50,000 mile update
Sep 30, 2010, 05:34 PM
#1
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
50,000 mile update
Today I put the 50,000th mile on my 2008 Lancer ES, and I figured I'd write a summary of my thoughts on the car at this point . . .
Background
I'm 43 years old, married, and have a 12-year-old son. As the calendar hit 2007 I had a 1986 Porsche 944 as a daily driver and a 1999 Boxster for extra fun. My son was getting to the point where the back seat of the 944 was not a comfortable place, and that car had passed the 250,000 mile mark. I decided to sell the 944 while it was still running and pick up something family-friendly to go with the Boxster.
In the late spring and early summer of 2007 I test drove numerous cars. My main search criteria were (1) a manual transmission, (2) four doors, and (3) an out-the-door price under $20,000. Having spent 10 years with six-figure mileage on the 944, I decided to buy new with a good warranty. Here is a list of some of the other cars I checked out and some thoughts on them:
Honda Civic--Very nice in many ways, but the shifter is placed exactly where my right knee wants to be. I'm 6'4" tall, and the Civic just didn't work for me.
Mazda 3--Pricey if you go for the bigger motor and any options. I could not find a comfortable seating position.
Nissan Altima--This also pushed my price threshold, unless I went for a bare-bones car. The motor was nice.
Subaru Impreza--At the time this car could not be had with side-curtain airbags. I knew I would be driving my son and his friends around, so I wanted side air bags for the back passengers.
Subaru Legacy--I really liked this car and came close to buying it. But, this would have gone over $20K, and I decided to go cheap.
Hyundai Elantra--I was within minutes of buying one. Price and performance were not much different between this and the Lancer. One thing I liked about the Elantra is that I could have gotten leather seats, which I prefer to cloth. However, on my way to the Hyundai dealer I went by the Mitsu dealership and took my second look at the Lancer. I like the stying of the Lancer much better than that of the Hyundai, both inside and out, and looks topped the leather.
So, I bought the Lancer new in July, 2007. The car has a manual transmission and the "sun and sound" package. I paid an even $18,000 including taxes and registration fees. Had I known the economy was going to collapse, I might have waited and gotten an even better deal.
Reliability and Maintenance
After 50K miles I have not had a single problem with the car. Zip.
I guess there was one recall on the car. If I remember correctly, it was to replace a front impact sensor that was susceptible to corrosion. My wife has a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with nearly 300K miles, and for the past three years I have done nothing but routine maintenance on my two cars and her truck. Nice!
Speaking of maintenance, I have done all the maintenance on the car myself. Of the dozen cars I've owned in 27 years of driving, the Lancer has been as easy to work on as any. Search my username and you'll find a how-to on the 30K maintenance, which was all quite simple.
Performance
This car is what it is. It is a subcompact economy car, not a sports car. Let's not forget that. The 150 hp 2.0 liter motor is smooth and it more than does the job of moving this car around. The car provides decent feedback through the steering wheel, and the brake pedal is easy to modulate. The car is competent through corners, but I take my Boxster to autocrosses, not the Lancer.
My first car was a VW Beetle, and there is no comparison to be made. My second car was a 1983 Nissan Sentra hatchback. In its time, the Sentra was more-or-less the equivalent of the Lancer; I guess it still is a competitor today, but I think the modern Sentra is butt-ugly. I believe that my '83 Sentra's 1.6 liter motor had an output of a whopping 69 horses, and it rolled through corners as if it were suspended on marshmallows. It got about 30 MPG and the cost new was $6,600. It had manual windows and no air conditioning. In 2007 dollars, that $6,600 would be about $14,000. Add power windows, locks, air conditioning, sunroof, etc. and the cost is similar to that of my Lancer.
So, for about the same relative cost, my Lancer has twice the power, greatly-improved handling, equal or better fuel economy, and a lot more safety. We've come a long way in 25 years. I'm quite content with the performance of my Lancer. It is what it is.
Styling
Given the cars I shopped against the Lancer, I think the Lancer looks the best. Well, maybe I'd give the Mazda 3 (this was before the huge front grin) the nod over the Lancer. Anyways, I liked the way it looked three years ago, and I still like it. By the way, whoever did the design for Mitsu must have been a fan of the Alfa Romeo 159. Do a Google images search of the Alfa. Does this look familiar?
(I like those quad exhaust pipes!)
Check out the instrument cluster from the 159:
The Lancer isn't exactly a carbon copy, but other than the Alfa's front grille, the Lancer is a pretty obvious knockoff. The 159 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so I guess that's not a bad person to imitate.
Although I like the general styling of the interior, there is a lot inside the Lancer that looks and feels very cheap. The cloth inserts of the doors and the cloth covering of the center armrest come to mind. I can't believe they've held up for even this long. The plastic of the door armrests is awful, and the faux aluminum accents are, well, very faux. Oh, and the stock shift knob that came with the ES was so horrible that I ordered an aftermarket shift knob the very afternoon I purchased the car.
That being said, the interior has held up. No rips in the cloth, no broken pieces of plastic. Maybe it's not as cheap as it looks?
By the way, I've seen comments on this board about problems with the paint. I have had no such problems. There are a couple of chips on the front, but certainly nothing unusual for a car with 50K miles. I wash the car regularly and wax twice a year, and the paint looks great.
Functionality
As noted earlier, I wanted a car that would comfortably transport my family and an occasional guest. The car does this very well, although there isn't much leg room for anyone sitting behind me. In February 2008 my wife, son, and I traveled by car from Maryland to Florida, covering about 3,000 miles in ten days. There were no complaints. The car gobbled up the miles, often crusing effortlessly at 75+ miles per hour. The car was a bit filled up with all the clothes, laptops, cooler, pillows, munchies, etc., but we didn't feel overly crowded. On the highway stretches I got over 35 MPG.
Basically, the car is doing exactly what I want it to do. It is practical, but it still looks nice and has enough power and competence that I enjoy driving the car. Thanks to the aftermarket pedals I installed in the car, I can even practice my heel-toe downshifts through some of the turns on the way to and from work (the space between the stock gas and brake pedals is a bit much for a good heel-toe).
What would I change?
I already mentioned the issues I have with the interior.
A telescoping steering wheel would be nice.
My biggest disappointment with this car is the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Now in my 40's, I'm not into blasting the stereo every time I get behind the wheel. In fact, I'm more likely to be listening to NPR or ESPN than music. However, I do get the occasional urge to relive my younger years by cranking up the volume, and this stereo that I paid extra for comes up WAY short. I've had thoughts of replacing the stereo in the Lancer, but then I figure that if I'm going to spend money on a car, I'll spend it on the Boxster (a spare set of wheels for the track is on the wish list).
Closing comments
So, there's not much I would change. In fact, if my '08 Lancer were to be totalled or stolen tomorrow, I'd probably replace it with another Lancer. If I did go with something else, it would just be to try something different.
I hope the car is still running well when my son turns 16 in four years. I figure I'll turn over the car to him. That's another reason why I wanted a full complement of safety equipment and didn't buy a car with crazy horsepower. At that time, if my finances are in order I'll buy myself another car, and I won't worry about the number of doors or keeping the price under $20K. Although I will still require a manual transmission. Maybe a used 911? Maybe an Evo XII? (Or whatever number they're on by that time.)
Background
I'm 43 years old, married, and have a 12-year-old son. As the calendar hit 2007 I had a 1986 Porsche 944 as a daily driver and a 1999 Boxster for extra fun. My son was getting to the point where the back seat of the 944 was not a comfortable place, and that car had passed the 250,000 mile mark. I decided to sell the 944 while it was still running and pick up something family-friendly to go with the Boxster.
In the late spring and early summer of 2007 I test drove numerous cars. My main search criteria were (1) a manual transmission, (2) four doors, and (3) an out-the-door price under $20,000. Having spent 10 years with six-figure mileage on the 944, I decided to buy new with a good warranty. Here is a list of some of the other cars I checked out and some thoughts on them:
Honda Civic--Very nice in many ways, but the shifter is placed exactly where my right knee wants to be. I'm 6'4" tall, and the Civic just didn't work for me.
Mazda 3--Pricey if you go for the bigger motor and any options. I could not find a comfortable seating position.
Nissan Altima--This also pushed my price threshold, unless I went for a bare-bones car. The motor was nice.
Subaru Impreza--At the time this car could not be had with side-curtain airbags. I knew I would be driving my son and his friends around, so I wanted side air bags for the back passengers.
Subaru Legacy--I really liked this car and came close to buying it. But, this would have gone over $20K, and I decided to go cheap.
Hyundai Elantra--I was within minutes of buying one. Price and performance were not much different between this and the Lancer. One thing I liked about the Elantra is that I could have gotten leather seats, which I prefer to cloth. However, on my way to the Hyundai dealer I went by the Mitsu dealership and took my second look at the Lancer. I like the stying of the Lancer much better than that of the Hyundai, both inside and out, and looks topped the leather.
So, I bought the Lancer new in July, 2007. The car has a manual transmission and the "sun and sound" package. I paid an even $18,000 including taxes and registration fees. Had I known the economy was going to collapse, I might have waited and gotten an even better deal.
Reliability and Maintenance
After 50K miles I have not had a single problem with the car. Zip.
I guess there was one recall on the car. If I remember correctly, it was to replace a front impact sensor that was susceptible to corrosion. My wife has a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with nearly 300K miles, and for the past three years I have done nothing but routine maintenance on my two cars and her truck. Nice!Speaking of maintenance, I have done all the maintenance on the car myself. Of the dozen cars I've owned in 27 years of driving, the Lancer has been as easy to work on as any. Search my username and you'll find a how-to on the 30K maintenance, which was all quite simple.
Performance
This car is what it is. It is a subcompact economy car, not a sports car. Let's not forget that. The 150 hp 2.0 liter motor is smooth and it more than does the job of moving this car around. The car provides decent feedback through the steering wheel, and the brake pedal is easy to modulate. The car is competent through corners, but I take my Boxster to autocrosses, not the Lancer.
My first car was a VW Beetle, and there is no comparison to be made. My second car was a 1983 Nissan Sentra hatchback. In its time, the Sentra was more-or-less the equivalent of the Lancer; I guess it still is a competitor today, but I think the modern Sentra is butt-ugly. I believe that my '83 Sentra's 1.6 liter motor had an output of a whopping 69 horses, and it rolled through corners as if it were suspended on marshmallows. It got about 30 MPG and the cost new was $6,600. It had manual windows and no air conditioning. In 2007 dollars, that $6,600 would be about $14,000. Add power windows, locks, air conditioning, sunroof, etc. and the cost is similar to that of my Lancer.
So, for about the same relative cost, my Lancer has twice the power, greatly-improved handling, equal or better fuel economy, and a lot more safety. We've come a long way in 25 years. I'm quite content with the performance of my Lancer. It is what it is.
Styling
Given the cars I shopped against the Lancer, I think the Lancer looks the best. Well, maybe I'd give the Mazda 3 (this was before the huge front grin) the nod over the Lancer. Anyways, I liked the way it looked three years ago, and I still like it. By the way, whoever did the design for Mitsu must have been a fan of the Alfa Romeo 159. Do a Google images search of the Alfa. Does this look familiar?
(I like those quad exhaust pipes!)
Check out the instrument cluster from the 159:
The Lancer isn't exactly a carbon copy, but other than the Alfa's front grille, the Lancer is a pretty obvious knockoff. The 159 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so I guess that's not a bad person to imitate.
Although I like the general styling of the interior, there is a lot inside the Lancer that looks and feels very cheap. The cloth inserts of the doors and the cloth covering of the center armrest come to mind. I can't believe they've held up for even this long. The plastic of the door armrests is awful, and the faux aluminum accents are, well, very faux. Oh, and the stock shift knob that came with the ES was so horrible that I ordered an aftermarket shift knob the very afternoon I purchased the car.
That being said, the interior has held up. No rips in the cloth, no broken pieces of plastic. Maybe it's not as cheap as it looks?
By the way, I've seen comments on this board about problems with the paint. I have had no such problems. There are a couple of chips on the front, but certainly nothing unusual for a car with 50K miles. I wash the car regularly and wax twice a year, and the paint looks great.
Functionality
As noted earlier, I wanted a car that would comfortably transport my family and an occasional guest. The car does this very well, although there isn't much leg room for anyone sitting behind me. In February 2008 my wife, son, and I traveled by car from Maryland to Florida, covering about 3,000 miles in ten days. There were no complaints. The car gobbled up the miles, often crusing effortlessly at 75+ miles per hour. The car was a bit filled up with all the clothes, laptops, cooler, pillows, munchies, etc., but we didn't feel overly crowded. On the highway stretches I got over 35 MPG.
Basically, the car is doing exactly what I want it to do. It is practical, but it still looks nice and has enough power and competence that I enjoy driving the car. Thanks to the aftermarket pedals I installed in the car, I can even practice my heel-toe downshifts through some of the turns on the way to and from work (the space between the stock gas and brake pedals is a bit much for a good heel-toe).
What would I change?
I already mentioned the issues I have with the interior.
A telescoping steering wheel would be nice.
My biggest disappointment with this car is the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Now in my 40's, I'm not into blasting the stereo every time I get behind the wheel. In fact, I'm more likely to be listening to NPR or ESPN than music. However, I do get the occasional urge to relive my younger years by cranking up the volume, and this stereo that I paid extra for comes up WAY short. I've had thoughts of replacing the stereo in the Lancer, but then I figure that if I'm going to spend money on a car, I'll spend it on the Boxster (a spare set of wheels for the track is on the wish list).
Closing comments
So, there's not much I would change. In fact, if my '08 Lancer were to be totalled or stolen tomorrow, I'd probably replace it with another Lancer. If I did go with something else, it would just be to try something different.
I hope the car is still running well when my son turns 16 in four years. I figure I'll turn over the car to him. That's another reason why I wanted a full complement of safety equipment and didn't buy a car with crazy horsepower. At that time, if my finances are in order I'll buy myself another car, and I won't worry about the number of doors or keeping the price under $20K. Although I will still require a manual transmission. Maybe a used 911? Maybe an Evo XII? (Or whatever number they're on by that time.)
Oct 1, 2010, 02:21 PM
#3
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Good write up! It's good to see people happy with their purchases these days. Have you had any major problems with rock chips in the paint? Ive heard that was an issue with the newer models(well older as well, as mine has more then a few chips haha)
Oct 1, 2010, 03:04 PM
#4
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
No problems with the paint.
I wanted to post some pics of the car to go with this article, but over the past couple of weeks I've either been too busy to wash the car or the weather has been uncooperative. I might be able to get the car cleaned up tomorrow, and I'll get some pics, including some close-ups of the front end.
Oct 1, 2010, 07:13 PM
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Today I put the 50,000th mile on my 2008 Lancer ES, and I figured I'd write a summary of my thoughts on the car at this point . . .
Background
I'm 43 years old, married, and have a 12-year-old son. As the calendar hit 2007 I had a 1986 Porsche 944 as a daily driver and a 1999 Boxster for extra fun. My son was getting to the point where the back seat of the 944 was not a comfortable place, and that car had passed the 250,000 mile mark. I decided to sell the 944 while it was still running and pick up something family-friendly to go with the Boxster.
In the late spring and early summer of 2007 I test drove numerous cars. My main search criteria were (1) a manual transmission, (2) four doors, and (3) an out-the-door price under $20,000. Having spent 10 years with six-figure mileage on the 944, I decided to buy new with a good warranty. Here is a list of some of the other cars I checked out and some thoughts on them:
Honda Civic--Very nice in many ways, but the shifter is placed exactly where my right knee wants to be. I'm 6'4" tall, and the Civic just didn't work for me.
Mazda 3--Pricey if you go for the bigger motor and any options. I could not find a comfortable seating position.
Nissan Altima--This also pushed my price threshold, unless I went for a bare-bones car. The motor was nice.
Subaru Impreza--At the time this car could not be had with side-curtain airbags. I knew I would be driving my son and his friends around, so I wanted side air bags for the back passengers.
Subaru Legacy--I really liked this car and came close to buying it. But, this would have gone over $20K, and I decided to go cheap.
Hyundai Elantra--I was within minutes of buying one. Price and performance were not much different between this and the Lancer. One thing I liked about the Elantra is that I could have gotten leather seats, which I prefer to cloth. However, on my way to the Hyundai dealer I went by the Mitsu dealership and took my second look at the Lancer. I like the stying of the Lancer much better than that of the Hyundai, both inside and out, and looks topped the leather.
So, I bought the Lancer new in July, 2007. The car has a manual transmission and the "sun and sound" package. I paid an even $18,000 including taxes and registration fees. Had I known the economy was going to collapse, I might have waited and gotten an even better deal.
Reliability and Maintenance
After 50K miles I have not had a single problem with the car. Zip. I guess there was one recall on the car. If I remember correctly, it was to replace a front impact sensor that was susceptible to corrosion. My wife has a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with nearly 300K miles, and for the past three years I have done nothing but routine maintenance on my two cars and her truck. Nice!
Speaking of maintenance, I have done all the maintenance on the car myself. Of the dozen cars I've owned in 27 years of driving, the Lancer has been as easy to work on as any. Search my username and you'll find a how-to on the 30K maintenance, which was all quite simple.
Performance
This car is what it is. It is a subcompact economy car, not a sports car. Let's not forget that. The 150 hp 2.0 liter motor is smooth and it more than does the job of moving this car around. The car provides decent feedback through the steering wheel, and the brake pedal is easy to modulate. The car is competent through corners, but I take my Boxster to autocrosses, not the Lancer.
My first car was a VW Beetle, and there is no comparison to be made. My second car was a 1983 Nissan Sentra hatchback. In its time, the Sentra was more-or-less the equivalent of the Lancer; I guess it still is a competitor today, but I think the modern Sentra is butt-ugly. I believe that my '83 Sentra's 1.6 liter motor had an output of a whopping 69 horses, and it rolled through corners as if it were suspended on marshmallows. It got about 30 MPG and the cost new was $6,600. It had manual windows and no air conditioning. In 2007 dollars, that $6,600 would be about $14,000. Add power windows, locks, air conditioning, sunroof, etc. and the cost is similar to that of my Lancer.
So, for about the same relative cost, my Lancer has twice the power, greatly-improved handling, equal or better fuel economy, and a lot more safety. We've come a long way in 25 years. I'm quite content with the performance of my Lancer. It is what it is.
Styling
Given the cars I shopped against the Lancer, I think the Lancer looks the best. Well, maybe I'd give the Mazda 3 (this was before the huge front grin) the nod over the Lancer. Anyways, I liked the way it looked three years ago, and I still like it. By the way, whoever did the design for Mitsu must have been a fan of the Alfa Romeo 159. Do a Google images search of the Alfa. Does this look familiar?
(I like those quad exhaust pipes!)
Check out the instrument cluster from the 159:
The Lancer isn't exactly a carbon copy, but other than the Alfa's front grille, the Lancer is a pretty obvious knockoff. The 159 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so I guess that's not a bad person to imitate.
Although I like the general styling of the interior, there is a lot inside the Lancer that looks and feels very cheap. The cloth inserts of the doors and the cloth covering of the center armrest come to mind. I can't believe they've held up for even this long. The plastic of the door armrests is awful, and the faux aluminum accents are, well, very faux. Oh, and the stock shift knob that came with the ES was so horrible that I ordered an aftermarket shift knob the very afternoon I purchased the car.
That being said, the interior has held up. No rips in the cloth, no broken pieces of plastic. Maybe it's not as cheap as it looks?
By the way, I've seen comments on this board about problems with the paint. I have had no such problems. There are a couple of chips on the front, but certainly nothing unusual for a car with 50K miles. I wash the car regularly and wax twice a year, and the paint looks great.
Functionality
As noted earlier, I wanted a car that would comfortably transport my family and an occasional guest. The car does this very well, although there isn't much leg room for anyone sitting behind me. In February 2008 my wife, son, and I traveled by car from Maryland to Florida, covering about 3,000 miles in ten days. There were no complaints. The car gobbled up the miles, often crusing effortlessly at 75+ miles per hour. The car was a bit filled up with all the clothes, laptops, cooler, pillows, munchies, etc., but we didn't feel overly crowded. On the highway stretches I got over 35 MPG.
Basically, the car is doing exactly what I want it to do. It is practical, but it still looks nice and has enough power and competence that I enjoy driving the car. Thanks to the aftermarket pedals I installed in the car, I can even practice my heel-toe downshifts through some of the turns on the way to and from work (the space between the stock gas and brake pedals is a bit much for a good heel-toe).
What would I change?
I already mentioned the issues I have with the interior.
A telescoping steering wheel would be nice.
My biggest disappointment with this car is the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Now in my 40's, I'm not into blasting the stereo every time I get behind the wheel. In fact, I'm more likely to be listening to NPR or ESPN than music. However, I do get the occasional urge to relive my younger years by cranking up the volume, and this stereo that I paid extra for comes up WAY short. I've had thoughts of replacing the stereo in the Lancer, but then I figure that if I'm going to spend money on a car, I'll spend it on the Boxster (a spare set of wheels for the track is on the wish list).
Closing comments
So, there's not much I would change. In fact, if my '08 Lancer were to be totalled or stolen tomorrow, I'd probably replace it with another Lancer. If I did go with something else, it would just be to try something different.
I hope the car is still running well when my son turns 16 in four years. I figure I'll turn over the car to him. That's another reason why I wanted a full complement of safety equipment and didn't buy a car with crazy horsepower. At that time, if my finances are in order I'll buy myself another car, and I won't worry about the number of doors or keeping the price under $20K. Although I will still require a manual transmission. Maybe a used 911? Maybe an Evo XII? (Or whatever number they're on by that time.)
Background
I'm 43 years old, married, and have a 12-year-old son. As the calendar hit 2007 I had a 1986 Porsche 944 as a daily driver and a 1999 Boxster for extra fun. My son was getting to the point where the back seat of the 944 was not a comfortable place, and that car had passed the 250,000 mile mark. I decided to sell the 944 while it was still running and pick up something family-friendly to go with the Boxster.
In the late spring and early summer of 2007 I test drove numerous cars. My main search criteria were (1) a manual transmission, (2) four doors, and (3) an out-the-door price under $20,000. Having spent 10 years with six-figure mileage on the 944, I decided to buy new with a good warranty. Here is a list of some of the other cars I checked out and some thoughts on them:
Honda Civic--Very nice in many ways, but the shifter is placed exactly where my right knee wants to be. I'm 6'4" tall, and the Civic just didn't work for me.
Mazda 3--Pricey if you go for the bigger motor and any options. I could not find a comfortable seating position.
Nissan Altima--This also pushed my price threshold, unless I went for a bare-bones car. The motor was nice.
Subaru Impreza--At the time this car could not be had with side-curtain airbags. I knew I would be driving my son and his friends around, so I wanted side air bags for the back passengers.
Subaru Legacy--I really liked this car and came close to buying it. But, this would have gone over $20K, and I decided to go cheap.
Hyundai Elantra--I was within minutes of buying one. Price and performance were not much different between this and the Lancer. One thing I liked about the Elantra is that I could have gotten leather seats, which I prefer to cloth. However, on my way to the Hyundai dealer I went by the Mitsu dealership and took my second look at the Lancer. I like the stying of the Lancer much better than that of the Hyundai, both inside and out, and looks topped the leather.
So, I bought the Lancer new in July, 2007. The car has a manual transmission and the "sun and sound" package. I paid an even $18,000 including taxes and registration fees. Had I known the economy was going to collapse, I might have waited and gotten an even better deal.
Reliability and Maintenance
After 50K miles I have not had a single problem with the car. Zip.
I guess there was one recall on the car. If I remember correctly, it was to replace a front impact sensor that was susceptible to corrosion. My wife has a 2003 Toyota Tacoma with nearly 300K miles, and for the past three years I have done nothing but routine maintenance on my two cars and her truck. Nice!Speaking of maintenance, I have done all the maintenance on the car myself. Of the dozen cars I've owned in 27 years of driving, the Lancer has been as easy to work on as any. Search my username and you'll find a how-to on the 30K maintenance, which was all quite simple.
Performance
This car is what it is. It is a subcompact economy car, not a sports car. Let's not forget that. The 150 hp 2.0 liter motor is smooth and it more than does the job of moving this car around. The car provides decent feedback through the steering wheel, and the brake pedal is easy to modulate. The car is competent through corners, but I take my Boxster to autocrosses, not the Lancer.
My first car was a VW Beetle, and there is no comparison to be made. My second car was a 1983 Nissan Sentra hatchback. In its time, the Sentra was more-or-less the equivalent of the Lancer; I guess it still is a competitor today, but I think the modern Sentra is butt-ugly. I believe that my '83 Sentra's 1.6 liter motor had an output of a whopping 69 horses, and it rolled through corners as if it were suspended on marshmallows. It got about 30 MPG and the cost new was $6,600. It had manual windows and no air conditioning. In 2007 dollars, that $6,600 would be about $14,000. Add power windows, locks, air conditioning, sunroof, etc. and the cost is similar to that of my Lancer.
So, for about the same relative cost, my Lancer has twice the power, greatly-improved handling, equal or better fuel economy, and a lot more safety. We've come a long way in 25 years. I'm quite content with the performance of my Lancer. It is what it is.
Styling
Given the cars I shopped against the Lancer, I think the Lancer looks the best. Well, maybe I'd give the Mazda 3 (this was before the huge front grin) the nod over the Lancer. Anyways, I liked the way it looked three years ago, and I still like it. By the way, whoever did the design for Mitsu must have been a fan of the Alfa Romeo 159. Do a Google images search of the Alfa. Does this look familiar?
(I like those quad exhaust pipes!)
Check out the instrument cluster from the 159:
The Lancer isn't exactly a carbon copy, but other than the Alfa's front grille, the Lancer is a pretty obvious knockoff. The 159 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, so I guess that's not a bad person to imitate.
Although I like the general styling of the interior, there is a lot inside the Lancer that looks and feels very cheap. The cloth inserts of the doors and the cloth covering of the center armrest come to mind. I can't believe they've held up for even this long. The plastic of the door armrests is awful, and the faux aluminum accents are, well, very faux. Oh, and the stock shift knob that came with the ES was so horrible that I ordered an aftermarket shift knob the very afternoon I purchased the car.
That being said, the interior has held up. No rips in the cloth, no broken pieces of plastic. Maybe it's not as cheap as it looks?
By the way, I've seen comments on this board about problems with the paint. I have had no such problems. There are a couple of chips on the front, but certainly nothing unusual for a car with 50K miles. I wash the car regularly and wax twice a year, and the paint looks great.
Functionality
As noted earlier, I wanted a car that would comfortably transport my family and an occasional guest. The car does this very well, although there isn't much leg room for anyone sitting behind me. In February 2008 my wife, son, and I traveled by car from Maryland to Florida, covering about 3,000 miles in ten days. There were no complaints. The car gobbled up the miles, often crusing effortlessly at 75+ miles per hour. The car was a bit filled up with all the clothes, laptops, cooler, pillows, munchies, etc., but we didn't feel overly crowded. On the highway stretches I got over 35 MPG.
Basically, the car is doing exactly what I want it to do. It is practical, but it still looks nice and has enough power and competence that I enjoy driving the car. Thanks to the aftermarket pedals I installed in the car, I can even practice my heel-toe downshifts through some of the turns on the way to and from work (the space between the stock gas and brake pedals is a bit much for a good heel-toe).
What would I change?
I already mentioned the issues I have with the interior.
A telescoping steering wheel would be nice.
My biggest disappointment with this car is the Rockford Fosgate stereo. Now in my 40's, I'm not into blasting the stereo every time I get behind the wheel. In fact, I'm more likely to be listening to NPR or ESPN than music. However, I do get the occasional urge to relive my younger years by cranking up the volume, and this stereo that I paid extra for comes up WAY short. I've had thoughts of replacing the stereo in the Lancer, but then I figure that if I'm going to spend money on a car, I'll spend it on the Boxster (a spare set of wheels for the track is on the wish list).
Closing comments
So, there's not much I would change. In fact, if my '08 Lancer were to be totalled or stolen tomorrow, I'd probably replace it with another Lancer. If I did go with something else, it would just be to try something different.
I hope the car is still running well when my son turns 16 in four years. I figure I'll turn over the car to him. That's another reason why I wanted a full complement of safety equipment and didn't buy a car with crazy horsepower. At that time, if my finances are in order I'll buy myself another car, and I won't worry about the number of doors or keeping the price under $20K. Although I will still require a manual transmission. Maybe a used 911? Maybe an Evo XII? (Or whatever number they're on by that time.)
+1
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Oct 22, 2010, 05:50 AM
#9
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
I'm doing OK, and can't complain
However, as noted, I paid $18K even for the Lancer. In '04 I paid $29K for the Boxster (nice Boxsters can be had these days for half that). So, that's $47K for the two vehicles.
I see lots of SUV's and full-sized trucks on the road that cost more than $47K, not to mention various cars.
I think a new EVO is above the $40K mark, isn't it?
However, as noted, I paid $18K even for the Lancer. In '04 I paid $29K for the Boxster (nice Boxsters can be had these days for half that). So, that's $47K for the two vehicles.
I see lots of SUV's and full-sized trucks on the road that cost more than $47K, not to mention various cars.
I think a new EVO is above the $40K mark, isn't it?
Nov 20, 2010, 10:17 AM
#10
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Excellent review Mark!
I too hit my 50,000th mile a few months ago. I'm now at 58k and still running without any major problems. Although I did run over a huge pothole in the city that knocked my alignment out of place and cracked my passenger-side strut which caused it to leak fluid. But what would have been $500+ repair, the warranty covered it at no charge
So what type of maintenance were you able to do yourself at your 50k? I'm not asking for a how-to maintenance guide (like the one you wrote for the 30k was very helpful!). But I figure if a regular joe like yourself can do the repairs, I can too.
So what type of maintenance were you able to do yourself at your 50k? I'm not asking for a how-to maintenance guide (like the one you wrote for the 30k was very helpful!). But I figure if a regular joe like yourself can do the repairs, I can too.
Dec 6, 2010, 04:28 PM
#11
Just noticed this thread, so I'll chime in...
08 Lancer is at 77,000 miles and I'm happy to report that I have had no real issues with it at all...just a PCV valve replacement at ~60k miles (it got stuck open). The dealership has never laid a finger on my car (and probably never will) since all maintenance is done by me. The only mods to the car are RRM v1 pulley, axle back exhaust, and chassis stiffening mods - all added to the car when it had 15 - 17k miles on it. It has had it's share of wear items replaced...like spark plugs, battery, brakes, shocks, etc.; but that's to be expected for any car. I only use Amsoil 0W-20 with a Bosch Distance Plus Filter (10,000 mile drain interval) and only Shell 87 octane gasoline - zero sludge & zero carbon deposits...the inside of the crank case is pristine and there's no goop at the bottom of the oil pan. I get a little over 400 miles from a tank of gas, so the mileage is certainly better than what the window sticker states.
As far as upgrades (not really mods) go, I've done the following:
Brakes: Stock brakes are average at best and fade pretty quick - Raybestos AT Rotors (great North American-made multi-alloy rotor) with Bendix CT-3 pads (European made ceramic brakes...no noise, no dust & tons of stopping power!)
Tires: We all know the stock tires suck - changed to Goodyear F1s and haven't looked back
Lights: I found the stock headlights to be pretty weak - changed to Silverstar Ultras
Everything Else: As more parts begin to wear, I have no intention of moving away from OEM replacements - many parts on the car are made by Denso, who has a racing heritage and makes some of the best equipment you can buy.
Overall, I'm very happy with my Lancer and I'm looking forward to another 77k miles with it
08 Lancer is at 77,000 miles and I'm happy to report that I have had no real issues with it at all...just a PCV valve replacement at ~60k miles (it got stuck open). The dealership has never laid a finger on my car (and probably never will) since all maintenance is done by me. The only mods to the car are RRM v1 pulley, axle back exhaust, and chassis stiffening mods - all added to the car when it had 15 - 17k miles on it. It has had it's share of wear items replaced...like spark plugs, battery, brakes, shocks, etc.; but that's to be expected for any car. I only use Amsoil 0W-20 with a Bosch Distance Plus Filter (10,000 mile drain interval) and only Shell 87 octane gasoline - zero sludge & zero carbon deposits...the inside of the crank case is pristine and there's no goop at the bottom of the oil pan. I get a little over 400 miles from a tank of gas, so the mileage is certainly better than what the window sticker states.
As far as upgrades (not really mods) go, I've done the following:
Brakes: Stock brakes are average at best and fade pretty quick - Raybestos AT Rotors (great North American-made multi-alloy rotor) with Bendix CT-3 pads (European made ceramic brakes...no noise, no dust & tons of stopping power!)
Tires: We all know the stock tires suck - changed to Goodyear F1s and haven't looked back
Lights: I found the stock headlights to be pretty weak - changed to Silverstar Ultras
Everything Else: As more parts begin to wear, I have no intention of moving away from OEM replacements - many parts on the car are made by Denso, who has a racing heritage and makes some of the best equipment you can buy.
Overall, I'm very happy with my Lancer and I'm looking forward to another 77k miles with it
Dec 9, 2010, 12:13 PM
#12
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@nj_08_gts
Great to know your Lancer is still running without major problems at 77k miles.
I too refuse to go to the dealer for maintenance since they are way overpriced. So far the only problems I'm starting to see now is a slight rough idling when at a red light or stop sign. After tapping on the gas to give it a little rev, it seems to go away for a bit. I'm not sure what is causing this but I believe its the spark plugs. (I hadn't replaced it since I bought the car and now I'm running at 58k). Hopefully, when I replace it this weekend it'll go away.
Also once in a while, my engine fails to start. The starter cranks up strong, however the engine fails to start after even after 5 to 8 cranks. During those times, I start freaking out, and start stepping on the gas, breaks, and turning the steering wheel and give it another go to get it started again. Does any one know what causes this or has experienced the same?
Great to know your Lancer is still running without major problems at 77k miles.
I too refuse to go to the dealer for maintenance since they are way overpriced. So far the only problems I'm starting to see now is a slight rough idling when at a red light or stop sign. After tapping on the gas to give it a little rev, it seems to go away for a bit. I'm not sure what is causing this but I believe its the spark plugs. (I hadn't replaced it since I bought the car and now I'm running at 58k). Hopefully, when I replace it this weekend it'll go away.
Also once in a while, my engine fails to start. The starter cranks up strong, however the engine fails to start after even after 5 to 8 cranks. During those times, I start freaking out, and start stepping on the gas, breaks, and turning the steering wheel and give it another go to get it started again. Does any one know what causes this or has experienced the same?
Dec 9, 2010, 12:45 PM
#13
@nj_08_gts
Also once in a while, my engine fails to start. The starter cranks up strong, however the engine fails to start after even after 5 to 8 cranks. During those times, I start freaking out, and start stepping on the gas, breaks, and turning the steering wheel and give it another go to get it started again. Does any one know what causes this or has experienced the same?
Also once in a while, my engine fails to start. The starter cranks up strong, however the engine fails to start after even after 5 to 8 cranks. During those times, I start freaking out, and start stepping on the gas, breaks, and turning the steering wheel and give it another go to get it started again. Does any one know what causes this or has experienced the same?
needs to replace a couple of faulty relays to resolve it.As far as your funny idle - I'm actually having the same problem but I've been too lazy to look into it. Once I can get some garage time, I'll let you know what I find.
Dec 18, 2010, 04:11 AM
#15
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
I haven't done anything more extensive than the 30K maintenance. I have literally done what is called for in the Mitsu maintenance manual that came with the car, and nothing else. Back in November I did the 52,500 mile oil change and tire rotation. Some time in the spring I'll hit 60K miles and more-or-less do a repeat of the 30K maintenance (oil, filters, spark plugs, check hoses/boots/fluids/etc.).