Rare Australian Legnum

[paramour]

Hello People,

I have recently become a member of your group and I have some questions to ask of you.

I was at a car import place here in OZ and I was actually looking for an Evo to replace my Lancer GSR turbo and the guy did not have any in stock, but he did inform me that there is a wagon in the storage shed that has been there for the past 3 years since he bought the company.

Well it I asked to see it and it was a nice white 1997 Mitsubishi legnum VR4 and it has under 70,000 k's on the clock and the inside is very dusty but nice, he said it has not been driven since he has had it and it was in the back of the warehouse.

As far as I know there are less than 5 legnums in this country, well here are my questions to assist in my decision to buy it:

How much fuel does it consume in normal driving
What is the minimum octane rating it can take eg 95, 96, or 98 or even higher
What are the pro's & cons ( I have owned GSR's and drivin Evos)
Does the V6 suffer the same tapping noise as the other Mitsubishi engines do
How is the brakes for this large car
What should I look for in this rare find, mechanically to make sure it is not a lemon
I can not tell what version it is, it does have a factory sunroof.

Please feel free to e-mail me paramour@bigpond.com

Many thanks Jules

[You See]

Hey Jules....welcome!
Yeah you damn Aussies are so much into your Holdens and Fords that you don't realise that you've just been blown away from a japper!...haha
Fuel consumption isn't too bad, all depends on how you drive it....normal driving I average around 300-350ks
Minimum is 95 octane
One obvious PRO is you'll have 1 of 5 (if that) Legnum VR4's in the country
Yeah the engine does suffer that tapping noise (think most Mitsi's do) tho good semi-synthetic oil should keep it at bay...I also combine it with additives.
Brakes provide decent stopping power, tho a good contrete wall also helps. :-)
Look for the usual...rust, moisture...and AYC/Traction Control. If you're abit hesitant get a mechanic or Mitsi dealer to do a pre-purchase check....it'll cost you a few hundy, but it could save you thousands!

Good Luck!...VR4's are awesome cars!

[Nick Mann]

Check out the buyers guide under the resources tab at the top of the page.

Brakes are okay for normal driving. Fast road driving may leave you wanting an upgrade, and track driving definitely will!

You may find 95 octane leads to a power drop. Some members have found that using 97 rather than 95 can give up to 40 hp extra. The belief is that the ECU plays with the timing/fuel mixture to protect itself if it thinks the octane is too low. I have never suffered from that, but I rarely use less than 97 octane. I would imgine running costs are very similar to the Evo's - similar technology and set-up, similar service intervals etc.

Feel free to ask questions, and remember that we have quite a bit more info in the members only section should you decide to buy.

[bradc]

How much do they want for it? To give you an idea you can get a 97 Legnum over here in the $10k-$15k range depending on km's and condition. I would definately consider it simply because I know how rare they are. I was over there for 2 weeks in January and I didn't see a single legnum the whole time I was over there. That also creates the problem that only genuine mitsi dealers will know what they are doing to the car.

Is it a tiptronic or manual? Ask to take it for a drive and fling it around a few corners to see if the AYC lights come on, that can be a problem on them. Also make sure they replace all fluids, engine oil, ATF, AYC, etc before you go driving, I'd hate to imagine how bad the oil would be when it is at least 3 years old.

[richy rich]

AS A NEW MEMBER I WISH I HAD PAYED UP AND GOT LOADS MORE INFO ABOUT THE CAR BEFORE I BOURT ONE.
WITH THAT IN MIND TRY AND GET THE CAR ON THE ROAD FOR A WEEK OR SO AS HE HAS HAD IT STOOD FOR SO LONG HE MITE BE WILING TO LET YOU HAVE IT FOR A WILE TO GET RID.
CHEACK FOR LEAKS FROM GEAR BOX IF AUTO.
20MPG I WOULD SAY IS ABOUT NORM IF DRIVING STEADY I DO 250 MILES ON A RUN TO A TANK OF FUEL.
AS OTHERS HAVE SAID TRY AND GET IT TO A MITSI DEALER GET IT CHEACKED OUT.
AS NICK SAYES CHEAK OUT BUYERS GUIDE.

HOPE YOU HAVE FUN FINDING OUT ABOUT THE CARS PLUSES /Steeringw /Steeringw :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[aaron68nz]

I'd also get the chassis number and check for recalls. The Mitsi recall site in original language is at http://recall.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/Recall/resultrecallstatus.do
I've been meaning to get my lower suspension arm ball joints checked but if by chance they needed replacement I'm thinking it's unlikely to get them here in Australia and would have to get them in from NZ.