Hi Folks,
I have been looking for a another car and came across this Japanese car by Mitsubishi the Galant, it seems massively under rated as its reliable, good looking and a good one can be had for £3-4. However they were discontinued in 03?? Has anyone ever owned this car and would care to comment? HJ says it has "More suspension 'clonks' than a BMW"???
Barry
|
I got offered a 2.5 V6 a while back. Y reg, 40,000 miles and he wanted 3,500. It sounded dodgy so I checked Autotrader and that's what they're all going for.
However, a bit of further investigation found that the body panels/paintwork weren't up to scratch and to find one without rust would be difficult.
The more underratred saloon though is the Focus surely?
--
Adam
|
Nice try to get the Focus into the conversation Adam, but how on Earth can the Focus be called under-rated?
It's very highly rated throughout the industry.
I have a thing for the Galant VR4 actually. Top Gear always used to call the Galant 'boring-looking', but I think that variant at least has a lovely mean look to it.
|
I think Adam was refering to his appendage.
S/H wise
No car is "underated". The term is "Unwanted".
|
|
How about the Honda Legend? It never seemed to catch on in the UK (poor marketing?), but in principle the idea of a flagship six-cylinder Honda seems very attractive, given what is known about Honda build quality and reliability. Said by HJ in the Car-by-Car Breakdown to have been a Quentin Willson favourite. I'd certainly be tempted if I weren't wedded to my present mini-fleet.
|
Galant is a very good car indeed. They are mega-reliable if given regular oil changes etc. Stay away from the GDi though.
I can't say I've ever seen a one with rust that was less than 10 years old. There are still plenty of early '90's Galants running around.
The main downside it perhaps expensive parts from the dealer (parts availability for Mitsi's is good and fast - but they are very dear). If you get a non-GDI model at a good price then its likely to be an excellent buy.
|
|
A lot of good Japanese saloons were relatively unknown in the UK. Mazda Xedos 6 and 9, the Honda Legend previously mentioned, the Camry (huge seller in the US, however)Nissan Maxima and its successor the QX, the pre 1993 Japanese built Honda Accords were also superb! Mazda 626 a very good car, but not the auto version...
|
What about the Daewoo Leganza? Nice looking, comfortable, high specced car and is nice on the motorways though drinks fuel a bit around the Devon lanes.
You can get the CDX option for less than 3 grand now in excellent condition.
|
What about the Daewoo Leganza?
a glorified VX cavalier? may as well just buy a vectra instead
|
|
The Daewoo will be cheaper. It also isn't put together by a unionised British workforce, so you while you still have the designed-in idiocies, you hopefully avoid the built-in ones.
|
The Daewoo will be cheaper. It also isn't put together by a unionised British workforce, so you while you still have the designed-in idiocies, you hopefully avoid the built-in ones.
No, it was built by a unionised Korean workforce. When they went on strike the riot police went into the factory and broke a few arms and legs. Just what we need here, eh Strowger?
Just for the record the Leganza is not comparable to the Japanese competition. The engine, IIRC, is bascially a Holden twin-cam design (Daewoo used a lot of the GM parts bin). The auto transmission is, believe it or not, the infamous ZF4HP14. Not a particularly good auto.
|
|
>>I think Adam was refering to his appendage.<<
Sadly, yet again he's right.
--
Adam
|
>>I think Adam was refering to his appendage.<<
a short story? ;-)
|
I wondered how long it'd take you to appear. ;-)
--
Adam
|
|
The Subaru Legacy has to be the most underrated. For those of you who think Mondeos and Vectras are good, try driving one. You'll be hooked. Better than the equivalent Beemer for much less money. IMHO of course!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Barry,
I own a 2.0 Galant Estate 2002.
Pros:
Great looking car
Reliable
Loads of room
Very cheap to buy second hand
Sweet engine
Cons:
Drinks like George Best (i.e. 22mpg around town and 30 on a run)
I also have a Mitsubishi Carisma (wife drives this). Have owned this for 7 years and it has been 100% reliable.
I think Mitsubishi parts may be quite expensive - but who cares if you never need them!!!
You should be able to pick up a decent 2000 or 2001 Galant for £3-4k. Thats a good reason to buy these at about 4 / 5 years old. Mine cost (somebody) £17,000 new and two and a half years and 20,000 miles later is only worth about £6,000.
My advice - go for it.
Jason
|
Galant: bit bland but a very sound car.
|
|
Agree with the all the above. Legacy's and Galants are both fine cars. One thing to watch on the Galant (As with most Mitsi's, Hyundais, Kias) is the idle speed control valve. The motor has a habit of failing (engine idle 'wanders' and car stall at a junction). These cost £400-500 from the dealer. BBA-reman do them for under $£200, I think, and I have in the past sourced one from Australia for about £100.
|
A couple of cars ago i had a 1989 model Galant, a 2litre GTI. Obviously not much in common with the latest version, but I have to say that it was the best car I ever had. Ultra reliable, quick, very solidly screwed together and very pleasant to drive. It was a very relaxed long distance car and had a real quality feel to it. I kept it for 7 years and apart from a ruptured power steering pipe and a leaking radiator, nothing really went wrong with it.
Now that I have a fair old commute everyday a turbodiesel makes sense, but if I did not, I would have been seriously tempted by a late model Galant. The looks are not to everyone's taste (startling front end and bland rear) but I like it. The v6 was particularly tempting.
|
A couple of cars ago i had a 1989 model Galant, a 2litre GTI.
Was that the one with the 4WD and 4WS? I had the 1.8 litre Colt GTi (1990), and a very good car it was too. Unfortunately after that model they completely lost there way with the Colt, in terms of it being a hot hatch.
|
|
Toledo, no not a Triumph a Seat, 2.3 V5 a nice car more character than similar Passat or A4.
|
|
|
Mine wasn't the 4 wheel steering one. I understand that these were to be avoided. I do not think I have ever actually seen one, and I only saw one or two like mine.
Interestingly, my previous car to the Galant was a Colt, albeit only the 1.5 version. Same comments apply, it was a really good car and very reliable and solid.
I used to tell people that my Mitsi was built as well as a Benz, and I believe that I was right.
I hope they recover from their current financial woes, as , like Suburu, they are a good niche manufacturer who have made some interesting cars.
|
I like the way that Adski chappie thinks. Let the man speak.
The Focus is great. I especially love that beatiful saloon which is just sooo cool.
Personally, I think only someone with charisma, wit, and intelligence could like such a car. I know I do.
|
I was going to propose the Honda Accord, but then I realised that if more people started buying them, they wouldn't be as exclusive (I probably see one a day if I'm lucky).
It seems to me that with a lot of people, buying a car is like voting in the election. They vote for the same party every time irrespective of the policies. Same with cars - "I've always had Fords and I'm not going to change".
They don't know what they're missing....
Andy
|
|
|
I like the way that Adski chappie thinks. Let the man speak.
>>
frank adski -
to be frank, adski was more memorable.
you need to update your entry in the nom-de-plume/pseudonym thread.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=31...1
|
|
He changed his name once we sussed out he was He-man. He?s running from Skeletor.
|
Under-rated usually means poor image. So no German cars make the list!
Most of the French large cars seem to by-pass journalistic credit, like the Peugeot 605. That was even criticised in one piece for looking too like the 405...so!!! Heavy depreciation only due to slow demand but cheapish to run per a mass- market manufacturer.
Unless you're a racer, the Signum and Vel Satis too will be cheap, reliable, very comfortable, capacious transport, second hand.
Genrally, large cars made by non-German makers seems bargains!
|
|
|
|
|
|
