jmart37

Hey guys, so Im heading to look at a 15 ralliart but I'm just kind of looking for some guidance on what to look out for to see how hard this car has been driven and such.
I have a scheduled inspection to see all mechanical and electrics to see if anything is changed from factory, but maybe you guys have some tips to notice I'm not buying something that was crazy modded or just abused as all hell!! Let me know the secrets!

c08

Probably the biggest thing to be concerned about is transmission issues, because fixing them is a PITA. It's expensive, and you usually either have to ship it somewhere to get repaired because dealers usually just replace the entire transmission. Check for things like slipping, grinding noises, extremely jerky shifts, trouble codes, etc. Be aware that the transmission is really quirky though so it it can be a bit jerky and make tons of weird noises even if it is healthy. It would help if you have another car to compare it to or know someone who has experience with the TC-SST.

Also check service records. You can look at the maintenance schedule and try to track down whether it has been followed. Following the maintenance for the transmission is important. If you find the service history you may be able to talk to the places that serviced it for more info too. Sometimes they'll provide it and sometimes they won't.

One of the other more common issues on the Ralliarts and EVO Xs is ACD pump failure due to corrosion. There is an extended warranty for it though as long as it is stock (and will stay stock).

As far as mods go, some of the more common stuff is tune/ECU remap, intake, and exhaust. It may be difficult to tell whether it was tuned and returned to stock, but you can check the intake and exhaust to see if it is stock or looks like it was removed recently. If you see any denied warranty work or anything like that on the service history it would be a red flag as well.

One last thing I would suggest is making sure there is either factory warranty left on the car, or if you're buying it from a dealer they at least have a short term warranty. I've seen a few people post about buying Evos/Ralliarts and having problems within a few weeks (probably pre-existing issues that were just covered up to sell it). If there is factory warranty left you could also contact Mitsubishi to make sure it is still valid and there is no history of mods on the car.

jmart37

That's solid advice, thank you!
yeah I've been beating myself over the head to try and corner some way of figuring if someone modded it or not. Checking w Mitsu to see if the car failed warranty work is perfect. At least I would know it's still covered under warranty.
hopefully by Sunday I'm posting some pics of my ralliart!

Robdee30

I agree with c08 completely. I bought an 09 with 108000 miles but only because it was clean, had a full service history and never modded. They also threw in a 2 year 24000 mile powertrain warranty just to sweeten the deal. I'm now at 122000 with zero issues. I think service history is an absolute must especially with the trans thats in these cars.

drivejumpfly

The warranty advice is the best and see if they had any work done on the car for the transmission in the service records. The transmission is the weakest link of the car.

jmart37

So I went down to look at the 15t ralliart. First thing. Gash in the bumper that the posted pictures didn't show.
is it normal that in slow speeds the transmission clunky? I would feel the gears force themselves in slower city speeds but would become really smooth at high speeds.

what the dealership or carfax didn't say was it's transmission plate was warped and replaced. Had to walk away from it. That transmission scared me..

timrf79

If you are still in the market, we have a 2009 Ralliart.
Under 80k miles, all stock, always serviced at Mitsubishi.

Send me a PM and I can send you some pictures.

Robdee30

My trans is only a little jerky when cold. Once it warms up a little its buttery smooth regardless of speed. I think you did good walking away from that one.