'96 Eclipse GS-T for 7k, good deal?

60,000 miles, sound system, auto-everything, APEX exhaust/headers, 5 speed manual, sunroof, other goodies

My car gets me 5k trade-in, so is the 2,000 investment a good idea? I'm buying from a friend too, I know he took care of the car also.

EDIT: It comes with 17" rims and new tire that come with the 2003 eclipse GT. when he got his 03, he just put the new stuff on the old eclipse and bought new rims for the 03.

It depends on what your goals are. If you want to go really fast, don't bother with fwd. Just get a AWD dsm if speed is paramount. Also, if you want to go fast for less, get a 1g (90-94), not a 2g. Faster, with a better turbo, for half the price. They don't look as cool though.

I wouldn't blow that much money on that car, mostly because for 7k you can find 300xzTTs, LS1s, and other far faster and nicer cars.

Lastly- headers on a turbo? someone doesn't know what they're talking about...

DSM respound quickly with mods...

intake,boost controller and other lil things can easly make you in the 13-14s!


if u want more info on DSM's, come to the eclipse forum and ill help you and the others can too ;)

for that much money i would get a 300zx tt, or a 3000gt vr-4...not saying the eclipse is a bad car though...

Thanks for the advice. The 300zx's and the rx7's and the supra's and the vr4's are all at least 10k where I live. I am half and half on this car. Any more advice would be appreciated. But a 1g is definitely out of the question, I can't stand the looks, which matter somewhat.

It depends on what your goals are. If you want to go really fast, don't bother with fwd. Just get a AWD dsm if speed is paramount. Also, if you want to go fast for less, get a 1g (90-94), not a 2g. Faster, with a better turbo, for half the price. They don't look as cool though.

I wouldn't blow that much money on that car, mostly because for 7k you can find 300xzTTs, LS1s, and other far faster and nicer cars.

Lastly- headers on a turbo? someone doesn't know what they're talking about...

Yea, I don't know where you can find an LS1 for $7k:eek7: Maybe with a totalled out body or something, lol. FWD Eclipse will go much faster than most people will ever take it, awd isn't necessary.

1. OK, so I exaggerated. Maybe like 10k for an ls1... an older z28 (93 or so) can definately be had for 7k though.

2. But if you are browsing this forum, you aren't most people, are you? AWD gives you better launches, and can shave as much as 1 second vs a FWD, depending on how much you abuse the car. I'd definately go AWD, but that's just me.

1. OK, so I exaggerated. Maybe like 10k for an ls1... an older z28 (93 or so) can definately be had for 7k though.

2. But if you are browsing this forum, you aren't most people, are you? AWD gives you better launches, and can shave as much as 1 second vs a FWD, depending on how much you abuse the car. I'd definately go AWD, but that's just me.

1. LT1 for $7k, yes easily. LS1 for $10k, not unless it is a seriously beat down car.

2. I would go for a GSX over a GST too, but the premium you'll pay for it will most likely not be worth it. You have to lay down serious goals before you make the purchase. Serious, REALISTIC goals. And 99.9% of people will find that when they're being REALISTIC in their goal-setting, that they will be able to go much faster in a GST than they will ever want to OR be able to afford.

1. OK, so I exaggerated. Maybe like 10k for an ls1... an older z28 (93 or so) can definately be had for 7k though.

2. But if you are browsing this forum, you aren't most people, are you? AWD gives you better launches, and can shave as much as 1 second vs a FWD, depending on how much you abuse the car. I'd definately go AWD, but that's just me.


You're forgetting that the GS-T is not a light car, which works for it and against it. It's good that it's heavy at around 2800lbs to help keep traction during hard launches, it's also lighter than the GSX by some 300lbs.

Of course, it can't dump the clutch and hook like a GSX and it's a heavy car for a 'sport compact'. But they can still be nasty from a roll on the freeway. More so than a GSX.

Thanks for the advice. The 300zx's and the rx7's and the supra's and the vr4's are all at least 10k where I live. I am half and half on this car. Any more advice would be appreciated. But a 1g is definitely out of the question, I can't stand the looks, which matter somewhat.

where do you live? i'll sell you mine's for $6,700 92 vr4 :)

and funny you guys say the ls1 is so expensive i'm currently looking for one for when i sell my car and i find them for $10,000 regularly some 12 and 1 was $8999 and all miles didn't exceed 65k. actually i have a ss on my list for $12,999.
and too more advice keep looking and take your time, i've seen 99 eclipses for $7,999 under 100k miles on it. just take your time and try not to get too anxious.

where do you live? i'll sell you mine's for $6,700 92 vr4 :)

that much for your vr-4?? lol damn, i'd buy that right away? where you live, and any accident history/problems with it??

Lastly- headers on a turbo? someone doesn't know what they're talking about...

"Header" is just another word for "Exhaust Manifold"...and most cars have those, including turbo ones...

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/turboheader/

http://www.wrxtuners.com/parts/default.php?cPath=24

http://fwdmopar.50megs.com/ken.html

http://www.rewarderheaders.com/turbo.htm

...DSM'ers just tend to NOT call it a header...opting for "turbo-manifold" instead.

where do you live? i'll sell you mine's for $6,700 92 vr4 :)

and funny you guys say the ls1 is so expensive i'm currently looking for one for when i sell my car and i find them for $10,000 regularly some 12 and 1 was $8999 and all miles didn't exceed 65k. actually i have a ss on my list for $12,999.
and too more advice keep looking and take your time, i've seen 99 eclipses for $7,999 under 100k miles on it. just take your time and try not to get too anxious.

Have a link to where the $8999 car is selling? Or even $10k ones? I have someone who will buy it TODAY. PM it to me?

that much for your vr-4?? lol damn, i'd buy that right away? where you live, and any accident history/problems with it??

no accidents but tranny is going out but its still driveable, that will run you $1,700
besides that its all love :smile:
btw i'm in lynnwood washington

no way you can find a 300zx tt for 7k. find me it and i will buy it instantly.

no accidents but tranny is going out but its still driveable, that will run you $1,700
besides that its all love :smile:
btw i'm in lynnwood washington

any mods?

My car: 92 Mitsubishi 3000gt vr4
upgrades:
Custom 3 inch exhaust
Spw high performance mufflers
HKS super megaflow twin filter intake
DXD Southbend racing clutch
Apexi twinchamber blow off valve
Greddy Profec B spec II boost controller.


Other stuff.
spw boost gauge
air fuel ratio gauge
momo shift knob
momo booot
Greddy turbo timer.

Thanks guys I really appreciate the input. It looks about 80% that I will be getting this car. The improvement over a 1996 Rav4 is just night / day really. My goals :13's, maybe high 12's at the most. I really just plan on adding a BOV, intake, and a better turbo when I get the chance. Other than that, I just want the car to have spunk, which the rav4 didn't.

Sorry, whenever I hear "header" I think of normally aspired cars. "Manifold" is usually what I call them on turbos. The 2g really doesn't need a better manifold unless you're changing the turbo to something other than a 16g, I believe. I may be wrong though.

13s are doable with a gs-t, 12s are getting harder but still possible. You'll probably need someting serious though, maybe a 20g (or maybe just an EVO III 16g.)

It does have spunk though...

Well I'm taking it out for a test drive tommorrow afternoon. I'll let ya know what I think! Like I said, I'm very close to getting this car. I have 2 years driving experience so I really shouldn't get something THAT fast, but this car has potential, and will grow with my driving skill.

Hmm I dunno. I heard that some of the older 4g63 engines had some problems with crank walk, although I heard it wasn't as much of an issue in the late 90 versions of those cars. $7K isn't all that bad if it is low mileage though. BTW there are LS1's that sell for around $11K. To be honest though, if you buy an LS1 powered car/truck listen for a ticking noise. That is often attributed to piston slap. Sometimes it is minor, and just involves the niose (Which my former LS1 had). Other times the car consumes oil, and can be a handful to take care of.

The worst DSM to get in terms or crankwalk is the 95-96. The first gens and the later ones didn't have as much of a problem with it.

can someone explain crankwalk please?

What is 'crank walk'?
What is a 'walking' crankshaft?
Is there a recall or TSB regarding the crank walk problem?
How can I tell if my car has a walking crankshaft?
Search for this topic now!

A 'walking' crankshaft is a crankshaft that moves too much inside the engine. This is also known as excessive thrust bearing play. The movement is usually due to the crankshaft not fitting inside its bearings correctly. While not bad for the crankshaft, the movement can place excessive or uneven loads on the bearings, causing premature failures.

Many 2G owners have suffered from walking crankshafts. It appears that Mitsubishi built many 2G engines using defective crankshafts, which were machined out of specification and are thus capable of moving around too much inside the block. All 2G model years appear to be affected to some degree.

To fix this problem, Mitsubishi has designed several versions of matching crankshaft bearings. This allows the defective motor to retain the crankshaft, yet matches the bearings correctly so as to eliminate the excessive crankshaft movement. Matching the bearings in this manner is tricky and requires exact information about when the crankshaft was manufactured, which may be determined by color markings on the crankshaft itself. The 2G factory manual includes information on how to match crankshafts to bearings.

1G owners do not generally need to worry, as there are no chronic problems with crankwalk in per-1995 cars. However, it is possible for any engine to experience crankwalk if there is a problem with the crankshaft bearings. It has been reported that 'small rod' / 7-bolt flywheel motors (manufactured from later 1992 through 1994 on 1Gs) are more prone to crankwalk than 'big rod' / 6-bolt flywheel engines (manufactured from 1989 to early 1992). However, there can be no guarantees, since big block V8s and all other engines can also suffer from crankwalk.

It can be difficult to tell if a particular car is experiencing crankwalk. Symptoms are usually indirect and difficult to diagnose until major damage occurs.

Since the clutch places pressure on the crankshaft, many owners have reported clutch or shifting problems associated with the walking crank. Having the clutch 'stick' down on left-hand turns is often a telltale sign of crankwalk. Other symptoms include inconsistent engagement height, poor or rough engagement, difficulty shifting, ticking noises and varying pedal height or pressure. Another possibility is having the engine RPM decrease significantly when the clutch pedal is down.

Another problem with crankwalk is that the crankshaft may move so much as to literally tear up and destroy the 2G crankshaft angle sensor. This problem usually manifests itself as a ticking noise coming from the timing belt area, as the sensor is literally and slowly ground away by the crankshaft. Any such noise should be investigated right away to prevent serious problems.

Unfortunately, cranshaft angle sensor failure usually leads to a replacement sensor, rather than a replacement crankshaft, as mechanics fail to diagnose the underlying problem. 2G owners who have experienced premature failure of the crankshaft angle sensor should investigate the possibility of a walking crankshaft immediately.

For more information, read this post by Paul Estavez, which describes the crank walk problem in detail. Also read Road Race Engineering's archive of posts that contains all of the Talon Digest posts about the walking crankshaft problem. Those who appreciate that a picture is worth a thousand words will appreciate the Crank Walk Photo Archive.

Although 2G DSM owners have been anxiously awaiting a recall or TSB on the crankwalk problem, there is none as yet. According to Paul's second post on the subject, there may never be a TSB, although some members of DSM Canada are pushing for one in this thread on their discussion board. As a result, it is doubly important that affected 2G owners get their bearings (or blocks, if necessary) replaced before their warranty expires. This might be difficult for owners of aftermarket clutches, as dealerships often claim the aftermarket pressure plates are the cause of the problem. -DSM club i belive..

What I really wanna know Chavez, is who is the girl in your avatar?

You can get a nice low milage MKII MR2 Turbo for 7 Grand or a high milage yet well maintained one for cheaper with cash for mods.

PS: I got my Turbo for $4500

no way you can find a 300zx tt for 7k. find me it and i will buy it instantly.

Too bad you don't live in AZ:
Example 1 (http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=157030113&dealer_id=87389&car_year=1990&make=NISSAN&distance=100&max_price=8000&model=300ZXTURBO&advcd_on=n&end_year=2005&min_price=&certified=n&address=85017&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=1984&color=&cardist=5)
Example 2 (http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=157351785&dealer_id=&car_year=1990&make=NISSAN&distance=100&max_price=8000&model=300ZXTURBO&advcd_on=n&end_year=2005&min_price=&certified=n&address=85017&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=1984&color=&cardist=5)
Example 3 (http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=157361132&dealer_id=&car_year=1992&make=NISSAN&distance=100&max_price=8000&model=300ZXTURBO&advcd_on=n&end_year=2005&min_price=&certified=n&address=85017&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=1984&color=&cardist=13)

If you're not too picky about the mileage, they can be had for way less than 7,000.