Hey Guys,

I'm new here, please don't flame me for my screen name, it is what I use in all of my forums and I like to keep it simple and only have one name to remember. To be fair, I thoroughly enjoy, love, and have owned many MitsuMopars...2 Plymouth Sapporos, 3 Chrysler Conquests, Plymouth Laser. I really want a Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo at some point, and am looking to purchase a Dodge Stratus Coupe, so I feel I will fit in here, and figure answers to my questions about the Stratus will be better answered here as there are many more Eclipses, than Stratus Coupes.

I just looked at and test drove an 04 Stratus R/T coupe with a stick shift. I LOVED the car...107,000 miles, cloth seats, sun roof, Infinity stereo. Drove real nice, but sounds like it needs rear wheel bearings, easy fix, dash is swelled and bulging in areas, not a big concern, but a haggle advantage, Paint/clear is messed up in a small area just above the window on both sides, tolerable, have a buddy that paints, so another haggle point.

My only issue is it popped out of gear a lot in my 10-15 mile test drive. Mostly 5th, just cruising along. At first I thought it was cuz I was going too slow for 5th, cuz I just got through the gears and had to slow for a stop, but it continued to do it. It also popped out of first when I first got into it to take off and another time sitting at a stop light. It also seemed to do it when I was playing around sitting in the car before I even had keys so it wasn't running, and I was not engaging the clutch at that time, so I don't think it is a clutch master or slave cylinder. It did it less as I got more used to it and kinda pushed the shifter harder and held it for a couple seconds, so I dunno if it is just the nature of the tranny in these cars...it has been a while since I drove a stick, and those were all rear wheel drive, so maybe I am just less familiar and it seems odd to me, but just wanted to inquire and see if it may lead to serious issues down the road. I'll prolly still buy the car, but for a steal of a deal if the tranny is destined to blow out.


Other than that it shifted real smooth and drove really well...and FAST. Not fast like my 71 Cuda, but fast enough to play when I get bored and fast enough to zip around the idiot drivers that want to drive 10-15 MPH under and only fractions faster than the person next to them, etc...basically just looking for something to save a little on gas and to keep miles off my truck.

Listed just under $5000, and just mentioned the tranny to the sales guy (seemed like the owner of this small used car lot) and said he can definitely work with me on the price when I told him that I liked the car (but didn't act too eager) and that my only concern is the tranny. He said it did it to him a couple times as well and mentioned second gear. I didn't notice that, but I wasn't in second for very long, and didn't take my hand off, so I would have been prolly holding it in.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You in Advance,
Eric

 

No worries on the username, there are many Mitsu/Mopar hybrids out there that kick ***, and it looks like you've owned many of them.

Sounds like the intermediate shaft bearing is toast. I would try and get the price down and do the work yourself. Don't let the dealer get hands on it, always do your own ****. Just go to a salvage yard and pick up a trans.

 

Oh, I always most definitely do my own work. The only time anyone else touches a wrench to any of my vehicles is when they are still under warranty. There was a seatbelt recall on my truck and I had to fight with the dealer to just give me the part...I guess mostly cuz I didn't have time to wait the 2 hours or something they said it'd take once they got the truck pulled in, much less waiting for my turn, but I ended up with the part and installing it myself, took them the old part and signed the work order, so they got paid from Chrysler and didn't even have to do the work.

With the intermediate shaft probably going out of it, how big of deal is that? Sorry, I know A LOT about cars, much more than probably most people who think they know a lot about them, but transmissions and differentials are my weak point as I haven't had to deal with them in my journeys. Is it something that is just going to stop working and the car won't drive, or will it show obvious signs of progression by making more noise. Because though mildly irritating, it is something I can deal with to get as much out of it as I can before swapping trannys, but I don't want it to just up and leave me stranded somewhere.

Thanks,

Eric

 

err, before assuming it's major expensive f*ckeroo, check the shift linkage.

 

Oh, I wasn't assuming it's major expenses, I was looking for ideas as to what it may be, it's nice to know it may just be shift linkages...But I'm hoping I can convince the people at the car lot that it is something expensive, and get the car cheap. Thanks for the idea.

 

Browsing Craigs List, I found they still have this car up for sale, though I have been browsing craigs list a few times between OP and now, and it wasn't posted, so they are trying to advertise it again. I dunno if it kinda confirms my concerns with the transmission that they still have this car 3 months later, or if it's just that not many people are attracted to a 2 door stick shift, as it seems many people anymore have no clue how to drive them. Just wondering if anyone can shine some info on my OP.

Thanks