Faults:
It broke down and needed a new igniter on the 3rd day I owned it.
The car overheats regularly and the timing always needs adjustment.
The brake discs are warped (which is common on this type of car).
The muffler broke away from the exhaust.
The head gasket will need attention soon and the shocks are worn.
General Comments:
This car offers big space, but surprisingly low performance. The engine is a carburettor 2.6 litre 4 cylinder lifted from the early '80s Sigma, which provides poor acceleration along with dreadful fuel economy. The engine puts out a mere 83 kilowatts at best, a 0-100 time of just under 15 seconds, and a top speed of 165kmh.
When this car first came out it was marketed as being able to tow a tank. I strongly doubt that, but good torque provides acceptable towing and the car drives surprisingly well when fully loaded with band equipment or 5 people.
These cars get smokey and rust very easily - as is the case with most Mitsubishi's. As such I would not buy another.
13th Dec 2000, 05:51
The person who wrote the previous review on the 90' model Magna obviousley bought a lemon that had been mistreated. 90' model Magnas are a good reliable car. If buying one, go for the fuel injected model, which has an impressive 93kw opposed to the pitiful carburetted engine which only delivered 83kw.
The only problem I had was a little trouble with the auto transmission on my 2.6 liter fuel injected 1990 Magna SE.