Used 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Consumer Reviews
eclipse is # 1
Mitsubishi eclipse provides great performance and reliability. it gives the sleak qualitys of a great sports car
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!!@!
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
o.k. rather have an acura
had to get this car because of the triple zero deal, i dont hate it but dont love it either. blind spots in rear quarter are the worst ive seen, the 'great' infinity 7 speaker sound package is not as loud as i like(i can max it out and still be comfortable).i am 5'9" and my head almost skims the roof, when sunroof is open, my hair blows in my eyes(i HATE that).and no quick take offs at all, slow acceleration, if i hadn't needed a car so badly at the time and they hadn't offered the triple zero deal, i probably wouldve gotten the acura.
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!
DON'T BUY IT!!!!
In March of 03' I bought a new Eclipse GTS coupe. After the fact, I come to find that the delership screwed me on my purchase order and incresed my intrest rate by over 2 points. This is a common practice however the rate I was quoted then got the 2 point hold tacked on after the contract negotiation. As far as the vehicle is concerned, the doors consistently sag I have had them adjusted 3 times, the service engine light continually comes on even though I have it maintained my Mitsu's service schedule. The vehicle is a horrible choice considering I've had it 5 months and it is worth LESS THAN 50% of what I payed for it. If you are intrigued by this vehicle think twice.
Love this Car!
I've had my Eclipse for about a year. I bought this car used with 30,000 miles. I have wanted one of these vehicles for years, and I am loving it. Yes, there are terrible blind spots, but not a problem in you use all three of your mirrors and stay aware of the road. My main complaint is the already mentioned turn radius, which is practically nothing. I would definitely recommend the V6 GTS. I drove a 4-cyl. and it had no pickup, with the weight of this car. My car is totally "zippy" and I have had so many compliments on the looks. I have had absolutely no problems with it, and wouldn't trade it for the world!
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.
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).
Almost perfect, but I still love it.
I have been able to pull 30mpg+ from it on a couple of trips (I have just over 12k miles on it now), my mileage falls to the mid 20's during my daily commute though. The only problems I have had are the transmission not going into reverse fully occasionally (I have to double clutch it), and some bizarre shaking when it is cool/damp and I am driving it in 1st gear in the morning. Also one time it wouldn't go into gear at a stoplight and then smelled like burning metal and the dealership said it was 'normal' and that something 'just got ground down' and kind of blew me off and said they didn't find anything with that or the shaking that was wrong.
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.
Great GT
The GT is fun to drive and everyone looks at the car.I admit it is not a sport car.But it was not built for that.For the money you get a lot and i would buy another one.
EXCELLENT RIDE
Bought the Eclipse because of the performance figures and got sooo much more. This ride is EXCELLENT!! fully loaded (no need for extras--except the alloy fuel door). I highly recommed at the very least a test drive--you will be impressed.
03 RS Eclipse still running fine
It's been a fun car with enough acceleration to drive however you want (manual transmission). With only a 4 banger, it gets almost "green car" gas mileage. A perfect blend of mpg and acceleration. When I test drove the automatic, it didn't respond how I wanted to drive. Its easy to work on, the spark plugs and oil changes are easy access. Its had 112,000 miles driven in about 5 years. No problems with regular maintrnance. Now if only my wife would learn to drive stick shift.
Love to drive!
I LOVE my '03 GS, it's everything I wanted in a car...fun to drive, cute, sporty, reliable, zippy, economical. Wish I had a longer commute to work. Does 55+ MPH "like buttah!"
Happy with my 2nd Eclipse
No problems to speak of yet with 19,000 miles on my '01
POOREST PERFORMANCE
The eclipse's had a sharp exterior and interior design but the performance is not too good for me. Its a V6 engine 200hp but not really kicks'in on the road. When i first drive the eclipse it gives me a little impressive but when i test drive the other sport coupes ive saw some more power to kicks'in than my eclipse But its ok i still love this car of course!!!=)
You Will Love the Eclipse GTS!!
This is a Fun sportscar...drives well...haven't come upon anything I don't like with this car yet! It looks great, drives great! I just love it! Having owned a GT Eclipse in 98, this is a huge improvement...on style, driving ability...just all around a real fun car to drive!!
Greatest car ever
I have to say that this is the greatest car ever. I am in love with it
2nd Review
Well, I have put about 22,000 miles on my car since my last review, and im not so impressed anymore. The trim paint on the door is peeling off, the seats are already showing wear, and you can never seem to get used to the clutch. The car always "lurches" at take off and it does not shift smoothly at all (maybe cuz its got lots of torque?) It has a few electrical problems, the moonroof has a mind of its own sometimes and reopens by itself after closing it. Overall I'm not terribly displeased, it does have lots of power, and looks great, just wish it was better quality like other Japanese brands...
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.
Still lovin' it
I have a 95 BMW 325is and I think this car is more fun to drive. It's comfortable, sporty. I drive like a bat outta hell (75-80 mph, highway) and I still get 25 mpg. Love the body style too! I would highly recommend it.
2003 Eclipse
I love driving the car around the coastline and up the mountains. It's a fun car for California. Sporty with excellent pick-up when passing.
I'm Quick
My 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT is a great car. The price was nice, and the acceleration is great. It is hard to drive it slowly. It wants to haul. And it does! I would recomend it to anyone looking for a sweet ride that is just as reliable as it is fast.
eclipse
The car itself is good. But its does not have that sporty feeling that your looking for in a car, it feels to soft and has body roll. The power of the car does not impress me at all, should be made abit faster. It is the nicest car out there.
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.
Zoom Zoom This
Drove to the dealership with no intentions of buying a car, but after the test drive there was no way i was leaving that dealership without that car. We sat down and talked the numbers over the price was right and i drove it off the lot.
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
Not quite sure yet
I just bought my 2003 Eclipse GT, it definitely is fun to drive and ZOOM ZOOM (wait, this isn't a Mazda) ANYWAY, it has been a fun car so far, nothing to complain about as of yet... EXCEPT, what car does not come with ABS these days? SHEESH! My last 4 cars have had ABS standard, and I assumed this one did too, but when I got it home from the dealership I noticed NO ABS!
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*.
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!
Couldn't Have Hoped For A Better Car!
What can i say about this car... not only is it a HOT car, but I got it under the zero payments for 390 days and zero interest ever, great incentive! Im a college student in a new location and I needed a car that would be reliable, but fun too... I debated between the Eclipse, Celica, and Acura RSX. After driving all of em I found that the Eclipse was the best car, and man am I glad I chose it! I got the upgraded stereo AND ITS AWESOME! Great young guy car! By the way... Edmunds.com was more than helpful when choosing the right car!
Sexy and Fun car
This car is great. I had an older Eclipse and I thought maybe it was time for a change. I test drove the RSX Type S, the Celica GTS and the Mazada 6. But I didn't like either of them. So I test drove a GTS Eclipse and I fell in love with it. Its very nice outside and inside. The black leather in the car gives a sexy look.Bottom line go test drive the car and you'll like it.
Great car, but some annoyance
I love my GTS, but it suffers from build-quality issues. The window seals don't seal (wet windows after rain, sometimes moldy smell), there are unfixable rattles, the mirror motors are weak, and the sunroof has minor issues (sticks, control housing comes loose periodically). Reliability hasn't been an isuse at all, it drives very smoothly, and is very fun to drive. My only complaint about the ride is that the turn radius is horrendus; worse than the minivan I owned previously! I'm focusing on the negative, though. I love my car, and for the price, there's nothing I'd rather own. It's fun, comfortable, and is one of the best-looking cars under $30K on the road.
2003 Eclipse GS coupe
Just got an Eclipse GS coupe yesterday. So far it is a good car. It's cute, and fun to drive but also practical. Mitsubishi's "Zero zero zero" finance program is great.
Good Car!
Great Car, though I would probably recommend the GT or GTS for the bigger engine.
Great Snow Car
I bought this car brand new and the performance in the snow has been amazing! The performance on dry land has been great too! I traveled during a blizzard and passed a lot of 4x4's in the median because their high center-of gravity made their big fat tires useless. Another experience was on black ice and out of eight of us, I was the only one that didn't rollover when the nightmare was over. This is a PERFECT CAR! The leather interior has held up perfectly! I truly cannot think of anything to complain about.
Style'n in a Mitsu
It has an attention grabbing style, excellent performance in the kind of city driving that I have to do. Great gas mileage, especially on the road when travelling. (24-28 mpg) I am impressed with the service you get from the Mitsubishi dealership, not pretentious but very attentive. As if this is not enough, it is affordably priced both for the car and the servicing! You can pay a lot more and not get as much of a car.
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.
Mistu Eclipse 03 GTS
I got a great deal on this car, with Mitsu's 3000 rebate and 3000 customer loyalty last year and my 1992 Eclipse had 160K miles on it, so I figured it was time for an upgrade. I have no gripes at all with this car. It has great acceleration, has great handling and excellent performance. I enjoy the sun and sound package and the interior midnight blue leather combo looks great. If you can afford a few extra grand, definitely go for the GTS model. In my opinion, Eclipses blow Mustangs away; they are much better looking, more reliable and just made with better materials (Mustang is mostly fiberglass). The only drawback is gas mileage, but we don't buy sports cars for mileage.
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.
Good car, but not a sports car...
I bought the car new in May '02 and had to replace the factory clutch in Sept of '02. The car now has 53k on it and I have only had to replace the front breaks. No problems since then w/ anything mechanical. But, for essentially a two-seat sports car it could be faster. The seats should also be more supportive and less cushiony. The suspension is noticable soft/bouncy and feels more like you're in a sedan than a sleek hatchback. It also turns like a Mac truck (40+ ft turning radius!) overstear also becomes a problem w/ more spirited driving. Consider the Acura RSX as well if you are considering a Mitsu.
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.
Good, but not great
I've had this car for over a year now. I didn't buy this car to race it and my driving style is actually pretty conservative. Problems I've had in the past year: Clutch was completely replaced at 14,000 miles at MY expense; the sunroof is CRAP, it has a mind of its own and will open and close depending on its mood; the factory tires are CRAP... I had to have mine replaced at 12,000 miles because two of them had large bubbles in the sidewalls; the brakes are crap. At 10,000 miles, I had to have the rotors turned. If you're considering buying this car, I HIGHLY recommend you go to www.neweclipse.org and www.deadeclipse.com to read up on it.
Sweet car
This is a nice car, like the interior and the 210 horses, be careful though, it creeps up in speed without you knowing
Great car
Runs great, build quality is excellent.
Won Me Over
I really did like the Eclipse because of the lack of power compared to others in it's class. The new GTS changed my perception. The extra 10 horses makes all the difference in the world. The car is fun to drive and the leather interior is much improved over other models. It's very quick off the line and has solid handeling.
Exceptional value for the money. Awesome
I love this car. I am somewhat biased, since this is my fourth Mitsubishi and I am very brand loyal, and this is for a reason, since these are great cars for the money in styling, performance,and reliability. I like to stick with a good thing, and this is a great car.