1986 Mitsubishi Tredia Turbo from North America - Comments

- Nothing except what is expected from a car this old, in other words nothing out of the ordinary!

When I first bought this car, I was concerned it would turn out to be just another crappy economy car. I had intentions of using it as an errand-runner for a couple of years. However, when I discovered what a reliable and amazing car it was I decided to keep it for "a bit longer." Now, 17 years later, the car is still sitting in my garage, along with my wife's 97 Toyota Camry and my 2000 Mitsubishi Diamante.

As far as the car is concerned, it is an extremely rare find (don't even bother trying to locate one used) and is virtually unheard of. Thus, I'm not surprised that I'm the first one to write a review for this car. This economy sedan came in four trim levels: base, L, LS and turbo. Base models came with a 2.0L 88 horsepower four cylinder, while turbos came with a 1.8L turbo four producing 116 horsepower. Current value is about $1300 in perfect condition. For more info, go to epinions.com and search for "Mitsubishi Tredia".

Can I have a picture?

Yup! go to www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/docs6/history/html/corte.htm. You'll get a brief history of the car as well (I think this is the only site where you can find pics of the car, not surprisingly it's the site of the company itself.)

My parents owned a 1984 Turbo model, and it was the WORST car they have ever owned. The clutch assembly had a manufacturing defect that Mitsubishi refused to repair on multiple occasions, the transmission mounts had to be replaced within 48 hours of driving it off the lot, the turbocharger leaked and had to be replaced within 1100 miles after purchase (brand new, off the lot in 1984) and there were numerous other problems that Mitsubishi has since acknowledged. There was a buyback program, from what I have heard since then, but it ended in 1987.

This car, if you can find one or own one, needs loving care and replacement of the drivetrain and clutch assembly if you have one already. Good luck with it though - we left ours on the side of the highway halfway between Ohio and Texas on our last move in 1994.

I bought a 1985 Tredia Turbo, used back in 1996. It had a ton of miles (over 100k) but other than that was in pretty good shape. It has been one of the most dependable cars I have ever owned! Other than the normal annual maintenance costs associated with an older car, it never had a "down day" and has taken a licken and kept on ticken! I recently bought a van... (kids got too big for the car) but I still can't bare to part with my little car. It's presently sitting in my driveway, waiting for someone to give it enough TLC to put it back on the road again!

I have driven an '84 turbo since new and still have it. Great car. Finally blew up the turbo on the track running it way over redline. First problem in 20 years, and I think that it was a fairly explainable one. ;)

My first car ever was a 1985 Mitsubishi Tredia Turbo and I still mourn its passing. I put that car through all kinds of treatment that it was never engineered to handle. I took it off road on jeep trails, hydroplaning over mud puddles at around forty mph leaving the trucks in my rear-view, and I buried the speedometer on rt 15 in Connecticut. I got all four wheels off the ground several times, and I even drove it through the occasional corn field. I pulled E-brake 360s on dirt, pavement, and snow and once I even forded a small stream in that car. My adult love life got its start in the back seat of that car (not the easiest task in a small compact). I know the car wasn't the safest vehicle ever built, and, looking back, I think my parents shouldn't have let a 16 year old buy a turbo charged "sports" car, but that little car owns a little piece of my heart.

I had a 1985 Mitsubishi Tredia L in California. It was one of the best cars I have ever owned. At the time I chose it over a Nissan, which cost about the same for a smaller car with fewer features. The only reason I sold it was to move to a place where I couldn't take it easily. The Tredia L never gave a bit of trouble and got great gas mileage. I remember it with fondness.

I bought a 1983 Tredia Turbo in 1987 and had it about 4 years.

I recall 2 problems - the first was the "supershift" gearbox - essentially a 4-speed box with high and low ratios that had a problem with a nut falling off inside it somewhere - cost a bit for a new box. The problem was known for these boxes, and apparently there was no fix at that time.

The 2nd problem was less expensive - under heavy braking the puddle lights in the doors would flash on! I attributed this to the 4-door sedan body shell not being as stiff as the Cordia hatch shell fitted to the same floor plan.

Otherwise it was an excellent car - well equipped for the day, a good performer with economy as well.

My other little car got rear-ended and scrapped about 2002 and I used my old bike for a year. Then a friend of a friend found this –86 Tredia (I had never heard of them) sitting since a few years in the front yard of a little old lady. She had put a lot of money in it and had given up. The grass had grown high under it and a big tree shaded it, so in spite of being in SO CA, where cars do not rust, this one has quite a bit of it!

The car had not run for years, so I got a new battery and new spark-plugs (standard with all old cars) and soon a new set of tires too. It ran somewhat OK, but got increasingly difficult to start when warm. I found that the carburetor was flooding, so the car had to sit for an hour and dry up before it would start again. Two years ago I had the carburetor rebuilt, $400, and since it runs like a charm! Tires, some $150 and recently (after 3 years) a few fan belts and a seal for the valve cover, this could have happened to any car, and the expenses are still under $1k. There is a noise in the right CV joint, but it has not got worse in the 20k miles I have driven it (now at 140k) so I leave it as is and take it a bit easy with the accelerator in turns. There are no leaks (except from the valve cover, now fixed) in the break system, coolant system, break system or power steering or engine oil. I am not used to cars that do not need to be topped off here and there occasionally!

The seats look like hell; their surfaces are worn out and destroyed by the Sun. The gray paint on the car also. It is fine with me! It makes the car theft proof. I have rarely locked it in the time I have had it. Nobody in his right mind would steel this one! Everything in the car, but for the horn, works, even the electric windows and the external rear view mirrors! The car is completely without charm, but economical and practical, it runs like a charm (is pretty high rev, almost 4000 rpm @ 75 mph) and who can argue with that? It runs great and I will keep it! With a bit of bad luck, it may be the last car I own! My sons do not want it…

So, I would never have bought one. Mitsubishi is maybe OK, but so is Toyota, and the car is ugly, but I am happy with it as it is. The same may explain some of the marriages one wonder about!

Carl.

Hey guys, I'm from New Zealand right beside Australia the land down under, I've just purchased a 1983 mitsubishi Tredia turbo 1600 sohc suck-feed turbo carby, I'm from the north island part of NZ and its in the south island so I'm getting it sent via train. Its Done 117,000km's it's a 4 speed with power shift 5speed, I'm goin to put a later model mirage (88) fiore shape 5speed gearbox in there for now, but...

I've got a rare 6A10 1.6L V6 Dohc heads Engine in which I have a Galant VR4 6A12TT V6 Dohc Heads donor engine in which I have transfered everthing except the bare block and heads onto the the rare 1.6L V6 bare block and heads, I am using a little bit larger twin td03 turbo's from 6a13tt later model galant/legnum vr4's, I will be rebuilding the original 6A10 gearbox with the 6a12tt vr4 4wd brand new internals with ae Cusco Evo 3/Eclipse/talon 2G LSD, the Engine is in the process of being machined/acid cleaned/necessary custom parts - pistons, then will be assembled, I will be using the 6a12tt vr4 ecu & loom too. The chassis is in pristine condition not a spec of rust so I will completely seem-weld the whole chassis to handle the weight and friction from the heavy/powerful 1.6l v6.. also will weld in series on strengthening bars and maybe a light roll-cage.

I am hoping the 83 turbo tredia has a front cross-member to give the front-end the maximum strenght it needs for the v6.

I will have a full custom white trimmed interior, with recaro front seats and maybe recaro evo rear seats made to fit.

I've always wanted a turbo tredia prefferbly a later model 4wd version, but for the rare numbers of the turbo tredia's and 4wd tredia's the people that own them will never give them up haha there that much of a great car...

Heres a link to look at it.

Http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=130300231.