This is going to sound a bit weird. Is there any possible way I can make a comparison between the 2010 GTS sportback VS the sedan? I have the sportback and my girlfriend has the sedan and I cannot believe how different they are to drive. Mine feels like it is driving off a cliff over the smallest of bumps, sways to the left while cruising, etc. Mine DOES have 10k miles however yet hers is brand new, I just didn't think it would be that much tighter.


Are the suspensions even the same on the cars??

 

Doubt the Sportback and Sedan rates are the same given the weight differences on the cars. But the GTS has a "sport-tuned" suspension. Thats usually industry jargon for stiffer spring rates.

Another big factor to street feel is wheel/tires. What size rims do you each have?

At one point we had a 08 DE and 08 GTS Lancer in house. The DE had the small rims/tires and the GTS had the OEM 18s. Aspect ratio on the GTS was small. Typically means that you'll feel more road variations over the softer sidewalls on the smaller wheel cars.

 

We both have the GTS, so they should both be the 18x8 on the garbage Dunlop tires.

Here is what I have noticed, and have specific complaints about:
Bear in mind it is going back to the dealer on Monday AM


1. On the highway my car drifts tot he left, alllll the time.
2. If I merge lanes on the highway, the car has a disgusting amount of bodyroll.
3. Turning around corners is vastly different. When I make a sharp right hand turn, the car nose dips on the driver side down, yet when I turn left, it spikes up. Being that the engine is centered on the engine bay and the weight distribution seems to be pretty equal, this is slighlty unsettling.
4. Any crack feels as if I just went off roading.


The dealer told me that the GTS sportback suspension is stiffer then the GTS sedan. Any truth to this?

 

1. Alignment or conicity in the tire. If alignment is good. Do a road force test on the tires.

2/3/4. Spring rates or possible blown strut.

Dealers typically have no idea. And most manufactures do not release OE rates. I'd go talk to the parts dept. Look up both spring parts. If they have different numbers, I'd lean to different rates also.

 

Wow, thanks man. I'm leaning to an actual problem unfortunately but I will not know until Monday. I will keep you posted.

 

my sportback and my roomates 09 GTS rides exactly the same. Your alignment may be off.

The only difference is the clutches on the cars wear depending on how he drives.

 

So far I have been told:

The suspensions are different, and that mine(the sportback) is like the EVO while the sedan is not. Huh???

I have been told that since the sportback comes in a diesel version in Europe, that it has more sound deadening.. Wha? What does this have to do with the car's suspension???

I'm at wits end, it seems like hires some poor mechanics or they just don't want to stand by their product.

 

I have tested a lot of different configurations for the lancer and sports back.

Lancer suspension is more or less the same. There will be slight differences to account for weight distribution and ride stability. But its about the same. Struts will be a bit stiffer in the GTS and sportsback, but very close across the board. The biggest difference you can make is upgrading to better tires. Once your get better more comfy rubber, you will enjoy the benefits of your suspension handling and have much better ride comfort. The Conti DWS gives you that balance.

 

I guess that is 90% of the problem. I'm comparing a GTS to a GTS, it is just a sportback vs a sedan and noone at Mitsubishi can give me a straight answer as to why the ride is vastly different. I have a shock absorber sensor which I affixed to the same location in each car, drove down the same road, at the same speed and got much different results. The differences were not .5g apart, but sometimes 2-4gs apart for the same bump. We both have the garbage Dunlop tires, I just have a hard time believing that there is this much of a difference in the ride quality. The cabin in the Sedan seems much quieter, I guess the next test is sound levels. I'm hoping with enough supporting evidence I can get the dealer to admit there MAY be an issue. It would not be the first time a car left the factory with a problem, I just want them to honestly look at it, not just drive it around the lot and say "looks fine to me."