1983 Mitsubishi Sigma GL review from Australia and New Zealand

Rust, rust and more rust!

The automatic transmission selector is loose.

Steering joint wear, some looseness and wobble at around 70 km/h (this has happened to almost every Sigma I have driven, and probably just needs a new steering joint).

No major mechanical problems.

This is the third Sigma I have owned in the last 7 years (all of them were either 1982 or 1983 GJ Series Sigmas - a 1982 SE 2.0 Sedan, 1982 GL 2.0 Wagon/Estate and 1983 GL 2.6 Sedan).

All I want now is a cheap 2.0 SE Sedan with a clean rust free body and a knackered engine so I can transplant the driveline out of this Sigma into one that would actually pass a roadworthy inspection or MOT. :)

The Good:

Cheap. Cheap to buy, cheap to maintain.

Designed in an era when cars were designed for simple maintenance and repair. A semi-skilled primate could remove and rebuild an engine in one of these.

Very comfortable. Excellent seats.

Equipment levels better than most cars of the same era (the SE model had 4 wheel disc brakes, 4 speaker Hi-Fi stereo system and air-conditioning as standard which was amazing 20 years ago!).

Feels solid.

Comfortable ride (sedans).

Very good performance from brakes on GL (front discs/rear drums). Excellent performance from brakes on SE models (4 wheel discs).

Performance and reliability of 2.6 litre models.

The Bad:

2.0 litre models are sluggish, tend to be run into the ground and end up blowing copious quantities of acrid blue smoke. Easy enough to fix with new rings, but if you're going to that trouble you may as well change the engine over to a 2.6 litre.

Is to global oil reserves what Boris Yeltsin is to vodka.

Try finding one without rust.

Heavy steering that seems develop problems in later life (see opening paragraphs).

Floaty ride of wagon/estate.

Tells the world you are either very cheap or completely skint.

The Ugly:

Mid 1970's styling with early 80's embellishments. Need I say more?