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32K One Owner Miles: 1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4

When it comes to appreciating classics, Mitsubishi’s predominant sports car, the 3000GT VR4, has seemingly been left on the sidelines. That’s similar to its reception when it was a new car as well, as while it was certainly celebrated for being an impressive grand tourer, it was never on anyone’s must-have list. That’s changed to some extent, as good examples have become hard to find, and most of what you see available are the hairdresser-special six-cylinder models. This one is the preferred VR4, and the seller calls it a recent barn find with just 32,000 original miles. Find it here on craigslist for $12,000.

The asking price is a tall order, which tells you just how soft the market can be for even survivor-grade 3000GTs. The seller admits that there are issues he hasn’t had time to sort out since rescuing it from the long-term previous owner’s garage, and the lingering problems do affect drivability. That’s why even with the low mileage on the odometer, the $12,000 price tag seems like a tall order, especially considering how tech-laden these Japanese supercars were. They were loaded up with advanced features that were whiz-bang at the time but now a bit of a nuisance to maintain. The seller openly admits this 3000GT still has fuel system issues to sort out.

The good news is low mileage generally means the interiors are in great shape, and the leather buckets in this car appear to be in very nice shape. However, even the interior is a bit suspect, as the seller says the dashboard needs to be replaced. I wasn’t expecting to hear that, but I suppose the Tucson location makes sun damage a very real possibility. It’s still surprising, as modern-era Japanese dashboards are generally pretty robust, so this would be one of the first 3000GTs I’ve seen with a cracked dash pad. The seller notes there are some additional issues to sort out, including what sounds like a faulty turn signal switch.

The VR4s were powered by a twin-turbocharged V6, which made a healthy 300 b.h.p. in early models like these. The top-shelf 3000GT also came loaded with electronically adjustable suspensions, four-wheel steering, and active aerodynamics. The list of options and gadgetry fluctuated over the years, but at the end of the day, you were getting a high-performance coupe capable of hitting 60 miles per hour in around six seconds. While this may be a low mileage survivor, the desirability on the collector car market isn’t all that high, and it sounds like this one still has more than a few issues to sort out before it’s worth the asking price.

Comments

  1. Avatar JCA Member

    The want is real strong on this one, wow. Seems it needs is the right mechanic though. Swapping out the ECU usually translates into a mechanic who doesn’t do thorough diagnostics

    Like 2
  2. Avatar ace10

    Always a distance fourth to the Mazda, Toyota and Nissan, but still a memorable vehicle from the early-mid 90’s.

    This one looks to be a nice gamble for the money.

    Like 2
    • Avatar 94RX7

      And thanks for putting those in the right order! :-).

      Like 0
  3. Avatar DCasey

    These were way ahead of it’s time. Active aerodynamics, all wheel drive, 4 wheel steering, twin turbo’s, What’s not to like? I believe this is an appreciating classic that is well worth the time.

    Like 5
  4. Avatar t-bone BOB

    Located in Tucson, AZ

    Like 0

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