1995 Mitsubishi Galant ES 2.4L 4G64 16-Valve Four from North America
Summary:
You Get What You Pay For..
Faults:
Front and rear seal leaks, air-conditioning clutch failure, transmission failure at 70,000 miles, front brake performance is poor - requires pad and rotor work every 8 months, CV joint failure, door and window seal leaks, misc. fit and finish problems.
General Comments:
We bought this car as an economical alternative to our Cadillac. In the Galant's favor, it does get exceedingly good gas economy - as high as 41 freeway that we've recorded. The ergonomics, handling and engine performance are all very good. The controls are well laid out and logical (something Ford and GM have yet to figure out...) The paint and upholstery quality is good, although the fit and finish of the interior parts has degraded over time - mostly loose fittings and small cracks appearing in plastic trim.
Our first big disappointment was with the front brakes which have need constant attention. They wear very quickly and the rotors warp pre-maturely, sometimes as soon as within 3-months after a brake job.
Another big disappointment is the automatic transmission which failed at only 70,000 miles. Compared with the 727 Chrysler automatics I've been used to - all providing over 160,000 miles of service, this was a real bummer - especially to the tune of $1800!
Lately, the front and rear seals have started to leak profusely. The engine compression is still good, but we typically must add 2-4 quarts a week which gets dispersed along the L.A. freeways... Getting to these seals requires that the engine be pulled from the car, which we'd rather avoid unless replacing it.
Other nit-picks, the suspension has not aged well. It feels generally noisy on the road, loose and rattly.
As for next time??? Probably another solid American car, preferrably rear-wheel drive. A little more minor maintenance, but better that than major failure...
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 23rd November, 2002
19th Jan 2003, 12:24
If I didn't know better, I'd say I wrote this review myself. I agree with everything the writer said. I would never buy a Mitsubishi again, period, as my 1995 Galant has been an unsafe money-pit. I suspected bad things from this vehicle as right away I felt the car was noisy and rattling too much. The list of recalls on it is longer than Bonnie & Clyde's rap-sheet.
It burns oil, no matter what the grade, it pings unless I use premium gas, and when it rains, it pours. Fortunately I'm in San Diego and we don't get a lot of rain, but it would pour through all the seals and it was a mess when it did rain.
Previous to this vehicle I owned Chevys and Fords and LOVED them. This vehicle made me think I would NEVER buy another Japanese car. Now I have a "lesser" model of a Honda and the quality and engineering can't be compared to the Galant. Sorry Mitsubishi. You fail. Your commercials are cute, but you should stick to making televisions.