Should you buy a 25-year-old Mitsubishi Magna | Diamante？

What I'm about to say, it's a massive call, but go with me. Here's a pro tip for you. If you ever pull up behind a Magna at a set of traffic lights, always flick your air conditioning across to recirculation. I'll tell you why in a sec. See, if you're a Commodore or a Falcon fan, you are going to hate hearing this. Now, when we think classic Australian-made cars, many of us think Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon. But many out there argue that just as Aussie and just as classic is this, the Mitsubishi Magna. In fact, everyone from automotive engineers to highly celebrated motoring journalists claim that the third generation Magna was one of the greatest cars to ever come from our own backyard. Although they were talking about when the car was new. What about now? How have these things aged over the last couple of decades? And now that they're so cheap on the used market, should you ever seriously consider buying one? Well, you know what? We're going to answer all of those questions and so many more. But first of all, let's get into the nitty gritty stuff like what goes wrong with this exterior? So the first big complaint you might find online when researching these is that many owners complain that the paint or the clear coat can fade over time. But we are talking about a car that potentially is exposed to 20 years of the harsh Australian climate. But the fact is, if the car's garaged and cleaned and polished regularly, the paint can last really, really well. This is a great example of that. Actually, after talking to a few panel bidders in the research for this, they claim that the paint quality, it isn't any better or worse than any other car of this sort of vintage and budget. However, something that may not have aged all that well is anything made of plastic or rubber on the exterior. So it's safe to assume that really anything made of plastic by this time is going to get pretty brittle. So it's safe to assume you're going to find at least one cracked door handle surround somewhere. Also, while it's incredibly cool that these have frameless windows, some of these rubbers can perish. Now, best case scenario, you're going to just get an excessive amount of wind noise Worst case scenario, you can get a bit of water ingress. Now, you might assume that this water ingress can result in some corrosion and rust issues. But the thing is, magnets are pretty resilient when it comes to this stuff. Make sure you check under this plastic cowling where the windscreen wipers make the body work because some rust can form under there. Also, check around the boot lid seal. Look, chances are there's not going to be any rust or corrosion, but it can happen from time to time. Now, another issue that some people have with the exterior of the car actually comes down to some of the design choices Mitsubishi made with a couple of specific models, but we'll delve into that deeper when we discuss the aesthetics. But look, before we get into that, we do need to, let's say, decipher the model range because if you've ever been in the market for one of these, trying to work out all the models and iterations, it can be a complete bloody nightmare. Okay, easy stuff first. Internationally, these are known as the Diamante and the Sigma, and chances are, you'll have to choose if you want a sedan or wagon. But with either of the body styles, please know that if you're looking at one of the Australian-made examples, Mitsubishi, they couldn't leave these things alone. They tweaked and adjusted it pretty much every year of the production cycle, resulting in several iterations. But this isn't all. For those wanting something a little bit more special than what the humble Magna can provide, there's also the fancier Verada version, which Mitsubishi also couldn't leave alone. Depending on the year model and trim spec, these updates included everything from subtle aesthetic changes to controversial complete facelifts to improvements with the safety and equipment to entire driveline and major mechanical alterations. For example, in 1999, with the TH update, the four-cylinder engines were dropped and the 3.5-litre V6 that was previously exclusive to the Verada was added to the Magna lineup. And even though most Magna and Verada models were front-wheel drive, in 2002, all-wheel drive versions became available. Fun fact about these engines as well, the three-litre V6 is pretty much the same as you'll find in the naturally aspirated version of the 3000GT, and the 3.5-litre, minus a couple of key components, is almost identical to what you'll find in the wonderful Pajero Evolution, a vehicle that I am passionately in love with. Also in the Magna, the 3.5 was available in a range of different power outputs, obviously depending on the year model and the trim spec, but in its highest output, it could certainly upset a few Commodore and Falcon fans, but more on that when we drive this thing. Now, just on the trim specs, talk about ridiculous with this. In the nine years that these things were available, how many different trim specs do you think they had? Say, six, seven? Surely not like eight or nine or 10, right? 27. There were 27 different trim specs of this thing. That doesn't even include the dealer-specific or region-specific models. Why, Mitsubishi? Why so many? Anyway, look, compared to these cars' direct competitors here in Australia, the Commodore, the Falcon, the Camry, cars like that, this was the least loved in terms of sales. Maybe the very confusing model range had something to do with that. But even when these were just a couple of years old, depreciation could hit really hard, and unfortunately that trend hasn't seemed to have slowed down at all. This can be terrible news if you bought one of these brand new, potentially great news if you're buying one used. So pricing kicks off from around about $1,500 for something truly, truly ----. At the other end of the spectrum, you're gonna be looking at sort of $10,000 to $15,000 for something that could be very, very special, as long as you're willing to sign up for some of the special needs that these require. But more on that soon. But look, back to some of the exterior issues that many people have with these, talking design and aesthetics, what the hell were Mitsubishi thinking with the Rallyart and also the 2004 facelift design? What the hell's going on there? Now look, firstly with the Rallyart, look, we totally understand that at the time the Evo VI Makinen was the halo car for Mitsubishi, but surely there wasn't much of a crossover market in terms of buyers that wanted something like a Magna versus somebody that wanted basically a road-going world rally car. Look, we get that the Rallyart does have its dedicated fans and that's bloody fantastic, but understated, subtle and cool, it is not. And then when it comes to the facelifted model, look, we totally understand that the designers have to communicate this corporate identity with their cars, but when you go sticking a very curvaceous front end on a car that is mainly very hard and straight crease lines, it doesn't result in a harmonious overall design at the end, does it? But look, let's focus on the positives here. And look, I know, this is, what I'm about to say, it's a massive call, but go with me. I don't know if any other car I've ever seen lends itself so well to a hot set of wheels and a drop in ride height, because personally, I think this is a sexy, amazing looking car. And I never expected that from a Magna. Also, it doesn't just look the business. Did you know, this is the most aerodynamic car that Australia ever produced, even compared to the final iterations of the Commodore and Falcon? This thing is slipperier through the air. But what about inside? What are the common issues and complaints in here? Well, the one that we came across time and time again had to do with the heater core. Now, technically what's happening here is that the little plastic elbows that come out of the heater core, they can fracture over time. But the problem is, they can then leak onto the ECU. And look, I don't know if you know this, but liquid and ECUs and electronics and computers, they don't mix. Now, the issue here is that getting a replacement ECU or even a replacement heater core, or actually plenty of replacement parts over the entire car is getting harder and harder. This is a 20-year-old car and it wasn't that popular to begin with. So it's sort of understandable. Plus, fixing that heater core issue, it sometimes can mean that the entire dashboard has to come out of the car. Now, this can be up to an eight-hour job. And if you're paying someone else to do that labor, the costs are gonna add up really quickly. Now, another issue a few owners have faced here have to do with sort of electrical or immobilizer issues. The issue here tends to be that there can be some tension on the wiring harness and the plugs can corrode. And this can cause all sorts of dramas with the key barrel. Also, this can be one of those issues that just take loads of trial and error to sort out what the hell's going on. Bloody annoying. Luckily, the good news here is that the replacement parts are really, really cheap, if you can find them. Actually, just on the whole parts thing, something we highly recommend doing is joining the owners groups and forums and having a hunt through there. This is something that we did in the research for this video and I've gotta say, the Magna community are up there with some of the best we've ever dealt with. Their advice is so incredibly helpful. Thank you guys so much. The other thing we'd recommend doing if you're hunting for parts is check out Automotive Superstore. All you've gotta do is type in your rego on their website and the website will display all of the parts that are perfectly suited to your car. Plus, they've got over 400,000 different products to choose from. We're talking everything from performance suspension parts, four-wheel drive accessories, infotainment systems, dash cams, cleaning products, you name it, they've got it. Plus, the team there can offer you fantastic advice and honestly, we cannot recommend them highly enough. Click the link below. Also, just a quick fun fact on these cars. Because Mitsubishi honed and improved the car all the way through its production process, you can sort of interchange different parts into the interior. So theoretically, you can almost build your own really special Magna from all the different components, from all the different iterations and models. Now, something that isn't the car's fault, but with how affordable these have become, it's an issue you might find if you're hunting one on the used market. Some of these interiors have been treated like complete garbage dumps. Owners report that the interiors are really, really resilient, but obviously, to a point, if they've just been abused and totally neglected, yeah, expect some pretty shabby interiors. Plus, with 20 years of use in our harsh Australian climate and on our shitty roads, it is safe to assume you're gonna have a few little rattles because of some brittle plastics here and there, but that's to be expected. Although in saying that, there are examples out there that have been maintained meticulously, exactly like this car. And these interiors, look, they're not gonna win any interior design awards, but you'd be surprised how nice these interiors can feel after so many years. I mean, as far as comfort goes, these seats are fine. They're not award-winning, but they're good. Ergonomics, I wish the steering wheel came out to me a little bit further, but that's just being very, very picky. Overall, this one feels really solid. It just does the job. Even as far as using the interior in terms of practicality, it's okay. You've got a cubby bin here. You've got a spot just here specifically for three Jats crackers. You've got a spot here, which is the cup holders, which it opened before. It's not, it doesn't wanna open now, but there's two cup holders in there. I promise you. There's an ashtray and a cigarette lighter. You've got some door bins on the doors, but they're so shallow. They're really only for things that have one dimension. You can collect all sorts of fingernail clippings and life's filth just here. There's nothing under here, nothing under the seats, nowhere for sunglasses up there. For what was supposed to be a family car, it's okay for practicality. Now, as far as what actual stuff you're gonna get, it's really good news here. The Magna was generally better equipped than any of its competition at the time. Even in the base models, you're gonna get more bells and whistles in this than you will in a base model Camry or Falcon or Commodore, even especially compared to any of the European competition, which might be one of the reasons why this won Wheels Magazine Car of the Year in 1996. And look, obviously with 27 different models over several iterations, we simply don't have time to run you through which model has exactly what safety equipment and features and technology that would just take far too long. If you do need to know all of that stuff, go to redriven.com and check out the completely free Magna cheat sheet. It explains everything you're gonna need to know. Also, according to the owners, even though a lot of these features and tech are getting bloody long in the tooth these days, most of it will probably still work. Obviously, you can forget any kind of modern phone connectivity like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, even Bluetooth. But if you wanna fit any of that stuff, as you can see, it's really easy to fit with aftermarket equipment. Again, go check out Automotive Superstore. Also, while we're on quality aftermarket stuff, if you wanna save some cash on some of the best wiper blades in the world, hit the Wipertech link below. We've been working with the legends at Wipertech now for probably a couple of years, and it's because they work so well, plus they're so easy to order and fit. And if you order yourself a set via the link below, you only get 15% off and free express shipping to your door. Also, as a massive thank you present to the absolute legend, Ross, that has lent us his car, he's going home with a free set. And if you wanna sit for free, all you've gotta do is lend us your car to feature, and if we film it, yeah, you're gonna go home with a free set. Now, while we're on the subject of Australian legends, I'm exactly 31 centimetres taller than brilliant Aussie comedian, Magna Sabansky. This is in my driving position, and I am blown away with these backseats. First of all, decent amount of leg and foot room, but the seats themselves are so comfortable, even a bit supportive. There's a bit of bolster support for any kind of lateral fun. I reckon these are far more comfortable than the front seats, and the front seats aren't too bad. Great amount of visibility, like really big glass house. The B-pillars might be some of the narrowest I've seen on a car in a long time. So again, it just feels airy and spacious back here. Also, you sit a little higher than the driver's seat, so you've got actually a good view over the top of the driver's head out the front. I'm blown away at how great this backseat is. Then as far as features and practicality, in the back, you've got your own air vent, you've got a couple of the map pockets here, more spot for wife's filth just here, and it has a pull-down armrest with two cup holders, but the armrest, it feels more like a picnic table. It is so huge. Again, I know I've said it before, but this backseat area is superb. And then in the boot, now, you know how before I mentioned that these lost the sales battle compared to the Commodore, the Falcon, and the Camry? Well, unfortunately, they also lost the boot space battle as well. These have a smaller boot. It's still a decent-sized boot and big enough to fit a massive subwoofer in the back, but yeah, not as big as the others. However, there's actually a surprising area where it beats the competition, and that's when it comes to driving. See, if you're a Commodore or a Falcon fan, you are going to hate hearing this, but the 3.5-litre Magna was actually quicker down the quarter mile than the equivalent six-cylinder Ford and Holden of the time. In fact, in its most powerful form, these things weren't just the quickest naturally-aspirated Australian six. They could even be quicker in some mid-gear acceleration runs than our local V8s. Plus, these engines were renowned for being more economical and more refined than the other six-cylinders as well. And plus, with an exhaust system and maybe a bit of an intake, they can sound amazing. And then when it comes to the handling, like, okay, the front diff is absolutely working its bum off to try to stop the front wheels from wheel-spinning everywhere, but with a bit of modulation with your right foot, they can be a truly capable car. Oh, look, yeah, okay, Mitsubishi, they did dial in a fair chunk of understeer from the factory to keep things nice and safe, but with some smart suspension mods, like in this car, and maybe some adjustment to your cornering techniques, these things can seriously embarrass, like, some pretty serious performance cars. Even the ride quality in this, I was expecting it to be super bouncy, but it's not. It's actually pretty impressive. However, look, it isn't all good news. As I alluded to before, the front diff in this thing is working overtime to try to stop the front end from wandering all over the place. Anytime you flex that right foot, you are gonna be battling some torque steer like crazy, although, depending on your attitude towards that, that can be fun. And if you're thinking, well, the all-drive variants will therefore sort all that out, well, yeah, they do, but because of all the weight and complexity, it's at the cost of performance and economy, because they weigh a fair chunk more. But look, aside from that, when it just comes to driving around town and in traffic and stuff like that, what you'll find is that these offer a far more refined driving experience than really any of the local competition. Even at this age, I can't believe how good this thing is to drive. However, mechanically, what's the story there? Is this where the Magnus starts to come undone? Well, unfortunately, I can't answer that question because I'm not a qualified mechanic. The person that can answer it is a qualified mechanic. It's Jim. Now, the four cylinders and the V6 in these were actually always fairly reliable. And despite them being completely different engines, they actually share pretty much all the same problems. Valve cover oil leaks are very common, and typically that leaks straight out onto the exhaust manifold and stinks. Oil consumption is another big one here as well. They do burn oil from the rings, but they actually burn a lot of oil up at the valve stem seals. Now, that's what I was saying earlier about the stopping behind them at lights, put your AC on recirculation, because when they sit there idling, the manifold vacuum sucks all that oil down past the valve stem seals, and the second the car gets a boot full and drives away, all that oil and the smoke fume just comes straight out the exhaust pipe and stinks. Now, the timing belts on these are due every 100,000 Ks, but they're nearly almost leaking oil from the camshaft seal or the front crankshaft seal, so you might need to do that sooner. The four cylinder engines have a balance shaft as well, which has a separate belt. Now, we've seen on a few occasions over the years where that balance shaft belt has broken prematurely before the timing belt is due, mainly because there are oil leaks, and the owner has no idea that it's actually broken, but yeah, we've seen that a few times, and they haven't really noticed that the engine's vibrating terribly until you fix it and give it back to them, and it feels better than it ever did. The cooling systems on these, relatively simple by modern standards. Some of the issues we see now are there's, on both engines, there's a steel pipe on the V6 that runs up the valley, and there's a steel pipe on the four cylinder that runs behind the engine, and they come straight out of the water pump. The O-rings on the end of those, the steel pipes just corrode, and the O-ring falls off, and the pipe leaks. Also, where that pipe sort of snakes its way up through the engine, those fittings all corrode and start leaking too, so that's something you really need to keep an eye on on these, because they actually don't really like an overheating event. Any overheating event in these is likely to cause a head gasket issue. Back in the day, we used to see a fair few of the head gaskets on the four cylinders fail. I actually think that was more because of head gasket design back then, but it doesn't seem to be a problem anymore. Once it's been done, they're fine. These engines have old school distributors and spark plug leads, which is basically the number one cause of misfires in these. The distributors can also have issues when they get hot where the car's hard to start or just randomly stalls, and if it is randomly stalling and it's not the distributor, it's more likely to be the idle speed control valve, which on these things is also a pretty common problem. The good news here, these cars are relatively simple, and most of the time, pretty cheap to fix as well. One of the complications we're seeing now is the availability of parts, getting a bit thin on the ground, and it's because of that that they really are becoming a bit of a enthusiast DIY kind of ownership experience. Okay, so here's the deal. Overall, the Wright & Magna Overada can be a truly fantastic car. Obviously, avoid any of the clapped out, abused, or neglected examples. They're gonna be a complete nightmare, but find a perfectly maintained and loved Magna Overada, and it could be one of the most underrated cars on the used market, although we still wouldn't recommend that you buy one. Look, if you're a hardcore fan and you're happy to spend hours on forums and owners groups hunting down spare parts as the years take their toll on a host of components, great, go you. Buy a Magna, and please do everything you can to keep it on the road because they are a car worth celebrating. But if you just want a reliable workhorse of a car and you're on a really, really tight budget, sorry, no, don't get one of these. Maybe go for one of the more popular alternatives that have more available spare parts, maybe something like this. But I've got a question for you. If you weren't to buy one of these or one of these, yeah, what would you buy instead? And what do you think of the Magna? Let us know in the comments. See you next time. Now, another issue. That overheating event, in some cases, can cause head gas. Which means, it's gonna be hard. Any of the abused, neglected, or.