Potential Vr4 purchaser

[Jbridges522]

Hi all, new to the forum. Never had a mitsi and tbh there a brand i don’t really know that much in detail about there cars. But i read a review of a vr4 a while back and couldn’t believe I’d never heard of or seen one. So I’ve been keeping an eye on the classifieds over here in Northern Ireland and this is the 1st one I’ve seen for sale.

1997 Mitsubishi galant vr4 evo 4x4 may swap px
https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-...utm_source=sms

Seeing as you are the experts 👍, I thought id ask ur opinion based on the pics and pretty brief description, do u think its gd value? I’ve nothing to compare it against, and is the 350bhp reasonable enough for the engine & gearbox? I can search the forum for what to look out for.

Cheers
Jacob

[Atik]

Link is broken.

350bhp is a big stretch for the stock internals of a VR4. If its had lots of custom work that figure is achievable.

They are a hidden gem in the motoring world.

[Jbridges522]

Thanks,

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/1997-mitsubishi-galant-vr4-evo-4x4-may-swap-px/1368691711?utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=app_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

Hopefully that will work, thanks for the opinion thankfully it has been forged so it lessens the worry there, ill have to check the cooling system when I visit.

[ATatar]

I think 350 really is pushing the upper limits of the stock turbos, but a good price if it really is forged. Either way seems a fair price for vr4 if it’s all in good condition. Good luck with it :thumbsup:

[lancerevo3]

There is another on done deal around letter Kenny but he gets a little
Upset when you point out the obvious ��

[Nick Mann]

Fully forged is an eyebrow raiser for me! 350 bhp is almost unachievable on stock turbos - you would need an intercooler, downpipes and full exhaust, a very good tuner and a very fair wind. You can get massive torque increases but the turbos are too small to flow properly at high RPM which means ultimate bhp is constricted. Off the shelf turbo upgrades never existed.

As above, if it is clean then it is a good price (rust kills them - check rear arches and front strut recess) and if it is forged the engine will be worth a good old chunk of that!

[Jbridges522]

Thanks for the info all �� was chattin to the seller and he told me he has no proof the work was done as there is little to no history with the car but he contacted a previous owner and he informed him of the mods. However if says it doesn’t feel 350bhp bit he does run it on quite low boost. I think a car like this must be enthusiast owned so im going to do some searching in forums etc and see what i can come up with. Seller seems like a decent sort tbf.

Cheers again

[elnevio]

Well that's always a nice sign, rather than immediately getting on the defensive, as can happen with some sellers when asking probing questions.

As Nick says though, you can get huge torque gains with those sorts of mods, versus a modest power gain, as the power graph is a lot less peaky. I had a power graph somewhere that shows my VR-4 as having a minimum of 95% of its peak power available from 2,500 to 7,000 rpm!

[Jbridges522]

Sounds like regardless of mods as long as its in decent condition its a gd car, at a gd price. Think the main query is whether i can justify another car that ill be lucky to get 20mpg from ����.

I recently sold my fk2 type r, and have been dailying a wee r53 cooper s, the thing guzzles the fuel haha also have a p38 range rover 4.0ltr Petrol, noise is addictive the 12mpg isn’t haha, the vr4 would really replace the mini as ive broken my arm recently and really need an auto to be able to drive.

[Jbridges522]

Went to see the car there this afternoon, rust not to bad, overall condition was decent, lots of wee things but nothing that couldn’t be fixed cheaply enough by myself. Car was a bit spluttery owner said spark plugs which id probs agree with. But the EML came on during the test drive, the owner hadnt seen it before, the price was very tempting though having gone it down a gd bit from list so I decided id take a chance.

But then the tax book had been lost so I decided it wasn’t worth the risk so i left it, the guy is going to contact me when he gets one so i may buy it yet.....

[Jbridges522]

Also it had a ceased front caliper, potentially could be loosened but if a new one was required, can 2nd hand ones be sourced? Or what sort of money are u talking?

[elnevio]

Should be easy enough to get second hand calipers. Failing that, Viamoto do a rebuilt caliper for £130 (https://www.viamoto.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Front+Brake+Caliper+-+Mitsubishi+Legnum+VR4+EC5W+Galant+VR4+EC5A). Or if you want to rebuild one yourself, they do a kit for £25.99 (https://www.viamoto.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Front+Brake+Caliper+Rebuild+Ki t+-+Mitsubishi+Legnum%2FGalant+VR4+EC5W+EC5A).

[ATatar]

Or you could upgrade calipers and discs to Evo Brembo calipers :smartass:

[Jbridges522]

cheers guys, this info is actually such a help. haha that's when a "cheap" Vr4 becomes less cheap haha. She was sitting ridiculously low at the back on what the owner believed was just lowering springs so I'd need a new set of springs but looked on that website you said elnevio, and they are surprisingly decently priced. With being so rare i though everything was going to be a fortune! do you think the spark plugs would bring up the EML? Id of thought yes from my experience with a jcw mini I used to own but the owner said it had been spluttering but no EML.

Cheers again

[Jbridges522]

sorry another question.... do you think the paperclip in the diagnostics will work with that age of a Vr4? I'm starting to really hate that he had lost the tax book haha

[elnevio]

Spark plugs might throw the EML if it misfires enough.

Yes, the paperclip method works a treat for all 8G VR-4s. :thumbsup:

[Jbridges522]

I cant believe the paper clip works, its the best find on a car ever haha as long as nothing else comes up that i fancy in the mean time, i think ill buy it when he gets the new tax book, all being well

[Nick Mann]

A miss fire from a bad spark has to be HORRENDOUS before it puts the engine light on.