Help before I buy my first Galant VR4!

[HMG1K]

Hello!

I've recently joined this site as I'm about to make the leap from a 1990 Galant GLSi hatchback to a 2002 Galant VR4, UK spec (one of the 200 Mitsubishi UK imported) - and need some tips / guide please.

This car's had 3 owners and has done 43k miles in nearly 5 years . The first two owners had it for two years each, this lastest has had it 6 months and being a man in his 60s found it too powerful for his needs so sold it back to the car dealer he bought it from. Should this be a worry with so many owners in such a short mileage / time..?

It has a full main dealer service history but there have been two turbo only checks that aren't stamped in its early days - plus the 6 year anti-rust warranty had never been carried out / stamped.

I've given it a test drive - lovely! Runs through the auto gears fine, and in manual - the AYC works (thanks to the guides on this forum I checked out how to work the three green lights that light up!)

There has been a respray on the back bumper and boot lid - though it is well done (slight overspray under the bumper - and the panels are all in order on the back.

This VR4 checks out perfect on an HPI and has all the corresponding V5 documents etc.

For the money - the car is up for £10,495... and is totally original.

Is this about right..? What should the going rate be, bearing in mind the 3 owners and the above...?

Also, a seperate point - do BOTH the front bumper fog / driving lights work? I could only see a switch to get the inner-bumper lights working, not the outer ones. Are the outer ones meant to be 'fake'?

Final seperate point! Servicing - is it every 9k / 12 months with oil and filter every 4k / 12? And are regualr parts like brakes & discs resonable in price? Are the turbos expensive of they go?

Thank you in advance for your help and time...
philip

[Nevman]

Hello!

Hello

I've recently joined this site as I'm about to make the leap from a 1990 Galant GLSi hatchback to a 2002 Galant VR4, UK spec (one of the 200 Mitsubishi UK imported) - and need some tips / guide please.

That's exactly the same I've got with recaro sits and momo steering wheel... OK, mine is 2001 [/quote]

This car's had 3 owners and has done 43k miles in nearly 5 years . The first two owners had it for two years each, this lastest has had it 6 months and being a man in his 60s found it too powerful for his needs so sold it back to the car dealer he bought it from. Should this be a worry with so many owners in such a short mileage / time..?

Well... No idea. If the selling reason was genuine and you will be given full warranty for at least 3 months... You'll never know.

It has a full main dealer service history but there have been two turbo only checks that aren't stamped in its early days - plus the 6 year anti-rust warranty had never been carried out / stamped.

You may call the dealer and have a little chat with them. If it's not illegal, they may give you some details about the car.

I've given it a test drive - lovely! Runs through the auto gears fine, and in manual - the AYC works (thanks to the guides on this forum I checked out how to work the three green lights that light up!)

You could give it a longer trash when the weather is hot and check if AYC warning light doesn't come on as it is a common fault. It sometimes happens to mine but only when is hot & after long and fast driving.

There has been a respray on the back bumper and boot lid - though it is well done (slight overspray under the bumper - and the panels are all in order on the back.

sh** happens

This VR4 checks out perfect on an HPI and has all the corresponding V5 documents etc.

For the money - the car is up for £10,495... and is totally original.

Is this about right..? What should the going rate be, bearing in mind the 3 owners and the above...?

I think it is slightly overpriced bearing in mind that the cambelt was probably not changed and is due to change shortly which equals to large bill...

Also, a seperate point - do BOTH the front bumper fog / driving lights work? I could only see a switch to get the inner-bumper lights working, not the outer ones. Are the outer ones meant to be 'fake'?

The outer lights works together with your side repeaters when main lights are on. They are not fog lights, they just give you additional light to the inside of the corner you're turning into.

Final seperate point! Servicing - is it every 9k / 12 months with oil and filter every 4k / 12? And are regualr parts like brakes & discs resonable in price? Are the turbos expensive of they go?

All about the servicing is included in members area which will cost £20 only. That will be the money well spend. Bear in mind that you're going to have the performance car so the maintenance will be more expensive. Prior to my VR-4 I've had Honda Accord 2.0 Vtec and I have to say that the maintenance cost doubles with VR-4 (my insurance go up 3 times) but the driving fun and quality quadrupples (if it spells like that ) if not more.

Thank you in advance for your help and time...
philip

No prob if that's any help.

BTW: Is that the whiteone from weston super mare?

[Spirit]

Welcome to CVR4, and good luck with your hunt.

For a lot less than that price, you could have mine

Ok, more miles and a tad older, but look at the mods and the history massive. Take a look in the classifieds.

[Nick VR4]

Hi and welcome

[MPBVr4]

I mate welcome to the club. As said above, does seem expensive but about on par with main dealer prices. There is one for sale at Mitsi in Weston Super Mare for a tad under £11K. (or is this the one you are looking at ?)

edit/ sorry NEVMAN didn't read the bottom of your post

[bradc]

If they change the cambelt and do a big service for you then I think it is worth 10k at the absolute max.

You may want to consider 'Brunty's car if it is stil up for sale as well. Completely stock and much cheaper!

[HMG1K]

Hey!

Thank you all for your wam welcome and advice!

It is the one at Weston Super Mare... I've stuck a deposit down on the car and have negotiated the next big service, £750, with cam belt changes to be done on the car, 2 new rear tires, 12 months warranty instead of a 3 month, the minor over spraying to be sorted on the back and a new internal boot lid trim cover (like a door cover) as this was missing.

This car at the dealer was up for the same price, £11k, at the SAME dealer 6 months ago when they sold it to the third buyer who found it too powerful and then sold it back again - so the dealer is selling it for the same price again with another 4k miles on the clock...

I'm going to pay and sign up here to get more details on it - just as well I got the brochures and the like at the time to swat up on the car!

philip

[Nevman]

Just make sure that the warranty is actually the FULL WARRANTY not just for electric sunroof and light bulbs Make sure that you read what sort of cover they are going to offer.
The VR-4 are generaly reliable but if something goes wrong (touch wood) it may set you back for another couple grands. And change the transmission and engine fluids to Amsoil asap. More info in members area.

Let me be thet first one to say: Congratulations on the purchase !!!

P.S. Shame it's not silver

[HMG1K]

Good thinking on the full warranty! I've signed up and paid here and WOW! What a site! I think I'm doing more reading of posts and looking at the resouce library than working!

Thanks to Malc too for explaining how the outer spot lights come on when turning a corner! That is one swish feature!

Also loving the explanation as to how to prise open the headlights. I thought of buying complete new units to have the clear effect on the indicators - opening up the units and taking out the orange filter is the better and cheaper option!

[MPBVr4]

Have you collected it from Mitsi yet, or still looking forward to it ?

[White Lightning]

Nice car (just checked it out on Autotrader) and a good choice of colour too

You can tell that the rear bumper is a slight different colour in the photos but other than that (and the horrid parking sensors on the back) it looks like a good car.

Oh and welcome to the club ...

[HMG1K]

White is the colour I've held out for on this generation of Galant - look lovely! Though I bet everyone has got their favourite colour!

I haven't collected the car yet - they are putting the finishing touches to what I negotiated as it neded a service and a few bits to bring it up to a standard that one would expect paying that money and from a franchised dealer...

The rear colour is interesting! The back bumper and boot have been re-sprayed though in the 'flesh' you can't tell... I hadn't noticed in the photos.

Agree with the black parking sensors - I was thinking of finding white ones - apparently you can get colour coded ones for other makes / models...

Thank you for the warm welcome!

[White Lightning]

White is the colour I've held out for on this generation of Galant - look lovely!

It's interesting because the back end (bumper, boot and quarter panels) have been repainted on mine and it's actually difficult to spot the colour difference in the flesh but in a photo I put up on here recently it stood out a mile!

I think white is just a bad colour to colour match ...

[HMG1K]

You're right with trying to colour match a white! This VR4 colour is called Scotia White and in the flesh looks everso slightly pearlecent on angles and solid white on others... My 1990 Galant colour name is down as Sophia White which is more of a solid white...

I'm going to look at those photos again!

Must say, your white galant looks great! Love the action shots on the track!

[White Lightning]

Thanks ...

Mine is actually Sophia White and is a solid colour as you say. I am pretty sure Scotia White is pearlecent.

[MPBVr4]

Have you picked this VR4 up from W-S-M yet? Not seen any pics

[HMG1K]

Thank you for checking ! I've nearly got the car!!!!!!!

Here's the latest... Mitsubishi dealer should have done the work by now... Deposit is down for the car, but I was away on holiday for 10 days, now on my return the salesman is off for a week, so before I went away we agreed to chat again on his return next Monday... The dealer will then bring the car up to its other franchise in south west London where I'll give the car the once over and make sure they've done what we've agreed and do the deal!

The car I'm getting is Nev Groom's old one... I've read its history on here and PM'd Nev and all looks great...

I just hope the dealer has changed the water pump when it did the cam belt as part of its 43k service - that is the only thing worring me... I found out the importance of the water pump reading the posts on this site AFTER the service was carried out...

[MPBVr4]

Thank you for checking ! I've nearly got the car!!!!!!!

Here's the latest... Mitsubishi dealer should have done the work by now... Deposit is down for the car, but I was away on holiday for 10 days, now on my return the salesman is off for a week, so before I went away we agreed to chat again on his return next Monday... The dealer will then bring the car up to its other franchise in south west London where I'll give the car the once over and make sure they've done what we've agreed and do the deal!

The car I'm getting is Nev Groom's old one... I've read its history on here and PM'd Nev and all looks great...

I just hope the dealer has changed the water pump when it did the cam belt as part of its 43k service - that is the only thing worring me... I found out the importance of the water pump reading the posts on this site AFTER the service was carried out...

Ex Nev Groom .......nice one. Thats the sort history we like to see