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1076 messages, Last post on Dec 06, 2009 at 9:47 PM
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Replying to: wale_bate1 (Jan 19, 2007 4:38 pm)
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Replying to: derrado1 (Jan 19, 2007 11:04 pm) I agree they will not be vying for Japanese Big 3 customers but I think sales will go up in the next 3 years. In my opinion it will take them years and years to garner respect like Honda and Toyota. I was reading an article in which Mitsu's sales goal in the US by 2010 was to reach 170K units a year in total sales. In my opinion they might reach 140K-145K units by 2010. On a down note Nissan's luxury Infinti brand outsold Mitsu in 2006(Infinti sold 121K units vs Mitsu 118K units in the US.) Mitsu;s current model mix: The Outlander looks alot better than the last generation model on the outside. In my opinion the current Outlander it looks to be the size of the 4 Runner or the Honda Pilot at least from what I saw on the outside. I thought the Outlander was supposed to compete with the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The 2006+ Eclipse despite weighing more than enthusiasts would like is alot more respected than the 2000-2005 models. The Galant needs a redo ASAP with a better and a much more clean looking appearence bu that won;t come until the 2009 model year I think when a new generation should come out. I mean in 2006 the Galant sold 23K units which is far behind in sales even behind Mazda 6 sales of 66K units sold in 2006. In my opinion its going to be hard to boost Mitsu;s sales to 170K units by 2010 without a new Galant until 2009. Here's Mitsu sales in the US in the past 4 years: 2002: 369K 2003: 256K units(I think early in 2003 year they put a stop to the 0/0/0 deals.) 2004: 150K units I think 2005: 150K 2006: 125K In my opinion too Mitsu needs a better dealer network too. I mean there is only 1 Mitsu that is close to my house. The other Mitsu dealer that could be considered close by me is 40 minutes away and is hard to get too. |
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Mitsu sales went like this from 2002-2006 in the US: 2002: 369K units 2003: 256K units 2004: 150K units I think 2005: 125K units 2006: 118K units I wrote 150K twice for model years 2004 and 2005 by accident in my last post. |
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 20, 2007 12:53 pm) }-] |
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| Seems to me the biggest challenge is dealers. Here in the midwest you rarely see Mitsu carried by the large multi-brand dealers and almost never see a large standalone one. May be different on the coasts...without strong dealers a turnaround will be tough. | |
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yeah, I dig the '08 Mitsubishi Lancer, too. I am interested on learning a whole lot more about it. That is one nice looking body style. Gorgeous front end and that little car is one that a spoiler does look good on. A lot of rigs are ruined by having a spoiler out back like that but not this Lancer. If the Lancer indeed looks like the one I've seen in pictures and that's not the new EVO(they are supposed to closely resemble each other)then count me in with interest. My wife and I will pay the Sportsman off about June, so driving the '01 Sportage 4x4 until it's wheels fall off enjoying no car payments will probably rule until it becomes imperative we get a new rig. And no, I'm not gonna get a used rig, either. Cars are getting so good and $15,000 will stilll buy a decent rig with a decent Warranty, so getting a used rig doesn't appeal to me. I'll be looking at the new Lancer, new Kia Optima, new '08 Chevy Malibu(I really like the new 'Bu in early looks at it on the net), new Suzuki SX4 crossover and sedan and the new Dodge Hornet. Maybe we'll be seriously ready to spend hard-earned pesos on a new car about the time the new Dodge Hornet arrives from China! I'll take it with that silver as a base color and some of those dark grey racing stripes heading right down the center on both sides. Coolio topped off with an Iglesias! It would be cool if DCX did offer the new Hornet's standard with those racing stripes. Schweeet! 
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there are stand alone Mitsu shops. My experience with them is that they have been a significant roadblock to moving the brand forward, regardless of density or lack thereof. Some of the worst... no, the all-out worst dealership experiences I've encountered have been at Mitsu stands. To an even greater degree than at some of the old Dodge shops, I have come away more confused than I went in, and feeling rather badly in need of a shower. And that was when they had seriously competitive product I really wanted! Hopefully that's been polished up a bit in the last few years. These folks need a hit here...
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all of this information does figure in when someone finds a new car they're interested in, indeed. My Kia service centers have been professional and courteous and have looked to take care of me and that's going to be hard to top. Figuring in the generous Kia Warranty and low initial pricing it may be hard to leave the brand come trade-in time. Yes. The new '08 Lancer looks very cool, though. Maybe a BBB search of local Tucson Mitsu dealers might be useful before even getting to test drive time. Seriously! |
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They need to dump the Raider (and I think the sales figures support my argument). A lot of times, people buy Japanese trucks in order to get better reliability (perceived?) than their domestic competitors. The Raider is nothing more than a rebadged Dodge Dakota. The new Outlander is nice looking. Nice size, engine is about right for the vehicle (ample power), and the refinement looks good. However, it is now very similar to the Endeavor in size, so that would mean Mitsu needs to do something with the Endeavor. Since the Montero is now discontinued, maybe the Endeavor could be Mitsu's "capable off-road" vehicle. They have a strong history in off road racing with the Montero, so I think they should re-do the Endeavor to fill this niche. Where the Montero was a luxury, off-roader, maybe the Endeavor could be redesigned to compete with the Toyota FJ, or Nissan X-Terra??? With the Eclipse, Mitsubishi is kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. The "tuners" want an AWD, turbo variant, but if this were available, it would compete too much with the EVO - it would probably even be at the same price point as the Evo in this configuration. However, something needs to be done about the V6, GT Eclipse, as it is too heavy of an engine, and too much power going to the front wheels, in my opinion. Maybe the Eclipse should ONLY be offered as a convertible (Spyder) version??? It could be offered with a larger 4 cyl, or a toned down 6 cyl that would make it more of a competitor for the Chrysler Sebring convertible. The new Lancer also looks very nice (from the pics I have seen anyways). Lastly, there is the Galant. It is never going to compete head on with the CamCords in terms of volume, but if it were redesigned with the same level of refinement as the new Outlander, and possibly the new Lancer seems to have, it could be a decent alternative. |
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The Eclipse was never competition for the Evo, nor vice-versa. Coupe v. sedan and room for both. It's too easy to lay it off to the "tuner" crowd. I'm no tuner, and I'm one the biggest critics of the front-heavy, overly-padded exclusively FWD'er the thing has become. It lacks any of the sporting pretense that made it great to begin with. It has become just another entry in the boulevard cruiser class, with a price that makes it attractive, but little else to recommend it over other alternatives. It's an also-ran. Even with a much better skin than the last gen, it's too big, too heavy, and too trendily appointed. Mitsu made it very clear that the hoped to broaden the appeal of the model with the last generation, and it worked. Unfortunately, upping the target demographic of any model, while perhaps successful in the short term, is usually the kiss of death for a model or a line long term. This latest is just more motion in the wrong direction. Reality is that Mitsu is not a mainstream contender in NA, and won't be, and that they stand a much better chance playing to their strengths. What they lack in refinement, they can easily make up for in engineering, IMO. Aside: the genII Eclipse was a work of art outside and in. The cockpit ergonomics and styling make it my all-time favorite, regardless of the somewhat cheap quality of the materials used. I still regard it as the benchmark of what a driver's control center should be; everything in close proximity and where it should be, with very little doo-daddery and fluff. A close and cocooning space that focuses you on driving. Pure art. That's the kind of attention that made it so popular, and the attention was also focused on the appropriate running gear, which was the other half of a great equation. That the exterior styling was so succint and tasteful was merely icing on a great cake. I like the first look of the Lancer. I think a new home-run Gallant is a must. |
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