This was purchased brand new (0km on the clock) from a South Australian Mitsubishi dealer in 2004 - it came significantly lowered, with the straight through muffler, 17" mags (235/45/17) and spoiler.

Does anyone else have one of these? I think it may have been a limited run only available in SA??? Has an "LE Limited Edition" badge on the rear.

The only real limited edition TL I know of was the VR-X LE like I had.

Most likely yours is a dealer special or similar where they put some alloys on it or some such. Got photos?

very keen for a few pics

Other things which I think which might have been non standard on an ES are fog lights, electric windows, colour coded door handles/mirrors.
The lowering seems very significant to me, not just a little. I have to be really careful not to scrape on anything.

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45155
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45154
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45153

AFAIK,TL/TW came with color coded handles and electric windows as std....

It appears that the mirrors, foggies,mags and spoiler may be the "limited "aspect of your ride.

Seriously doubt it would have come from the factory with that suspension set up,dealer fit maybe...

Yeah, I'm not sure which of the accessories are factory fitted, and which are dealer fitted. I would have thought the straight through muffler was factory, and it has a Mitsubishi triple diamond and part number embossed on it, but then the wiring for the fog lights definitely looks dealer fitted. I would get under and try and check out the exhaust more clearly and also the suspension setup, but it is so low I can't really get under there without jacking and axle stands. I can however see the springs are bright yellow Kings KCRL (they're King Lows, right?)

The list so far then is:
Tinting
235/45/17 Alloys
Lowered/Sports suspension
Colour coded mirrors
Fog lights
Spoiler
Straight through muffler

Does anyone else on the forum have one of these Limited Editions?

Mines got pretty much all of that listed (but added by me), but I can confirm that your options are not all factory, the option codes on the plate tell you what was added from factory, anything else is either dealer or third party. Come out to the meet tomorrow night with your car, and introduce yourself.

TL's came with colour coded door handles, power windows, 4 airbags etc.

If the springs are yellow (kings) then they are definately dealer fitted as no car left MMAL factory with aftermarket springs.

Rear muffler sounds like one from the VR model, wheels/tyres are dealer fitted as MMAL didnt comply any magna with tyres wider than 225/50/17 or rims wider than 7"

Actually, the springs are KCRL 43. Is that superlows?

Hi GTVi. I'd love to come to the meet, but working tomorrow night until 9pm :(
I've been meaning to bring the 380 along for ages too.

meets usually go till about 10 ish on a good night,depends on where you have to come from......

The KCFL-42(front) and KCRL-43(Rear) will lower the car approx 35-40mm from standard height - lows. You do not have superlows.

Well, I would come from the airport so I don't think it will work. I would get in my car at the airport around 9.15pm at the absolute earliest, and that's if flights are running on time. I also am working even later on the 16th :( Maybe in December.

It seems strange to me that the dealer can fit accessories (like the 235/55/17s) on to a BRAND NEW CAR without engineering approvals, because surely the purchaser expects the vehicle meets all the required standards.
Obviously MMAL wouldn't pay for warranty claims which were the result of the non-genuine dealer fitted accessories. I guess the dealer has to carry the warranty for those accessories or any affect they may have on other parts of the car - for the life of the factory warranty.

Okay, thanks GTVi.

Well, I would come from the airport so I don't think it will work. I would get in my car at the airport around 9.15pm at the absolute earliest, and that's if flights are running on time. I also am working even later on the 16th :( Maybe in December.

It seems strange to me that the dealer can fit accessories (like the 235/55/17s) on to a BRAND NEW CAR without engineering approvals, because surely the purchaser expects the vehicle meets all the required standards.
Obviously MMAL wouldn't pay for warranty claims which were the result of the non-genuine dealer fitted accessories. I guess the dealer has to carry the warranty for those accessories or any affect they may have on other parts of the car - for the life of the factory warranty.


mmm...thats sucks then.....well come on the net cruise on the 12/11/11 then...see SA section for my details

Have a 60th wedding anniversary that arvo 2-5pm, but I might be able to meet you at Lofty at the finish line? Can you PM me your moblie number, I'll reply with mine and we might be able to sort it out.

Well, I would come from the airport so I don't think it will work. I would get in my car at the airport around 9.15pm at the absolute earliest, and that's if flights are running on time. I also am working even later on the 16th :( Maybe in December.

It seems strange to me that the dealer can fit accessories (like the 235/55/17s) on to a BRAND NEW CAR without engineering approvals, because surely the purchaser expects the vehicle meets all the required standards.
Obviously MMAL wouldn't pay for warranty claims which were the result of the non-genuine dealer fitted accessories. I guess the dealer has to carry the warranty for those accessories or any affect they may have on other parts of the car - for the life of the factory warranty.


Once a brand new car has been purchased by a dealer and they modify outside of factory specs, then the parts that they fit they will have be to warrented by them (that inculudes the associated areas to what the modifications might effect as well)

Those LE badges are identical to those fitted to the TJ1 commonwealth games edition. Yours not factory spec at all

Well if the LE badges weren't fitted at the factory, the dealer must have fitted them.

Given that I'm quite confident some of the mods were factory (straight through muffler/colour coded mirrors), it's possible (but probably unlikely) the LE badges were also factory fitted.
Some of the other stuff definitely wasn't (King lows, mags/tires, fog lights).

Updated list, my guessing

FACTORY FIT
Colour coded mirrors
Straight through exhaust

DEALER FIT
Tinting
Fog Lights
King Lows
17" Alloys and 235 Rubber
Tinting

UNSURE (Factor or dealer fitted)
LE Limited Edition Badges
Spoiler

Is there any way of telling the difference between a factory fit and retrofit spoiler?

Given the dealer was 2km down the road from the factory, is it possible they got mods like the spoiler done as the car came down the assembly line in the factory?

I haven't seen any more of these around Adelaide (apart from my brother, who has one identical).

It's all dealer fitted. Factory ES's had gray middle door moulds, black side mirrors, a standard exhaust (twin dump peeshooters), pajaro suspension :P, no fogs, no tints, steelies with hubcaps, and there was no LE in the TL/TW range except the VR/VRX models (which can be identified by large VR or VR-X decals on the lower rear doors).

If I can jack the thing, I should be able to check the exhaust welding. I think it should be fairly easy to tell the difference between a factory welded muffler and a dealer retro-fit.

Well if the LE badges weren't fitted at the factory, the dealer must have fitted them.

They're factory badges, but fitted by the dealer. They look like a combination of the TJ 'LE' badge (see third pic (http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?__Qpb=1&tsrc=allcarhome&__Ntk=CarAll&Cr=7&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32|1||pCar_PriceSort_Decimal |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&R=11544066&seot=1&__Ntt=magna%20limited%20edition&silo=1011&__sid=132B4830D514&keywords=magna%20limited%20edition&__D=magna%20limited%20edition&SearchAction=N&trecs=15&__Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294964597&__Nne=15&__Dx=mode%20matchany)) and the TL 'Limited Edition' badge (see fourth pic (http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?__Qpb=1&tsrc=allcarhome&__Ntk=CarAll&Cr=3&__Ns=pCar_RankSort_Int32|1||pCar_PriceSort_Decimal |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&R=11502613&seot=1&__Ntt=magna%20limited%20edition&silo=1011&__sid=132B4830D514&keywords=magna%20limited%20edition&__D=magna%20limited%20edition&SearchAction=N&trecs=15&__Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&__N=1216%201246%201247%201252%201282%204294964597&__Nne=15&__Dx=mode%20matchany)).

The "LE" and "Limited Edition" are not two separate badges placed next to each other, it is definitely just one piece.

Thanks for everyone's help so far.

Is there any way of telling the difference between a factory fit and retrofit spoiler?

Given the dealer was 2km down the road from the factory, is it possible they got mods like the spoiler done as the car came down the assembly line in the factory?


I knew the sales people that were at Southland and they were known to make subtle changes to cars for sale purposes to "sweeten" a deal. Some dealers are known to install King Springs if ordered by the customer, including colour coding mirrors etc.

Its also quite possible that this car started off as a special order some items from factory and some from the dealer for a customer, but the sale may have fallen through.

Either way, I think you have effectively identified what was from factory and what was added later by the dealer.

The fact that you have limited edition badges suggests to me that the dealer added them to highlight it was a special.

To check the spoiler you may tell if you remove the it and check if it has paint missing, or subtle scratches where the holes are drilled or fasteners are installed. When I removed my factory installed spoiler I noticed that the holes were drilled prior to painting.

Hope that helps.

If I can jack the thing, I should be able to check the exhaust welding. I think it should be fairly easy to tell the difference between a factory welded muffler and a dealer retro-fit.

Its quite easy for a dealer to purchase and fit the "sports" rear muffler that was fitted to the VR model. Hell plenty of dealers have bought "factory" parts and fit them to lower spec cars, then sell them off as a special edition etc.

So yes they will have used some factory parts on your car BUT they wouldnt have been fitted to the vehicle when it was being built (example the kings springs, rims and tyres etc)... hell i worked for MMAL for over 10years and they had a pretty locked in build schedule (so that suppliers could supply the correct parts in a "just in time" manner for actual vehicle production)

As a employee we were able to have cars built for us BUT only with parts available to the factory (so no aftermarket bits and pieces and even then we had limited choice in bits and pieces) as the car when it comes off the production line has to meet the stringent ADR requirements.

Hi GTVi, aren't you burning the midnight oil!


The fact that you have limited edition badges suggests to me that the dealer added them to highlight it was a special.

It wasn't bought from the showroom or yard, it was advertised as a special and my brother and dad ordered one each. They weren't at the dealer already, because they had to wait approx 3 weeks for them to arrive a the dealer and then be prepared, ready for pick up. That's why there's doubt about how much was factory/dealer fitted.

I'd thought about taking the spoiler off and checking the paint, but I don't want to scratch anything in the process as the paint is immaculate (and not sure I need to know that badly!)

My brother's is identical in every way (including colour), except he also got a sunroof/leather steering wheel. They are both manual. The Magna definitely feels a lot "pokier" than my 380, but whether it is faster 0-100 I'm not sure. It might just feel more responsive to the throttle because of the lighter weight. The ratios on the Magna are SO much better, but the 380 seems to have adapted to 98 octane very well and the 90mm intake/straight through muffler make a heap of difference. The 98 octane seems to make much less difference in the TL because of the lack of a knock sensor.

Okay, thanks Jasons VRX.

Hi GTVi, aren't you burning the midnight oil!

The moderator's duties knows no bounds...lol