So what do non-VR-4 Galants drive like?

[Robotnik123]

My Mum needs a new car and I showed her the run out specials on Mitsubishi.net.nz (an NZ dealer newsletter) for new 8G Galant GLS 2.0 sedans. They're asking NZ$22,990 and come with 3yrs free service, 5yrs new car warranty and 10yrs power train warranty.

I know the 8G is a 10 year old model, but it's a fine looking vehicle and these GLS 2.0's have a nice looking VR-4-esque body kit. Plus Mum wants a new car - she doesn't do used.

Anyway, Mum wants a 'sporty' car. Now I know the VR-4 is 'sporty', but what about the GLS 2.0 or other similar cars? I've never actually driven one. Would the ride be tuned for sportiness or are they more tuned for comfort and not so good in the twisties? Obviously this is all relative as we're talking about a car for my 57 yo Mum, not a boy racer, but nonetheless, she wants something with a bit of a nimble, sporty feel. Would a run-out special GLS fit the bill? What do you guys reckon?

[ritch_w]

Yes - go for it

they have comfort, style and a wee bit of sprtyness - just look at Scottish Ians GLS - it was very quick for 2.0

[bradc]

They are quite nice cars, but there are probably better options out there at the moment for her, I guess it comes down to how much she wants to spend. The 8G's are great value at the moment.

[Robotnik123]

They are quite nice cars, but there are probably better options out there at the moment for her, I guess it comes down to how much she wants to spend. The 8G's are great value at the moment.]

Yeah, there's a few good cars in the mid-size sedan segment of the market. The Mazda6 is probably a very good option too.

[I-S]

They drive pretty nicely. Even my non-sporty one with the 14" wheels is a better "drive" (in terms of wheel feedback and responsiveness) than the toyota avensis, nissan primera and VW passat.

Now, if I could buy a new 8G 2.0 for £8200....

[bradc]

But would you really do that Isaac when you can buy a VR-4 for less than that?

The mazda 6 is a damned good option, and the Vectra's are really good too.

[ANTHONY]

i like my 2.0 sport its not as fast as a vr4 i know but its cheap to run and still gets the looks coz most people dont know what it is

[I-S]

Brad - with petrol at 93.9p/litre, and my finances already stretched beyond my means, there is no way that I could afford to run a VR4. Couldn't afford an £8k GLS either, but it would top my list ahead of any other new car that £8k could buy.

[bradc]

ahh yep gotcha Isaac. I'm lucky that at the moment I don't have my vr-4 to spend lots of money on petrol with, the 626 gets 35mpg or more and I can treat it like crap too :)

By the time I get the vr-4 back I will have a pay rise that will more than pay for petrol, we are lucky it isn't as expensive over here as it is there.

[KEENY]

my galant v6 is a gorgeous drive. the first thing people say is what a smooth ride it is.
the only thing i hate about the car is that its too low at the front. im for ever scraping the bottom front of the car on curbs and when it come off speed ramps (bumps)

and it dont like hanging about either, wa-hey

[Robotnik123]

my galant v6 is a gorgeous drive. the first thing people say is what a smooth ride it is.
the only thing i hate about the car is that its too low at the front. im for ever scraping the bottom front of the car on curbs and when it come off speed ramps (bumps)

and it dont like hanging about either, wa-hey

Re. being too low at the front - I find that quite annoying on my legnum too. I just had it fixed to as new condition after a big scrape too, so I am trying to be especially careful. I see loads of 8G's with damage to the lower lip.

[bradc]

mine is a lot lower than yours keeny, and I have never scrapped the front on anything. I just drive into every driveway on as much of an angle as possible, or just park on the roadside :)

[dreamer]

My Mum needs a new car and I showed her the run out specials on Mitsubishi.net.nz (an NZ dealer newsletter) for new 8G Galant GLS 2.0 sedans. They're asking NZ$22,990 and come with 3yrs free service, 5yrs new car warranty and 10yrs power train warranty.

I know the 8G is a 10 year old model, but it's a fine looking vehicle and these GLS 2.0's have a nice looking VR-4-esque body kit. Plus Mum wants a new car - she doesn't do used.

Anyway, Mum wants a 'sporty' car. Now I know the VR-4 is 'sporty', but what about the GLS 2.0 or other similar cars? I've never actually driven one. Would the ride be tuned for sportiness or are they more tuned for comfort and not so good in the twisties? Obviously this is all relative as we're talking about a car for my 57 yo Mum, not a boy racer, but nonetheless, she wants something with a bit of a nimble, sporty feel. Would a run-out special GLS fit the bill? What do you guys reckon?

My 57 y/o mother has recently bought a 2003 NZ-New 8G GLS 2.0 4 Cylinder Front Wheel Drive Triptronic Galant Wagon for $14,000 (40,000KMs)

It's slow (Slower than her 1994 Corolla). it's OK, nothing flash, very basic - still has the old dial style air conditioning controls, no Climate Control.
I don't think it's got ABS. It does have Airbags.

The NZ-new Mitsi's have always been very under spec'd compared to the imports.
It feels much lighter to drive than my VR-4 (obviously smaller enginer, gearbox, 4WD, Diffs, Suspension, brakes, No Subs etc etc)

We have never classed it as Sporty. Soft suspension on 14" or 15" Rims (No Alloys).



She likes it though.

[KEENY]

no alloys?!? wow thats the first galant i have heard of that dosnt have them

[I-S]

In the UK the GLX spec didn't have alloys, body coloured door handles and mirrors, etc. There's not many of them though.

I too have had problems with the height of the car (or lack of). I've scraped the chassis on speedbumps (going over them very slowly indeed) because it's so low. I really can't see how people with lowered galants manage...

[bradc]

lots of 8G's over here don't have them, especially the 4 cylinder ones

[KEENY]

it gets my back up so much when i hear my car scraping on the road after coming off a speed bump. its a good job i dont have a dog cos it really makes me wanna boot something up the ass.

its a good job i prefer to reverse in to parking areas too. the one time i did park foward my car grounded on the curb. i very slowly pulled away but it still ripped off the underside of the bumper.

the damage isnt to bad but i did have to use a cable tie to hold the bottom of the bumper back in place.

ok here's a thought you can lower galants but can you higher them?

[bradc]

I'm sure you can but as long as you are really careful you should never let anything hit the ground. I don't in my car, and as you can see in the gallery it is fairly low.

[dreamer]

I'm sure you can but as long as you are really careful you should never let anything hit the ground. I don't in my car, and as you can see in the gallery it is fairly low.

Our low cars don't scrape coming off speed bumps and curbs because our suspension is alot stiffer.

[I-S]

It's not coming off them that's the problem.... it's just the simple ground clearance of the chassis on the bump when the bump is between the wheels.

You must have smaller speed bumps in NZ.

[WildCards]

The front of mine has scaped a few times. Some humps are bigger than others, but you dont find that out until it's too late /pan

[Kenneth]

It's not coming off them that's the problem.... it's just the simple ground clearance of the chassis on the bump when the bump is between the wheels.

You must have smaller speed bumps in NZ.

if your angle of attack is sufficient, then you will have diagonal wheels on the speed hump at the same time, making the clearance irrelivent.

Speed humps in nz... well, no they are not smaller. Luckily they generally have enough width, or enough 'ramp' to get you up and over without having front and rear wheels on eithier side.