The car had a serious oil leak. From reading the other reviews this is common in these cars, but mine was really bad (8 quarts / 1000 miles) and needed to be fixed.
The car needed some other minor things (shocks, battery brake pads, seals), largely because it sat unused for nearly 10 years.
The car is decent to drive and does quite well both in the city and on the freeway, though I bet some Mitsubishi engineer is having a laugh about that 125mph speedometer. (Maybe if you dropped it out of a plane?)
The automatic is second-rate (the shifts are a little harsh), but it works. Get the stick shift if you can find one - the economy is better too.
Fuel economy is pretty good - over 30mpg in mostly city driving. It's not fast, but it's small, cheap, and easy to park.
Get your transmission serviced (new fluid, flush, & filter) and the performance should improve. After sitting for so long, changing the transmission oil is as essential as changing the engine oil..
If the automatic gearbox is not shifting very well, you may need to change the oil, especially if it has stood for 10 years (the fluid may be the original fill).
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