -The 110 volt outlet in the arm rest

    Things I still dislike:

    -The Goodyear tires. Same exact ones I got 28k miles out of the first time. I'll start saving up for the Michelins now.

    Things that need work:

    -The arm rest on the driver's door needs thicker material. At 4 years, the 2008 developed a hole from my elbow.
  • rcpaxrcpax Member Posts: 580
    you don't wanna wait for the 2013 model in the fall? I think they will be releasing a plugin hybrid version of it as well.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    I'm anticipating the plugin version as well but am cautious as it might bring with it a $3-9K price premium and there's no info yet if that'll be offset by a tax break.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • beargator56beargator56 Member Posts: 35
    The 2013 pictures I saw weren't very attractive. I like the styling of the 2012. Apparently, a lot of people do so far. I've been getting a lot of compliments from random people. The Labrador Black seems to stand out more than the gray I had. The lines of the car really show, and are set off by the chrome accents on the windows and running boards.
  • fastgstfastgst Member Posts: 46
    I also decided to purchase the 2012 GT instead of the 2013 hybrid model, I know the next one is going focus more on carbon footprint, more to compete with something like a Toyota highlander hybrid.

    The current 2012 GT is perforamance oriented, the S-AWC is outstanding. (I drove all of the contenders out there but the Outlander GT AWD makes me smile when tossing it around) I also like the flip down tailgate, a nice place to stage and change my shoes for biking and hiking.
    While the design is a few years old I liked that they upgraded the intrument panel with color LCD, such a simple thing upped the class.

    I would think there won't be much discount getting the 2013 model (at least not that $1000 incentive going on now), plus you have to deal with potential first year issues.

    The black looks great on the face lift. I think it's the best color for it.. but I chose a white one with beige because I'm sensitive to heat inside the cabin.
  • fastgstfastgst Member Posts: 46
    People love to complain about paint quality, the truth is recent years the car paint went water based and they are really weak. Have you heard of any car owner who has a newer car (2006+) saying "I love my new car's paint, it is so durable!". I havn't find anyone..

    When I had a 95 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the paint is thick on it, you can actually see the depth and luster of the clear coat. I almost don't notice any chips on the front bumper. Things are not the same now

    Mazda also make pretty looking cars but their paint is just as thin and received similar complaints.
    Search on some forums and you will find people with bug splatter easily chipped the paint job on the bumper.

    I also own a 2011 Volvo, a slightly more expensive brand, received a couple of bird droppings on it for a few hours the clearcoat permanently blemished and etched after cleaning it off.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited July 2012
    I don't agree. Even with the enviro regs, paint's a lot better than it was in the old days (old meaning 15 or 20 years ago). The fact that the carrier may be water doesn't really mean squat. Besides better techniques and nana-technology, we enjoy such innovations as Nissan's self-healing paint. That stuff has been adopted for hard use consumer goods, like iPhone cases, to make them more scratch resistant.

    Solvent based paints didn't hold up to bird droppings any better than modern clear coats do, and for every complaint about someone's car paint you can find today, you can find similar ones going back to the early days of the net. Before the mid-90s research isn't as easy as clicking around with your mouse, but I don't know anyone who wants to go back to cans of Japan Black.
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