Hi Guys,

In a bit of a bind, I have a higher k's 380 which has been mostly trouble free, it still drives well etc but it's reaching the 150,000 k mark soon and I was wondering if there are any major items that go bang.

Dealers don't like them when they get past that amount so even though they are already worth nothing anyway I guess I may loose out a bit more (not that I expected to make money of course).

The dealer that just tried to sell me a 2004 adventra for $29900 hah! suggested I might as well keep it and drive it till it dies which may be the best option afterall..

The only question is..with regular servicing how long does these 380's last before major items like gearboxes, engines etc go?

Cheers

Mark

I don't see why you won't see 400,000kms+ with regular servicing and some mechanical sympathy.

Mitsus don't go "bang" that early, if at all. Going by earlier Magnas, the thing to look for is drive shaft boots tearing and steering rack boots doing the same. Keep an eye on them, by sticking your head under the car once in a while, expect them to last for another 50,000 km or so, anyway. If you keep the car serviced regularly - especially the gearbox - you should be able to double that reading with few dramas.

The dealer probably smelled your anxiety about the car's age/km and saw a "selling opportunity". They are quite predatory like that! lol

And I don't agree that the car is worth nothing, check eBay, carsales etc for the asking price of a similar car.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mitsubishi-380-SX-II-2006-Semi-Automatic-Dual-Fuel-/190513911402?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item2c5b83966a

201,000 km, bidding at $8,600 with 6 hours to go.

I have one customer with 480k's well about to click over 500k's on a TH

Another 380 customer with 225k's and no issues since the day the car was purchased new

Hope that helps, a lot of the older TE/F/H I get have over 300k's on them and run perfectly aside from body damage are fine

Mitsus don't go "bang" that early, if at all. Going by earlier Magnas, the thing to look for is drive shaft boots tearing and steering rack boots doing the same. Keep an eye on them, by sticking your head under the car once in a while, expect them to last for another 50,000 km or so, anyway. If you keep the car serviced regularly - especially the gearbox - you should be able to double that reading with few dramas.

The dealer probably smelled your anxiety about the car's age/km and saw a "selling opportunity". They are quite predatory like that! lol

And I don't agree that the car is worth nothing, check eBay, carsales etc for the asking price of a similar car.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mitsubishi-380-SX-II-2006-Semi-Automatic-Dual-Fuel-/190513911402?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item2c5b83966a

201,000 km, bidding at $8,600 with 6 hours to go.

Good to know..I am changing jobs and might need to carry some stuff but I guess I can always fit a towbar and use a small box trailer if really necessary.

I guess you get caught up in the pitch and as far as the dealers and general public are concerned the car will explode as soon as it passes either 100K, 150K and 200K.

All up I suppose he offered me $8K as a trade in but on a ridiculously overpriced vehicle..can't imagine paying $500+/month for the next 5 years for an car that is pushing 8 years old now.

Anyway..last service it had the major service, gearbox oil changed etc and nothing was awry..has a little shudder on braking at higher speed (new rotors?)but otherwise it's still going pretty well.

rotors wobbly under brakes? Try using a torque wrench on the wheel nuts to even out the torque, 100Nm is good. If they are still wobbly, get them skimmed, no need for new ones. I had mine done (TS fronts) at 242,000 km for $50, there was plenty of metal still on them. Much cheaper than new rotors, if you are prepared to remove and replace them yourself.

There is a lot of hype about "the car will explode as soon as it passes either 100K, 150K and 200K" but it comes mainly from dealers who are desperately trying to move new stock. lol
Don't buy into that kind of thinking.

I know a few people who buy a new car every 5 years, and they tell me (with a straight face) that it saves them money as it avoids "problems". I used to challenge them on the "problems" part, but they got very vague after that. I guess they are addicted to an endless stream of car finance payments. lol Come to think of it, they "trade in" their house regularly too, weird or what? lol A definite case of finance payment addiction. lol

150K on a "MODERN" engine is nothing IMO

29.9K for a 2004 adventurer is ridic over priced. Is it an Lx8? it better have some low kay's for that kinda price.

Oh well, the whole getting in large debt and losing thousands in depreciation as usual sort of got me head working right, as long as I keep it in service I should be fine for some time to come..I normally only do 10,000-15000k's max a year as I always strive to shrink my commute each year.

It's a interesting point you make about finance payment addiction and it's probably time to stop keeping up with the Jone's as they don't know jack about things most of the time anyway :-)

I was a nice low k's example 48K's on the dial and Lx8 too boot but in these days of of 1.40-1.50l for petrol it just wasn't a positive feature and I would have had to do an lpg upgrade before delivery to make it affordable to run.

That's true. My mates VE SS runs more KMS in one tank than my Vrx.. Wow that's pretty rare, 48K's on a adventurer

That's true. My mates VE SS runs more KMS in one tank than my Vrx..

yeah?

How big is the VE SS fuel tank again?.....LOL

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/ve-holden-commodore-2006/74636-fuel-consumption-kms-per-tank-ve-v8.html

73L? 8 litre difference with the vrx and he gets 100-140k more then mine.

Yes the proverbial 1 lady owner..but still it's getting on in years and hardly worth 30K considering they were 48K new.

Though yeah my 380 is not fantastic on fuel..I travel on the m4 80% of the time and ave consumption never drops below 12l/100km :-( So v8 on gas would prob cost a lot less to run.

Yes the proverbial 1 lady owner..but still it's getting on in years and hardly worth 30K considering they were 48K new.

Though yeah my 380 is not fantastic on fuel..I travel on the m4 80% of the time and ave consumption never drops below 12l/100km :-( So v8 on gas would prob cost a lot less to run.

You could pick up a 2010 Nissan Maxima STS with less than 30K's for under 29K.. My dad has one and it does 500K on a tank city/hwy, and 8.6 litres on the highway.

73L? 8 litre difference with the vrx and he gets 100-140k more then mine.

8 litres gets a lot of people around here almost another 100 kms....unless they drive a manual 380.

Suggest you read the link I posted.....

Plenty of people getting 15-20L+ /100km around town in their V8's.

But highway driving is much of a muchness...some V8's can be very economical....(many aren't)...

But almost all V8's drink fuel like a pig around town....the saving grace is a large fuel tank.

8 litres gets a lot of people around here almost another 100 kms....unless they drive a manual 380.

Suggest you read the link I posted.....

Plenty of people getting 15-20L+ /100km around town in their V8's.

But highway driving is much of a muchness...some V8's can be very economical....(many aren't)...

But almost all V8's drink fuel like a pig around town....the saving grace is a large fuel tank.
Yeah I read the link, kinda wish we had a community like that. (size wize)

I'm getting 17L on my 380 if i lead foot it. 12.5 if I drive like my great great grandad.

Yeah I read the link, kinda wish we had a community like that. (size wize)

I'm getting 17L on my 380 if i lead foot it. 12.5 if I drive like my great great grandad.

If that is the best economy you get then something is broken....


Unless of course you have a manual 380 and you drive up and down the Southern outlet in Hobart all the time?

If that is the best economy you get then something is broken....


Unless of course you have a manual 380 and you drive up and down the Southern outlet in Hobart all the time?

Nope, Just city driving in launceston. Yeah i even switch to netural going down hills.. It's automatic and I got the car a week ago. I don't know whats wrong with it honestly. Its sitting at 13.1 L now.

I still miss my SS which was a manual. I have posted before, 21 city but 9.8 country. I dont miss the fuel bill as most of my driving is city.

no need to switch to neutral on down hill
if there is no throttle input it uses 0.1 per 100kms

try it I still drive hard and get good econ
make sure you check your tyre pressures and have a clean air intake

I would get the tranny flushed and change the oil while its in

no need to switch to neutral on down hill
if there is no throttle input it uses 0.1 per 100kms

try it I still drive hard and get good econ
make sure you check your tyre pressures and have a clean air intake

I would get the tranny flushed and change the oil while its in

Ill check the intake, prob upgrade to kn anyway sometime soon. also what brands would you recommend for the oil etc? tyre pressure is goood.

I use Mobil 1 5W-50

Big W sells it for $65

Just switched to Valvoline (it was 50% off $75)10W-50 Full syn

Change my oil every 7500kms.
Have you brought the Galant intake??? the 90mm intake is the first upgrade I did and offered me a 10% decrease in Fuel consumption almost immediately ( 2 tanks )
I have a K&N and it really is so I dont have to pay for a paper filter every service

Wish we had big w in launnie. yeah, ill have a look around, supercheap/kmart etc. Nope haven't got the intake yet. will be looking on ebay soon. saw one for 55bux. Nice 10% is a nice saving, also got quoted 310$ for berklee's exhaust, fitted and supplied. Any decent?

no need to switch to neutral on down hill
if there is no throttle input it uses 0.1 per 100kms

I would get the tranny flushed and change the oil while its in

this is all off topic but I find when I sit idle in traffic the instantaneous consumption is mega high (25-45l/100km), not .1 or nil?

Nope, Just city driving in launceston. Yeah i even switch to netural going down hills.. It's automatic and I got the car a week ago. I don't know whats wrong with it honestly. Its sitting at 13.1 L now.

If you are rolling down hills in N then you had better start looking for a new car now as you will no doubt soon have a bad accident when yo go to use your brakes (or breaks for some who dont know what brakes are :) ) you will find them over heated, as you are not in gear you have no control over your car and you will crash lol


The 380 was meant to be better on fuel than the magna's were but as it turned out really is not better but then again for some of the features you get in the 380 even compared to the top line magna's it is sort of worth it lol

this is all off topic but I find when I sit idle in traffic the instantaneous consumption is mega high (25-45l/100km), not .1 or nil?

Your consumption stopped in traffic is actually infinity l/100km. After all you are going nowhere..........

Engine off, car in neutral, rolling down hill = 0 L/100 Km. (Mal will say "Don't do this!" lol)

Car stopped, engine idling = Infinity L/100 Km.

Car stopped, engine off = 0L/0 Km.

Rest of the time, its somewhere in between.

Simple really. lol

well yes of course...I've just noticed it's sometimes got a crazy number displayed instead of the more logical --:-- (ie infinity)

lol Mine can read anything between 3 (or is it .3 ?) and 54 L/100 Km

OIC - some I am not the only one with the crazy electronics :-)

mate providing service is kept up you wont have a problem. Mines sitting on just over 170 thousand and brought it with about 50 thpusand just over two years ago, service it every 7500 k's and it hasnt put a foot wrong. She still goes as good as the day i brought it aswell, still very happy with mine.

mate providing service is kept up you wont have a problem. Mines sitting on just over 170 thousand and brought it with about 50 thpusand just over two years ago, service it every 7500 k's and it hasnt put a foot wrong. She still goes as good as the day i brought it aswell, still very happy with mine.
yep Kifs is very smooth even with 70K kms more than mine

markb,

I'm in the same situation; my car is just over 148 000km and I had to decide which way to go due to lease expiry. Based on my previous experience with a KE that reached 248 000km with the most major replacement a water pump, it has been an easy decision.
I expect my car to reach 300 000km without any major issues. It is mostly on the hwy so the engine and transmission have the ideal environment.

Great advices guys.

I think only thing that require some attention - leaking front shock : an AMC member has spings + shocks for sale so that's prob easy and cheap enough (could this be also causing the shudder?)
and rotors.

Only thing other than that is servicing which of is usually pretty cheap as well.

My only real issue is that I am changing a career to be a Personal Trainer but realistically a ute/dual cab is way overkill for the occasional carting of stuff around and I really the prospect of being debt free is a bit more alluring than any new vehicle.

i get a bit of a shudder in my steering at about 105km/h h thought it was to do with having the heavy 20'' wheels on but have been using my mates 380GT the past two weeks while mine is in getting re sprayed and noticed his 380 does the same thing at the same speed with 19'' wheels so it leaves me not knowing what it is, mine is currently on the stock 17's so ill see if it shudders with them on before the 20's go back on.

Noticed your from NSW, where abouts, should come out and show us your ride.


Kif

Yeah I am in Seven Hills but I assure you my 380 is a very standard DBII SX :-) certainly nothing flash to lack at.

Yeah I am in Seven Hills but I assure you my 380 is a very standard DBII SX :-) certainly nothing flash to lack at.

still come out one day SX GT LX LS all good cars

Sure..I'm now a long term 380 driver..can't bear the impact of a trade-in now so I'll be hanging on to it until it goes bye-bye.. it is a good car though pity about weird australian motorists and their attitudes to certain vehicles. I have heard Honda's suffer the same fate if it's not a CRV.