The 1990s marked the Japanese domestic market’s renaissance, prompting manufacturers to throw every piece of available tech at their flagship models. This 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT represents one of the heights of that technological arms race. It is available here on Craigslist in the Spanaway area with 116,000 miles on the clock, a clean title in hand, and a seller that freely admits they bought it to flip it and doesn’t know much about the car. Aside from the refreshing honesty, it looks like a gem considering the listed price is $9,000. Thanks go to Curvette for the tip.
To give an idea of what we’re talking about, the VR-4 was Mitsubishi’s halo car for the early 90s, built to square off against the Toyota Supra and the Skyline GT-R. They gave it a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 factory-rated at 300 horsepower. To ensure that power translated to maximum agility, the VR-4 features a permanent all-wheel-drive system combined with innovative four-wheel steering. It’s a genuinely complex setting that was rare even on European counterparts at the time. The seller also mentions active aero, which features motorized body panels that physically move while driving to alter how wind flows over the body.
The history of this white coupe adds an extra layer of appeal considering the seller acquired it directly from its second owners who had kept the sports car tucked away in a garage for ten years. Because of its long time in storage, the odometer shows a modest 116,000 miles. Now this is both a good and bad thing. The great thing is reduced chances of paint damage and interior vinyl wear. Garage-kept cars are also rarely modified, which means you would be getting a factory-spec car. The seller does assure that it starts up and drives, but the mechanics can still be a bit iffy, especially with the potential of electrical gremlins and fluid contamination. Its active aero system relies on fragile electric motors and micro switches with a dedicated computer. Ten years in a garage with diminished use of these systems could definitely mean some problems in that department.
The pricing is a huge attractor, though. 3000 GT VR-4 models have been climbing for a few years now. Clean examples with sorted mechanics are regularly going for upwards of $15,000, which means a running driver at $9,000 has a legitimate upside. Prospective buyers should approach this high-tech time capsule with a patient diagnostic strategy, as fully revising these dormant systems is part of the classic JDM ownership journey. Ultimately, if you are willing to invest some sweat equity into waking this giant up the right way, it could be a highly rewarding path to owning a flagship legend.
what is with this ad taking up my entire screen??? this site is garbage!
A 12,000 mile Dodge Stealth, this car’s twin, only bid up to $18,200 on Cars & Bids just a few days ago. The owner had just invested $5,500 in one shop visit to get it to run right.
That’s why they’re so cheap. Electronic gremlins are hard to chase down, parts are difficult to source for the very complex and now outdated electronics, and finding someone who can work on these without simply firing the parts cannon at it is even tougher. Know what you’re getting into.
Steve was just posting a comment about people that flip cars and not always being honest with the details. I responded to him that if a flipper wants to basically keep customers, being honest will get more buyers. Then I read the beginning of this post and read a flipper selling this car but truthfully not knowing much about it. I just thought it was so coincidental.