1986 Mitsubishi Galant S review from North America
"Inconsistant mix of good and bad qualities"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Seals around doors were poor from the beginning, as evidenced by excess road noise, and a foggy interior. Eventually, the seals on the rear doors simply fell off!
The original brakes had a tendency to "grab" and thus any need for a quick stop resulted in an uncontrolled slide.
The original tires did not deliver good traction, which contributed to the lack of control during braking.
Once we replaced the brakes & tires, it drove much better.
The seat belts do not retract properly, so are frequently shut in the doors.
The paint has not aged well.
General comments?
I was always very pleased with the power delivered by the 4-cyl engine. It was surprisingly quick on acceleration!
The car had an overall sound feel to it, with a good solid THUD upon closing the doors, and the shift of the weight was pleasant and easy to handle on cornering.
I found the cheap tires and shoddy brakes to be an odd choice to put on a car with a good engine and nice handling.
Fit and finish seemed to be a lost concept to the manufacture of this car.
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![]() ![]() | Solid high-performance machine |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1986 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 4 cylinder Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 3/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 12 miles |
| Most recent distance | 91000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 17th May, 2003 |






