2001 V6 Eclipse...
 

Anybody have any experience, or owned a V6 Eclipse?

Here's a link to one tuner for these cars - http://www.rippmods.com/products/pro...uid=3&vehcId=2

Reason I'm asking is a friend is thinking about taking this from his father. I am trying to push him to a Z or RX-8, but I think he just wants to go cheaper and get this to fix-up instead.

Any thoughts regarding it's capability or anything related?

I personally hate them--they are ugly and front wheel drive. After my Millenia S is sold--I will never buy another front driver.

I personally hate them also. But if he's going to get it, then I'd rather he knew what he was getting into and be educated. I'm getting desperate, I've even began to give him slack about Z cars, and I really don't like them either.

Besides all of the obvious--that V6 is harder to modify and tune than most powerplants--the aftermarket did not really embrace that generation of Eclipse save for you cheap Pep Boys mods.

not a bad car if you just want a sporty looking car to commute with instead of an accord or altima or camry etc. I like the way it looks save for those bars on the side that makes it look like a old pontiac grandam. performance is pretty bad and aftermarket is almost as bad as the rx8 :p. but they do have various FI options. anywho not a bad buy IMO if he can get it cheap.

My biggest concern would simply be Mitsubishi's long track record of abysmal build quality. They still remain one of the only major Japanese manufacturers with below-average reliability ratings (and I've personally owned a 1st gen Talon, so I can vouch for that much...). It may not be the worst car in the world as far as performance or whatever, but it has serious potential to become a money pit very, very quickly. I'd cough up the cash for a different vehicle that can offer more security in that respect (and possibly the remnants of a warranty?).

Last gen Eclipses have decent styling, an interior that you either love or hate (something of a pattern with Mitsubishi cars, in general), and a tight-feeling ride. However, the car is heavy; the drivetrain is FWD, and the brakes get toasted rather easily. The convertible is ugh - too much flex for that sort of car.

It looks like it should be fast, it looks like it should be driven fast, but for some reason, it never gets buttoned down just right. And it plows, big time, if taken too quickly into a corner. I always got the impression that it was a decent show-car, but not necessarily a go-car.

For the age and money, the RSX Type-S, the 99-00 Civic Si, and the WRX are a better idea.

F-u-g-l-y

the back seats suck...no room, and its a heavy mother!

There is talk in JDM mags of a special edition with the Evo drivetrain and aero parts. I wouldn't buy it still, but it's an improvement.

They're talking about the last gen eclipse. I saw the pics of the car with the EVO drivetrain. I wouldn't buy it either.

Last gen Eclipse? Ewww... why would someone waste their money on that?

For what it is, and what you can get one for, the car is a very nice vehicle. Naturally if you compare it to other sports cars, it leaves a lot to be desired, but it has decent power, it's very comfortable, and from what I've seen, it appears to be very reliable. As for mods, my friend has an 03 gt he plans on supercharging, and he knows a guy where I work who has an 04 Spyder with the s/c kit. This guy pushes over 260whp with 8psi on a dyno. My roommate is saving up now, and will eventually have this done. He told me he thinks the car will take out my sti from a rolling start, and I believe him. Although expensive, it was not difficult to make that car wicked fast, although he admits that with fwd and no lsd, it's more of a rolling racer, then off the line. Either way, you can make that car fast in a straight line, very easily if you got the $$$$$. :)

Only good looking Eclipses were the 2nd gen. Since then, their design has just got progressively worse.

300 hp with that motor is easy i had a 2003 eclipse gt with intake exhaust, pulleys apex afr tuned with full header system and put out 245 whp and ran a 13.7 and from a roll id pull 350zs like nothing the header on that car give u 30whp and when tuned i made a extra 40whp with a header on that car. funny thing is people say that car is healt well it s not i have a set of longachre scales was 3040ibs with a 1/4 tank of gas