Mitsubishi celebrates 40 years in the UK

[Wilko220]

 

 

 

More here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/mitsubishi/10954575/Mitsubishi-celebrates-40-years-in-the-UK.html

[UmBongo]

Mmm...Starion.

 

 

Happy Birthday Mitsubishi!

[skattrd]

This reminds me, I need to get my Galant Sapporo fixed. Does anyone know where I could get a bottom end for the 2.4l 4 pot.

[stormee]

They don't want to make money in Germany any more, obviously. A very weird product range and the poorest marketing in car history.

[holbeck]

Always thought Mitsubishi motors had a very eccentric offering. But always solidly engineered, over engineered some might say.

 

I worked at Mitsubishi in the 90's and almost all the warranty claims were customer abuse rather than the parts themselves.

[Hendry]

Now they just make bland boring dull cars, reliable? Probably. solid and well built? Probably but not stylish at all which is what people these days are after, the Outlander and the L200 are horrendously bad cars as well IMO, and the automatic L200 is dangerous, braving pulling out of a junction requires bigger balls than a football or a mile of clear road. The newest Lancer interior is like a throwback to the 80s, the Mirage is odd looking at best and the ASX is like a Qashqai but even worse! Definitely future autoshite.

[Felly Magic]

They are really starting to struggle in Europe I think, can't see em lasting much longer here to be fair

[r.welfare]

The hybrid Outlander seems to be generating some excitement in company car world but I can't imagine the rest make many sales. The Mirage seems to have been slated in the press and I was amazed to see the Shogun is still available; as a design introduced in 1999 this must be one of the oldest you can still buy new.

[Lacquer Peel]

The hybrid Outlander seems to be generating some excitement in company car world but I can't imagine the rest make many sales. The Mirage seems to have been slated in the press and I was amazed to see the Shogun is still available; as a design introduced in 1999 this must be one of the oldest you can still buy new.

 

Probably the biggest 4-cylinder engine in any production car

 

 

Not my words, the words of Mitsubishi UK, as if it's a positive attribute.

 

I hired a 2009 Mitsubishi Colt last time I was on holiday, it was quite pokey for a 1.3, nice to drive and mega roomy for a small car - shame its replacement is the ugly and cheaply made 'emerging markets' Mirage.

[crapcarcollector]

I honestly thought Mitsubushi UK had shut down and toddled back off to Japan 3 or 4 years ago. 

 

Then I saw their new ad on telly, and then remembered the L200.

 

I think it must be time to either do something with the brand or kill it in the UK. 

[Junkman]

God help us.

 

 

Please tell me that this isn't true.

 

Also, is the Mirage really the only car they make nowadays?

[Asimo]

Their dealers don't help. I tried to buy a new Colt (I know, I know but I had a Golf at the time), the basic 3 door 3 pot. A deal was done on the basis of the advertised price and 0% credit etc. Deposit paid, registered etc. etc.

The day before I was to collect I had a call from the salesman,"could you come in sir, there is a problem"

 

They wanted another £900, on a £6995 car. Tossers. They wouldn't back down so I took the deposit back and bought an Avantime.

[grogee]

I really like some of the 80s and 90s models, I remember a Galant in RAC rally - in fact I remember it rolling over and all the pace notes flying out, late 80s perhaps?

 

I'm sure they're suffering with Japanese exchange rate which is what did for Daihatsu and is killing Subaru here too. So Mitsubishi Japan doesn't care about UK sales as they're not as profitable as elsewhere. Hence MMUK has a hard job on its hands selling products that its parent can't afford to tweak to UK (European?) tastes.

 

Disagree about the ASX, yes it's a Qashqai clone but it's a very good one. The 1.8 diesel has some very clever tech and I managed a measured 60mpg in it. Although I think they've superseded it now! Another product planning master stroke.

 

My auntie has a Colt diesel auto, I think it's a bit of a lemon as she keeps spending big on it getting things fixed, she should have chopped it in ages ago.

 

Mitsubishi Japan got done a few years ago for warranty fraud, hiding evidence etc - were slapped with a big fat fine. Not sure how much (if any) reflected on UK market.

 

Still think the early 00's Galant is a great looking car.

[Station]

I was a huge fan of Mitsubishi's, but the modern stuff is horrible.

 

They could've redeemed themselves with the new Lancer Evolution, but look at the previous versions and then look at the version X. I just don't like it.

 

 

They must make money appealing to the knucledragging 'I do MMA me honest' knob heads with those useless Warrior things, but nothing else.

 

Think those 80's and 90's Mitsubishi's are ace, they loved the simple, clean angular shape thing.

 

[andy18s]

Mrs has an 08 Outlander and loved it right up to the point where the clutch went.Seems Mitsy decided to use the excellent VW 2.0 Tdi engine but fit it with the Lupo 1.0 clutch plate.lost all faith in it now so she's after a Disco 3/Mercedes ML.....

[xtriple]

My dearly beloved (now not with me... seperated, not dead!) bought a Colt CZ1 new in 2008. Basic model, 1.1 3 pot and we specced it up a bit then added 17" wheels in black (the car was black mica) and it looked great. It was a cracking little car and totally reliable. I last drove it a year ago and it was still lovely though it had still only done about 16000 miles!

 

Don't know if she's still got it, but it was/is a brilliant car and I see loads of them around here so Mitsi must have sold a fair few. The dealers are crap though... thank God they are reliable, don't think the dealers we bought it from could have fixed a puncture!

 

So much of the success or failure of brands is down to the dealer network, I'm sure if the smaller brands (Misubishi, Subaru, MG etc) could entice better dealers, the brand as a whole would thrive. Years ago, I was selling advertising in Grimsby and everywhere you went, you were surrounded by Fiats. This was at a time when Fiats were universally despised (has anything changed?) but in Grimsby/Cleethorpes there were MILLIONS of the bastards. Turned out the dealer was epic - customer service, repeat business, fair deals, just a fantastic dealer with loads of loyal customers. Hope they are still going stroing, they deserved to do well.

 

Bet the Fiats aren't though!

[Anglevan]

I'm a big fan of the mitsubishi including some of the current models.

I have a 1986 lancer that I bought about 3 or 4 years ago off eBay for 250 ish. It's now just gone straight through another mot with no issues. In that time I've done the cambelt and fitted pads. That's it.

I also have an l300 van I converted to a camper. I've just got back from touring denmark and Sweden.

Funny seeing it at the ferry port with loads of transporters and not another non vw there !

I will get round to posting pictures at some point. I'd be very sad to see mitsubishi pull out of the UK market.

[Shep Shepherd]

I really like the late-1980s version of the Sapporo

[Ronnie L]

After driving around in a variety of lovable but shite motors for over 30 years I treated myself to a brand new L200 4-life double cab pick-up for my 50th birthday in 2003. It was a great buy and I'm still driving around in it, even though it's done over 100,000 hard working miles. It has been incredibly reliable (although it's now starting to need quite a few things done to it) and I reckon I will get some years out of it yet. Among its many uses I have used it for carrying large loads of building materials and for doing vehicle recovery with a Brian James transporter trailer. I had always said I would never buy a new vehicle but I broke that vow in 2003 with the L200 and I've never regretted it.

Some folks criticise the L200 for being slow and for its road manners. But hey ...... it's a TRUCK not a car. I used to drive a LWB Landrover at work and compared to it the L200 handles and drives like a dream. Top marks to Mitsubishi for this one. I just wish their spares prices weren't so ridiculous. Just as well you don't need them often!

[Lacquer Peel]

Mrs has an 08 Outlander and loved it right up to the point where the clutch went.Seems Mitsy decided to use the excellent VW 2.0 Tdi engine but fit it with the Lupo 1.0 clutch plate.lost all faith in it now so she's after a Disco 3/Mercedes ML.....

 

Did the clutch last 6 years? That's not bad.

 

I know Disco 3s and modern Mercedes are paragons* of reliability so she'll be alright* there.

[andy18s]

I do have to give it some credit as we were towing a 30ft static caravan with flat tyres across a paddock when it 1st started slipping.Any sort of workout gets it smelling tho' so she doesn't trust it anymore

And I agree with the moderns and the lack of any sort of home maintainability but she needs a decent car to "show off" to clients.Im trying to steer her to something small and sporty again, with a shonky old 4x4 for caravan duties.......

[garbaldy]

Hold on let me get this straight, you are complaining about the misterbishi because its been reliable untill you forced a breakage by useing it for tractor duties.

[andy18s]

Wouldn't have happened with a landrover.........lol

[dugong]

Wouldn't have happened with a landrover.........lol

No, but the Land Rover would have rotted away and be made mostly of chequerplate by now. LOL.

[mouseflakes]

My L300 Delica just joined in the celebrations with a lovely fresh MOT today
 

[UmBongo]

 

Never mind the bollocks, here's a little pocket rocket.

 

It's as ugly as sin but it goes like a greasy rat down a silicon drainpipe...

[garbaldy]

I wouldn't say that's any uglier than other small hatchbacks on the market,

They take to tuning rather well as over 200bhp is easily achievable.

[xtriple]

 

Never mind the bollocks, here's a little pocket rocket.

 

It's as ugly as sin but it goes like a greasy rat down a silicon drainpipe...

That's what the wife has got. Black with black 17" multispoke wheels. Good car.

[AnthonyG]

I can well imagine their main seller is the double-cab pick-up, followed by the Outlander. The dealer in Hereford used to be Protons and Skodas, now Proton is practically dead and they lost the Skoda franchise because they didn't want/have the money for the 'improvements' Skoda wanted them to make.

 

Now they sell Mitsi's and little Chinese vans called LGBT or something. I await the awarding of the MG franchise!

 

The Mirage looks horrifically grim even from a distance, even the current Micra (another once proud name stuck on a Indian bargain basement thing) better.

[Junkman]

No, but the Land Rover would have rotted away and be made mostly of chequerplate by now. LOL.

 

How well old Mitsubishites rot you can watch in my front garden.

It even challenges a Peugeot 305 van rotting away in my back garden at a sensational rate.