Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R (1988)
Sale price: US $3,000.00 Make an Offer
| Condition: | Used | Year: | 1988 |
| VIN : | JA3CC54N8JZ025392 | Mileage: | 87,120 |
| Body Type: | Coupe | Make: | Mitsubishi |
| Warranty: | Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty | Model: | Starion |
| Vehicle Title: | Clear | Trim: | ESI-R |
| Options: | CD Player, Leather Seats, Sunroof | Engine: | 2.5L Turbo |
| Safety Features: | Anti-Lock Brakes | Drive Type: | RWD |
| Power Options: | Air Conditioning, Power Locks, Power Windows | Fuel Type: | Gasoline |
| Exterior Color: | Gold | For Sale By: | Private Seller |
| Interior Color: | Black | Disability Equipped: | No |
| Number of Cylinders: | 4 | Drive Side: | Left-hand drive |
| Transmission: | Manual |
Norwalk, Connecticut, United States
Vehicle description
For sale is a running Mitsubishi Starion. I bought it about 10 years ago and at that time it roughly had 85k miles I think. It was a Sunday driver for a few years and after moving 4 years ago it was placed in storage. I moved back about 2 years ago and have occasionally driven it to work (about 5 minute drive).
The cars runs and has been a good driver. The idle has become a little rough at times but has never cut out on me. I typically flutter the gas and it is fine. That said there are some issues developing. It has a torn axle boot on the passenger side. I have a replacement boot but haven"t made the time to put it on. The oil gauge on the dash sometimes leaks a few drops. Probably just needs the compression fitting tightened. The louvers bracket"s have adhesive that is cracking from old age and the adhesive should be replaced or the louvers removed. One of the brackets on the passenger side louver had come off completely but due to gravity and aero effects I suppose I haven"t noticed it being a problem, there is currently one long bracket towards the front that keeps it in place. The trunk window appears to have a leak forming near the top center of the window. Maybe some sealant would fix it or maybe the whole window should be removed and resealed. I "m not sure. One of the spark plug holes, I think the nearest the firewall, has stripped threads. The plug that is currently in there doesn"t sit as far in as the others. This probably results in a compression leak which is likely the cause of the spotty idle. I believe the head is stock. If I was to keep the car I would replace the head with one without the jet valves as can be seen here https:/ www.racetep.com/automaker/starion/cylinder-heads-and-components.html. It appears to be a worthwhile upgrade and I think any owner would be interested in doing it anyways. The radio has weak reception and I think it is because the power antenna near the trunk lid does not raise. I haven"t tested or inspected it but my guess is that the remote connection is not hooked up to the head unit properly. If that is the case it should be an easy fix. The tires all around have some dry rot developing and if the car is going to be driven frequently should probably be replaced in a year or so. The treads still look good though, since I"ve driven it so little. There is a rubber mount attaching the torque tube to the bottom of the car that was worn and was making a thunk sound. I couldn"t find a replacement so I cut a piece of cork gasket to fit as a shim. That fixed the clunk, but ideally a new mount should be acquired and used. The transmission is generally fine, but shifting from first to second can get hung up in the gate. My guess is the brass synchros on the second gear are worn or cracked. If you intend to rebuild the transmission or replace it, no problem! If not I still find it driveable and not a big deal.
There are a few things that I have done this year. Replaced engine oil, transmission fluid, rear axle oil, and a power steering flush. Replaced the camshaft with a performance camshaft from Top End Performance. Replaced the upper strut mounts on both sides in the front. Replaced damaged piping in the exhaust which greatly eliminated leaks and helped reduce exhaust noise. For a person that is looking for a car like this, I think this is a great opportunity. The car is mostly stock, runs, has a manual transmission, and the rally body. From what I"ve seen online these are very rare and hard to come by. Myself I"ve loved driving the car, the suspension is stiff, the boost can be felt at 12 PSI, and the rear end is great, put it in first and cut the wheel and it breaks the wheels loose like no car I"ve driven before (note I"ve only done this a few times). Oh, also it gets noticed on the street and turns heads. Looks like nothing else.
The cars runs and has been a good driver. The idle has become a little rough at times but has never cut out on me. I typically flutter the gas and it is fine. That said there are some issues developing. It has a torn axle boot on the passenger side. I have a replacement boot but haven"t made the time to put it on. The oil gauge on the dash sometimes leaks a few drops. Probably just needs the compression fitting tightened. The louvers bracket"s have adhesive that is cracking from old age and the adhesive should be replaced or the louvers removed. One of the brackets on the passenger side louver had come off completely but due to gravity and aero effects I suppose I haven"t noticed it being a problem, there is currently one long bracket towards the front that keeps it in place. The trunk window appears to have a leak forming near the top center of the window. Maybe some sealant would fix it or maybe the whole window should be removed and resealed. I "m not sure. One of the spark plug holes, I think the nearest the firewall, has stripped threads. The plug that is currently in there doesn"t sit as far in as the others. This probably results in a compression leak which is likely the cause of the spotty idle. I believe the head is stock. If I was to keep the car I would replace the head with one without the jet valves as can be seen here https:/ www.racetep.com/automaker/starion/cylinder-heads-and-components.html. It appears to be a worthwhile upgrade and I think any owner would be interested in doing it anyways. The radio has weak reception and I think it is because the power antenna near the trunk lid does not raise. I haven"t tested or inspected it but my guess is that the remote connection is not hooked up to the head unit properly. If that is the case it should be an easy fix. The tires all around have some dry rot developing and if the car is going to be driven frequently should probably be replaced in a year or so. The treads still look good though, since I"ve driven it so little. There is a rubber mount attaching the torque tube to the bottom of the car that was worn and was making a thunk sound. I couldn"t find a replacement so I cut a piece of cork gasket to fit as a shim. That fixed the clunk, but ideally a new mount should be acquired and used. The transmission is generally fine, but shifting from first to second can get hung up in the gate. My guess is the brass synchros on the second gear are worn or cracked. If you intend to rebuild the transmission or replace it, no problem! If not I still find it driveable and not a big deal.
There are a few things that I have done this year. Replaced engine oil, transmission fluid, rear axle oil, and a power steering flush. Replaced the camshaft with a performance camshaft from Top End Performance. Replaced the upper strut mounts on both sides in the front. Replaced damaged piping in the exhaust which greatly eliminated leaks and helped reduce exhaust noise. For a person that is looking for a car like this, I think this is a great opportunity. The car is mostly stock, runs, has a manual transmission, and the rally body. From what I"ve seen online these are very rare and hard to come by. Myself I"ve loved driving the car, the suspension is stiff, the boost can be felt at 12 PSI, and the rear end is great, put it in first and cut the wheel and it breaks the wheels loose like no car I"ve driven before (note I"ve only done this a few times). Oh, also it gets noticed on the street and turns heads. Looks like nothing else.