Yet another Mitsubishi...

[wuvvum]

 

I've always liked the look of these - I think they look proper aggressive from the front, and the rest of the styling is pretty clean. This one's a 2-litre manual with 101K on the clock which I picked up from Hull this morning. Unfortunately the "scraping noise from underneath" turned out to be a fecked gearbox - it drove the 200-odd miles home no probs at all, but it does whine like a bugger, especially when pulling away - you don't really hear it at motorway speeds. I'm really impressed with the way it drives though - it's no ball of fire, but it's adequately quick, and it feels superbly stable and planted on the road (at least it does now - it's pictured here in my local Tesco garage after I'd reduced the front tyre pressures from 46 and 41 psi to a slightly more sensible 33... ). The interior is nice too - well screwed together and quite classy for a Japanese car - and everything works, including the cruise control and the headlight washers. The aircon is nice and cold too. I'm just a bit hacked off about the gearbox - I bought it to use as a tow car as I've given up trying to find a sensibly priced towbar for the Camry, but I'm pretty sure that if I try to tow anything bigger than a dinghy the gearbox will implode. I'm in a bit of a dilemma now - I paid £300 for it, and I reckon I'm unlikely to get that back with the gearbox sounding like it does. I'm in two minds whether to cut my losses and flog it and buy another one, or whether to hold out for a secondhand 'box on eBay (I've had a look and access is actually quite easy for a modern car) and sort this one - other than the noisy 'box and a couple of scabs on the back arches it's fine, and the engine's a peach. One good thing's come out of it though - I've found that one of my favourite saloon cars to look at is also one of the best driving saloons I've owned. In fact I might start saving for a VR4...

[reallyloud]

Fantastic cars, I had one for a while, and it munched up the motorway miles with no problems. I personally would search the trader/ebay for a gearbox. Is it a manual or auto? Manuals tend to be slightly rarer than the auto boxes, but like you say keeping it is your best bet. There's every chance you could pick up a shitter for next to nothing anyway.

[mouseflakes]

Very handsome these - one of the few modern motors I'd consider owning for their looks alone.

[Torsten2001]

I had a manual estate recently, a year older than yours with 197k on it, it was a little tired but what a great car, superb to drive and totally on the button, swapped it for a bike but I should've kept it! I would out yours and get another!

[retrogeezer]

Always liked the look of them too....nice cars.

[dollywobbler]

Is it worth just checking that the gearbox has some oil in it? You may get lucky...

[wuvvum]

Is it worth just checking that the gearbox has some oil in it? You may get lucky...

I'll do that, but I think the whining has got a bit beyond that unfortunately - it sounds like a shagged bearing rather than just a dry one.

[r.welfare]

I think garethj had to have the gearbox bearings replaced in his, seems to be a weak point on the manuals and I don't think the autos are indestructible either - about the only fault on these, I'm led to believe. Always liked these Galants though, a guy I worked with bought one new in '98, the natural rival to the Accords that I've had a couple of.

[Station]

Is it an autobox. I investigated auto boxes on FTO's, it might be something little like Clutch Damper Control. Might not be. Sell it and buy another.

[AnthonyG]

What do you do with all these cars Wuvs, do you have some sort of secret breakers yard business or something ?

 

Do you export obscure Asian saloon cars to Iraq or somewhere?

 

Is it some form of car buying OCD?

[pogweasel]

Nice, sleek design... just a shame they put enormous wheelarches coupled with sofa-castor wheels on them. Always look very odd.

[Guest]

These Galants look utterly ace, I think one of the finest car designs of the 90s. I've seen one on a really late plate before too, 53 or something.

[wuvvum]

Is it some form of car buying OCD?

Yes.

[shite_meister]

I really like these-'ansome front on ee and as you say they look a little agressive but not in a 'I drive a new Audi thus I am a complete wanker' sort of way.last year I was at a car auction and a really tidy low mileage one sold for £200 but as I wasn't in the market for such a motor I stupidly didn't bid, bloke I know bought it and still feckin loves it.Couple of months later I needed a cheap motor for a long European trip and one of those would've been perfect