Hi.. Let me just introduce myself, and tell you my story, before asking my question.</P>


Call me Sirandi.. no it's not my real name, but it's close enough. </P>


A little over a year ago, I went looking for a car, to get to work. Because of bad credit, I couldn't apply to purchase the car myself. So, I had help from my father.</P>


Unfortunately, the dealer we went to said they had a great car. I figure, fine.. if it runs good, is not a huge car, and is decent... it will work. The car didn't look bad.. great shape.. except.. the airbags were deployed. Okay well.. fine. If they sent it out for safety and immissions, and it passes... we'll take it. I didn't honestly think they would pass the car.. but they did. So.. I figure.. "well if they pass the car.. then it's fine. They aren't going to risk losing thier business license/pay a huge *** fine, and put thier livelyhoods on the line like that.. if it weren't okay to drive.It was starting price of 3500 but you know how it all goes down when they give you teh paperwork..."Oh well because of this and that and the bulls**t fee... you will be paying 4700."Not really that much... but close enough. You get the point. We refinanced the price of the car with the Credit Union... they knew I was paying the bill... but it's in his name.</P>


Well, now I have the car... 2003, all 96's were not required to have safety inspection. So I lucked out... but come june... The car will -not- pass safety. I had taken it back to the same guys that passed it the year before, when the dealer took it down there. (When I took it for inspection.. they told me that it would not pass the safety, but that I wasn't required to have safety that year. But come next year.. they wouldn't pass it. I told them, "Well you guys passed it last year. That's why I brought it back down to you.") Alot of embarassment I'm sure.. and I plan to stick it to them later. (I'll explain that later.)</P>


Air bags, driver side and passenger side are deployed... they are cut out, not there, but with a gaping hole in my wheel, and the cover for the passenger side bag, is warped. The frame is well I wouldn't say bent... but apparently the car was hit straight on. New bumper was put on.. and painted, though the paint doesn't match, and it 's flaking off. I've only had problems with the relay for the fuel pump, once we figured it out.. we swapped it with another of the relay switches that wasn't in use. Problem solved there.. Now I have a starter problem.</P>


In order to get myself out of this jam... my father has proposed the following, wich I think is a good idea.. but I would like your opinions on.</P>


To make this fast.. take my car down to the shop that passed it on the tests... remind them that they passed it, when they should have failed it. (Hey.. guys. Do you remember me? This car came in a couple years ago.. I brought it back last year.. and you told me how you no longer work with the dealership because they expected you to pass bad cars for them? Yeah.. hi!)</P>


Ask them about doing the following. Use the car as a trade in on another car, from the same dealership, putting this stupid car back into thier hands. (Preferrably before I have to put more money into it.. but I realize... the car wont start now.) Bringing cars off thier lot, that I am interested in, to have them do a thorough check to make sure the car is not only safe, but road worthy, and in good working condition, mechanically and electrically. (I would HOPE they would be more interested in this solution, than my trying to take anyone to court. The dealership would say.. "Hey.. they passed it! And they signed for it!" Sticking me, and the shop... with the problems. The shop would also have alot to lose if I did anything about this car legally. Although.. I am half in the mindframe to do so anyway.. THEY PUT MY LIFE AT RISK! Morons.... ahem.</P>


I'm trying not to be angry at anyone.. it's happened... and I just have to get out of it.. so I can move on. </P>


Now.. the other question I have for you guys... being this is the Mitsu forums... the two cars that I really have any interest in... are.. the Hyundai Tiburon (Although I don't think I could afford the payments even if it's through my credit union) And the Mitsubishi Eclipse. I really love the sweep that goes down the back half of the windows... sort of like an eagle eye I reckon. ( I realize that looks are hardly what I should be considering.. but I'm not about to go find a little egg to drive around on the streets!) I want a nice looking dependable car, that is safe and sound to operate. But I'd also like something that later on... I could add things to, to make it more -my- car.</P>


The question I originally wanted... is this: What kind of car is the Eclipse... what are your experiences with them.. good or bad.. would you recommend one, how are they on gas, are they worth getting, and are there any 'trouble' spots with them. I dont care if the car is manual or automatic.. I can drive both. And I really like not having to shift the automatic, but I like having more control with the stick. So... either or. I've asked a friend who lives around alot of people that have them, but he's heard nothing bad about them... but also. Nothing good. </P>


I really should be doing more research into the car, and that's why I'm posting here. To attempt that. I have limited time with my work hours that I can sit and research things like this... and I figure with the amount of traffic this forum looks to be getting.. there may be alot of experience here that I can ask for help with my problem. Any and all comments are welcome, well except that I'm a moron for not insisting that we not buy the car I have. heh... I already know that. But I had to have something that was cheap enough, to get me to work everyday. Are there any other cars that are worth considering also?</P>


</P>


Thank you so much for reading my entirely too long post. I appologize if it got boring... but I do need some help deciding what things I need to look for in my next car. I only have a few months to decide how I'm going to get rid of my current one, and what kind of car I would really like to have as my next one. Again, thanks. </P>


::extra info::</P>


Car: Hyundai Elantra 1996 </P>


Parts replaced: Fuel relay. Alternator (twice). First one went bad after only 3 months. Wonderful thing that Autozone has a lifetime warranty. After a bit of a hard time with the sticker being the wrong type of sticker (One guy didn't recognize it as thier brand of alternator)... they got me a new one. It's working wonderfully.</P>


Will need: New Starter. Currently it is parked in the driveway until I can affordthe new part. =/</P>

 

dude...what do u need help with because im not reading that novel u just posted</P>


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story is wack, u should sue them, for selling you a lemon, and if they tell u different they are lying, because they legally in ny state cannot sell a car without airbags, i dont know where ur from, but i work for geico (insurance) and i handle inspections, and if they passed it the first time, thats their license, go back to the dealer, and tell him ur going to take him to court and have his license taken away, if he doesnt give u a new car, or fix the air bags himself. I have a 96 eclipse (same sensor as the hyundai), and i got into an accident before in it, and it takes a really really hard hit for the airbags to deploy... mitsubishi's sensors are the worst for deployment. I guarentee if you go down there with an agent or someone they will take serious, you'll get whatever you want, because if hes the owner who sold u that car, then hes going to loose everything on his lot. Let me know how you make out. <edited><editID>kayzee</editID><editDate>38020.0625925926</editDate></edited>

 

Yeah.. well.. they will say it's the inspection place.. (Not the dealership) and by law.. they did nothing wrong. </P>


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However... We may have to fall back onto the inspection shop anyway.. they have gotten away from that dealer because they wanted them to pass cars like mine... </P>


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but they passed mine.. so anyway.</P>

 

what is it you need help with again?? lol

 

I had a similar problem buying a used car. Hell, I even had a similar problem buying my Eclipse (the brakes went out almost immediately, they had put now pads on bad brakes). I wouldn't say it was the car, it was the dealership. They buy cars at auction, and although they are required to disclose any past history of accidents, they try to cover it up. You know, though, it is difficult to prosecute, and most of the time you won't win (unless you bring suit immediately, which is why they will perform a non-caucasian modification to get it by for a month or two... and they usually have smog inspection or vehicle inspection people who work closely with them)... trust me, the dealerships know this and use it to get away with that sort of b.s.. What did I end up doing with the first vehicle? Donated it, the charity sold it for scrap. My Eclipse, I'm still working on fixing up... not a bad car, just a bad circumstance (found out it had been stolen, wrecked, and stripped... none of which was disclosed to me, but I couldn't get anyone to help me legally).

 

I do auto body collision repair and estimating and if what you people say about mitsubishi having to be hit really hard for the airbags to deploy and that the frame was bent...well..in newer cars they dont really have a frame its mostly just body panels smashed together its called a space frame or unibody. theres no seperate frame that the car shell sits on and with newer vehicles with that type of frame anything bent is considered a total. Ive had to total cars that were slightly bent and could be fixed with 3 or 4 hours on a frame machine coming out to about $250 but because the damage was on the frame it had to be totaled.

 

so if you paid $4700 for a 96 that has frame damage then you got a$$ raped with no lube.<IMG src=smileys/smiley7.gif border="0">sorry to say that but its true.