Hello All. I’ve been thinking about buying a new car for myself and I’ve finally decided and found the car I want to buy. It’s a 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL. Not the twin turbo v-6 AWD but non-the-less a 24V DOHC v6. Click here So what does everyone think of it? It’s not the same exact car but the same year just a different color. The guy is selling it for about $4500 and the blue book is over $8000. I figure something is wrong with it. Either way I’m gonna check it out this Monday. Any tips from anyone who owns a 3000GT? Any tips from anyone period? Thanks ya’ll
Hey…check out carfax.com…you can get a total vehicle report.They can tell you the actual miles,any insurance claims submited on that vehicle.The reports are pretty cheap too.
The first thing you have to check, especially for this car, is whether or not it has been wrecked.
Here’s what you do to check for a wrecked 3000GT:
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Take a good look at it in the sunlight. Do the paint shades match from panel to panel?
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Get the car under fluorescent lights. Check for tell-tale dust-divots that indicate repainting.
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Look for overspray, particularly on the rubber parts of the car, especially the rubber seals for the electronics bus going into the doors, which many repainters inexplicably fail to properly cover.
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Open the hood, doors, and hatch, all at the same time. Inspect closely for new-paint lines with your finger. It will feel a little like a steak-knife edge in places where you can’t look. A good eye can spot them in the doors and underneath the hood, too. Be sure to run your fingers under the wheel-wells, about a quarter-inch inside. With everything open, you can nonchalantly note the spot which feels funny and compare it with the door or panel on the other side. Front and back panel repaints can be confirmed by checking for similar repaint lines under the hood and trunk. Some cars have actual factory paint lines from the production process. The GT did not, as I recall. Fading on the bumpers and the MacPherson strut caps on the hood are to be expected–those parts are plastic.
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Check the headlights and taillights. You’re not looking at the lights themselves, you’re looking at the gaps in between the fixtures and the body of the car. If you see or feel a paint line, it’s been repainted, which means it’s probably been wrecked, as do all of the above recommendations.
A bent VR4 will be about as good to your performance aspirations as a Model T would be. Replacement parts are brutally expensive (I had to replace one’s burned-out headlamp as an entire $200+ unit), and from what I understand the car never regains its catlike stature once trashed. You’re going to have to expect that a lot of stuff will break, because there is a lot of stuff that can break.
You must also be extremely careful that the car was not owned by a smoker. High-end Toyotas and Mitsubishis of the late-80s early-90s suffer from interior electrical problems as a result of smoking, for some unfathomable reason. Perhaps it’s all the solvent required to clean the shit off before you sell it. Anyway, the best places to check are the backs of the sun-guards, the seat belts, and the front underside of the passenger seat. If your seller isn’t paying attention or actually lets you test, a handkerchief sprayed with Windex will show mustard-yellow residue if someone has been regularly smoking in it. That new-car smell crap is your first tip-off, by the way.
Replace the battery with the biggest overvolted Interstate you can get at the first opportunity, and make sure to drive the car often. That, I’m sure, won’t be a problem once first score it, but remember that the thing is a computer with a car built around it, and it takes a signficant amount of electricity just to stand still. Read up on what replacing the battery does about resetting the car’s CMOS before you actually do it–your backup battery is likely dead by now.
Remember, don’t buy the damned thing until you road test it. Hard. Preferably without the owner aboard.
The V6 gets out of its own way, no matter what its configuration. You’ll like it.
Thank you Sofa King. You’ve armed with alot of shit to look for and I thank you. Hopefully it hasn’t been wrecked and smoked in before (I can only hope…) IF I get it I’ll put pictures up and show off the puppy 
I am so sorry to be posting this, because it is way off-topic. I just want to point out that Sofa King gave me some fantastic advice on another thread, and he is doing it again here. What a perfect doper…
That is really good advise too, by the way. I never thought of looking in the gaps around the headlights. Here’s a question though…what if the guy had a paint job on it? The car is 10 years old, and I have a '94 Dodge Shadow that needs new paint, so it is certainly concievable. IF he did get a paint job, what else could someone look out for to check for wreckage?
I don’t have any better advice than Sofa King. I only can tell something about the car itself. It’s a great, underestimated sports car. Handles really well, doesn’t feel “Japanese” at all (well, it looks the part on the inside, of course), sounds great too. From what I hear, they’re quite affordable to maintain as well.
At the Dutch Zandvoort racetrack, they used a bunch of 3000 GT’s as safety cars for many years. That oughta be a good sign, right?
What book you lookin at?
There are three models:
1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL:
1.1991 2 Dr SL Coupe
1991 2 Dr STD Coupe
1991 2 Dr VR-4 Turbo 4WD Coupe
- has a Private Party price of:$4,947
http://www.edmunds.com/used/1991/mitsubishi/3000gt/2drslcoupe/prices.html
Paint can hide a lot. Of course you’re right though, just because its painted does not mean it was in a wreck. Follow the advice of body gaps in that case. As well, if you are confident enough or so inclined, if you peek under the hood and the frame rails (I know its a unibody) you may be able to see tell-tale markings of repair by bending the body back into shape, like cracked paint. Also many “new” parts underneath the hood can also give it away, like radiator, AC condensor, and other items in the front.
I was doing it for the SL model. I guess the site I went to was bunk. I also looked at the edmunds site after I looked it up originally somewhere else. Anyways I’m just waiting for the guy to get back to me. Hopefully I’ll hear from him sometime today.
. . don’t forget to kick the tires . . . that should tell you all you need to know . . 
Rich - You made my night! (as Carfax PR gal)
As to other ways of spotting a previously wrecked car (besides repaint) there are lots of tips, the first of which–of course–is to get a vehicle history report from Carfax.com and see if there’s an accident history or salvage title. Incidentally, major damage (salvage titles) can result from flood/water exposure as well and don’t forget that odometer fraud (rollbacks) are more common than you’d expect–gots lots of stats on those if you want.
Here are tips we recommend (some may be redundant as I’m pulling them from a few different informative pieces):
Do your homework – Check all available resources and data including consumer reports, and automotive magazines about the car you are planning to buy.
Take a look – Make sure the body parts line up, the paint matches, doors open and close easily and the tires show even wear.
Lift the Hood – Check under the hood for leaky hoses, worn belts, and dirty oil. Automatic transmission fluid should be clear and reddish, and not smell burned. Radiator water should have a light yellow or green color.
Take a seat – Turn the ignition key to accessory and make sure all of the warning lights and gauges work. Start the car and check all lights and accessories and make sure no warning lights remain lit on the dashboard. Look for signs of water damage.
Listen – Race the engine for a few quick bursts and listen for knocks, look for smoke and make sure the idle runs smooth.
Hit the Road – Take the vehicle up to 35-40 MPH. Make sure shifting is smooth and steering is straight. When braking a pull to the left or the right could indicate a brake problem. The steering wheel should not shimmy at high speeds, and cornering should be smooth.
Check the Sources – Buying through the classifieds? Check the name on the title and match it to the name on the seller’s driver’s license. Many individuals are disguised as private sellers who are actually unlicensed, unregulated dealers.
Use sense of sight and touch to see what’s really there - Look, really examine, the details of the car. Is everything properly aligned? Does the car appear freshly painted? If so, ask why. Does all the trim look original and match? Run your hands along doors, fenders, bumpers and the front and rear hoods feeling for imperfections that might indicate accident repair.
Take the car to a trusted mechanic - A physical inspection can uncover problems such as weld marks, which may indicate a potentially unsafe vehicle. Make a point of asking the mechanic to inspect the car’s airbag system.
Check it out for water damage - Examine the trunk, glove compartment, and beneath the seats and dash for signs of mud, rust or water marks. Look for discolored, faded or stained upholstery and carpeting. Carpeting that has been replaced may fit too loosely or may not match the interior color.
Take a seat - Check all gauges on the dashboard to make sure they are accurate and to look for signs of water. Turn the ignition key to accessory and make sure all of the warning lights and gauges work.
Turn it on - Test the lights, windshield wipers, turn signals, cigarette lighter, radio, heater and air conditioner several times to make sure they work. Also, flex some wires under the dash to see if they bend or crack, since wet wires become brittle upon drying and can crack or fail at any time.
Take a whiff - Smell for musty odors resulting from mildew and look for a well-defined line or watermark.
Hope this helps (more than just you)! I actually really do believe in the Carfax service, too–not just because they pay me.
Thanks for the comments everyone (although now they mean nothing). I’m bummed I was turned down for the loan and I couldn’t get a co-signer. My mom tried but her credit sucks big ones. Well tomorrow I’m off to one of the authorized (GASP!) Chevy dealers around here. At least they guarentee financing…
Well I went car shopping today. Came home one car heavier! Here’s a pic. Nice car eh? It’s a 94 Beretta Z26. The original price was $7,000. No way in hell I was gonna pay that, the blue book was only around $6,000. I eventually got the guy down to under $5,000. So I went in there got the paper work filled out and got it all to my liking. Now I just have to go join the national guard to be able to afford it…
