10th Jun 2008, 23:27

OK. I used to be one of those who bagged the Magna. I used to have a 2.0 litre GK Sigma & while it was comfortable enough it was very uneconomical on petrol & true to form at 100,000KM it started to blow smoke. I went back to an XF Falcon for a few years. Then fuel cost began to bite so I went looking for a smaller vehicle. I ended up with a TS Magna wagon with 80,000K's on the clock & 3.0 Litre V6 auto. I was pleasantly surprised by this car. It was VERY quiet & smooth, powerful & considering the weight, reasonably economical. The only problem I had with this car was th air-conditioner. I had to have it regassed every 12 months due to a leak that no-one could find! I finally traded it on a brand new 2004 TL ES wagon in white. I have to admit I much preferred the front of the TJ but it does grow on you. The TL is much more refined than either Commodore or Falcon of the era & FAR better value for money.

The quietness & smoothness of the TS have been retained to a greater degree, the 3.5 V6 is a cracker & the auto box is versatile. I have had a few warranty repairs done but were only minor except the security system packed it in after 3 years & it would not start. After some "haggling" with the dealer it was done under warranty. I find that the build quality is much better than Holden or Ford, as is the drivers comfort (& I'm a BIG bugger!).The ES has all the required creature comforts as standard & for a lot less money than the other two. Why would you not buy one? I'm a Mitsi Magna convert & I cannot see why they did not sell.

I think people could not forget their bad experiences with the Sigma & early Magnas, could not update their thinking & as such, not only did they miss out on a better car but cost many people their jobs in the process.

I am so confident that I will keep the Magna well into the future that I am having LPG fitted (donut tank / dual fuel) in August 08, complete with upper cylinder lube kit.

I'd be happy to hear from people with LPG fitted already about their experiences.

Thanks, Peter.

30th Dec 2008, 00:10

Peter.

How did you go with LPG dual fuel? I am planning to buy a TL ES Wagon (2003) and converting it to LPG.

Cheers.

Noor.

3rd Apr 2009, 13:50

Have just purchased a 2004 Magna VR-X, with 119k's and let me tell you this car is a gem, stacks of power and a fantastic 5 speed manual transmission!!

For the money nothing came close, its dark blue with every feature possible including factory black leaather and an electric sunroof. This is my second Magna and after having Toyota and Commo's, this car rocks!!

As for the frontal looks, I love it, it looks different and aggressive just the way a sports saloon should look, hey if you want a decent reliable comfortable car that performs better than most, then forget the Commodore and Falcon!!! You'll never look back as far as reliability and comfort are concerned... Go for it!!

29th Apr 2009, 08:46

I'm about to buy an 05 TL ES Magna as my first car. I'm wondering how it goes on fuel? It's my main issue. Can somebody explain to me how it fairs on fuel cos it'd be a shame if I was stuck with a car I couldn't afford! Thanks.

28th Jul 2009, 05:31

I have owned 3 Mitsubishi Magnas.

The first was a 1988 GLX with 120 000 on the clock, which I took up to 200000km. The only thing that went wrong was the clutch being a $750 repair. I purchased this car in 1995 for $6800 and sold it year 2000 for $3000; equally cheap motoring. What an excellent car, and one that served me well.

I did a stint in London, came back and bought in 2003 a 1 owner 1995 Executive Model from the auctions unregistered for $3800 plus a few hundred for RWC and Rego. This one owner car had 121000 on the clock, and I took it up to 200000km and sold for $3800, and again spent little but never a major repair.

My third and current Magna is a 2003 LS with all the mod cons and cost me $10800 with 101 000 on the clock, and I have had this one for 2 years. At the time of purchase this was only 3 and a half years old with a new purchase price of $40000 in 2003. I figure that this is outstanding value given that $30000 depreciation has fallen off. I plan on running this up to 200 000 then selling.

I work for a GOC and constantly drive Commodores and Fords. My Magnas are the best ride for stiffness, responsiveness and reliability. When the fleet Commodores go over 100000 they rattle, the interior falls apart and they have poor economy.

MY MAIN DISAPPOINTMENT IS THAT MITSUBISHI NO LONGER MAKE MAGNA. I am considering buying a low Km 2005 model, deregistering and storing in my garage as these are good value for money. Not sure what I will buy when the Magnas are gone.

Ps, I also have a 1972 Convertible Benz same engine and it's just started to smoke. Not bad for a 40 year old car.

Good Luck, Regards Luke J.

2nd Oct 2009, 09:04

March 2009 I bought a 2004 TW Magna ES with 128k at auction for $7800. I had written off my Ford EF Fairmont Ghia and needed a cheap replacement. The base model Magna has all the creature comforts the top of the line Fairmont Ghia had, bar the leather seats (which we weren't that fond of anyway).

My wife and I drove several large sedans before deciding what make/model to buy, and the Magna was so much smoother, more comfortable and didn't have the rattles that similar age Falcons or Commodores had and they were cheaper too. My wife only drove a BA Falcon for about 300 metres and said "no way, the Magna was much nicer". I did want to stay with a rear wheel drive, but just couldn't bypass the better qualities and lower price of the Magna over its competitors.

I agree with many other people here that the front end was initially ugly to me, and that was a downside. It has grown on me though, and in certain colours I like it.

After 7 months now we still love the car & haven't any gripes. Just got back from a 2500km trip and it was so comfortable with plenty of power for overtaking. Round town about 11/100km, and highway trip was 9/100km.

I am very sad they don't make the Magna or even 380 anymore now. Hopefully the others will improve, and I was a Ford man in the past. I think it was just that the first Magnas of the 1980's were crap and it's hard to mend a bad start?