Used 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Consumer Reviews
Unhappy consumer
Not long after I purchased the vehicle, I noticed that 5th gear, my window, my brakes, and my a/c were giving me problems. I took my car back to the dealer where they repaired fifth gear, my window, and attempted to eliminate the awful smell from the a/c. After receiving my car back, 2nd gear began to grind and I noticed my cigarette lighter was defective. So I returned the car to again have them work with the transmission, to clean the a/c, and replace the cigarette lighter. The dealer repaired the a/c, the lighter, but said they could not confirm the problem with 2nd gear. I've now been back 2 more times and am currently seeking an attorney.
Great!
i love this car@
Driving Delight
An outsatnding value... bought it for $20,400 and worth every penny. It has plenty of giddyup, corners extremely well and has the best body style of any car in its class. I drive 110 miles (round trip) to work each day and this car makes the trip enjoyable. Caution.... everyone wants to race you at every red light... and the car can creep up in speed without you noticing...
Best Car Ever
I purchased my Eclipse a year ago and I have loved every minute of owning it. It is a very reliable car and a lot of fun to drive. It drives and handles very well. I love the appearance, inside and out. I would not give this car up for any other car out there. The gas mileage is good for a sports car and I have had no problems with this car.
Found my tuner
The car has excellent acceleration for a 4 cylinder. The suspension is stiff but yet smooth. There is plenty of room in the trunk for many items. The back seat is a bit cramped, but there is plenty of room up front.
Great Car! Superior Handling/Suspension
Just got this car, everything is perfect. It takes high speeds like it doesn't feel a thing. Smooth ride, quiet, comfortable, fast. I love the body style, and sunroof. The interior lights are under the rear view mirror, no reaching behind you to turn them on and off. I like the orange gages. You hardly have to reach to change the radio station. There are places to store your stuff, and they even light up!
2003 Eclipse GTS
It hauls ass! Very fast car for the money but i do suggest turbocharging it.
awesome car
ive had my car for about 3 months and it has not let me down yet. this is my dream car and i finally got it. i was so happy. its comphy,its nice inside and out, fun to drive + lots and lots more!
Good combination of sport and luxury
Looked at the Acura RSX, Toyota Celica, and Hyundai Tibutron. The Tiburon was quite a value, but build quality was noticebly cheaper, and resale poor. Celica and RSX were nice, but somewhat plain, and the RSX had to be revved between 7-8K rpm to get the last 40 hp out of the 200 hp engine. Eclipse is longer and heavier, but much more comfortable for front seat passengers, especially on longer drives. 210 HP is readily available at all speeds, and 5 spd manual is sporty enough for mountain roads. So it's not "fast and furious" but it is sport luxury without having to rev like a formula 1 racer.
Wind Noise, Wind Noise, Wind Noise!!!
The wind noise on both door seals as well as the hatchback is TERRIBLE!! The seals are poorly constructed and placed, and the overall door and hatchback seal is extremely poor. Also leaks water above the door windows when washed. Have been to dealer 3 times in 4 weeks, and was finall told it was a "design thing" and was normal for the 2002 and '03 Eclipses. Have also talked to other Eclipse owners with the same problem.
Powerful, comfortable, and reliable!
I was trying to decide between this car and the Acura RSX (not the Type S). But for the same price, I felt I got a little more style, 40 additional horses, a wider selection in color and a reliable car that I can trust as much as the Acura.
GTS - only the best
if your thinking about buyin an eclipse, a newer one, go with the gts model. for the extra thousand or two its worth the sleek proformance and style. I do a bit of street racing and it destroys all the measly civics out there. espically at higher speeds, its hard for a civic to keep up with this 145 mph 210hp honda smashin machine! great buy
Affordable Fun
i wanted a fun car and the Eclipse is it. I opted for the GTS because of the ABS and 10 extra HP. The Eclipse is one of the easiest cars to tune next to a Honda Civic but you get around 40 to 60 more Hp from the Eclipse compared to the honda for just a bit more money. I have a AEM cold air intake and a Magnaflow exhaust, Upgraded wire kit and wire ground kit. That is all you need to do to these cars to make them scream. for about 600.00 in after market mods i gained a conservative 20 - 25% HP easily. i also upgraded my tires and rims and went with 19X8 ASA 5 spoke rims and Yokahama Parada Spec 2 tires.
All Around Awesome
This car is an all around winner. Not a single problem since I have had it, not one complaint.
GOOD CHOICE
Glad I bought it. Excellent pick up and handles smooth. I did take it pass 100 without even knowing it at first. Love the leather interior. My sciatica hasn't acted up yet! The upgraded sound system is great. Can't wait to take a long road trip in this titanium pearl puppy.
Tremendous buy - and would buy again!
I purchased the GT new in 2003, and had to get the 5-speed manual transmission. Even though it's a V-6, my 5-year average MPG is 27.5! Having lived in Erie, PA and Cleveland, the heavy build and FWD helps get through snow. This car is not only a great looking car, but wonderful to drive - particularly through the hills of Eastern Ohio and Western PA. If it wasn't for kids on the way, I'd keep this great auto or upgrade to a newer model. I HIGHLY recommend anyone considering a nice sporty car to get an Eclipse for the fun and value.
Poorly built
My Eclipse is fun to drive, and a pretty good performer, but the build quality is extremely low. I noticed a ticking sound in the engine only after 8,000 miles. When I pressed the clutch in, the ticking goes away. The dealer said this is normal wearing of the clutch! Spoke to Mitshubishi directly, and they agreed. The clutch is obviously bad. They're just waiting for the warranty to expire (10,000 miles) before telling me I need to pay for a new clutch. Trying to get rid of this car ASPA. Creeking, squeeking, etc. Poor build quality. I was warned not to buy a Mitshubishi. Wish I took the advice.
Fun
I have never owned a sports car before, so it is hard to compare. I love the way it looks, though. It is not a family car so you can't criticize the small back seat. It handles very well and has lots of pick up for a 4 cyl. The gas mileage is also impressive.
Fun car could use some upgrades...
Was driving an accord coupe that was too slow. This car is fast and definitely more fun to drive, but doesn't hand quite as well as Honda's are known too. Guess you can't have it all. Have had the car 5 months...so good so far.
Impressive
The elclipse looks great inside and out!! I find it to be loud and not enough space in the back seat. I fear the car will not hold up like a Honda or Toyota but I'm hoping I'm wrong. Over all I think it is a very nice sports car and I love the looks I receive when driving it. It's cool to see other's driving one. I do feel the car should have more colors. I purchased the silver one and everyone seems to have the same color.
MY ECLIPSE GTS
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A '03 GTS 5 SPEED AND I LOVE THIS VEHICLE! I WAS DRIVING AN SUV AT THE TIME AND WAS LOOKING FOR SOMTETHING MORE FUN TO DRIVE. I'D OWNED SPORTS CARS IN THE PAST AND MISSED THAT FUN FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION IN THAT MARKET, I DETERMINED THIS WAS THE CAR FOR ME! THE RIDE,PERFORMANCE,SHIFTING,AND HANDLING ARE SUPERIOR!
Hard to think of getting rid of it
We bought this car with 60 miles on it in 2004. It now has 206,000 on it. It is amazingly reliable. Especially considering how we have abused it. It has been rear-ended and ditched. The only thing we have done is replace the belt that needs replaced @ 70,000 miles, replaced a bearing in the clutch @ 140,000 miles and recently had to replace the battery for the first time. I really can't say enough about this car. The thought of getting something else that won't be as reliable is hard to take. If I weren't a mother of 2 I would just get another one!!! Our Infiniti G35 sedan is another story and probably adds to my anxiety about replacing it. Keep up the good work Mits.
2003 Eclipse GTS with Automatic Trans
oh yes! It is what i want. I uesd to have Honda Prelude. but it is better than Prelude. and goes very well.
I fell in love
When I first went out looking for a new car I had no interest in the Eclipse at all. Then I drove it....and fell in love! Everyting about this car is great from the sleek exterior to the sunroof.
Suprised by an eclipse
This was not the first car I drove. I used to be an Acura man but the GTS won me over. Most of the downfalls of the Gt have been addressed in the GTS. Better interior materials, slightly more horsepower at 210, A cold air intake and geared to be more of a sports car and an exahst that turns heads with it's mean sound.
MY GTS
I love my Car. It looks great drives great. Out of many compact imports this is a very powerful car. I LOVE IT. =)
2childhood
Love this car! Good performance. Great looks. Really turns heads. Wouldn't trade it for anything in this price range.
Best Car!
This car is perfect!! I Love it!! Its so fun to drive, resembles a maserati (spelling?) I get looks EVERYWHERE I go! My friends Love IT! YOu zip in and out, u get places faster not by driving faster, but by being able to move in and out wherever you want! I test drove a lot of cars and with this one i fell in love!! Its the perfect car for teenager,(me) or midlife crisis!!(Dad) haha!
Zoom zoom? Please!
Torque. Even the Acura RSX R-type is under-torqued, but in this price range the Eclipse has THE most torque (215f-p in the GT). Now, if you're a novice, you're saying "what's the big deal about torque, what about horsepower?" Well, it's the torque that peels you off the pavement, grips those nice 17 inchers in to the tarmac, and pushes you back into the seat with some G's to make taking off from a stoplight a fun experience. And leaving the sportronic tranny in 1st for the takeoff, upshifting in the high 5000s and hearing that exhaust race up...
2003 GTS
This car is fun to drive, so far very reliable, and looks great! The stereo is awesome for stock! I get about 32 MPG and do mostly highway driving. I do need to be careful, as the car likes to creep up in speed. It corners very well.
Need Performance Boost
It is not a bad deal for a $20,000 car, yet I have always struggled with the poor performance. Like another review from a magazine:"It looks a lot sportier than it drives". Everything else is not bad except for the noise. It gets really loud on the highway, I could barely hear my radio.
Don't hesitate on this one....
I traded my POS 01 Mustang GT in for this car after Ford refused to fix my transmission with 6800 mi. This car is great. Refined, elegant, and sporty. The GTS's variable induction V6 is strong and with the tranny in sport mode the acceleration is felt. The car feels slow sometimes because the engine is so smooth and quiet but then you realize you are doing 85 or 90mph. Noticed some vibration at the steering wheel when at speed, some torque steer, a rattle on the passenger side and the passenger seat shakes some. I will have the dealership look into these. Other than that great car.
If you are looking for a fast ride
I have only had the vehicle for 3 days, and i still can't get enough of it i love just driving. The best features of the car are the leather interior, and the massive amounts of torque. I love the tan leather but realy don't like the two tone black on blueish black leather. The two tone takes away from the sex appeal of the car. The torque is great you don't have to be a race car driver to get into the engines sweet spot. This car wil take most sport compacts off the line. Even though the car weight in just over 3400 lbs with a 5 spd it still handels well for a car of its girth.
Great
I really like how well the car handles and performs. The only thing that i would like to see is that there be more performance upgrades for the new models because the older ones have a ton but the news have very little.
eclipse 2003
I used to own a Z28 camero. I thought there would never be another car that i could fall in love with again, but i was wrong. I bought the 2003 eclipse 2 weeks ago and love everything about it. The interior is a great--midnight shade. i love how the blue fades with the black. just wanted everybody to know how wonerful the car is!!!!
I love my Eclipse
I've always wanted an Eclipse. I fell in love with the body style from 1997, and I like the new body style just as much. I treated myself to a brand new GTS as soon as I graduated college this year, and I love it!
Best car I've driven so far!
So far it drives wonderful.I never thought that I will like this car so much.I love to drive it every where.I turn heads when I'm driving down the street.I love it!
Bad Rear window glass! It will Blow out!
Buyer Beware! The back glass in my 2003 Eclipse blew out due to a defected glass. The dealer and the manufacturer both refuses to replace it. The wonderful bumper to bumper warrenty is worthless!I had three experts all declare in writing the glass was defective from the factory and yet the dealer and manufacturer refuses to help me.I WILL NOT consider another purchase from them. Also before another person doesn't make the same mistake, I hope they will do a search on "MITSUBITSHI COMPLAINTS"and save themselves a lot of grief!
about eclipse quality
I love this car its sports car but "COPS" dosn`t stop me anymore because most of this type of vihicle drive female and they don't stop them
Fast and Fun
The body design is outstanding. It's a future classic. The 6 cylinder 5 speed manual has a lot of get up and go. For the price, it beats the competition hands down. Just be ready for everyone that pulls up next to you at a light. They all want to race you.
Mitsubishi Eclipse for me
I have driven several sports cars over the years and this one compares favorably to the rest. The handling is excellent and it seems to grip the road like a larger car. I was surprised to see it classified as a subcompact because it feels larger than that. All in all an excellent buy.
What's the deal?
So far I haven't found any reviews online of the 2003 GTS, and the old reviews seem to find the eclipse inadequate and "not fun to drive" compared to other cars in it's class. I test drove a handful and found the eclipse GTS the only car to put a smile on my face. The pickup is excellent and it maintains speed easily - the car hits 100 like it's no big deal, no excess noise or vibrations. Ride is very smooth and I love it for my long highway co
Reliable but not as fast as it looks
Just recently bought my 03 gs eclipse, it's a 4 cylinder so less power, better gas mileage. I thought with slight mods it would be a lot faster than what it is. Hasn't stalled or broken down on me once, and it is still fun to drive, and just by painting the rims and spoiler you WILL be completely satisfied with the look. I give it 80% outta a hundred.
5 Stars for the Eclipse GT
I love this car cause not only does it look good it rides good! All my friends are jeolous. It really beats my Grand Prix GT... I love the body style and the two toned leather. You sure do get some head turning on the road. Last but not least i also love the Euro lights in the back!That was a nice touch to the 2003!
Good, solid car & looks and drives great
I just got the GTS, 5-speed about 2 months ago. A little late maybe. But it's what I could afford. I think this car is very solid and runs great. As long as you keep up on your oil changes, and put premium in it like the owners manual suggests. The first thing I noticed because I immediately drove it on the highway was it takes a while to find a comfortable adjustment on your seat in conjunction with using the clutch as well as sitting for prolonged periods of times. My back hurt for about a week in beginning to drive it. It's fast though, for sure. This car packs a punch! I haven't had it long enough to really even encounter mechanical problems... *knock on wood*.
the 2002 mit. POS5000!
the interior is cramped and non functional. the exterior looks descent, but thats when you pop the hood and it is crowded. the trans gave out on me about 3000 miles!!@!
One exellent Ride
I bought my Eclipse GT @ 74k miles. Now 2 3/4 years later its up to 121,645 and not one major problem has occurred. I have done all scheduled maintenance as per the service manual, and I always use 91 octane fuel and synthetic oils. My car is a blast to drive especially with windows and sunroof open and the 600 watt sound system blasting my favorite rock music. My car obtains between 24/28 mpg and have recorded an astounding 32 mpg on one tank for a 1k mile trip one way on a 3.0L V6 automatic! For those who complain about bad mpg just remember what Jeremy Clarkson said "it's not what you drive but how you drive it" case in point Prius vs. M3 mpg test, Top Gear.
I finally bought one
Great packaging design on the elcipse good city car, plenty of room for two poeple in the front without felling cramped, unlike the previous iteration. Love the manual/automatic trany. Great power and handling. Interior fit and finish are good, however texture of the platics bits should be upgraded for a higher quaity appearance. Also have notice parting line flash on information pod located in the center of the dash. Exterior fit and finsh are good, door and deck lid seems are even, paint quality is good little to no orange peel on the extieor pieces. Not paint variation noted between metal and plastic painted parts (I have a white eclipse).
Buy It!
Wasn't my first choice of car but after test driving the Celica, VW GTI V6, and the Mitsu, the Mitsu won hands down. Long drives are no problem and gas milage seems high for a car like this, but no complaints on that! Seems a little sluggish in the lower speeds but watch out or you'll be hitting 85 and not know it. Biggest problem is getting any after market items. Mitsubishi has that area cornered for now.
Fun Car!
My Eclipse GS has 105,000 miles (got it with 35,000). It has been pretty reliable, besides doing some maintenance which isn't cheap. Other than that, it is an extremely fun car to drive. Moon roof open, windows down, it makes you feel good. Acceleration sounds awesome, even on the highway. When you sit in the driver's seat, you know you're in a sports car. It's OK in New England winter, but AWESOME in the summer!