Hey folks, you all probably remember me when I bought my first lancer back in 06, then I bought another one in 08, and NOOOOW i'm on my 3rd lancer (2008 DE)

Let me give you a bit of history with my experiences with mitsubishi and their lancers lol..


my first lancer in 2006 was totaled...mostly because i was young, and out of control....that and I overloaded the cars maximum weight....

My second lancer is a 2003 ES, it still runs with over 150,000 miles on it. The only problem is that the transmission is shifting erratically/jerky.....well I didn't want to deal with that so I just bought a new lancer instead. This one is a 5 speed DE model. I love it. I figured out that the way that I drive tears up automatic trannys....I'm a pedal to the metal type. When I first got my 2003 ES, I used to shift through it's gears manually until it got used to my high-rev shifting. No wonder I'm having tranny problems....but when my mom drives it, it shifts fine/smooth....so I know it's something i'm not doing right.



Anyway...I told my mom to pass the lancer to my grandmother so that I could give her the new DE....

Now....I just got a promotion at work, and I plan on getting an AWD lancer.... I'm trying to decide if I should get the ralliart or hold out for an evo (not likely)

heres my situation: The ralliart only comes in TC-SST which isn't exactly an automatic transmission but it's not a stick shift either.......With a stick I can drive it any way I want to and only have to worry about replacing the clutch....in an automatic you have to get the whole tranny replaced which means the car is just about done with....

so what about the TC-SST's reliabilaty....how long does it last under extremely hard driving conditions? does shifting the gears yourself put strain on the tranny?

P.S. think about the new Dodge charger....it has a slapstick...but if you drive it that way constantly it can kill the tranny faster than rust!

 

the tc-sst is a computer shifted manual, so don't compare it to other "autostick" transmissions. My evo X is around the 350 WHP mark and I have had zero trouble with the trans. It shifts lightning fast and is very fun to drive.

 

So far I could not be happier with my TC-SST.

For spirited driving it can be just as fun to drive as I want it to be with the paddle shifters and sport manual mode, and the convenience of no clutch pedal and autoshifting was one of the essential features in my list of requirements when shopping for a new car.

My wife's car has the highly rated tiptronic auto/manual and my previous Mazda had the Mazda 5 speed auto/manual. I can tell you from my own personal experiences, the TC-SST is totally unlike either of those trannys, and even in total autoshifting mode, is far more fun to drive than any auto/manual I have ever driven.

Just my $.02

 

From what I'm understanding, this isn't an automatic transmission that you can shift manually.....but a manual transmission that has no clutch and CAN shift itself.

Thanks for the info guys, I'm probably going to take a trip to cali and do my most aggressive driving possible while I still have the stick, when I get the ralliart maybe I'll let the pedal do the talking instead....just to be on the safe side.

It sounds like with the TC SST you get the best of both worlds...which I'm all for...but why are so many people against it in the review.

 

against it in review...., because for some reason everyone has the thought that its not a sports car if its not a manual, That its purely an automatic and can be compared to a cvt trannsmission, that they feel less of a man or some bull **** like that if there sports car shifts for them. That and the fact that for some reason everyone is scared to death to break the cars tranny. I dont see anything wrong with it.

 

Fantastic gearbox. About the only problem you will have, is trying to figure out what to do with your left leg.

 

To be honest, by the way you describe your driving habits, the TC-SST won't last very long in your hands. If you do end up getting the Ralliart, don't drive with two feet (left-foot braking) and DON'T driving aggressive in auto-normal mode. Do your spirited driving in manual-sport mode.

I've done a handful of autocrosses, and drove the Tail of the Dragon two years in a row (where I'm driving very aggressive for several hours on end, in switchbacks and dramatic elevation changes) and I don't experience any symptoms of failure on my TC-SST.... yet. I've got 40,000 miles on the clock, as well.

 

That is incorrect, there are 2 wet clutches (hence the TC in TC SST); these 2 wet clutches are what makes this tranny so amazing; super smooth, near-instantaneous shifts

 

no....i'd never drive with two feet...unless theres a clutch involved...I just find myself engine braking alot around curves, to maintain my already high speed, but still have enough free play to slow down in case of stupidity (I live in Vegas -_-)

another thing I find myself doing alot, is using my gears to go fast rather than flooring the gas pedal....It saves fuel but I've been told it puts ALOT of ware on the clutch.....Don't get me wrong, I know how to DRIVE an automatic (I drove and old-person's buick for a year : /) but the thing is....THIS IS A RALIART I want to drive it the way I want to and not have to worry about the tranny dropping..


BUT thanks for the feedback everyone, I actually feel alot more comfortable buying this car now just knowing I can floor it and shift the gears myself without worrying. The key is to stay in manual-sport mode during my morning commutes, and normal-auto mode on my way TO cali, then let loose in manual-sport mode once I arrive on the streets....


as long as I can train myself to tailor my habits to what MODE the car is in, just like when I learned how to drive my stick, then I think I'll be okay....

Right? O.o

BTW whats the maintenance schedule like on the ralliart?

 

maintenance schedule for oil is 5000miles, most people do it around three. the way it sounds like you drive id do it every 1500 along with the transmission fluid i believe you can get all the info on website

 

OP, I apologize and don't mean to jack the thread but since we are on the SST...

what is the difference with manually shifting on normal mode vs sports mode?

 

theres a whole thread on this actually recently started

 

What's wrong with left-foot braking a TC-SST?

 

ARISE, DEAD THREAD! ARISE! WALK AMONG THE LIVING ONCE MORE!

Rich

 

ROFL