Consider this beehive kicked: The Eclipse was crap long before they tried to bloat it into a crossover SUV. Mitsubishi killed it by continuing to sell the things knowing damn well they had faulty sumps and oil pumps, so they’d constantly starve of oil and then explode. My sister’s Eclipse was the only car I’ve ever witnessed to melt its own radiator. I think that pointless hump in the hood was actually to have a space to contain all your cams and valves when they left the chat at highway speed.
And then, back in the day it was Mitsubishi and not Kia or Nissan who were so desperate for sales that their dealerships were instructed to finance any moron at punitive interest no matter the risk and put them in a brand new base Eclipse or, occasionally, a Galant. Bad credit? No credit? No eyesight? No pulse? No problem!
So the early 2000’s equivalent of “Big Altima Energy” was you inevitably found that any unexploded Eclipse driven by anyone who wasn’t a tuner was instead being piloted by somebody who had no business whatsoever operating a motor vehicle. Sure, that was really a problem with the drivers and not the car, but it means that to this very day every time you see one you still let out that disgruntled sigh and give it an extra couple of car lengths of room.
I await with interest my imminent crucifixion by angry Eclipse owners, now. Go on, give it to me. I am invincible!
Yeah part of the problem was you had the VR-4 which all the car nuts understood, but then everyone bought the S or SE and they were everywhere, half because it was an affordable midlevel car, and half because they wanted a VR-4 and couldn’t afford it
I’m speaking from a 2000s perspective, but everybody hated the Gallant. It was a wannabe Lancer (which in of itself was a wannabe Evo). You only bought the Gallant because you wanted a Fast and Furious car but didn’t have the money for an actual car from the films.
I had one and when it ran, it was great. Went through 3 used engines and only ran well after I went through and tested/replaced every sensor and component. Lots of fun but not something for a person without a workshop.
Did you have the twin turbo model? I’ve known two people who had the non-twin turbo models and they LOVED them, but both of them required soooooo much work.
So small! So down-low-to-the-ground! So heavy! So sexy!
I only ask because I used to have a 2003 eclipse (bought used in 2010 or so and kept until 2016) and I loved it, because it got decent mileage and nobody ever asked for a ride (which is why I still have a coupe), but I also really never encountered anyone else with one, much less driving like an idiot (and it wasn’t me, I’m a really cautious driver)… so I’m kinda curious. Coupes in general have never been particularly popular around here.
Consider this beehive kicked: The Eclipse was crap long before they tried to bloat it into a crossover SUV. Mitsubishi killed it by continuing to sell the things knowing damn well they had faulty sumps and oil pumps, so they’d constantly starve of oil and then explode. My sister’s Eclipse was the only car I’ve ever witnessed to melt its own radiator. I think that pointless hump in the hood was actually to have a space to contain all your cams and valves when they left the chat at highway speed.
And then, back in the day it was Mitsubishi and not Kia or Nissan who were so desperate for sales that their dealerships were instructed to finance any moron at punitive interest no matter the risk and put them in a brand new base Eclipse or, occasionally, a Galant. Bad credit? No credit? No eyesight? No pulse? No problem!
So the early 2000’s equivalent of “Big Altima Energy” was you inevitably found that any unexploded Eclipse driven by anyone who wasn’t a tuner was instead being piloted by somebody who had no business whatsoever operating a motor vehicle. Sure, that was really a problem with the drivers and not the car, but it means that to this very day every time you see one you still let out that disgruntled sigh and give it an extra couple of car lengths of room.
I await with interest my imminent crucifixion by angry Eclipse owners, now. Go on, give it to me. I am invincible!
I lived through the 90s and can confirm that the Mitsubishi Gallant was the Altima of its day
Damn I had no idea the Galant had such a bad rep in the US…
Yeah part of the problem was you had the VR-4 which all the car nuts understood, but then everyone bought the S or SE and they were everywhere, half because it was an affordable midlevel car, and half because they wanted a VR-4 and couldn’t afford it
Like OP said, it’s because they’d give financing to basically anybody with a pulse, just like Nissan did.
I’m speaking from a 2000s perspective, but everybody hated the Gallant. It was a wannabe Lancer (which in of itself was a wannabe Evo). You only bought the Gallant because you wanted a Fast and Furious car but didn’t have the money for an actual car from the films.
The hump was for the DOHC.
Just like the 3000gt’s humps were for the active shock connectors.
The engines were crammed in there so they had to make some design decisions to get it all to fit.
My dream car is still a 3000GT VR-4 twin turbo.
I have no idea how to work on cars so I’ll never have it. But that 50,000 pound tiny beast is so beautiful.
I had one and when it ran, it was great. Went through 3 used engines and only ran well after I went through and tested/replaced every sensor and component. Lots of fun but not something for a person without a workshop.
ALL WHEEL STEERING?!
Did you have the twin turbo model? I’ve known two people who had the non-twin turbo models and they LOVED them, but both of them required soooooo much work.
So small! So down-low-to-the-ground! So heavy! So sexy!
Yeah. The AWS was the most reliable part of that car coincidentally.
That’s wild! I know they have many issues but I still love them.
What year range was this?
I only ask because I used to have a 2003 eclipse (bought used in 2010 or so and kept until 2016) and I loved it, because it got decent mileage and nobody ever asked for a ride (which is why I still have a coupe), but I also really never encountered anyone else with one, much less driving like an idiot (and it wasn’t me, I’m a really cautious driver)… so I’m kinda curious. Coupes in general have never been particularly popular around here.
Did I just lucky and get one that survived?
Mitsubishi stopped making the eclipse in 1999. Not sure what it was they made after that but it was not an Eclipse.
https://www.kbb.com/mitsubishi/eclipse/2003/
Doesn’t look like anything to me.
What?
You said they didn’t make it, I sent the Kelly blue book listing for the exact year I had…
(Maybe you think it was meant to be a picture? It isn’t.)
lol, I think they are saying that the “Eclipse” died after Gen 2 stopped in 2000.
And I have to say that I agree. Gen 2 was the best Eclipse design.
The only thing I remember about the 2000’s eclipse was the Girls that drove them. They were like jetta girls but hung out in pool halls.