hakanson@orstcs.UUCP (12/10/83)
#R:ihuxw:-61200:orstcs:3000023:000:4587
orstcs!hakanson Dec 9 10:44:00 1983
OK, you asked for it (not a Toyota, silly):
1) I don't own a Cordia (Turbo, or otherwise). However, I do
own a Mitsubishi, of sorts, in the form of a 1980 Dodge
Colt Hatchback (FWD). On Mitsubishi's in general, I think
that they are very reliable, well-engineered, and well-
thought-out cars. My Colt has never (Knock Wood) failed
to start, run, or get me where I was going. (We did
once lose the water pump belt, but it hadn't quite made
it to the 30K mile replacement interval. This showed me
that overheating didn't damage anything.)
One thing I have noticed on the negative side is perhaps
a problem with all cars, foreign or domestic. It's very
hard to find someone who knows what they are doing when
it comes to working on the things. On my Mits. product,
one recommended maintenance service is quite expensive
(repacking the front wheel bearings every 22.5K miles runs
about $75-100, since you have to pull the entire hub
assembly from the drive-shafts). I have been told by a
Dodge mechanic who I trust (v. hard to find!) and by another
trustworthy mechanic that it is reasonable to wait on this
service until it is time to replace the disc brake pads,
or about 40K miles -- that way the expense is shared between
the two operations. The bottom line on Mitsubishi's as well
as other cars is: Do as much of the work yourself as you
can, referring to a service manual to find out how hard things
are to do.
From prowling around under the hood of my Colt, I have noticed
that Mitsubishi has done a nice clean job of integrating all the
emission controls so they are not all "hung on" the outside of
the motor. The troubleshooting procedures are not all that
complicated, and it's easy enough for me to tell if all the
systems are working properly. I imagine a turbo will complicate
things greatly, as will EFI, Electronic Ignition, etc. The
price we pay for performance.... My MCA-Jet engine works very
well, giving impressive low-end torque (from ~1500 rpm) and
turning freely up to 6000 rpm, though there is hardly any need
to go that high. My Colt has the 1.6l engine and their
Twin-Stick transmission (4x2 gears), which is a fun combination.
I usually drive it like a 5-speed (1st thru 4th in low range,
then shift to high), but in the high altitudes or when playing
around, those half-ranges come in handy. I average ~36mpg
monthly, about 50-50 town and freeway driving, in case you
are interested. (BTW, did you know that the 5-speed in the
Mitsubishi's is the same as a Twin-Stick transmission, only
when you shift into 5th gear, the transmission is electrically
shifted from low to high range, just the way I use mine?!)
2) On louvers -- I don't have them, and I wouldn't have them, for
the simple reasons that they obstruct rear vision (minor
complaint) and they greatly clutter up the outside of a car,
both visually and aerodynamically.
3) On sunroofs -- I also don't have one, and specifically told
the dealer I would not take a car including one, for the
following reasons:
a) My car has marginal headroom, and the sunroofs I saw
took about a half-inch away, since the seam was near
the outer side of your head if you were sitting in
the front seat. If you are shorter than me, then
this is no problem.
b) A sunroof of most any variety cuts a large hole in the
metal roof of a unibody car. It therefore removes some
of the structural rigidity of the car's body. This can
make for mushy handling in the extremes, or could merely
result in increased rattles & squeaks. Ever wonder why
convertibles and Targas and T-tops usually have stiffened
bodies? Of course, a sunroof isn't quite the same thing,
but how stiff can a glass panel be when it is opened up?
c) Again, only a carefully installed sunroof will not add
any visual or aerodynamic clutter to the outside (or
inside) of a car. Of course, a Colt or Cordia isn't
all that aerodynamic in the first place, but why make
it worse?
d) Besides, in Oregon, who needs a rain-roof?
Well, I'm sure you've all heard more than you need to know about Dodge
Colts, etc. I'll jump on the bandwagon and say:
The above opinions are my own and are not anyone else's.
So there!
Marion Hakanson CSnet: hakanson@oregon-state
UUCP : {hp-pcd,teklabs}!orstcs!hakanson