Buying a SUV.. Outlander?..
 

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a (used) SUV, basically a 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander SE/LS with the 2.4l Engine.

Any owners of the model have comments? What attracts me is the warranty for the transmission and the engine.

My previous car is a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, which is now a gas machine, so I want to move to something "SUV" style but with a relatively small engine (economical) as I drive around the city a lot but like to take it camping, etc. once in awhile.

Any "gotchas" I should know about the car? The Warranty?

Thanks.

The only gotcha I have is that if you buy it used I think you only get 5yr/60k mile warranty, not the full length you would get if you are the original owner. Also, have you driven the 4 cyl outlander? the 4cyl uses a cvt transmission which I personally don't care for the driving characteristics.... Part of the reason I went with the 6cyl 6spd AT.. not necessarily a negative, just something to be aware of

Interesting you say that, the dealership told me that even if I buy a used one (2011) that i will still have 9 years of warranty left. I will make sure I confirm the above with them now that you told me.

Also, I am not too informed when it comes to engines, etc.. what are the disadvantages of a CVT Transmission? For the everyday joe, will it matter much?

Does it have a higher chance of breaking vs. the alternatives?

Maybe things have changed, but I got a used 07 and I think it says right in the owners/warranty manual that the full warranty is only for the original purchaser. If the dealer is telling you you get 9 years I would just make sure you get that in writing!
As far as CVT (continuously variable transmission) I don't know how to describe it, there is nothing wrong with them per se, if you have driven the car and you like it go for it. The few CVT cars that I have driven (mostly rental cars) seem like when you are trying to pass or get on the freeway and you push the gas the motor revs up and makes noise, but it seems like it takes a while for it to feel like you are actually accelerating. Like I said its not really a problem, but a characteristic that I personally don't particularly care for. Its hard to describe it, but if you could drive a 4cyl cvt vs the 6cyl 6at I think you would get a better idea of what I am trying to describe..

I've had my 08 Outlander with the 4cyl CVT for 4 years now. The power is sufficient if you don't tow, don't carry heavy loads on a regular basis, and don't live in a mountain area. If any of those are true, then you probably will be better off with the 6cyl.

I really don't notice any lag in my CVT when I push the gas to pass someone at highway speeds. Also, it's my understanding in the US that the 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty only applies to the original owner. You would get the 5 year 60,000 mile warranty.

Go to mitubishi website and type in the vin it will show you when the powertrain warranty ends for the second owner in miles and date from first purchase. We got a 2010 used with 6000 miles and got 4 years 54000 miles on the powertrain not 9 years 94000 miles. Dealers of all brands are idiots and dont care what they tell you as long as you buy what they are selling. 4cyl with cvt is fine for us since we dont tow or need to get anywhere fast.

I bought a 2011 Outlander Sport SE brand new one year ago today and I am having problems with flooding. My post provides more details. Other than that problem (which is a big one because the dealer has refused to pay for repairs) it runs ok.

I've got an '11 with the 2.4L and the CVT transmission. My only gripe is the CVT is hard to get used to after having a vehicle with a regular automatic transmission. It works awesome when you have the vehicle on cruise control. When the vehicle is loaded down with some weight and I'm going up and down hills, I'll tend to bump the paddle shifters. Would have also preferred the HID headlights too. The 2.4L isn't the most powerful, but I'm really enjoying the fuel economy.

In Canada it has 10 years warranty regardless of if you are the first owner or not.

Totally agree. I owned a Nissan Murano for 3 years and, although it had a more powerful engine than my current Outtie, it always felt dogged. I never liked the overall driving characteristics of a CVT and specifically avoided it when shopping for a new vehicle (I considered the Sport until I learned it only had a CVT). But like Bronco said, nothing is wrong with it, it's just a personal preference.