I picked up my 98 SL 8 months ago and it’s been good to me. I’ve done some basic mods, wheels, intake, suspension, and exhaust. It’s been an a amazing cruiser for sure but trying to find parts for it is a big pain. I do wish the aftermarket support was better, but at the same time it kinda shows how under appreciated the platform is and underrated so it makes driving one a lot more special.
One thing about the weight is that some very common mods bring the weight down fast. AWS delete, new wheels, new exhaust, maybe a new hood, and you’re a couple hundred pounds less. Still not “light”, but down to some of its competitors.
i have a '92 3000GT SL and it's the first car i've worked on. it was hard to learn but i just finished up the valve seals, water pump and timing belt job. takes a lot of dedication to work on one of these
3s owner here, the shifter issue is probably a transmission issue. IF youre struggling to get into gear and hear grinding here n there you may have synchros going out. other than that i like the notchiness of my transmission. I have a 3sx short shifter and i love how clicky and positive the shifter feels, but i never had any grinding or mis shifts and that's coming from being manual swapped. Ive had 2 3k's so far, both were manual swapped and neither had issues shifting or grinding, and getting into gear is never an issue.
The transverse v6 has weight distribution advantages for an awd layout. If you look at audi and subaru the engine is entirely in front of the front axle while the 3/s engine is a lot closer to the front axle.
@@MiguelDsm No way, the Z32TT is 100% the reigning champion for PIA engine bays. VR4 being second place. Honestly after working on a VR4 for 5 years its not that difficult to work on (aside from the deeper repairs ala rear turbo) its just you need to remove pieces to get access to the piece you're gonna work on. I highly suggest you look into intake manifold studs (might as well get the 3sx Phenolic spacer too for extra heat regulation) makes life 10x easier for spark plug maintenance/rear valve cover maintenance.
I can see the Z being bad. The real question is what engine requires more attention? As far as the vr4 getting easier to work on I agree. I was overwhelmed with it at first and realized it’s just removing other parts to gain access to others. It’s just more work to do vs a 4cyl 4g63 for me
Vr4 has been my dream car forever but i have honestly never owned one. My 99 SL is the closest i have been. I went through my whole build with only using a vr4 gauge and front brakes to save parts for guys like you 😊 I agree you have to be able to work on your own to be able to afford the up keep. On the weight side Mitsubishi would of saved 200 lbs easy if they cut the number of fasteners in half. Our cars have so many bolts and screws 😞
A surprisingly large # of people, myself included, first discovered and fell in love with them in GT1. It understeered like a pig, but with over 1k hp, and the traction to put it down, it just didn't matter, lol.
Fun fact in the original script for the first fast and furious movie Brian was written in to drive a 3000GT first then the Eclipse second, also the 3000GT that was in the prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious that was a Dodge Stealth made to look like a 3000GT
@@MiguelDsm from what I’ve heard the scene where Brian pops the top off the Supra was kept in so they need a car with a removable top and not enough 3000GT showed up to the audition, while compared to the Eclipse they had plenty to choose from
@@MiguelDsm The hero car isn't even a GS-T, let alone a GSX, just a lame 420a, lol. And spending $10k on a 420a is NOT money well spent. Don't get me wrong, for commuting there's nothing wrong with one, but if you're trying to go fast, spending money on one is a waste of time. You'll spend twice as much to go half as fast as a 4g63.
Guess what you can still buy....multiple Nissan sports cars (r35 owners are insane and call them exotic), an Acura sports car, and a Toyota Sports car. The ones you can't...Mitsubishi and Mazda. 3S and FD are the ones to have.
Very tidy Mitsi my friend. I love my 95 MR GTO. Yes its hard 2 work on and yes parts are hard to get, im lucky that my local mechanic and friend loves working on it and being mates with the main parts supplier here in the UK is a blessing. ❤
Got a JDM Mitsubishi GTO, and it has the exact same issue with the notchy trans, I'm gonna upgrade the bushings with the 3sx kit and see if that fixes it
I drove an s2000 for 4 years (best shifter feel) and I've had 3 of these, and still have 2 and I'm always wanting more from the shifter...get a used stock 6 speed shifter assembly (I had the 3sx bearing loaded short shifter for one day and it just made everything worse), rebuild it with the stock mitsubishi bushings (you can get them from Cherry Hill Mitsubishi in New Jersey...i just did recently)....then get the solid metal shifter bushings from 3sx for the shifter cable and shifter base, and that's the best you're gonna get...also, try Pennzoil Synchromesh, but chances are the trans will still grind because most of them do....the synchros are garbage...so either shift slower, double clutch, or call Chris at RVENGE Performance and have him rebuild yours....I'm going to have him do mine eventually but for now I know how to shift around the issues...if it gets worse, i'll have it rebuilt by Chris...
I have a dodge stealth r/t tt and the amount of times I’ve worked on the car I sometimes want to give up and just sell the car but the driving experience it gives you it’s amazing but everything you said was spot on and for us Stealth owners there’s even fewer parts especially aftermarket parts
The most under rated car of the 90's, it was comparable to legends such as the supra and gtr. But its limited numbers also meant it was in limited view. There was an idea to have the stealth rt/tt be the pace car in nascar in 1992 but they wouldn't allow an import platform and instead used the dodge viper. And that became an instant legend. I have the 92 dodge stealth rt/tt and that is the same car just different trim under the dodge name. Incredibly rare car and yeah, super expensive to have worked on and difficult to work on cause of weight, height, and space. But it is a cruising car, very fun as well.
Absolutely loving my '95 base 5spd; I've put it on air suspension and plan to keep it as my cruisy daily driver. Absolutely love these cars, and they are criminally underrated. Always swing back to this channel at times; easily the best content related to these cars on CZcams.
Put a bearing loaded short throw shifter in. The OEM lever is comically tall/the focal point too whack. Short throw helps a lot with both feel and getting into gear. Less throw = less likely to grind due to less time it takes to get into gear.
One piece drive shaft. Complete IMR turbo down pipe w/ test pipe & Borla car back combo along with Arashi turbos kit… man, you’ll make more than enough on the stock tune to enjoy the car reliably. You only need to change the waste gate springs (which come with turbo kit & set up instructions) to slightly increase boost safely. A jester standalone makes tuning 1,000,000 times easier since it’s an oem plug n play. Even a jester intake filter housing which uses air density sensors from BMW but in a 3K GT configuration.
Hey Miguel, I couldn't agree more with your points of view. Although the car is underestimated and has a bad rep for being unreliable, it is compared to a supra or skyline somewhat cheaper to buy parts for. The issue is supply and demand. In the US it might be hard to get parts for th car, but here en Europe, they are starting to get a following. Mostly because the other 99's cars are getting stupidly expensive, which drives parts costs through the roof aswell. I have never worked on on a 3000gt or anything like it before, sure I have swapped some engines on a BMW or Mitsubishi mirages. Anyway, what was I saying? Right, I bought a disassembled car with an engine that wasnt assembled aswell. Put it together in a week's time, sadly it had 3 bent valves. Took it apart, sent it out for head check, assembled it with new parts and it's working great now. Also rebuilding an ECS shock ATM. Which I found was easy enough, don't know why people struggle with it🤷
3sx sells a bearing loaded shifter, as well as all the other bushings, upgrading/replacing them all, including in the cables on the transmission end should help. Also, it's possible you have an aftermarket short shifter, mine had a shitty ebay one when I bought it, I could barely get 1st and reverse, first thing I did was toss that and install the bearing loaded one, night and day.
Someone might have said something about this in the comments, but this was car was in the original GT Gran Turismo on the original playstation. The VR-4 was in the game. I remember once I got my last license it turned green and it had sponsorship on it. After that this car decimated and destroyed all comers.
im not sure if youve found out already but you can just disconnect the pressure switch at the door to get rid of the door alarm sound. I did it and havent had any issues .
I used to own a 95 gsx. I loved that car but the money you can sink in is ugh. I blew a motor due to throw out bearing failed. I learned when you buy one from anyone fully check everything. There was some bolts not even tight.
They’re money pits without a doubt. Your best bet is to buy one and build it over the long term and replace everything. At some point it should become reliable
The stock engine can handle good power. The cylinder walls are actually pretty thick. The problem is that many people can't afford maintenance, especially if they aren't mechanically inclined.
Getreg 6 speed gear boxes are Notchy by nature, the Focus ST/RS has that same issues. But i gotta say the 3000GT is def the one that got away for me, had a 92 stealth, and couldve shouldve went to the VR-4 when i had the chance. But alas, the wife gave me full reign after we get moved and swttled for what i want 😎 and its def gonna be a VR-4
Get the 13g's they bolt on and are dirt cheap, 16psi to 7k and I never turned them up, and if you did the boost mod already, its 11 or 12psi which was around 400 crank hp with no other mods, to anyone else, do fuel pump mod first, it'll save you a rebuild lmao
Spot on with everything you listed. Still a newer owner myself (owner of 93 VR4 for a little over a year) and sometimes I want to throw in the towel. Fix an issue and another one pops up. Hopefully worth it in the end. 😉
I have a rt tt stealth and my trans feels just like how you described yours it’s hard to get in gear sometimes especially reverse and I always have to force it in gear because sometime I’ll think it’s in but it’s not
Plenty of people have been making good power with the 6g for many years, it just never got any publicity. Everything is well documented on the 3si archives.
My dream car to own am MR or gto very rare you see 3000gt over here in UK for sale problems are is the ones that are for sale are rotten the ones taken are kept there's a few in UK up for sale but have very very bad history or left to rott
Liking the content lad check out TRC there’s a guy who ran his one making 1000+ on stick shift as well…And also relate to your cruise mode on the street or highways has long ratio gears like my vr4 Legnum manual😁
@@MiguelDsm Might want to hit the dude up if your wanting more outta your engine build etc…Yepp I know the feeling of these unique engines does not lag being twin turbos😮💨
@@MiguelDsm there’s instructions for the adjustment. It’s done up in the dash. I deleted all the emissions stuff. I’m speed density and I have re routed intercooler piping for the front turbo to run low. Really opens things up.
It's so confusing to me when I drive a car where the clutch engagement is at the top. Like, why am I moving my foot so far if the clutch is already disengaged?
does yours have the same 6 speed that the evo 9 MR uses? i've heard that those are notoriously bad and are very prone to grenading themselves all the time if you mess up. if the 5 speed is the same one that the eclipse/evo uses i would probably switch over to that since they're a little more robust than the 6-speeds ( i could be wrong ). all in all i would just bushings and shift linkages since yours is abnormally notchy for it to be a stock trans, makes me wish that companies like Acuity would make shifter assemblies for mitsubishi cars since our only option is to switch to a KDM shifter that costs nearly $2000 for the entire assembly, and really thats only for drag setups, theres really nothing made for the street side of things
I"ve consider getting the non-turbo 5 speed and just cut massive weight to try get better weight to hp ratio. Despite hp being @ 200 hp, better off w/ bolt ons and a tune to make the best of it.
Their power to weight isn't actually that much worse, without the weight of the awd, and if it's the dohc, it's 222hp, not 200. They honestly aren't half bad, I had a ratted out SL I was going to strip, it was still fun to tool around in. Only FWD car I've driven that I didn't hate.
I couldn't find a reliable 3000gt seller in my area. Ended up getting a salvage title decent manual350z for $3800 fully functional. Until next time... @@grindersandgears3445
Okay, I'm a prospective buyer for a 1992 VR4, and I've watched this video, but what am I getting into? Should I get a newer model, like a 1998 or 1999? Or will a 1992 work?
if you get a 93, year won't make much difference mechanically. 91-92 have a few shortcomings, 2 bolt mains on the engine, weaker tcase namely. It matters less if you aren't looking to mod to go fast. But for a 1g 93 is definitely the year to have, otherwise 1g vs 2g is mostly preference based on look and features imo. They lost features over the year, the latest cars have no ECS, active aero, or active exhaust, I think they still had AWS from what I can remember but I could be wrong on that one. Watch out for caved in oil pan(can cause oil starvation, then spun mains), and make sure TB is less than 60k and or 10 yrs old. Oh, and 1g is a 5 spd, 2g is a 6 spd.
They are not that bad to work on. Skyline GTRs are way worse and the 300zxs are way away worse. On these cars it’s mostly pipes and hoses on the way that can be removed. On those cars you can’t remove anything to gain access unless you drop the engine.
Honestly not worth building the vr4. I bought a 99 vr4 for cheap during the pandemic and semi built it to push high hp, upgrade fuel lines, forged internals, single turbo, etc. On the stock block I was pushing around 700hp and that was pushing it. Still got walked by 5.0s with fbo it was an experience but expect something to break or weird engine noises every other week. Ive seen a few 1000hp vr4s but you’ll have to get into custom piece territory in order to achieve that power
Well said! I've got both a NA (1992) automatic and TT, 6 speed (1996) and your observations, experience and thoughts do echo mine! Yes, the passion for the car and the way it looks and makes you feel can often be dampened by the tight working space, complicated luxuries (active spoilers, all wheel drive & steering, etc.) & annoying buzzer if you open door with key still in or lights on plus that annoying bleep pressing heater buttons!, oh, your gear box is what it is, just like mine - stiff, heavy and tricky at times, but as you said, its a GT car, not modern sports (boy) racer. Compare all your (honest & from the heart) dislikes against the satisfactory feeling of knowing what you've done to keep this on the road (anyone can buy a new car a warranty looks after!) and the pleasure it gives you and that everyone else who sees it, somehow feel the same through those admiring stares or comments thrown at you at the stop lights, as you park up for how it looks, sounds, and makes everyone feel good! If I could get paid for every time someone has also asked, "who's is that GTO?", "I've always wanted to own one of those" ! Now you don't get that driving a many affordable modern day 'sports cars', from VW, Mercedes, Audi, etc!
Mitsubishi has always been a large corporation. It was a large corporation before they started making cars. They're doing what they think they need to do to survive. Toyota killed a lot of the competition with the corolla and camry.
thats true...I believe they are actually Japan's largest manufacturing company. They have they're hands in everything from airplanes to forklifts. The auto division just became less profitable.
I concur. Even with these 'flaws' it was and still is the best 90s JDM Legend. Fools will dismiss it as a GT car, but it beat its competition and set the standards for future generations of sports cars. Its Engineering and Design was ahead of its time. Keep up the good work Miguel!
91-93s are 3800lbs. Later years got lighter. The GTO MR version weighs slightly less than a MK4 Supra, which isnt sayin much. Also, These cars might be a bit harder to work on but that goes for any transverse V6. They are a PITA compared to any 4cyl engine which most people are use to. Hell, the *NA 300ZX is arguably worse than a VR4 when it comes to that lol. And lastly, yeah the shift feeling sucks in these cars. Tractor ass throws smh. Even using a "good" short shifter and new bushings doesnt make it that much better. Now, lets not entirely blame Mitsubishi for this. Its mostly Getrags fault since they made the trans and tcase. You'd think they'd made a great trans and tcase but noooooo.
You bees to drive this on a twisty road. Problem witu american roads is theyre all straight. So to have fun, people tend to go for more power. But more or too power on a circuit or in a touge will slow you down. This car is perfect torque to weight on the twisties or track. Have a look at the GTO MR and the PUMA GTO 1996 and 1997. If you drop these cars down to 1,450kg its a beast even if stock power
Twin turbo badges on sail panels, more surefire way, intercoolers, if stock you can see the sidemounts in the bumper holes, an FMIC will be obvious. And technically the AWD driveline, but unless you can look underneath the car that won't help you. I suppose the brake calipers would also give it away if the wheels are a style that let you see them well enough, vr4's all have fixed 4 pistons up front, 1g does have a single piston rear floater if I remember, but 2g has a 2 piston rear fixed.
Chrysler/ Dodge Mopar and AMERICAN Motors kept the domestic market harder for import cars to enter. They knew that this car would destroy the market. They kept this car as a stepchild from the beginning. This car was doomed as soon as it hit the United States. The fast and Furious original was supposed to have this car. The no room to work inside the engine bay. The producers went to the supra not because it was better but because it was simpler to work on. I own the VR4 and I would not ever part with it.
What would you rather do, fix any problem in the vr4 by yourself or go through the whole process of building your eclipse again? I'm really eager to know what your answer is
@MiguelDsm awesome man! I asked this because I've seen how hard these are to work on. Btw i have another question (hope I don't bother you too much) I've had this dream for a while and that is a 2g eclipse rs but with a 6g75 swap, I've read an article about someone who did it and it's obviously not easy. I'm not going to pull the trigger until I'm absolutely sure, do you think it's worth it? I know it's really dependent on the person but I want to hear from someone who's actually swapped the car. My bad for the extremely long message.
@MiguelDsm yep it does, however usually on 3.8 swaps you would use the 3g eclipse transmission but in this case you would have to cut part of the car to make it fit (kinda sketchy) or you could use a chrysler transmission (forgot the name) and it'll fit. I only seen two people do it so it's just as rare as the swap you did for better or for worse (probably worse lmao)
Hear me OUT, I'm in 🇬🇧 have a Mitsu Spyder with 6g72. Try out Amayama trading Co LTD. They're asking manufactures in Japan to make OEM parts, that I placed & accepted delays on. #4 In things you dont like! Hope is not Lost 👊
I picked up my 98 SL 8 months ago and it’s been good to me. I’ve done some basic mods, wheels, intake, suspension, and exhaust. It’s been an a amazing cruiser for sure but trying to find parts for it is a big pain. I do wish the aftermarket support was better, but at the same time it kinda shows how under appreciated the platform is and underrated so it makes driving one a lot more special.
One thing about the weight is that some very common mods bring the weight down fast. AWS delete, new wheels, new exhaust, maybe a new hood, and you’re a couple hundred pounds less. Still not “light”, but down to some of its competitors.
i have a '92 3000GT SL and it's the first car i've worked on. it was hard to learn but i just finished up the valve seals, water pump and timing belt job. takes a lot of dedication to work on one of these
3s owner here, the shifter issue is probably a transmission issue. IF youre struggling to get into gear and hear grinding here n there you may have synchros going out. other than that i like the notchiness of my transmission. I have a 3sx short shifter and i love how clicky and positive the shifter feels, but i never had any grinding or mis shifts and that's coming from being manual swapped. Ive had 2 3k's so far, both were manual swapped and neither had issues shifting or grinding, and getting into gear is never an issue.
The transverse v6 has weight distribution advantages for an awd layout. If you look at audi and subaru the engine is entirely in front of the front axle while the 3/s engine is a lot closer to the front axle.
Do you think that overtakes the fact that it’s the hardest car to work on?
@@MiguelDsm No way, the Z32TT is 100% the reigning champion for PIA engine bays. VR4 being second place. Honestly after working on a VR4 for 5 years its not that difficult to work on (aside from the deeper repairs ala rear turbo) its just you need to remove pieces to get access to the piece you're gonna work on. I highly suggest you look into intake manifold studs (might as well get the 3sx Phenolic spacer too for extra heat regulation) makes life 10x easier for spark plug maintenance/rear valve cover maintenance.
I can see the Z being bad. The real question is what engine requires more attention?
As far as the vr4 getting easier to work on I agree. I was overwhelmed with it at first and realized it’s just removing other parts to gain access to others. It’s just more work to do vs a 4cyl 4g63 for me
As an automotive engineer I can tell you I tend to package things as aggressively as mitsu did with the 3000gt, hahaha
Not really the VR4 has a weight distribution of 58/42 which is the same as the WRX. The transmission and transfer case is also in the front.
Vr4 has been my dream car forever but i have honestly never owned one. My 99 SL is the closest i have been. I went through my whole build with only using a vr4 gauge and front brakes to save parts for guys like you 😊
I agree you have to be able to work on your own to be able to afford the up keep. On the weight side Mitsubishi would of saved 200 lbs easy if they cut the number of fasteners in half. Our cars have so many bolts and screws 😞
Front bumper itself has like 20.. lol
It was featured in Gran Turismo 1 - 3 I believe. It was one of the fastest cars in Gran Tursimo 1 for sure.
I do see that a lot actually. Good call
A surprisingly large # of people, myself included, first discovered and fell in love with them in GT1. It understeered like a pig, but with over 1k hp, and the traction to put it down, it just didn't matter, lol.
Notchy gears for the 6 speed is pretty common from what I’ve heard. You get used to it though
Fun fact in the original script for the first fast and furious movie Brian was written in to drive a 3000GT first then the Eclipse second, also the 3000GT that was in the prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious that was a Dodge Stealth made to look like a 3000GT
Why did they end up switching scripts? They just decided to keep the dsm as the hero car?
@@MiguelDsm from what I’ve heard the scene where Brian pops the top off the Supra was kept in so they need a car with a removable top and not enough 3000GT showed up to the audition, while compared to the Eclipse they had plenty to choose from
The 3000gt was expensive at the time. I can see how the eclipse was a more popular option considering the gsx was around 13k cheaper
@@MiguelDsm The hero car isn't even a GS-T, let alone a GSX, just a lame 420a, lol. And spending $10k on a 420a is NOT money well spent. Don't get me wrong, for commuting there's nothing wrong with one, but if you're trying to go fast, spending money on one is a waste of time. You'll spend twice as much to go half as fast as a 4g63.
Guess what you can still buy....multiple Nissan sports cars (r35 owners are insane and call them exotic), an Acura sports car, and a Toyota Sports car. The ones you can't...Mitsubishi and Mazda. 3S and FD are the ones to have.
THEY LOST THE HEARTS OF REAL DRIVERS. THEY WERE KILLING THE 90S. THEN THE PANZEE SUIT N 👔 'S CAME IN. AND THATS WHY THEY TANKD
Very tidy Mitsi my friend. I love my 95 MR GTO. Yes its hard 2 work on and yes parts are hard to get, im lucky that my local mechanic and friend loves working on it and being mates with the main parts supplier here in the UK is a blessing. ❤
the camera lens looks great! yea, Mitsubishi would be reproducing these jdm legends in my dreams
Got a JDM Mitsubishi GTO, and it has the exact same issue with the notchy trans, I'm gonna upgrade the bushings with the 3sx kit and see if that fixes it
Hope it fixes it man
That still looks amazing
Without a doubt
I drove an s2000 for 4 years (best shifter feel) and I've had 3 of these, and still have 2 and I'm always wanting more from the shifter...get a used stock 6 speed shifter assembly (I had the 3sx bearing loaded short shifter for one day and it just made everything worse), rebuild it with the stock mitsubishi bushings (you can get them from Cherry Hill Mitsubishi in New Jersey...i just did recently)....then get the solid metal shifter bushings from 3sx for the shifter cable and shifter base, and that's the best you're gonna get...also, try Pennzoil Synchromesh, but chances are the trans will still grind because most of them do....the synchros are garbage...so either shift slower, double clutch, or call Chris at RVENGE Performance and have him rebuild yours....I'm going to have him do mine eventually but for now I know how to shift around the issues...if it gets worse, i'll have it rebuilt by Chris...
Surprised bearing loaded was worse for you, but then I was coming from some ebay special POS, and anything is an upgrade over that...
I have a dodge stealth r/t tt and the amount of times I’ve worked on the car I sometimes want to give up and just sell the car but the driving experience it gives you it’s amazing but everything you said was spot on and for us Stealth owners there’s even fewer parts especially aftermarket parts
The most under rated car of the 90's, it was comparable to legends such as the supra and gtr. But its limited numbers also meant it was in limited view. There was an idea to have the stealth rt/tt be the pace car in nascar in 1992 but they wouldn't allow an import platform and instead used the dodge viper. And that became an instant legend. I have the 92 dodge stealth rt/tt and that is the same car just different trim under the dodge name. Incredibly rare car and yeah, super expensive to have worked on and difficult to work on cause of weight, height, and space. But it is a cruising car, very fun as well.
Hate the direction Mitsubishi has gone with the cross overs n stuff
Same
Needs new shifter bushings. They are plastic and they disintegrate over time
Thank you for the tip
Absolutely loving my '95 base 5spd; I've put it on air suspension and plan to keep it as my cruisy daily driver. Absolutely love these cars, and they are criminally underrated. Always swing back to this channel at times; easily the best content related to these cars on CZcams.
rebuild your shifter with new bushings. I bought mine from 3sx
Thanks for the insight!
Put a bearing loaded short throw shifter in. The OEM lever is comically tall/the focal point too whack. Short throw helps a lot with both feel and getting into gear. Less throw = less likely to grind due to less time it takes to get into gear.
Thanks for the insight!
One piece drive shaft. Complete IMR turbo down pipe w/ test pipe & Borla car back combo along with Arashi turbos kit… man, you’ll make more than enough on the stock tune to enjoy the car reliably. You only need to change the waste gate springs (which come with turbo kit & set up instructions) to slightly increase boost safely. A jester standalone makes tuning 1,000,000 times easier since it’s an oem plug n play. Even a jester intake filter housing which uses air density sensors from BMW but in a 3K GT configuration.
I have a mitsubishi 3000gto na. And I absolutely love it, every where I go in that car every body looking at it. Love it
Hey Miguel, I couldn't agree more with your points of view.
Although the car is underestimated and has a bad rep for being unreliable, it is compared to a supra or skyline somewhat cheaper to buy parts for.
The issue is supply and demand. In the US it might be hard to get parts for th car, but here en Europe, they are starting to get a following. Mostly because the other 99's cars are getting stupidly expensive, which drives parts costs through the roof aswell.
I have never worked on on a 3000gt or anything like it before, sure I have swapped some engines on a BMW or Mitsubishi mirages.
Anyway, what was I saying? Right, I bought a disassembled car with an engine that wasnt assembled aswell.
Put it together in a week's time, sadly it had 3 bent valves. Took it apart, sent it out for head check, assembled it with new parts and it's working great now.
Also rebuilding an ECS shock ATM. Which I found was easy enough, don't know why people struggle with it🤷
3sx sells a bearing loaded shifter, as well as all the other bushings, upgrading/replacing them all, including in the cables on the transmission end should help. Also, it's possible you have an aftermarket short shifter, mine had a shitty ebay one when I bought it, I could barely get 1st and reverse, first thing I did was toss that and install the bearing loaded one, night and day.
Someone might have said something about this in the comments, but this was car was in the original GT Gran Turismo on the original playstation. The VR-4 was in the game. I remember once I got my last license it turned green and it had sponsorship on it. After that this car decimated and destroyed all comers.
Values for a GT VR4 currently seem to be all over the place.
What do you feel a 65k miles on an unmolested 97 VR4 is worth?
Look up TRC 3000gt, that cas has over 1300 hp. Insanely fast
Here in PR they had a 3000gt vr4 with over 1k hp with the 6g72 engine built by Pampena.
Isn’t that the black one that was on CZcams?
@@MiguelDsm it is. 2 years ago it had 1100hp, now it has over 1300.
Revenge preformance offers a second gear upgrade and they say that is the cause of all gear shift from one through five not being smooth .
Same issue with the 300zx z32 great looking car great but mad uncomfortable to work on
im not sure if youve found out already but you can just disconnect the pressure switch at the door to get rid of the door alarm sound. I did it and havent had any issues .
I used to own a 95 gsx. I loved that car but the money you can sink in is ugh. I blew a motor due to throw out bearing failed. I learned when you buy one from anyone fully check everything. There was some bolts not even tight.
They’re money pits without a doubt. Your best bet is to buy one and build it over the long term and replace everything. At some point it should become reliable
The stock engine can handle good power. The cylinder walls are actually pretty thick. The problem is that many people can't afford maintenance, especially if they aren't mechanically inclined.
Getreg 6 speed gear boxes are Notchy by nature, the Focus ST/RS has that same issues. But i gotta say the 3000GT is def the one that got away for me, had a 92 stealth, and couldve shouldve went to the VR-4 when i had the chance. But alas, the wife gave me full reign after we get moved and swttled for what i want 😎 and its def gonna be a VR-4
Inline 6 is cool but the VR6 if you know what you're dealing with you'll know how to horsepower especially on the all-wheel drive
4g63 swap would be dope!! Or k swap hahaha but regardless it’s so clean!
Get the 13g's they bolt on and are dirt cheap, 16psi to 7k and I never turned them up, and if you did the boost mod already, its 11 or 12psi which was around 400 crank hp with no other mods, to anyone else, do fuel pump mod first, it'll save you a rebuild lmao
If I was going to put in the effort to swap turbos, I’d go straight to the 19ts lol
13g/15t really gets the job done for most owners. 19t is tempting but deep pockets require to support that level of performance.
Spot on with everything you listed. Still a newer owner myself (owner of 93 VR4 for a little over a year) and sometimes I want to throw in the towel. Fix an issue and another one pops up. Hopefully worth it in the end. 😉
I have a rt tt stealth and my trans feels just like how you described yours it’s hard to get in gear sometimes especially reverse and I always have to force it in gear because sometime I’ll think it’s in but it’s not
Man reverse is something else lol… it takes me a couple seconds haha
Shifter and or bushings, as I commented above.
Props to you bro for mentioning F&F Prelude and Jackie Chan's Thunderbolt!
Plenty of people have been making good power with the 6g for many years, it just never got any publicity. Everything is well documented on the 3si archives.
I have a 1 gen with the 5 speed, i have the same problem wirh miss shifting and finding gears
I drove a vr4 with a 5 speed and it felt much better. I thought it was only my trans.
Gt3000 MR is as light as the sr but with the same vr4 motor
R'venge performance is a great place for aftermarket support on the 3s platform
My dream car to own am MR or gto very rare you see 3000gt over here in UK for sale problems are is the ones that are for sale are rotten the ones taken are kept there's a few in UK up for sale but have very very bad history or left to rott
Liking the content lad check out TRC there’s a guy who ran his one making 1000+ on stick shift as well…And also relate to your cruise mode on the street or highways has long ratio gears like my vr4 Legnum manual😁
I think i saw that video. These things are so enjoyable once they’re up to speed
@@MiguelDsm Might want to hit the dude up if your wanting more outta your engine build etc…Yepp I know the feeling of these unique engines does not lag being twin turbos😮💨
Engine bay room improves a lot with the right mods lol. For the shifting, did you ever check the clutch pedal adjustment?
I’m sure. Speed density and removing all the extras haha. I haven’t checked the pedal but the clutch engages towards the bottom of the car
@@MiguelDsm there’s instructions for the adjustment. It’s done up in the dash.
I deleted all the emissions stuff. I’m speed density and I have re routed intercooler piping for the front turbo to run low. Really opens things up.
It's so confusing to me when I drive a car where the clutch engagement is at the top. Like, why am I moving my foot so far if the clutch is already disengaged?
Beautiful car love all your builds keep up the outstanding work
does yours have the same 6 speed that the evo 9 MR uses? i've heard that those are notoriously bad and are very prone to grenading themselves all the time if you mess up. if the 5 speed is the same one that the eclipse/evo uses i would probably switch over to that since they're a little more robust than the 6-speeds ( i could be wrong ). all in all i would just bushings and shift linkages since yours is abnormally notchy for it to be a stock trans, makes me wish that companies like Acuity would make shifter assemblies for mitsubishi cars since our only option is to switch to a KDM shifter that costs nearly $2000 for the entire assembly, and really thats only for drag setups, theres really nothing made for the street side of things
My 5 speed shifts pretty nice, it has a short throw and just slaps into gear.
I"ve consider getting the non-turbo 5 speed and just cut massive weight to try get better weight to hp ratio. Despite hp being @ 200 hp, better off w/ bolt ons and a tune to make the best of it.
Their power to weight isn't actually that much worse, without the weight of the awd, and if it's the dohc, it's 222hp, not 200. They honestly aren't half bad, I had a ratted out SL I was going to strip, it was still fun to tool around in. Only FWD car I've driven that I didn't hate.
I couldn't find a reliable 3000gt seller in my area. Ended up getting a salvage title decent manual350z for $3800 fully functional. Until next time... @@grindersandgears3445
You got 2 types. The guy who runs drag and the guy who drives track.
Dodge got people on crak with that 700 hp lauch.
Okay, I'm a prospective buyer for a 1992 VR4, and I've watched this video, but what am I getting into? Should I get a newer model, like a 1998 or 1999? Or will a 1992 work?
if you get a 93, year won't make much difference mechanically. 91-92 have a few shortcomings, 2 bolt mains on the engine, weaker tcase namely. It matters less if you aren't looking to mod to go fast. But for a 1g 93 is definitely the year to have, otherwise 1g vs 2g is mostly preference based on look and features imo. They lost features over the year, the latest cars have no ECS, active aero, or active exhaust, I think they still had AWS from what I can remember but I could be wrong on that one. Watch out for caved in oil pan(can cause oil starvation, then spun mains), and make sure TB is less than 60k and or 10 yrs old. Oh, and 1g is a 5 spd, 2g is a 6 spd.
They are not that bad to work on. Skyline GTRs are way worse and the 300zxs are way away worse. On these cars it’s mostly pipes and hoses on the way that can be removed. On those cars you can’t remove anything to gain access unless you drop the engine.
I feel like you are talking about my car when you start talking about 19Ts and higher hp... swing by New Hampshire some time.
Pulling out the engine just to work on it is a pain in the ass.
Honestly not worth building the vr4. I bought a 99 vr4 for cheap during the pandemic and semi built it to push high hp, upgrade fuel lines, forged internals, single turbo, etc. On the stock block I was pushing around 700hp and that was pushing it. Still got walked by 5.0s with fbo it was an experience but expect something to break or weird engine noises every other week. Ive seen a few 1000hp vr4s but you’ll have to get into custom piece territory in order to achieve that power
Well said! I've got both a NA (1992) automatic and TT, 6 speed (1996) and your observations, experience and thoughts do echo mine! Yes, the passion for the car and the way it looks and makes you feel can often be dampened by the tight working space, complicated luxuries (active spoilers, all wheel drive & steering, etc.) & annoying buzzer if you open door with key still in or lights on plus that annoying bleep pressing heater buttons!, oh, your gear box is what it is, just like mine - stiff, heavy and tricky at times, but as you said, its a GT car, not modern sports (boy) racer. Compare all your (honest & from the heart) dislikes against the satisfactory feeling of knowing what you've done to keep this on the road (anyone can buy a new car a warranty looks after!) and the pleasure it gives you and that everyone else who sees it, somehow feel the same through those admiring stares or comments thrown at you at the stop lights, as you park up for how it looks, sounds, and makes everyone feel good! If I could get paid for every time someone has also asked, "who's is that GTO?", "I've always wanted to own one of those" ! Now you don't get that driving a many affordable modern day 'sports cars', from VW, Mercedes, Audi, etc!
Well said man. It’s a whole different experience pulling up with this over anything else. Very special car
Mitsubishi has always been a large corporation. It was a large corporation before they started making cars. They're doing what they think they need to do to survive. Toyota killed a lot of the competition with the corolla and camry.
thats true...I believe they are actually Japan's largest manufacturing company. They have they're hands in everything from airplanes to forklifts. The auto division just became less profitable.
@@grooveholmes79 Yep, basically a Japanese General Electric. Subaru too actually, they're owned by Fuji heavy industries.
Happy with my 99 SL , it's 1 of 1,044 built for 99 after all. you wanna save money on parts and repairs. do what I do.. don't daily drive it!
Is it hard working in the engine bay?
honestly if you own a SL or base don’t drop all your savings into a VR4
Starting points
My first interest in them was from playing need for speed underground 2
Keep it twin turbo it is more complicated but you would take away from what makes it quick.
your car is excellent
I concur. Even with these 'flaws' it was and still is the best 90s JDM Legend. Fools will dismiss it as a GT car, but it beat its competition and set the standards for future generations of sports cars. Its Engineering and Design was ahead of its time. Keep up the good work Miguel!
Very well said man. Thank you for watching 🤙🏼
I think Jackie chan owns a few 3000gt
I'll just keep it stock
Best bet to save money long term
@@MiguelDsm I'm looking for one and of I do it's going stance and that it. Just drive it around and enjoy it for what it is
91-93s are 3800lbs. Later years got lighter. The GTO MR version weighs slightly less than a MK4 Supra, which isnt sayin much.
Also, These cars might be a bit harder to work on but that goes for any transverse V6. They are a PITA compared to any 4cyl engine which most people are use to. Hell, the *NA 300ZX is arguably worse than a VR4 when it comes to that lol. And lastly, yeah the shift feeling sucks in these cars. Tractor ass throws smh. Even using a "good" short shifter and new bushings doesnt make it that much better. Now, lets not entirely blame Mitsubishi for this. Its mostly Getrags fault since they made the trans and tcase. You'd think they'd made a great trans and tcase but noooooo.
What’s the curb weight for the 98-99 vr4?
You bees to drive this on a twisty road.
Problem witu american roads is theyre all straight. So to have fun, people tend to go for more power. But more or too power on a circuit or in a touge will slow you down.
This car is perfect torque to weight on the twisties or track.
Have a look at the GTO MR and the PUMA GTO 1996 and 1997. If you drop these cars down to 1,450kg its a beast even if stock power
Guys the cars were reversed in 5:38
Mitsubishi failed us, making the eclipse into a crossover and not coming out with a new 3000gt or evo
Beautiful car
Please get a 3g please
how to tell a vr4 from a base.
Twin turbo badges on sail panels, more surefire way, intercoolers, if stock you can see the sidemounts in the bumper holes, an FMIC will be obvious. And technically the AWD driveline, but unless you can look underneath the car that won't help you. I suppose the brake calipers would also give it away if the wheels are a style that let you see them well enough, vr4's all have fixed 4 pistons up front, 1g does have a single piston rear floater if I remember, but 2g has a 2 piston rear fixed.
Chrysler/ Dodge Mopar and AMERICAN Motors kept the domestic market harder for import cars to enter. They knew that this car would destroy the market. They kept this car as a stepchild from the beginning. This car was doomed as soon as it hit the United States. The fast and Furious original was supposed to have this car. The no room to work inside the engine bay. The producers went to the supra not because it was better but because it was simpler to work on. I own the VR4 and I would not ever part with it.
Well then...that sucked, so much discouragement from so many people.. and you know what, im still gonna buy one 🤪🤣
What would you rather do, fix any problem in the vr4 by yourself or go through the whole process of building your eclipse again?
I'm really eager to know what your answer is
Both. If an issue was to arise with the Vr4 we fix it. I also want to restart the build process with the dsm and do things right this time
@MiguelDsm awesome man! I asked this because I've seen how hard these are to work on.
Btw i have another question (hope I don't bother you too much) I've had this dream for a while and that is a 2g eclipse rs but with a 6g75 swap, I've read an article about someone who did it and it's obviously not easy.
I'm not going to pull the trigger until I'm absolutely sure, do you think it's worth it?
I know it's really dependent on the person but I want to hear from someone who's actually swapped the car. My bad for the extremely long message.
Will it actually fit? Swapping a car is never an easy task especially if there’s no documentation from others on how to do it
@MiguelDsm yep it does, however usually on 3.8 swaps you would use the 3g eclipse transmission but in this case you would have to cut part of the car to make it fit (kinda sketchy) or you could use a chrysler transmission (forgot the name) and it'll fit. I only seen two people do it so it's just as rare as the swap you did for better or for worse (probably worse lmao)
I wouldn’t do it lol
4cyl in a VR4 = goodbye for me
✌🏼
So basically the same exact things anyone can expect from almoat any jdm or import lol
😎
1st
Hear me OUT,
I'm in 🇬🇧 have a Mitsu Spyder with 6g72. Try out Amayama trading Co LTD.
They're asking manufactures in Japan to make OEM parts, that I placed & accepted delays on.
#4 In things you dont like! Hope is not Lost 👊
Yea there's an abundance of parts. I've never had an issue with all 3 of mine in the past 12 years.
Amayama and nengun definitely the place to buy