Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
So all owners that have had problems with brake rotors, go ahead and call NHTSA. I think you will find that there has been no recall to date because there is no specific brake problem with the Diamante. But I rather see owners doing something proactively than just complaining. I have written an extensive online article about brake pulsation and offered to work with any mechanically inclined owner in diagnosing the problem. So far all I have read are owner complaints, but no reall productive owner action to solve the problem. If enough owners call NHTSA, they will be prompted to investigate. That can't hurt. Information is the first step in finding a solution.
For those that missed it, the brake article is at http://www.geocities.com/diamanteowner/article2.htm
Mr. Vivona
Mr. Vivona
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/magna_vr-x/index.html
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/magna/vr-x_home.htm
Catherine Heins is looking for people to interview who have switched from American to Japanese cars in the past few years-- especially folks who wouldn't have given a Toyota or Honda the time of day in the 1970s.
She's a business reporter at the Yomiuri Shimbun, which is the biggest daily paper in Japan with a circulation of 14 million. They are writing a feature story about Japanese automakers' continuing success in expanding production in the U.S. and snatching market share from the Big Three even on their former home turf of light trucks.
If you fit this description and are willing to be interviewed, please call her directly at 212-582-5827 or e-mail her at catheins@yahoo.com. As always, you can contact me at jfallon@edmunds.com if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com
Thanks.
Then it was my turn to drive the I-30. The seat was not as comfortable as the Diamante. I felt the leather, which had a pebble finish, looked more like vinyl than leather. As I accelerated, the transmission at first bogged down, then abruptly downshifted. According to Motorweek, the I-30 takes a second longer to make it to 60 than my Diamante. From the front seat I also could hear a lot more road noise than my Diamante. The brakes were not as linear as my Diamante. As I maneuvered through a slalom shortcut around the back of a shopping center I found the steering to not be as easy and linear as my Diamante. I noted the bottom of the doors were finished in plain plastic and not carpeted like my Diamante. Scuff marks show readily on plain plastic surfaces. The side window defrosters for the front windows were just dash-mounted vents like a cheaper car. The Diamante has ducts into the doors with grilles at the bottom of the window, a better design.
This test drive left me smiling from ear to ear when we got back to the office and I saw my beautiful Diamante parked there. As I drove off in my Diamante I could really feel the difference in comfort and performance . . . the Diamante is much better!
Later, when my friend asked what I thought about the I-30, I told him about the road noise, abrupt transmission, grabby brakes, etc. and he actually agreed with me on all counts. He said these problems weren't a big deal for him and he was motivated to buy the I-30 because his wife really likes the way it looks. Also, the I-30 has a stellar reputation for reliability and he keeps cars for 16 years. He did say he might re-look at the Maxima because it seemed quieter. Perhaps the trunk pass-through in the Maxima doesn't pass as much road noise as the fold down rear seat in the I-30.
So it really comes down to personal opinion when we select cars. I really like the way my Diamante looks, feels and performs and have had excellent luck with past Mitsubishi's. The I-30 test drive only reinforced my opinion.
The Audi and BMW are priced above his $30K MSRP limit. He doesn't like the feel of Honda cars and didn't like the Acura TL.
Another friend has been looking at cars in the near luxury (but under $30K) segment for some time and he is a six-footer. He has driven them all and admits the Diamante is a nice ride and looks better than them all, but he can only fit well into an Avalon. Only problem, he doesn't like the exterior styling of the Avalon, particularly the rear backup lights in the trunk lid. He has been test driving cars off and on for 18 months now. He really likes the Maxima's drive, but considers the exterior styling quite ugly. Currently, he is waiting for the new "larger than Maxima" Altima due out in 2002 in hopes that it will fit him and look better than the ugly Maxima.
I think a lot of people like some things about each car, but cannot find a single car with everything they like in it. This is particularly a problem for those that keep a car a real long time. They are going to have to live with the car for a decade or more and don't want to be annoyed by the negatives. I am one of those long-term owners. I happen to like everything about the Diamante and can see owning it for many years. Right now, there is nothing else out there that appeals to me that way.
Mr. Vivona
Purchased a new 2000 AS which I was basically pleased with. Took it in for a number of warranty issues last week since I was thinking of selling it and buying a 2001 Diamante.
I was told that the antenna mast wasn't covered under warranty due to "customer abuse". My abuse consisted of driving on the highway with the radio on in the winter months.
Mitsubishi at sometime between 93 & 00 had decided to save $.02/antenna and go to a lighter gauge antenna mast. Driving in snow and ice on the highway caused the mast to curve so that it will not fully retract. I've seen a number of Diamantes on the road (actually parking lots) with this same problem. Due to Mitsu's failure to stand behind their product I will no longer be driving Mitsubishi products.
Mr. Vivona
Never, ever, ever, ever again. Wake up and Drive... to another dealership.
My car is due for 30K mile service. I am going to drain the coolant, flush and clean the system and refill it by myself.
Could you give me some advice about the correct procedure? Which brand of coolant would you recommend? Is there anything I should pay attention to? I am afraid that my clumsy hands would make some damage when flushing the system.
thanks!
UCSC
Close the drain valve and fill the radiator with water, then open the valve and let it drain out. Keep repeating this procedure until the water that runs out is clear Then close the valve.
Now you are ready to install new antifreeze. I use Prestone Antifreeze and mix it with purified water in a 50-50 mix. You may want to look on the Prestone container and plan your mix based on the lowest outside temperature you will encounter. The most antifreeze you would want is a 70% mixture. You don't need to actually mix the antifreeze in advance. That is why you measured how much coolant you drained. Let's assume you want a 50-50 mix. For each quart of coolant you initially drained out, you would put in a half of a quart of antifreeze. Once you have poured in the correct amount of antifreeze, you would pour in the correct amount of purified water. When you are done, the coolant should be close to the mix you want. It actually will be a bit less concentrated due to some plain water that may remain during your drain and fill cleanout procedure. Reinstall the radiator cap.
Remove and empty the overflow tank, clean it out, then make up a mix of antifreeze and purified water in the concentration you used for the radiator. Reinstall and fill the overflow tank to the proper level.
Now start the car and let it idle for 2 minutes, then shut it off and let it sit for 5 minutes. What you are doing is allowing the trapped air to bleed through a small valve in the thermostat. Feel the radiator, it should still be cool. Open the radiator cap and check the coolant level. If it has gone down, add a enough coolant mix to bring it back up to the neck of the radiator. Tighten the radiator cap and start the engine again and let it idle for 5 minutes, watching the temperature gauge. If the temperature doesn't start to climb, shut of the engine and let it sit for another 5 minutes. There still may be air in the fluid causing the water pump to not be able to move the coolant. Usually by now you will see the temp gauge start to increase and if you turn on the heater, feel warm air starting to come out of the vents. This is a good sign that the coolant is flowing properly. Then go for a drive and see if the temp gauge rises to normal.
The next day, while the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and check the coolant level. Add some if needed. Also check the coolant overflow tank, adding coolant if needed. This is to replace any air that was in the coolant passages.
Note the temp reading after your engine is fully warmed. It should be the same as before you changed the coolant. If it is lower, you may have damaged the thermostat during the initial warmup after changing the coolant (it happens). In that case, you should replace the thermostat with a new part from your dealer's parts department. Running an engine colder than normal will sludge it up and accelerate wear.
Mr. Vivona
I bought my 1999 Diamante 11 months ago for $19K and that is with 5000 miles. So its not really a good deal as it stands.
Check with Kelly Blue book and judge what is a fair price from there.I suggest $16-$17K for the vehicle or look at purchasing a 2000 model for the price as it would still have greater part of the 3 year warranty left than the 1999.
-C-
I'm looking for car now and I found this 1997 D ES at the dealer.
It's fully loaded with sunroof, leather, CD, and ABS, I believe.
I can get this with $8500 but it has high miles, 127,000 miles. I ran through carfax.com and seemed it's clean record.
I spent 2,3 hrs to review those messages on this board and it sounds like D is almost reliable car. I know 127k miles is alot. Previous owner probably drove 100 miles/day.
I dont mind to spend another $1000-2000 to fix the problems if there are any.
What do you think about this deal? Is this too much miles for used car? I'll appreciate any comments from you guys. thanks.
Yuya
The other question I have is do these cars burn alot of oil? The car does not smoke or anything, but I noticed the oil was very low. I put 3 quarts in, but have not checked the oil in 2 days. These questions if answered would help me out. My dilema is that I still have the 30-day lemon law, but i do not want to give this car back( i am in love with it already), but i will if this is a sign of things to come. I am 21, in college and need a reliable car, not a problem trap. Please answer soon, thank you very much.
Abes
Sorry to know you have trouble with Diamante. I have a 92 D LS, and I am also a student and I had dilema similar to yous.
My car is also in immaculate condition and has been very well cared for. Previous owner has all service/repair records. He did details on the car twice a year ... The paint is very good, leather seats are in good condition. I loved it.
BUT it is not very reliable and repair is very expensive. I bought it last Oct. I have been to dealer twice, and spent $1450! Accroding to the service record of previous owner, he went to dealer to almost every three months to repair AC, brake, alarm system, moon roof ... and spent thousands of $ already. When I brought the car to dealer, everyone recognized it.
UCSC
As to oil consumption, any car with 129,000 miles on it will use some oil. Also, nine year old car has a lot of years of heat that has probably hardened some seals and gaskets, so there can be a bit of oil leakage. If you are at 800-1000 miles per quart, I wouldn't worry about it except to keep up with checking the oil and don't let it run low.
Overall, the Diamante is a reliable car. During the years that it was reported on in Consumer Reports and Carpoint it had a very good record. A lot depends on the quality of the mechanics that work on it. Even the most reliable car can be ruined by improper shop procedure.
Mr. Vivona
1) 31,000 miles the front brakes pads were replaced and rotors turned due to severe vibrations upon brake application, especially at higher speeds.
2) 35,000 miles the front rotors needed to be turned again due to vibrations and the rear rotors turned too.
3) 45,000 miles the front required NEW rotors. Vibration set in and the rotors were to thin to turn again.
4) 65,000 miles the front and rear pads needed to be replaced and all rotors turned due to vibrations. I expect I'll have another turning of the front rotors in 3,000 miles; I'll let you know.
All work was performed by the dealer. An on-caliper brake lathe was used, the wheels torqued to 80 ft/lbs and runout was checked at my request. Most all driving was highway and not stop and go. This same thing happened with my 92D.
I tried to post this on the "Brake Problem" link, but it hasn't accepted new posts for some time. It would be nice if Mitsubishi fixed this problem as the rest of the car has been virtually flawless. Unfortunately, since Mitsubishi appears to be ignoring this critical issue, my next car will probably be an ACURA. I would not be surprised if the Diamanti were discontinued due to low demand and was replaced by the Galant. This would be unfortunate, but it appears inevitable.
> discontinued due to low demand and was replaced
> by the Galant. This would be unfortunate, but
> it appears inevitable.
If you make such a blatant statement... try to substantiate it with some factual numbers and references ...
I don't believe your assertions derived from your keen insights and observations in your little "neck of the woods" do not quite make it the ultimate authority on the sales performance of the D' nor its mechanical worthyness.
As for me and my 99 D'...it has 21K miles now and no problems with any vibration or brakes.
Ohhh boy can't wait till I reach 31K miles to see what happens!!! ;-)
-C-
If the runout was properly checked and found to be at or near zero and the lugs were torqued using the proper procedure (i.e. not after an impact wench was used) then I wonder if you have a problem with the surface of the alloy wheels that mates with the hub. If the wheel surface had excessive runout, that could be transferred to the hub and rotor. Try checking the rotor runout with the wheel mounted and lug nuts tightened. You will have to drill a small hole in the rotor backing shield to gain access for the dial indicator, but if you find that the runout is okay with the wheel off and excessive with the wheel mounted, that would point to a problem with the wheel, or possibly the mounting surface of the hub.
As to the Diamante's future, the last I heard is that Mitsubishi will increase imports to the USA by 20-30% in 2002, with some of this increase due to sales to AVIS for rental use. There also is a sport version expected for 2002, with more horsepower, etc.
Mr. Vivona
Thanks!
Bill
FYI taken from the Mitsi. website...
Any transmission problem comes under the 5 year/ 60,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Mitsubishi comes with extensive coverage to ensure your satisfaction, including a 3-year/36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty; a 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty; and a 7-year/100,000-mile Anti-Corrosion/Perforation Limited Warranty.
-C-
You may not have brake problems now, but shortly after you have your first brake job you are going to be in for a rude awakening. All of the brake work I mentioned happened in the span of 18 months. I've driven D's for in excess of 260,000 miles and have personally owned 2 and have had the problem with both. Just give yourself a little more time, you may be posting the same message. I hope not, but really something needs to be done with the brakes. I've been extremely fortunate with my transmissions. Others have had problems and I guess I've been lucky. I hope we are all lucky in getting Mitsubishi to address the problems so that we can continue to buy D's. As I said, I love the car, but for the brakes.
I also don't believe the gas tank is 19 gallons. I drove my car 20 miles after the red gas warning light was on and I could only pump in 15.3 gallons.
UCSC
There are not many cars that have super accurate gas gauges.
A lot of it also has to do with the ambient temperature at the time. If its a hot summers day you gas warning light might come on sooner than if it was cold night.
In any case, to make sure you never run out of gas while driving you should know the average miles you can achieve with a full tank of gas.
I usually achieve 330 miles in part city and part highway driving when the gas warning light comes on. When I fill up it tends to be around the 15 gallon mark. I then know that I still have more or less 4 gallons in reserve.
Using the indicated conservative gas consumption of 18 miles /gallon for the 1999 'D' I then know that I have more or less 70 miles before my car sputters dead. So I can guesstimate how many gas stations I can skip before I'm forced to do a refueling stop.
-C-
Has anyone added more than 18 gallon of gas to D?
UCSC
Better safe than sorry.
Now, if you really meant that there is no increase in MPH when you press on the gas, but there is an increase in RPM, then you do have a transmission issue. Only a full check of the electrical and hydraulic systems can tell you if your problem is related to the computer, the hyduaulics or an internal mechanical problem. Have the transmission computer read for error codes.
Read your owner's manual for the specifics of what is covered under the powertrain warranty. Do not take the dealer's word for it. Call Mitsubishi customer service for clarification of the warrant coverage terms.
So which is it? Does the RPM or MPH not increase when you try to acclerate?
Mr. Vivona
Mr. Vivona
Note that the "check engine light" does NOT come on when it stalls, or even while it's dying, and the bulb does light when you first start, so it's not burned out. The D was towed to the dealer this AM, but yesterday I found the code-retrieval procedure on the web, and would like to know what the following multiple codes (assuming we measured them correctly) might imply when "combined", while I wait to hear from the dealer on their findings:
13 - Air intake temp sensor fault
25 - Barometric pressure sensor fault
31 - Knock sensor fault
Plugs, wires, fuel, air filters all changed and fuel injectors cleaned 3K miles ago; 1/2 through a tank of 93-octane gas.
Thanks,
Michelle