1989 Mitsubishi Mighty Max Reg. cab 2.0 Gas

Summary:

Best vehicle my family has ever owned!

Faults:

Replaced timing belts (about every 80-90K)

Water pump at 170K.

Clutch at 180K.

Carb at ~200K (could have rebuilt)

Timing belt pulley bearing at ~300K (cheap)

Clutch cable rod broke at ~325K (re-welded for about $30)

Used quite a bit of oil on down the road.

For the most part this truck was not very well maintained, my brother and I put thousands and thousands of miles on it and only took action when something went wrong.

General Comments:

Unbelievably reliable, worth every penny plus many more.

Took it to the beach last summer and broke 330,000 miles...didn't bat a lash about driving 4 hours one way.

At 334,000 the head gasket went...

I mistakenly put a synthetic blend oil in and think it loosened some stuff up. Would replace it, but truck is worn out (mostly due to neglect).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th May, 2004

3rd Aug 2004, 14:58

334 k miles, what a high mileage champ, I have a '94 just turned 81k orig...most relilable truck I've owned.

1989 Mitsubishi Mighty Max SWB 2.0 ltr 4 cylinder

Summary:

If well cared for, this truck can live forever

Faults:

Very few problems with this truck. At 250,000 miles, every light, every switch, every accessory still works. The air conditioner still blows very cold. The seat has a very minor tear, but the foam has held up well.

The transmission is starting to growl a bit in first gear.

There is an unknown problem with the carb going VERY rich under certain conditions, causing black smoke. The replacement cost for this carb is about $500.00!

It now has low compression in one cylinder, but still runs reasonably well, but won't pass smog. At a quarter million miles, it could use a rebuild.

General Comments:

This is a great little economy truck, as long as you realize it wasn't a high performance truck in the first place. I think it's 2.0 litre 4 only made 90 or so hp when new.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st March, 2004

1989 Mitsubishi Mighty Max 2.0 Gas

Summary:

Nice car nice cost

Faults:

The exhaust manifold cracked.

The Brake light comes on whenever I accelerate and it only turns off when I get into 5th gear or stop accelerating.

General Comments:

This car gets superb gas mileage if you drive it like a normal driver.

The ride isn't very smooth, but decent.

Slow acceleration, but it can get up to 115 if you want it to.

It can easily haul things without a problem.

There are absolutly NO performance parts for this truck. no one makes any.

This truck has an appearance like none other.

There are very few rims that work well with this truck and no one modifies these trucks, you can bet that if you do soup one of these babies up you are in a class of your own.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 11th June, 2003

20th Oct 2004, 14:22

I also own one of these trucks, 150.00 bucks and it was mine. Love it to death 145000 miles and going strong. Putting a clutch in this weekend. Starter and a water pump last year, but nothing too bad. But I wanted to comment on your upgrading idea, because I will be painting it, slapping in a moon-roof, and some oversize American racing rims (the black ones with red and blue pin stripes) just for the ground clearance. It got me through my first Buffalo winter with no problems, and this is the 2.0 2wd 5 speed version! They run forever and and its going to be one flashy work truck, hauls like a pro.

28th Nov 2004, 18:37

Que? Must be in English? Anyway...

I just picked one of these trucks up for a second vehicle. Great little truck. As for modifying them, well, it's a light utility truck, I don't much see th point. However, here are some ideas. It looks like it has the same size cone filter as an Eclipse, so test fit some paper airfilters from a 1st gen and if they fit, order a K&N drop-in. For exhuast, just go to Bubu's muffler shop and get a 2.5 inch system, no cat, with the loudest muffler you can deal with. The 2.4 L. is the same engine they put in the Starion. So, all performance parts should carry over. Try the cam from the non-turbo, maybe you can even find headers for that car. (Though there might be some clearance issues.) The money shot is to install the turbo version of this engine! It should drop right in. Can you say sleeper? Hmmm... Ya know what, maybe I will modify this truck. 12 sec. Mighty Max? Maaaaaaybeeeee... >:)

Tim Wing.

PS: This is all just guessing on my part. I haven't tried anything yet.