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Mitsubishi Eclipse - 2006 and Newer

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What is this discussion about? Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Convertible, Hatchback

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#51 of 400 If I were a car company I would target an older... by lhess May 26, 2005 (12:32 pm)
audience. Let's face it, you build a car that appeals to these zit-faced tuners who want to mod the heck out of a car and run the heck out of it, and you've not done anything I would consider to be very smart. They may want them, but can they buy them? And, who is less costly on the warranty end of the car, a teenager with too much money or an adult out in the working world paying their own bills?   I'm a 36-year old female. Just traded an 01 Eclipse Spyder GT for a Mazda RX 8 and the 06 Eclipse appeals to me very much. In fact, I see the 07 Spyder on my shopping list in a couple of years. I have disposable income, no children (thank you God for reliable birth control in my lifespan), and I'm responsible enough to take care of my purchases. Also, how can they make a turbo car and offer the kind of warranty they currently do?
#52 of 400 . by wale_bate1 May 26, 2005 (3:01 pm)
It seems a good point lhess.   Still, your typical tuner is taking a $9K-$12K used car and dumping 8-10 grand into it (often much more), so economically, they can do a GS (depending on credit scores) and aren't all that far off the GT buy in to begin with (question is would they?). Next, you may see them all as pubescent, but the average readership age for Sport Compact Magazine is 28, IIRC, and the last Southeast Nationals drew competitors averaging something like 38!   As a young (IMO) female of 36, by the time you go topless Spyder in MY07, you'll be at the very end of your demographic usefullness for this car, according to the experts at Mitsu. According to them, you're old. Not your fault; I just think they have no real clue who their actual audience has become.   Mostly I agree with you: this car is no way a demographic 18-40 target. More like a 26-55 is how I see it. That's how the recently departed Marketing VP saw it too, and that's part of why he left, according to reports. If they really wanted to nab the youth market, it would be a turbo'd AWD four-banger with less size, weight and junk. Yeah, it would have an optional killer sound system! As for the Boomer crowd (guilty), well, any enthusiast is going to balk first at the FWD, especially on the GT because of the torque-steer and the balance, and secondly at the weight, and thirdly at stright-line performance that doesn't approach a Z. The rest of the Boomers are going to find it fits their needs neatly, but won't go GS, I don't think.   BTW, modern turbos and long-term warranties can co-exist quite peacefully. They're pretty darn reliable these days. And most of those zit-faced tuners, frankly, take far better routine day-to-day care of their cars than most 36 year-old females I've known; present company excepted of course! ;-}
#53 of 400 Urgent Notice of Stop Sale on 2006 Eclipse by dawn7 May 26, 2005 (8:05 pm)
Here is a link and more info   http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000040044633/   Mitsubishi halts 2006 Eclipse sales   "Mitsubishi stopped sales of the new 2006 Eclipse because of a problem with the vacuum brake booster could cause brake failure. Automotive News reports that Mitsubishi reported the problem to the NHTSA noting that up to 1185 vehicles could be involved in the recall. Only 44 Eclipses reached owners hands this month. We thought the Eclipse was supposed to change Mitsubishi fortunes."   Automotive News:   Mitsubishi has issued an "urgent notice of stop sale" on the redesigned 2006 Eclipse. The problem involves the vacuum brake booster, which could cause brake failure. Up to 1,185 vehicles could be affected.   CarConnection:   "Mitsubishi has halted sales of the '06 Eclipse after the company received reports of flawed brake systems from its Normal, Ill., plant. Automotive News reports that Mitsubishi reported the problem to the National Highway Traffic Safety ................    In the vehicles, a problem with the vacuum brake booster could cause brake failure."
#54 of 400 Re: ECLIPSE ON SELL IN TEXAS ??? STOP SALE by dawn7 May 26, 2005 (8:08 pm)
Are you sure you can sell those? Better call Mitsubishi and ask. According to the report they filed with NHTSA, none can be sold until they find out and fix the problem with the brake failures.
#55 of 400 Eclipse Rushed into Production Early to meet sales goals by dawn7 May 26, 2005 (8:13 pm)
From AutoWeek, this was Before the Stop Sale Order:   I think Mitsubishi should have waited until the quality was good instead of rushing this to market.   " Mitsubishi launches 2006 Eclipse early; automaker counting heavily on new model's success  5/19/05   LOS ANGELES -- Mitsubishi, in an urgent need to revive sales and its brand image in this country, is putting its redesigned 2006 Eclipse coupe on sale 10 days earlier than planned."   http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102418
#56 of 400 2006 Eclipse Sighting by wag314 May 27, 2005 (5:27 am)
I caught a glimpse of one on I-44 going through St. Louis. It was on a car hauler w/ other mitsus' I was surprised to see an actual california license plate. Nothing to show that it was a dealer plate from what I could see.   Jason
#57 of 400 wale bate....thanks for confirming the OLD THING... by lhess May 27, 2005 (6:54 am)
just teasing....I don't want a forum war here!! Oddly enough I bought my 01 Spyder when I was 32 and while doing some reading on the car, the target age for it was 32. Bingo. Although the car was an eyecatcher and it got looks from everyone (the old convertible classic - red with a black top), it was mainly the older crowd that would really comment on it. I had a couple in their 50's question me as to reliability, did I like it?, all that stuff because they had been considering buying one. Almost everyone that truly admired it was 5 to 10 years older than me right up to the trade, so we're talking folks in their 40's and beyond.   I wonder if mitsu wouldn't be better off trying to position the eclipse into a more mature sports car offering (I liked the FWD because I drove it year round, but the younger crowd does not like it). I think the spyder should be offered in GT only, make it a true roadster, drop that useless back seat, and compete it with the z4's...   Develop that lancer evo into the tuner car. give it all those things that the tuners want, keep it light, keep it less costly.... I think they are co-mingling them somewhat when it comes to marketing and it just doesn't work for them. Replies to this message: wale_bate1 (May 27, 2005 7:56 am)
#58 of 400 . by wale_bate1 May 27, 2005 (6:55 am)
Thanks dawn7.   That's not good. On the intro of the G3, there was an almost immediate recall on a battery cable, IIRC, and also on a tranny cooler hose coupling. It affected Dodge and Chrysler variants as well.   Mitsu has an unfortunate history that way. It's part of the overall problem, especially with regard to resale numbers, lease residuals, etc.   Really though, I think that their more recent problems have come from a complete lack of brand identity, and some serious blundering in search of a marketable presence. Certainly, from 2000 up until this Eclipse, I thought their styling direction was abominable at best.
#59 of 400 Re: wale bate....thanks for confirming the OLD THING... [lhess] by wale_bate1 May 27, 2005 (7:56 am)
Replying to: lhess (May 27, 2005 6:54 am) We crossed in the mail there!   They really did try to position the G3 as a boomer car. Going to a V6 and abandoning the turbo, deleting the AWD, styling to a new audience, easing the cockpit (major mistake to me; the G2 cockpit is the best of any car IMO), etc., all was aimed at broadening the appeal.   The EVO definitely fits the mold: seriously pre-tuned. They have to upgrade the safety ratings on that platform, though. Take the least safe mainstream Japanese sedan available and pump its engine up on steroids? Not a great combo, to my mind! ;-}   But that really leaves them w/o a great sport coupe. I'd keep the V6, only instead of a 3.8, I'd try to massage something smaller and lighter, I'd take some length and height out of the package, and look to shave a good 700 pounds off the finished product. The styling is mostly in the right direction, IMO, but it's still kind of busy. The G2 was much cleaner, with less gratuitous trim and no icky chrome (that's a personal pet peeve, chrome spells t-a-c-k-y to me). I definitely would offer the AWD again. It's the wave of the future, I believe.
#60 of 400 Re: new Eclipse looks great! [lngtonge18] by pilotdog68 May 27, 2005 (8:39 am)
Replying to: lngtonge18 (May 25, 2005 8:19 am) i agree that it's an improvement, but personally i liked the 2nd generation best

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