Mechanic reckons that my Magna ('98 TF Altera LS) is an import. Slightly different exhaust setup to the local model apparently.

I had no idea Magnas were ever imported? Diamante's maybe, but not Magnas.

Anyone care to set me straight?

Wouldn't think so, it would be a personal import.

Check the driver's handbook manual. If it is in Japanese, could be an import.

Does it have Magna or Diamante moulded into the bit abouve the numberplate on the boot?

Exhausts change often during production runs also.

Check your vin number with Mitubishi...

Nah the books show that RMIT purchased it new from a city Mitsu dealer, i.e. fleet car. Everything's in English, etc. Looks pretty legit to me.

What I'm getting at is, Magnas (not Diamantes) have never been manufactured outside Australia have they?

Badged as 'magna' - no.

Do a google image search for 'mitsubishi sigma' - that will come as a surprise to many people.

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Do a google image search for 'mitsubishi sigma' - that will come as a surprise to many people.


The only suprise i got was the 1984 black manual with 100,000kms for $9,000.

It's a "TK" apparently. Compliance plate does say "MITSUBISHI T/K".

He reckons low volume ones like mine (Altera LS wagon) where they only made 1000 or so were produced in Japan.

Meh, whatever.

Thats right, Magna's never went overseas and it wouldn't be a Dimante import to Aust with Magna badges on it because all Dimante's had the Verada style fat bumpers on them.

Exhaust could of been changed or replaced here.

look things like exhausts aren't always totally kosher - when I had my Mitsu sports muffler fitted the mechanic (at a Mitsu dealer - the head mechanic even) remarked that I had some kind of non standard Mitsubishi muffler already on the car. It wasn't the standard Mitsu, it wasn't the sports Mitsu, yet it had Mitsubishi logos and a Mitsu part number on it. So things can obviously vary. As long as there's an Australian compliance plate on the bulkhead under the bonnet I wouldn't be too concerned about your mechanic's findings.

The Magna wagon was design and built only for Australia. Other countries only ever had sedans.

It's a "TK" apparently. Compliance plate does say "MITSUBISHI T/K".

He reckons low volume ones like mine (Altera LS wagon) where they only made 1000 or so were produced in Japan.

Meh, whatever.

Tell us your first 11 digits of your VIN number. I can decipher the meanings of each digit/letter.


By the way, wagons were exported for the 2nd gen range (KR/KS) but so far I have not heard of a 3rd gen wagon outside Oz land.

Why worry about the VIN when the colour of the compliance plate is all you need to know for import status. Hell, there should be a compliance plate in their stating made in australia anyway.

wouldnt u just need the first number of the VIN number to know its an aussie? well thats going by the info i have any way (probly wrong lol)
:


VIN number Meaning:
6MMT?#*&%T00001
6= Australia

M= Australia

M= Mitsu Motors

T or K =Car line/type, T=magna K=verada

?=Model/Series E F H J L

#= engine transmission combination

*= Price class A=V6 advance, D=Exec, K=Altera LS, U=V6 Altera, S=sports, H=Ei, X=Xi

&= Body type 42=sedan, 46=wagon

%= Year W=98, X=99, Y=00, 1=01

T= tonsley park

00001 - 99999= body number


By the way, this could be wrong.. Its just what i picked up somewhere

On our car's rego sticker under 'Model' it says T/K00A. So I am assuming that T/K is probably the code for the Third Generation Magna range or something :confused: And our car is a 2001 make TJ Magna, made in South Australia not overseas. As said before, your VIN tells you your car series,etc.

No offence but I think for a mechanic, yours hasn't got much clue what he is talking about.

The only suprise i got was the 1984 black manual with 100,000kms for $9,000.

:D

magnas are the latest in the long line of 'sigmas' - though we never got that badging (probably because of the stigma attached to it!). I believe the european market carried it up into the mid 90s or so. Wedge-shape first gens, however, afaik, carried the galant badge in japan (still see them around a fair bit - as taxis)

as for 'T/K' - you'll find that branding on many parts, because they may be interchangeable between T (magna) and K (verada) vehicles. VIN refers to the plate in the engine bay - in case some of you weren't aware of that :)

Why worry about the VIN when the colour of the compliance plate is all you need to know for import status. Hell, there should be a compliance plate in their stating made in australia anyway.

Firstly I had no idea about the different colour scheme in compliance plates for personal imports. I've never seen the engine bay of any personal import before.

Also the compliance plate holds the VIN number which in turn tells us what country it was really built in.


wouldnt u just need the first number of the VIN number to know its an aussie? well thats going by the info i have any way (probly wrong ).....

Indeed you are absolutely correct. I wanted the extra digits to confirm the exact model as well :)

TecoDaN: for future reference (don't think it was mentioned before), a legally complicanced personal import will be wearing a yellow plate

Redav: http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/DIAMANTE/index.html - still looking the way they should have been left in oz!!!

I think the droopy nose & corporate look of the Magna was also copied onto the last of the Diamantes in the US. But don't quote on me for that one.

US diamantes, being export veradas, are almost identical to what we have - so our changes are reflected in their market. Of course, this will be reversed when the galant (which, IIRC, has been in the US market already) will become our magna (or equivalent of)

Jules! Sweet ride! same as mine.. Except an altera wagon over my advance sedan... I got the same wheels, colour, year, model and same tint :)

U got lower k's too.

Congrats man!

not sure if this rule was around back when your car "may" have been imported.
but nowdays you can only import cars that are not available "new" for sale from deals here.

meaning if this did apply (unless yourss is not a real magna "haha") then it's not an import or it illegal "haha again"

Firstly I had no idea about the different colour scheme in compliance plates for personal imports. I've never seen the engine bay of any personal import before.

Also the compliance plate holds the VIN number which in turn tells us what country it was really built in.


Yep, for sure you can decipher the VIN, but its probably a lot easier just to follow the compliance plate colour scheme

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi19.pdf

']:D
magnas are the latest in the long line of 'sigmas' - though we never got that badging (probably because of the stigma attached to it!).
Magnas are NOT Sigmas... different beasts.

There are (70s & early 80s) Sigmas in Oz badged as "Chrysler" built at Tonsley Park, before Mitsubishi bought it out. (Family had the 1977 Mitsubishi Sigma when it first came out, when lime green & dayglo orange were all the rage.)

Original TM Magna's body is based on the overseas' Galant Super Touring, but widened by 4" or so.