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Episode #217 - When Was Peak Mitsubishi?

Episode #217 - When Was Peak Mitsubishi?

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About this episode

The hosts debate Mitsubishi’s “peak” year and land on 1991, arguing it was the sweet spot when the lineup covered everything from Mirage hatchbacks and Eclipse GSX to the 3000GT VR4 and Montero—plus the quirky Mighty Max. They compare why the brand cooled off later (early 2000s, after Evo hype) and talk real-world ownership/maintenance quirks, especially around 3000GT/Stealth. The episode also includes a print-ad guessing game that Frank nails with a 1998 Galant, followed by CT200h tire and MPG updates.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Mitsubishi Outlander

"Well, and it's not the outlander that they offer now."

The Mitsubishi Outlander is Mitsubishi’s SUV. Bringing it up in a “peak Mitsubishi” conversation usually means they’re contrasting the older sports-car focus with the newer, more practical SUV focus.

Concept

body-on-frame

"but the second gen Montero was still body on frame. Third gen was unibody. Yeah, big difference there."

Body-on-frame is a truck-style construction where the main structure is a separate frame underneath. It’s often used on off-road vehicles because it’s tough and can take bumps and rough roads better.

Concept

unibody

"Third gen was unibody. Yeah, big difference there. And the I just the interior build quality was higher on the second gen, in my opinion."

Unibody means the car’s body and frame are basically one combined structure. It usually feels more car-like on the road, but it’s not always as rugged as a truck-style frame for heavy off-roading.

Car

Ford Ranger

"Hard body. Yeah. 91 S 10, 91 Ranger. God, all winners."

The Ford Ranger is a small pickup truck. A “91 Ranger” means an older model year from the early 1990s. People talk about it because it’s known for being a tough truck that can handle daily use.

Concept

lifted

"The four by fours had a little more of a like a Baja look to them, right? Yeah, a little lifted the way they looked."

“Lifted” means the truck sits higher than stock. That can make it look more rugged and give it more clearance for rough roads.

Term

bench seat

"Yeah, you can get a bench seat in there too, which you couldn't get in the hard body, Nissan."

A bench seat is the kind of front seat that’s one long seat for two people. The speaker is saying one truck can be ordered with that, while another couldn’t.

Term

bucket seats

"Yeah, the hard bodies are all like bucket seats. So maybe they expect you to be like hard bodies to the side..."

Bucket seats are separate front seats, usually with more individual shape and support. They’re contrasting this with a bench seat setup.

Term

Toyota tax

"Yeah, oh my God. How hot are those? Talk about not being influenced by the Toyota tax."

“Toyota tax” means Toyotas often cost more than similar cars because they’re seen as reliable and popular. The speakers are saying the Nissan trucks don’t get that same price bump.

Car

Toyota Hilux

"But comparative to like a Hilux or any, any vintage Toyota tax, right? Yeah, yeah. So I think, I think they're still, but you find them that they can be brought back"

The Toyota Hilux is a globally popular pickup known for durability and off-road capability, which is why it often carries a strong used-market premium. Here, it’s used as the comparison point for how much “vintage Toyota tax” affects pricing versus Nissan Hardbody trucks.

Brand

Lexus

"Yeah. But when you're looking at you had... Toyota had Lexus. Mazda didn't really have anything."

Lexus is Toyota’s luxury car brand. They’re mentioning it to show that Toyota had a separate luxury lineup instead of just loading features into regular models.

Brand

Denon

"she got like a nice like Denon receiver with like the then top of the line Dobie Pro logic."

Denon is a brand that makes home audio equipment. They mention it because the family bought a high-quality receiver for surround sound.

Concept

tariffs

"[1059.4s] I know and they're probably more now because of wait, do we still pay tariffs on it? [1062.6s] I'm confused. I don't know anymore."

Tariffs are extra taxes on imported products. If cars or parts are imported, tariffs can make them cost more.

Term

rust

"Episode where like here's what's good about like there's no rust on the West Coast. But then East Coast is like your your dashboard doesn't crack instantly."

Rust is corrosion of a vehicle’s metal, typically accelerated by road salt, moisture, and poor drainage. It’s a major factor in long-term ownership costs and resale value, especially on cars that see winter road treatment.

Term

smogs

"It's well, it's got I think it's got a hundred and I think it's got 160,000 on it. OK, that's on the clock. It runs and drives smogs."

“Smogs” refers to passing a vehicle emissions inspection (often called a smog test). The speaker is saying the car runs and drives and is compliant enough to pass emissions, which is a practical buying signal. Emissions readiness can be affected by engine condition, sensors, and recent repairs.

Term

street value

"Value a manual V6, even though convertible has the street value of probably like fifteen hundred bucks."

“Street value” is basically what people pay for the car in real life—like what you’d see on listings or get in a normal sale. It’s not the same as what a dealer might ask.

Term

hot hatch

"[1705.4s] GS turbo as a little hot hatch offering than a Diamante automatic. [1709.2s] Yeah, I think yeah, that's true."

A “hot hatch” is a small hatchback that’s been made more fun and faster than the regular version. Think sporty handling and more power, usually from a turbo or upgraded engine.

Concept

facelift

"Yeah, I still think that's why I like 99 because at like 99 was like the facelift. Yeah, the facelift, the second gen, which I like the early cars are a little cleaner."

A facelift is when a car gets a refresh—usually changes to the front and overall styling—while staying basically the same car underneath. The speaker is saying the later Eclipse looks different because of that update.

Term

slept on

"I do love, I love the 91, like the early ones are my favorite though. Activero, it's so like it just looks smaller. It just to me, it's like such a slim like form factor. I don't know. I think those cars are like slept on."

“Slept on” means something is underrated or not getting the attention it deserves. Here, the speaker is saying these Mitsubishi-era designs (Eclipse/3000GT styling they’re discussing) are overlooked by many people.

Car

3000 GT VR4

"Like the 3000 GT VR4 has always been cheap. And now people are asking 15 for like beat to shit examples that don't run."

The Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4 is a fast 1990s sports car. It’s known for having a twin-turbo setup and more performance features than the simpler versions. The hosts are basically saying these cars were cheap for a while, so many surviving examples are rougher.

Term

twin turbo

"And I had a 300 CX twin turbo. Also, a car that receives a lot of like criticism for being hard to maintain."

“Twin turbo” means the engine has two turbochargers. They help the car make more power by pushing extra air into the engine, but they also make the car more complicated to maintain.

Term

NA auto

"I've only driven an auto. [1904.9s] I've only driven an NA auto and a turbo."

“NA” means naturally aspirated—no turbo. It usually changes how the car makes power compared to a turbo, especially when you accelerate.

Concept

salvage title

"It's just it's not it's just a drive train swap, but like a salvage title eclipse cross. Oh, how good would that be?"

A salvage title is issued when a vehicle is declared a total loss by an insurer, usually due to major damage. The hosts are imagining an Eclipse Cross with a salvage title, which would typically mean a history of repairs and potentially more risk than a clean-title car.

Term

production numbers

"I'm looking at production numbers Corvette specs over here."

Production numbers tell you how many of a car (or a specific version of it) were made. Lower numbers usually mean the car is harder to find.

Concept

total production

"[2258.9s] Like total. Can I get total production? [2261.4s] Uh, I just can't get behind an SL."

“Total production” is the total number of units built for a specific model, year, or configuration. Production counts are often used to gauge how scarce a car is, which can influence collector value and how hard it is to find specific variants.

Term

pearl white over tan

"Yeah, it was. Yeah, it was pearl white over what's the interior? I guess it was tan. Pearl white over tan."

They’re describing the car’s colors: white outside and tan inside. The exact color combo can matter a lot to buyers and can change how easy it is to sell.

Term

Manual

"Good combo cloth. Hmm. Manual. And I looked at the odometer teatop and the odometer."

“Manual” indicates the car is equipped with a manual transmission. For many performance models, manual-equipped examples are often more desirable to enthusiasts than automatic versions.

Concept

make model

"We're going to find out to try and figure out the make model and approximate model year of the vehicle in the ad."

“Make” means the brand, and “model” means the specific car name. The game is trying to figure out both.

Term

K.A.

"The K.A. Which was like 255 and the two 40 SX, but they put it in front wheel drive variants like the Stanza and the early Altima."

“K.A.” sounds like an internal engine code. It’s basically a label engineers used for a particular engine version, which helps explain why power and fitment changed across cars.

Car

Mitsubishi Mirage

"So I'm going to say this is a 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage because I don't think it's a galant because a galant you can get a V six. ...So I'm going to say Mitsubishi Mirage with the two four."

The Mitsubishi Mirage is a small, budget-friendly Mitsubishi. Here, the hosts are arguing about whether the car in question is actually a Mirage from 1998.

Car

1998 Mitsubishi Galant

"[3328.9s] 1998 Mitsubishi galant. [3330.4s] Final answer. [3333.4s] Here today."

The Mitsubishi Galant is a regular family sedan made by Mitsubishi. The 1998 version is one specific year, and it could come with different trim levels and engines.

Part

shocks

"I have not done the shocks in the vehicle behind me yet. I have them. They have revived."

“Shocks” (shock absorbers) control how a vehicle responds to bumps by damping suspension movement. Replacing shocks is a common maintenance/modification step that can improve ride quality and handling, especially on off-road or lifted setups.

Term

cat

"They never get the cat stolen. Correct. That's so great. ... They're just like waiting for the, the, the cat to get picked. Cause then it's like, oh, totaled the car."

“Cat” means the catalytic converter, a part that helps control pollution. If it gets stolen, the car may not run right and repairs can get expensive fast.

Car

Lexus CT 200H

"Right. But I, so welcome to the Lexus CT 200H hour. We're in the after hour anyway. So let's go for it."

The Lexus CT 200h is a small hybrid hatchback from Lexus. Here, they’re talking about how new tires changed how the car drives, especially grip and handling.

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