2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse User Reviews

Is A Very Good Car, Speedy, Comfortable And Good Looking. —

Is my wife's car (85K miles). I drive a Scion tc (at 78K miles) and an Explorer. So a comparison! (Not to the Explorer, duh!) Performance - Acceleration (4 speed automatic) is a shade over 7 seconds and thus about the same as my tc (stick). Eclipse is faster to around 35 in 1st gear but 2nd is criminally slow to 60, in fact the Eclipse automatic should have been a 5 speed automatic and it would have been much faster. Why would they do that! Scion is faster from 40 to 60 and appears to be faster in overtaking as my manual transmission can kick down much faster than the auto in the Eclipse, unless you use manual option. Braking is more powerful in the tc than the eclipse and feels more connected to the driver. Eclipse feels more planted in corners than the tc because of lower body roll, but I feel more safe taking corners faster in the tc as it feels more nimble and connected to the road, i.e. the eclipse is softer and does not communicate as much info to the driver. Eclipse has a quiet and silky smooth V6 which effortlessly reaches the speed you want to go, while the tc, being a 4 banger is loud and relatively graceless and you have to work the gears. Eclipse drives smoother. Build Quality - My tc is 5 years old and has required no maintenance outside of scheduled maintenance, however, there are rattles in the tailgate (common with tailgates). My wifes eclipse has only been in her possession a year and will require some accessory belt adjustment as it squeals sometimes during acceleration, hopefully nothing else. Rear tailgate does not rise or fall properly, so the lift canisters will need to be replaced (inexpensive). It has a problem with the passenger side window which is addressed in a technical service bulletin provided by Mitsubishi (the previous owner did not sort it out), other than this, no problems. I would estimate that the tc, being a toyota, will outlast the eclipse, however the eclipse is a very solid car. Appearance - Both cars look good, I like both equally. Our eclipse is maroon and the paint has lasted very well, no problems, looks as good as new ... why is it that some eclipses look old before their time ... I sometimes see the matte red ones and they look old ... the maroon/burgundy pearl finish seems timeless, as does the silver. Interior of the scion is better executed than the eclipse with the exception of the seats; the scion has cloth cheapass seats and the eclipse good leather ones with lumbar support. Interior of the eclipse is good though. Eclipse has very poor rear seat room. Cost of Ownership - Insurance about the same. Eclipse requires premium fuel and yields 25mpg, while the scion sips regular fuel and yields 28mpg. Maintenance is probably similar, but work outside of regular schedule will most likely be more expensive on the eclipse V6. Residual value is perhaps just in favor of the scion. 2005 tc about $11.5K rtl ($9.5K private) (19K new, inc. options). 2003 eclipse gts auto about $11.5K rtl (9.5K private) (25K new). KBB is a bit dubious though, if this is true then the gts holds it's own against the tc in residual value. Fun Factor- Eclipse is fun to drive, and would have been more fun if my wife had driven a stick ... lol! It is what it was designed to be, a grand tourer. It is no RSX-S, but then it is a more comfortable ride with a smooth engine. I bet the eclipse is faster off the line than the type s, even if not to 60. 2003-05 Eclipse gts is a good car. If you want one, I would opt for one with a manual transmission and in a good color. Be sure to get one from a reputable retailer or someone with the car history ... a lot of folk might have razzed theirs. Anyways, my wife loves her eclipse, probably as much as I would love my car if I had an Aston Martin DBS!

Primary Use: Family transportation

Yay..? — Acceleration is good for engine size which makes it fun to drive. Does pretty decent on gas. Mine has a LOT of miles for a 2003, and so the suspension has a lot of squeaks. The interior is a little bit plastic-y feeling, but overall nice for the price you pay. Overall good car.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

A To B Car... Doesn't Play Nicely. — It is the worst Eclipse generation ever. Especially the GS. Drum brakes in the rear? Really? Disc technology is that hard to come by? RPM gap between 1st and 2nd gear is 2500? Those Synchros hate me. Mitsubishi lost so much money on this car on warranty work that they tried to screw me outta mine.

Primary Use: Commuting to work

2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse — I have really put a lot of effort into my car. Needs some work now but overall I love it. Custom painted interior, double den indash touch-screen dvd player, new speakers and subwoofers. And now I just need to put in the new stage 2 clutch

Primary Use: Sport/fun (spirited driving, track racing, off-roading, etc.)

Good — Good acceleration. It has techtronic, which makes it a fun automatic or manual trans. the high speed feel of the car is great. it handles very well at all speeds and in any weather. Mine has a nice stock Spoiler. VERY NICE!

Primary Use: Commuting to work