The amount of Dodge Colt Vistas left on the earth in mint condition has to be in the 10s. I can’t remember the last time I saw one in any form, and this 1989 example is said to be one-family owned and purchased new in Venice, Florida, near where it currently resides today. The seller emphasizes that the paint and bodywork are original and there will be no disappointments if you plop down $2,995 to own it. Find the seven-passenger wagon here on craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.
The Vista was yet another chapter in the Chrysler / Mitsubishi partnership, as this was simply a rebadged Mitsubishi Chariot. These were not especially hot sellers, which is a shame because of its clever packaging. Seven passengers in a parking-lot friendly design like this just wasn’t the norm, and when you look at today’s seven-passenger behemoths, it’s amazing to think you could cram that many people into such a compact vehicle. This example does look as mint as the seller promised, and downright adventurous with those kayak racks.
You may think with a photo like this that the Colt Vista has under 20,000 original miles but it in fact has closer to 70K. No matter what you think of the car, it’s amazing to see an interior look this fresh with non-time capsule miles on the clock. The carpets are mint, the seats look like they’ve never been sat in and the blue plastic and wood trim inlays present as new. The gear shifter is typical 80s Japanese fare but even the color of the lettering on the shift plate look bright, and the OEM radio is a true joy to see.
Check out the flat-forward folding rear seat – that’s just beautiful packaging. If this was a grandparents’ car, the grandkids obviously didn’t visit much. The Colt Vista offered the kind of space only thought to be possible in a minivan at the time, and you could even spec them with a manual transmission and four-wheel drive. These were truly interesting vehicles years ahead of creations like the Subaru Outback, and this one looks like the car to buy if you’re hankering for some 80s Japanese ingenuity.
Don’t forget to mention that the back seats can be folded down into a bed configuration, for actual sleeping.
(Yeah, my onetime girlfriend had an ’86. Ask me how I know this.)
It looks like a little van. Thanks for telling us about the sleeping in the back. You learn new things everyday.
Not “if the ad disappears”. “When the ad disappears”. Craigslist ads are explicitly and intentionally ephemeral. It’s beyond rude to continue archiving them.
What is rude about archiving them?
I agree. If it’s archived, it gives people a chance to see what was for sale and see if they can find another one like it.
Wagon Wednesday Winner!
Perfect (4 me). These were in AWD too, also the twin stick (econo/regular) & didn’t they predate the big minivan surge in USA.
There was a Honda, Eagle, Plymouth (or was it Dodge?), hummm…..
Can’t remember more, but these R way better than much later model Japanese standard wagons, the LTD/Marquis (fox-bodied ’83-6), falcon, dart, etc yet all suit me.
I believe that the ‘Twin Stick” deleted before this was built. Mitsubishi was on a 4-years upgrade/revision plan at the time for the regular Colt, but this body was built longer, apparently 8 years. These were available in a later body style as Mitsubishi Expo, And Eagle Summit as well in the USA, beginning in 1991.
Something I read on Wikipedia indicates that a 4G63 was available in this body, but I think it is a mistake. Quoted horsepower figures are out of line.
I’m disappointed that this one is an automatic, but there is a cure for that…. I have a complete 4G61T / 5-speed drive that’d fit in this car with a little bit of work. Now, that would be a bit of fun. Heck, source a 4G63T and go for it, this body looks great.
Back in the day, the third seat in these was the hot pick for a flip/folding rear seat to swap into an Early Bronco. I realized recently that the once semi-common ‘Colt Vista Wagon folding rear seats’ must be pretty rare these days.
Why oh why ?
I have a similar car which may be even rarer! It’s a ’93 Eagle Summit. This is a car I would never have searched for, as I generally have low regard for Mitsubishi or Chrysler products. I needed a car for a minimal price when a friend offered one at a low price, and I could take it and pay him when I could. Can hardly say no to that, right? Mine is 2wd, auto trans, with the 2.4 motor. I have to admit it drove much better than I expected, with decent steering, sufficient handling to annoy supposedly superior cars, and little clunking, rattling, and shuddering you might expect of a 20yo, 200kplus mi, off-brand used car. The 2.4 had lots of torquey spunk, and the interior is cavernous and very useful, pull the rear seat out and it’s just amazing what can fit! But I never see another one, and have never found one at any Pick n Pull within 50 miles. It served me pretty well for about a year, then wouldn’t start for my girlfriend one night. I’m a decent mech but couldn’t figure out the problem after a couple hours in a parking lot. Got it towed, then two days later, tired of telling and retelling the symptoms, I told someone to come outside and see for himself. Turned the key and it fired right up! It continued to do so, and I can’t fix what’s not broke, so tentatively started driving it. Couple months later, after a Cowboy Junkies show an hour away in Sacramento, it shut off with a sudden finality. I just knew it was dead. Hasn’t run since. Can’t find any used parts, and new parts are too expensive to just throw at it. Has spark but seems week. I have an OBD 2 but no OBD 1 reader. Any suggestions all you car wizards? Wanna buy it? It’s in the Bay Area..
Didn’t think you needed an OBDI reader, just a manual to decode the CEL flashes…?
The Mitsubishi-built vehicles from just a few years earlier were notorious for ECU failures due to leaking capacitors. The 4G61 group has a tutorial on swapping out defective ones. That will kill a car. The starter will spin the crank, but no fire in the cylinders!
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/02/junkyard-find-1993-eagle-summit-wagon/
I had a similar thing happen to me, my 93 Colt Vista, 1.8l would just die, then start or not start. I eventually found the problem after it died in a parking lot. Turns out the primary 12 volt wire for the distributor had gotten a hole rubbed in the insulation and would short out against the head. I repaired the wire and it has run perfect ever since.
It is my primary daily driver.
I keep an eye out for these in the junkyards, but they are pretty rare.
Mike S.
Man this is amazing if I had the money I would buy it so different and I would love to drive it because every one call me crazy white guy. But this look great if you want to go shopping and there not a good spot you just pull in you be fine. I never heard of it till today. Thanks for the amazing van .
Somebody buy it. Give it a good home.
The grandfather of the Mazda 5!
I had one of these identical to this including the color. (here in Canada it was an Eagle Vista) It is the only car I ever bought for total rational, practical reasons. I hated it!!!!!
Funny anecdote: a friend had one and told me excitedly how it could carry a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. A while later I bought several sheets of plywood and they didn’t fit…..one did!
“…There was a Honda, Eagle, Plymouth…”
the honda wuz a 4WD (wid a bit’o hood). OK, it was the Summit’n MPV which were da “pre Caravan/USA van” run avant garde.
This one’s a winner in there too.
I am really surprised this is still for sale. I spent some a summer driving one that belonged to a friend and it just.. worked. It did what it was supposed to do and did it well. We “challenged” the “7 passenger” seating.. and .. yup it can be done. The suspension was overloaded.. and there was NO room for anything else (hence the roof racks) but we did get 7 adults from point A to B. I kinda remember trying to find a hitch for it, so we could tow a jet ski. Kinda blurry but I think we did do that. The end of the 80’s is very blurry for me ;)
I sold these out on Route 9 in Framingham outside Boston and they were great, do-anything cars. The 80s and early 90s are somewhat hazy for me as well but I remember these and Colts being cheap cars that did what you asked them to do although not much else. Heck, even Omnis were reliable little cars.
I owed two of these…. and loved both of them. Was the only car I knew you could get fresh air outta the dash vent while sending heat to your feet.