RE: Mitsubishi 3000GT: Spotted
Discussion
I owned a fully restored version of the mk1 twin turbo (pop up lights). Nearly new everything and I mean that! Beautiful to look at.
Still - a crap drive, yes pretty dam fast, but the steering was completely hopeless. It had ZERO feel and was far too light.
This meant no confidence was to be found in the corners. It also felt quite fragile, it never broke down, but I never hammered it because it felt like it might!
I also owned its Nissan rival prior to it, the 300zx and I promise you all the Zed is a much better car.
Sad to say the GTO is probably the only car I've been pleased to see the back of and never wanted to own another.
Still - a crap drive, yes pretty dam fast, but the steering was completely hopeless. It had ZERO feel and was far too light.
This meant no confidence was to be found in the corners. It also felt quite fragile, it never broke down, but I never hammered it because it felt like it might!
I also owned its Nissan rival prior to it, the 300zx and I promise you all the Zed is a much better car.
Sad to say the GTO is probably the only car I've been pleased to see the back of and never wanted to own another.
The 3000GT/GTO is a victim of false identity in the UK, it was never meant to be a B road weekend toy, it's a GT.
I own a 1991 MK1/Pre-face lift GTO Twin Turbo, until a year ago I had it in standard form and replaced quite a few tired/worn parts to keep it running nicely.
These cars are pushing 30 years old and many of them did fall into the ebay/gumtree 'best price bruv' category, so they slowly rot away and are not maintained correctly - you can be one of those hapless dabblers after reading the PH article, pick one up for £7k and find it's an utter dog and money pit, then go on to a forum and tell the world (UK) how tosh these cars are...
With the correct (OEM) parts and maintenance, these cars are exceptional and offer something unique - especially when they are tuned to push 500-600+ HP.
Handling wise, you do feel the weight of the car, however it sits very low so feels very stable, comfortable and belongs more on fast roads and straight lines where it really shines. I drive this car back-to-back often against my 996 C2, and my former MK3 Focus RS.
I own a 1991 MK1/Pre-face lift GTO Twin Turbo, until a year ago I had it in standard form and replaced quite a few tired/worn parts to keep it running nicely.
These cars are pushing 30 years old and many of them did fall into the ebay/gumtree 'best price bruv' category, so they slowly rot away and are not maintained correctly - you can be one of those hapless dabblers after reading the PH article, pick one up for £7k and find it's an utter dog and money pit, then go on to a forum and tell the world (UK) how tosh these cars are...
With the correct (OEM) parts and maintenance, these cars are exceptional and offer something unique - especially when they are tuned to push 500-600+ HP.
Handling wise, you do feel the weight of the car, however it sits very low so feels very stable, comfortable and belongs more on fast roads and straight lines where it really shines. I drive this car back-to-back often against my 996 C2, and my former MK3 Focus RS.
TwinExit said:
The 3000GT/GTO is a victim of false identity in the UK, it was never meant to be a B road weekend toy, it's a GT.
With the correct (OEM) parts and maintenance, these cars are exceptional and offer something unique - especially when they are tuned to push 500-600+ HP.
As was the 300zx, however like entire motoring press at time I found the 300zx even at 25+ years old to be a good drive, unfortunately the GTO was not.With the correct (OEM) parts and maintenance, these cars are exceptional and offer something unique - especially when they are tuned to push 500-600+ HP.
My GTO was rebuilt with new OEM everything, including the ridiculously expensive shocks and running stock rims. My car kept Evil Empire very comfortable! My friend also owned the more focused MR version, although his was a dog. We both felt the same though and no longer own them.
And you aren't using OEM parts if you're tuning the car to 500-600bhp. Not a chance. As soon as we bring modification into it, comparison to other standard cars become irrelevant.
I am glad you love your car though, as I'm sure many owners of them do. That's all that matters.
Lincsls1 said:
As was the 300zx, however like entire motoring press at time I found the 300zx even at 25+ years old to be a good drive, unfortunately the GTO was not.
My GTO was rebuilt with new OEM everything, including the ridiculously expensive shocks and running stock rims. My car kept Evil Empire very comfortable! My friend also owned the more focused MR version, although his was a dog. We both felt the same though and no longer own them.
And you aren't using OEM parts if you're tuning the car to 500-600bhp. Not a chance. As soon as we bring modification into it, comparison to other standard cars become irrelevant.
I am glad you love your car though, as I'm sure many owners of them do. That's all that matters.
Sorry I wasn't too clear there, everything apart from the motor and exhaust is standard - I use OEM parts on non-engine / non-performance related upkeep also courtesy of EE.My GTO was rebuilt with new OEM everything, including the ridiculously expensive shocks and running stock rims. My car kept Evil Empire very comfortable! My friend also owned the more focused MR version, although his was a dog. We both felt the same though and no longer own them.
And you aren't using OEM parts if you're tuning the car to 500-600bhp. Not a chance. As soon as we bring modification into it, comparison to other standard cars become irrelevant.
I am glad you love your car though, as I'm sure many owners of them do. That's all that matters.
The handling is close to standard given its age, I replaced new front ECS struts and computer to get ECS to work again, and run on stock JDM 16 inch rims whilst in Tour mode, it doesn't yaw or respond to steering input as nicely as a 911 or S2000, it's got terrible fuel economy and difficult to get in and out of, but its power/tuner-ability, the 4WD traction, larger than life styling and stability more than makes up for it.
Future owners should buy into the latter points and not plough their expectations and cash into the former.
Interesting car - always liked the look of these... but didn't know a lot about them until reading this. Like all the styling apart from the front lights on this one - sort of has a naff body coloured sticker to make them look like twin headlight units rather than twin bulbs on a single unit and it seems like this is the case on a lot of them... but not all.
Different revisions of this following a totally unscientific google shows some with the weirdbody coloured 'sticker', some with it in black (which looks better) or maybe without it, and some with pop up headlights (which look superb as they always do) which must be a very different version...
I am sure an expert will explain what is going on with the headlight styling.
Different revisions of this following a totally unscientific google shows some with the weirdbody coloured 'sticker', some with it in black (which looks better) or maybe without it, and some with pop up headlights (which look superb as they always do) which must be a very different version...
I am sure an expert will explain what is going on with the headlight styling.
edwheels said:
Interesting car - always liked the look of these... but didn't know a lot about them until reading this. Like all the styling apart from the front lights on this one - sort of has a naff body coloured sticker to make them look like twin headlight units rather than twin bulbs on a single unit and it seems like this is the case on a lot of them... but not all.
Different revisions of this following a totally unscientific google shows some with the weirdbody coloured 'sticker', some with it in black (which looks better) or maybe without it, and some with pop up headlights (which look superb as they always do) which must be a very different version...
I am sure an expert will explain what is going on with the headlight styling.
The pop up lights was the standard on the Mk1 versions of the car which was loosely around 1990-93. The Mk2 onwards came with the clear projector style lights.Different revisions of this following a totally unscientific google shows some with the weirdbody coloured 'sticker', some with it in black (which looks better) or maybe without it, and some with pop up headlights (which look superb as they always do) which must be a very different version...
I am sure an expert will explain what is going on with the headlight styling.
Not long after these came out, i was driving along the Epping New rd, when i saw the rear end of a red one of these sticking up from a garden!
A woman had somehow lost control, mounted a Very high kerb, gone across the pavement, smashed through a fence, the GT had then nose dived into the rear garden of a very expensive house! The damage it must have caused to the suspension etc when it mounted the kerb, let alone what was done when they pulled it out backwards, can only be imagined !
A woman had somehow lost control, mounted a Very high kerb, gone across the pavement, smashed through a fence, the GT had then nose dived into the rear garden of a very expensive house! The damage it must have caused to the suspension etc when it mounted the kerb, let alone what was done when they pulled it out backwards, can only be imagined !
leexj220 said:
Love this car! by far my all time fave Japanese 90's supercar. Pretty sure this later model pumped to 320 bhp (not the 280bhp from earlier models).
Its 0-60 time is quicker than a standard NSX also....
MK1 GTOs/3000GTs were 300 HP at 9 psi boostIts 0-60 time is quicker than a standard NSX also....
MK2 GTOs/3000GTs were rated 320 HP at 12 psi boost
0-60 is mainly thanks to traction from 4WD, can imagine the much lighter NSX being able to keep up or get past once rolling.
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