Mitsubishi Magna 1996 Problems

What is it about the Magna that fails to win over the hearts and minds of the car buying public? Sure the first generation, the TM through TP, came close to being the last when it developed a series of very public problems in service, but the second generation, the TR and TS, also failed to score despite being a very good car.Problem was that it was perceived as boring, the sort of car your grandfather bought to see out his dotage. Bowling club car parks were filled to overflowing with them, hats resting on the rear parcel shelf, their drivers dressed in beige cardigans. Simply, they weren’t cool.By rights that should have changed with the release of the TE model in 1996. It was an attractive car with clean elegant lines that were a huge leap from the plump and portly middle-aged curves of its predecessor. But things didn’t change, it too was stuck with the same image of a middle of the road car for the elderly. Pity because the TE Magna, and its successors are very competent cars and well worth a second look on the used market.MODEL WATCHAlongside its predecessor you could have been forgiven for not recognising the TE as a Magna, so complete was the transformation. With a lack of door window frames and a slim centre pillar it had the appearance of a stylish pillarless coupe rather than a functional family four-door.The TE was longer and wider than the TS and that meant there was a little more leg room for both front and rear seat passengers, but the sweeping roofline, as attractive as it was, came at a price in terms of head room. It affected both front and rear seat passengers, but was more of a problem for anyone seated in the back.It was all new inside as well, although it was a little dark and sombre with a combination of grey trim and a high waistline that cut down the light from outside.The Magna was born a four banger, but over time grew into a six worker, and the TE continued that trend with even greater emphasis on the six-cylinder models.The range initially comprised of two models, the Executive and Altera, both of which offered the choice of four and V6 engines, and four-speed auto and five-speed manual transmissions. From October 1996 fully equipped Advance and Altera LS models were added to the range.The four was a new 2.4-litre fuel-injected unit which despite being smaller than the engine it replaced, with 105 kW and 205 Nm it was more powerful as well as being noticeably smoother. Compared to the previous model performance was improved when fitted with the auto trans, and about the same with the manual.The fuel-injected 3.0-litre V6 was also all new with increased power over the engine it replaced. Boasting 140 kW and 255 Nm it was markedly quicker than the old model to the 100 km/h benchmark, as well as boasting improved acceleration in the crucial 80-100 km/h overtaking region. Importantly the increased performance didn’t come at the cost of fuel consumption.A four-speed electronic auto was new, and boasted the ability to adapt to the driver’s pattern of use and road conditions to select the optimum gear for any situation.Suspension was independent front and rear, along with disc brakes, and there was an option of an ABS antilock braking system.Entry to the TE range was via the Executive which featured power steering, four-speaker sound, power mirrors, tilt-adjust column, remote boot and fuel filler release, central locking and engine immobiliser.For all the bells and whistles look for an Altera, which came standard with air-con, power windows and cruise.Options included airbags for driver and passenger, ABS, CD player and alloy wheels.The Advance and Altera LS delivered the lot, with ABS, airbags, CD and alloys standard fare.On the road the TE was smooth and refined with a comfortable ride and nice chassis balance and plenty of punch when pushed along a winding country road.IN THE SHOPThe trade reports the Magna as generally robust and reliable. Even though they are now climbing in mileage they still make a great second car for the family, or a first car for the novice driver.Both the four and six-cylinder engines give little trouble, particularly the six. The fours can have problems with water pumps, and there can be oil leaks from the cam cover. The 2.4-litre four-cylinder and the six-cylinders have timing belts, which requires replacing at 100,000 km intervals. Both give little trouble in the driveline area so there’s little reason for concern over transmissions.Tyre wear is generally good, with more than 50,000 km regularly reported depending on the tyres fitted. Brake wear can be a problem with rear pads requiring replacement around 30,000 km on average. Front brakes are bullet-proof with front pads lasting “forever” according to one mechanic. Discs are also long wearing.OWNERS SAYFord fan John Hansen was first given a Magna as a company car, but any doubts he had about it quickly evaporated during the two years and 150,000 fault-free kilometres he drove in it. A second Magna has been equally as impressive. “The first Magna came with the job, but from then on it was performance, reliability and comfort that kept me in them,” he says. He adds that tyre life, at 60,000 km, is particularly impressive.Country readers Alexander Smith and his wife are equally enamoured with their two 3.0-litre V6 Magnas. One, a sedan, has done 70,000 km without fault. Apart from scheduled servicing the only things he has had to replace are the tyres, which were replaced at 42,000 km. The other, a wagon, has regularly towed heavily laden trailers and a caravan in the 100,000 km it has done, and has been just as reliable as the sedan. A battery and a tail light globe are the only things that have needed replacing, along with a set of tyres at 41,000 km.LOOK FOR• Robust and reliable engines and trans.• quiet and comfortable interior• smooth elegant styling• restricted rear headroom• balanced handling• beaut performance

These big Mitsubishi family cars have a well-deserved reputation for being smooth and refined and in its early days the Magna made Holden’s Commodore and Ford’s Falcon rather ordinary in the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) stakes.Mitsubishi Verada was the name given to upmarket versions of the Magna and is sometimes regarded as a different model, though in reality, it’s just a Magna with plenty of extra kit stuffed inside.All were built in Adelaide. The first Magnas were very much Australian products, later they became more closely allied to Japanese Mitsubishi models. The Mitsubishi 380 was based on an American Mitsubishi model and was larger and plusher than the Magna.This once successful line of cars came to an abrupt end in April 2008 after slow sales of the 380 caused Mitsubishi to pull out of Australian manufacturing. In hindsight if the company had simply called the 380 the next generation Magna, the Adelaide factory might still be in operation today.Body types are four-door sedan and five-door station wagon in the Magna/Verada, but the 380 was only built as a sedan. Rear-seat width isn't quite as good as that in Commodore and Falcon, but the Mitsubishi’s seats can handle three adults in reasonable comfort.The big Mitsubishis have reasonably good handling for family cars, with the 380 feeling nice and sharp on the road. Engine performance from the old-style four-cylinder 2.6-litre engine is reasonable, but only just. The later four-cylinder models had a 2.4-litre unit with a much-improved design.Four-cylinder models slowly declined in popularity over the years and were finally removed from the Magna range in 1999. Those on the used-car market now are likely to be near the end of their lives, though it must be said they are tough old units. A 3.0-litre V6 engine was released in the Mitsubishi Verada in 1991 and the Magna in 1993.It was joined by a 3.5-litre V6 in some upmarket variants in October 1996. The bigger engine gradually spread to the rest of the range. In the later-model Magna Sports and VR-X, the 3.5 engine has additional power over the standard unit. The Mitsubishi 380’s 3.8-litre engine is a stretched version of the 3.5-litre unit.There is good torque throughout the normally used zone of the rev range and the 3.8 is very pleasant to sit behind. Magna is offered with a five-speed manual gearbox, but the great majority of the original cars came with a four-speed automatic. A sequential shifting was first fitted on four-speed Magna Sports models from September 1997.An advanced five-speed automatic transmission with a sequential shifter is fitted to the sporty variants sold from August 2000 and made its way to the other models over the next couple of years. Mitsubishi 380 came with a five-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual gearbox.The auto was by far the most popular and the manual could be a problem to resell in years to come as the number of drivers interested in doing their own gear changes continues to decline. Mitsubishi’s Magna offers the extra traction of all-wheel drive in some sports variants to give the car a real sporty feeling.These all-wheel drives are a real pleasure to punt hard and fast and keen drivers love their feel and grip. But they were never popular and could be hard to resell. These big Mitsubishis are spacious in their under bonnet area so servicing is relatively easy for amateur mechanics to carry out. Make sure to get a professional mechanic for safety-related work. Mitsubishi continues to operate strongly in Australia despite no longer being a local manufacturer. Spare parts for cars up to 10 years old are still carried by Mitsubishi dealers. Prices are generally reasonable and we seldom hear of any real availability problems. Insurance charges are usually moderate and most companies charge much the same for four and six-cylinder engines. There may be an increase in the premiums for the Sports model if the driver is young and/or inexperienced.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is seldom a problem but in a few cars it gets into the bottom edges of the doors, boot lid and or tailgate, and the fuel filler flap. Look for signs of damage to seats, carpets and trim, including inside the boot. Examine the top of the dash panel and the rear parcel shelf for faded, or cracked, plastic caused by constant exposure to sunlight. Automatic transmission problems have dogged these Mitsubishis but troubles are less frequent in newer models than in older ones. Watch for an automatic that shifts gear when it doesn’t need to or suddenly shifts into neutral of its own accord. Look at and feel the front tyres for uneven wear, which can indicate front suspension problems. Check the paint and bumper bar around the exhaust tailpipe for an oily film, indicating engine problems. Make sure the brakes pull the car up in a straight line and that ABS, if fitted, sends a pulsing back through the pedal on hard application. Don’t forget to check your mirrors first!CAR BUYING TIPWhen checking out a car aimed at the family buyer make sure to spend plenty of time looking over the back seat and the luggage area. 

Ewan Kennedy reviews the Mitsubishi Magna and 380 from 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 as a used buy.