3G Eclipse?...

I'm looking for a new car and considering a 3G Eclipse GT. I just want something fast(enough), handles decent, comfort, interior style, and RELIABLE. Now I know 2G's have a history of engine problems but I was unsure about the 3G. Is it more reliable? I dont really want to put alot of money into mods, but maybe just a few things so I'm not too concerned about the aftermarket support.

To sum it up...

I understand they are as fast as I would like, not a problem.

How's the handling?

Are the leather GT buckets comfy?

Is the interior dull or nice looking?

Are the 3G Eclipses more reliable?

To sum it up...

I understand they are as fast as I would like, not a problem.

How's the handling?

Are the leather GT buckets comfy?

Is the interior dull or nice looking?

Are the 3G Eclipses more reliable?

it handles fairly well. with a few simple mods(about $800 worth), you can make it handle alot better.

i drive 100miles one way to work everyday in my GT and im comfortable during the drive.

if you get the all black interior, then it will be dead sexy.

the only real problems with the 2G were with the turboed eclipses. and that problem only happened in 2-3% of all the turboed eclipses. with that being said, the 3G is very reliable as long as you take care of it.

The interior is kind of dull, but everything is easy to get to, and is clearly marked. The leather buckets are pretty comfortable, i drove 20 hours straight through to california with a friend and it really wasnt that bad. The only reliability issue that this car MAY have is the manual trans. Any auto trans is gonna have problems, but thats normal, for a manual i hear this one kinda sucks ( i havent had any real problems other than sometimes it's hard to get into 1st or reverse). Everything else checks out pretty good for me. Brakes are strong, suspension isnt too bad, wheel hop depends on how old your car is and how shot certain parts are (easy fix if anything is bad), stearing is quick, visibility isnt great, but not terrible, shifter is in an AWSOME place...its an alright ride.

Yeah the 3g is very reliable if you take care of it of course. There are a couple of people at club3g.com that have 3g that have close to or exceeding 200,000 miles. IMO I think that it is fairly comfortable. Drove my car from Virginia to Idaho and it was not a bad trip what so ever. I agree with Eclipsed4utoo the black leather is extremely sexy. Have had my 3g going on a year now. I bought it used and the only problem I have had with it (besides normal wear and tear) is I had a hole in my upper radiator hose and it needed to be replaced.

i will agree with the manual tranny...i don't know how i forgot about that since i have the manual tranny.

i wouldn't say the brakes are strong. mine didn't last that long. but a simple upgrade to powerslot slotted rotors and take care of that...and they are fairly cheap.

Thanks, the one I am looking at is the Sport-tronic trans.

What is that?

How does it work?

Is it like manual?

Am I going to have problems with it?

Sport tronic are pretty much manual transmission without the clutch. I gives you an option where you can manual shift through or gears or you let it automatically shift for. Personally I don't like sport tronic because to me it feels like there is more of a delay between the shifts than and manual transmission. As far as mechincal problems with the sport tronic i am not sure what they are since I have a 5 speed

you won't have any trouble with driving it. you can still drive it in automatic mode. once you see it, you will understand how it works

you WILL feel a difference in overall acceleration w/ a sportronic compared to a manual and if you aren't an enthusiast there isn't really much of a way to get around it
if you are you can buy new torque converters that will help you out a good deal for the automatic

make sure you get ABS...locking up is VERY bad

So do you recommend I just look for one that is manual?

So do you recommend I just look for one that is manual?


It all depends on what you will use the car for. If you live in an active, congested city then I would probably say tiptronic is better. If you want a fun car get a manual. Lots of snow and ice? Auto/tiptronic is easier (aside from engine braking....helps alot when its slick out). There is really no difference between an auto and a tiptronic...its just a glorified auto. I like my 5 speed because it makes the car less bitch more butch, plus it's more fun.

Manuals do make driving more fun. Speaking of snow, how are they in the snow? My car now is a manual and I never really complain about it(execpt that it has 124000 miles on the clutch).

its a FWD pig...it can't be too good in the snow.

After reading about of these, they seem to be relatively easy and inexpensive to turbo charge. This just keeps getting better and better.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a FWD pig? I understand FWD...but pig?

After reading about of these, they seem to be relatively easy and inexpensive to turbo charge. This just keeps getting better and better.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a FWD pig? I understand FWD...but pig?

pig = fat and overweight

the 3G eclipse is very heavy.

pig = fat and overweight

the 3G eclipse is very heavy.


And understeers like a mother. Its bad in the rain, and TERRIBLE for a FWD car in the snow. Im sure it would be better with some snow tires instead of all season. I have never got stuck, but wheel spin is terrible even in the slightest frozen anything. Although if you are skilled at all, making 90* turns in residential areas is easier with the ebrake, just enough to get you pointed in the right direction and still have enough speed to not get stuck. If I have found one major problem with the car is that it has terrible understeer in wet/snowy weather.

yes indeed terrible understeer, and i have troubles driving anything more than lightly in the rain on right and left turns...sometimes dry is even tricky, e-brake is useful in getting pointed the right direction just don't use it too long at once u'll get some bad flat spots

I am in no way an ebrake drifter...in fact, i dont really use my ebrake at all in dry weather. The only time i use it is in the snow, just like you said, to get pointed in the right direction. Another thing to be careful of is to not use it for too long because you will spin out very easy in the snow and probably be worse off than if you just pushed all the way through the turn. Good luck with anything you decide to do with the car, its got a good stock powerplant, and like mnay people have said it can be made much better.

ive never had a problem with the understeer in the rain.

what kind of tires do you guys have? i have yokohoma h4's and they are pretty sticky.

I had problems in the rain. But my tires where pretty bald. Got new tires put on yesterday so I'll have to see how it goes

I found a 2001 GT 5-Speed with 42,287 miles for $11,450. What do you think?

I found a 2001 GT 5-Speed with 42,287 miles for $11,450. What do you think?

sounds like a pretty good deal

I had problems in the rain. But my tires where pretty bald. Got new tires put on yesterday so I'll have to see how it goes

i can guarantee that your problems in the rain was caused by your bald times, and not b/c of the heavy ass car(although it didn't help out any).

^^ very good deal, cd changer or leather w/ that??

my tires on the front are sumitomo HTR+'s and they are past their prime, it really doesn't help that there is so much torque at 2k rpm, thats what always gets me loose (in the rain) is any pushing it when above 2k rpm

no no, never use your e-brake in the dry...unless ur psycho , Rain is ok more for fun than anything, snow is doable, but u need to practice e-braking, all my friends seem to hit curbs bcuz they practice on the streets

^^ very good deal, cd changer or leather w/ that??

my tires on the front are sumitomo HTR+'s and they are past their prime, it really doesn't help that there is so much torque at 2k rpm, thats what always gets me loose (in the rain) is any pushing it when above 2k rpm

no no, never use your e-brake in the dry...unless ur psycho , Rain is ok more for fun than anything, snow is doable, but u need to practice e-braking, all my friends seem to hit curbs bcuz they practice on the streets

i used to take my car through wet grass and pull the ebake and do some 360s. it was fun as hell.

I found a 2001 GT 5-Speed with 42,287 miles for $11,450. What do you think?


That about what I paid for mine when I bought it the beginning of Feb. I paid 11,700 for mine and it only had 31,220 miles on. Good deal though

i used to take my car through wet grass and pull the ebake and do some 360s. it was fun as hell.

I used to take my beater Alero I had and my grand am on dirt roads all time. Actually took my alero though a sub division they where building before they paved the roads. It was fun until I hit a concreate drainage box and got my car stuck.

just keep in mind, there is always a better deal somewhere, , the bit is is that deal good enough for you?

ok heres a deal (would u buy it) 2000 RS, 15,000 on car
for $8,000 its an auto and is in near factory condition

BTW anyone notice how our cars is reall slide happy with just a little e-brake action ( i drift (technically ass-drag) my 3g alot)

ok heres a deal (would u buy it) 2000 RS, 15,000 on car
for $8,000 its an auto and is in near factory condition

BTW anyone notice how our cars is reall slide happy with just a little e-brake action ( i drift (technically ass-drag) my 3g alot)

on the couple occasions i let my friend drive it he compliments me on how well it drifts, which is ok cuz he lets me drive his GVR-4 and mess w/ people

its really funny when they have corolla's and i'm sitting there like :grinno:

if you "ass-drag" it too much ur tires will wear funny and you won't be able to go quite as fast, ie flatspots suck