![Illinois Auto Dealers Sue State Over Rivian’s Direct-Sales Model [UPDATED]](https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/rivian-suv-610x407.jpg)
The fifth-generation Mitsubishi Galant came in a funky “pillared hardtop” configuration for the United States market in the 1988 through 1990 model years. Few bought them and almost none survived into the current century, making a Sigma one of the rarest of Junkyard Finds. Five years ago, I found this ’89 in a California yard, and now I have discovered this ’90 in Denver.
At first, the model was given “Galant Sigma” badging, but for 1990 it was simply known as Sigma.
Not many miles on this one, and it seems pretty clean. Well maintained and driven rarely, or broken in 2002 and parked indoors until a few months ago?
What sort of car-selling business was Consignment Concepts in Cheyenne? This is one of the weirder dealership labels I have seen.
When you had a four-speed automatic (like just about every manufacturer) in 1990, you bragged about it.
Also required in Japanese pseudo-luxury sedans of the era: a very complex tape deck with nine-band graphic equalizer.
4door Sports!
The individual 4door.
“Not many miles on this one, and it seems pretty clean. Well maintained and driven rarely, or broken in 2002 and parked indoors until a few months ago?”
6G72? Probably puffed its last cloud of blue smoke.
“6G72? Probably puffed its last cloud of blue smoke.”
A Mitsu V6 with worn valve seals can keep running along for hundreds of thousands of miles, assuming it is topped up as needed. They’re tough motors. No I’d bet more on something like the transmission taking a crap, or some sort of electrical issue deemed to expensive to fuss with. Or could be as simple as the timing belt breaking (dry rotted) and no one wanted to mess with it, even though it’s non-interference. I’ve seen gen 1 V6 Mazda MPVs get sent to the junkyard over snapped t-belts because the shop read some faulty information stating that the JE 18 valve motor is an interference design and they tell the customer “well it probably hit something.”
I love seeing interference cars with “needs a timing belt- does not run”. I feel like slapping them, “it needs a helluva lot more than just a belt, you idiot!”
Scrapping a non-interference car with a broken belt is far worse.
“Cadillac SLS for sale. Runs great. Needs thermostat or radiator. Definitely NOT a head gasket. $1200 obo.”
-every craigslist
“Real nice ride. Jus needs somethin, overheats. idk.”
NO JOY RIDES
How about rides without joy? Because your car overheats and smells like spilled vape juice on the seats?
I think the substance of choice for the old SLS owner is undoubtedly weed.
I’ll take “What is no suspension for $1600, Alex”
My SLS smells like Little Trees “Black Ice” and stripper perfume.
Every SLS has Dollar General stripper body spray glitter melded into the microperf of the seats.
“old SLS”
Unpossible, they are all in the junkyard.
Ewww… geriatric cockroach from Peak Silver.
I bet it was more expensive than an ES250.
Per NADA, original MSRP was $17,879. Converting this to 2017 dollars, $33,323.
ES250 was $21,800. Or $40,631 today.
Eh, I’d take the Sigma.
The ES250 was nothing to write home about IMO. Later when it got the 3.0 and looked less like a hardtop Camry, it was worth a look.
I’d would have easily taken an Infiniti M30 coupe or an Acura Vigor* 5MT over either the Lexu or the Mitsu.
*Not sure if the Vigor was out in 1990, I think it came out in like 1992.
Wasn’t the Vigor pretty expensive and… not very good? It seems like those weren’t built to the same quality standards as something like the Legend or the 3.2TL.
I didn’t count the M coupe in the running because it was only two door. And I do agree the ES250 was much less desirable/good than the ES300. But it’s 1990, and all we got to work with are big shoulder pads and a few entries in the new Japanese lux market!
As aside, the Mazda 929 was $23,300.
In 1991 the G20 was $18,300.
Vigor came around in 1992.
The first Vigor was fine, just rare. People who had the money skipped ahead to the Legend, and the longitudinal slant 5 didn’t swap with *anything* in the Honda parts bin.
Oh that’s right, 5-cylinder! From the wacky Honda notebook.
I don’t know about overtaking (blank) but it had 175 hp, and did 0-60 in just under 10 seconds, and probably got 17-18 mpg overall. When gas prices reached over $3/gallon (on the way up) 10 years ago, it became just an old car that was too expensive to run.
This is your typical mid-80s lower-spec JDM premium ride. Outdated by 1990, but would have been more desirable in 1986 or so. This thing was running up against the U11 Bluebird Maxima Legrand and the frameless-window X70 Mark II variants.
Mark II, EVERY day.
RWD for the win and all, but FWD was the wave of the future in the 1980s, and Toyota was being its stodgy conservative self in not updating the Mark II.
That’s fine, I’ll have mine with doilies in it.
I’ll bet this was for the same money as a chevy Corsica. Anyone remember? I am pretty sure the lumina was a lot more (money and trouble)
No, this was significantly more expensive than a Lumina. I remember when they were sold new.
This was their top sedan offering of the time, so it would not have been cheap.
Love that intake manifold. Like something from a 60s Bonneville racer.
How much are we betting that touch climate control panel stopped working in the ’90s?
Also, there’s a “developing nation” look about these. They’d seem a bit more suited to the manager of a small bank – in Thailand.
Big car styling on an intimidate chassis manufactured by a second-tier company.
Do you have time for a quick chat?
Suuuuuuuuure.
? What are the buttons on the bottom of the horn pad for ? .
.
-Nate
Cruise control! And probably radio presets.
Well, a lot of cars still had 3 speeds in 1990, so having a 4 speed was worth a mention. Though I’m not sure any cars that competed with this came with a 3 speed.
Its a very interesting car. I must say I’d like to have one to enjoy for a bit. I’d have bought this one, fixed it up a bit, and driven it until I got bored and sold it.
Hell, the Neon I bought in 1996 still had a 3 speed auto…
That 3A in the Neon was from, I believe, the Valiant.
Really? The A904 Torqueflight was the standard 3-speed in most Valiants. Didn’t know that it was available in a transverse-mount FWD version.
Yep!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TorqueFlite#Front-wheel_drive_transaxles
Was that the last 3-speed auto in the US market?
I bet it was. I can’t think of any other vehicle so archaic at that time. Even cheaper options like a Daewoo had a 4-speed GM.
Chevy Prism/Corolla kept 3 speeds up to 2001, when did the Neon drop it?
Looks like the 3 speed made it all the way to 2001 in the 2nd gen Neon when it was replaced by 4 speed. I had a 3 speed auto in the ’88 Nova (which became the Prism) I replaced it with at the time in 1996, so I did not know any better.
According to the Wiki, the 3 (31TH) did not go directly back to the Valiant- just to the ’78 Omni. Which is bad enough.
GM J-bodies kept the TH125 3-speed as the base model automatic through the 2002 model year. Paired with the pushrod 2200.
You win! Cavalier owners lose.
My parents had this car. It was a good car. Very comfortable. Adjustable rear seat!
Another day, another dollar.
Terry climbed into the silver Mitsubishi, and was off for an exciting day of working in the mailroom. Merging onto I-70, the little Mitsubishi sounded as excited as the driver. Emitting a little cloud behind him, he made decent time for rush hour. Terry grabbed a quick breakfast from the local Sonic, and continued to work. A dull commute, but Terry never was the one to really care. That’s how he lived life. Boring house, boring job, clothes from the local Goodwill, though he could afford new if he wanted. And, of course, the car. Over 25 years old, and he had some money set aside for when the day came. But, it served his grandmother fine before she passed, and was now serving him just fine. Every day, Terry could look at the new Audis on Denver streets, and think “What do they have that I don’t? We’re on the same road, going to the same places”. But, whatever, he didn’t have time for thinking. Off to work.
—
It was the end of the day, and Terry was ready to go home. He stopped by the King Soopers and grabbed a couple ham steaks and a few other things. Back on the road, Terry changed the radio station, picking up some distant classic station. “I believe there’s so much to believe in. So, lift your eyes if you feel you can. Reach for a star, and I’ll show you a plan….” Could be worse, life was good. And, Clarissa would be waiting at home for him.
Things then got worse- a lot worse. Suddenly, the engine for the Mitsubishi cut out, leaving Terry powerless on the Interstate. He threw the blinkers on, and tried to restart the car. Nothing happened though. Fortunately, the driver of an old Audi A6 was well versed in breakdowns, and knew what was happening. He slowed to make room so Terry could pull off safely. Terry tried to restart the Mitsubishi, but the old V6 wasn’t having anything to do with it. He was not going anywhere. He pulled out his cell phone, and made the call to his loving wife.
“You’ll have to call for a tow truck. Call Dave- I think he has an F250 and a flatbed. If he can’t come right away, I’ll throw on a pair of boots and pick you up. Just make sure you’re safe and let me know if you need me”
Terry made the call. Dave was an old friend from high school. This time of the year, things were busy though. He did have an F250 and a flatbed, but what Clarissa didn’t know was that there was a snowplow on the front of the truck. And, Denver was expecting snow that night.
“I’ll pick it up sometime in the middle of the night. I’ve got to go past it to plow the lot for that shopping center. Would you like me to keep it at my place for a couple days?”
Terry agreed that it would be best, and thanked Mike. “There will be a $20 in the glovebox I keep there for emergencies. If you want more, let me know”. Dave was the type who would never take the twenty in the first place. It’s what friends are for. Dave was already hating how he’d have to unhook the trailer a dozen times, but he’d never let Mike know that.
Now he called Clarissa once more and asked for a ride. It took her the better part of an hour get through the traffic, but the blue Altima was a welcome sight. The loving blonde helped Terry unload the stuff from the Mitsubishi- mostly extra fluids, jumper cables, and other tools that would help in a breakdown, though ironically Terry had no mechanical abilities and was broken down.
Clarissa merged back in traffic, and the two began to talk. “I think it’s time, honey. She’s served me well, but I can’t miss work. We have some money set aside, and you got the promotion last month. What do you think?”
“You paid nothing for that car. It’s been six years now. Tomorrow’s Saturday- you don’t have to go in, and neither do I. I think we should take a look tomorrow.”
That older A6 driver sympathized with a breakdown, and that’s why he gave him room.
Some notes (though you didn’t ask):
-I’d watch the switching to and fro between characters. It’s abrupt, and not always apparent which character you’re referring to.
-Work some of the sentences together so they’re longer and flow more easily.
-Try and add in something weird – a hook that makes it a more fun read. This was just a slightly inconvenient evening at the end of the day.
> That older A6 driver sympathized with a breakdown, and that’s why he gave him room.
That’s going in. That has to go in.
I’ll get better as I do more. This is the second one I’ve ever done, and I have no emotion towards older Mitsubishis
The people are the emotions – the car is the tool you use to draw the blood.
That’s a very Crab People statement you just made, Corey.
hahaah
I must find emotions for a 1990’s Japanese car. This is going to be hard….
I’m going to do a Rare Rides for an emotional ’90s Japanese car, today or tomorrow. It’s red.
Previa?!
Ha, find me a stock Previa SC 4WD with low miles and I will do a Rare Rides on it happily.
That I look forward to. A 1990 Sigma does not inspire emotions to me.
Did these have the same 3.0 that was in the Chrysler New Yorker?
Crab people, crab people.
Excellent! I love these Front Range Colorado sob stories.
Here is an excellent addition for some mind souring illusory thoughts. “The Mitsu gave up the ghost on the elevated section of I-70 next to the Purina plant. Nothing like the smell of hot stewing cheap cat food on a cold winter’s day”.
This brings back the memory of CrabSpirits story about a meth deal gone bad in the alleys of East Colfax in a derelict Corsica? IIRC??
I’ve only spent a week or total in Colorado. I live in Wyoming, so I don’t know the geographical things too well (Or that Denver even had a Purina plant)
@Matador….Good work !
Thanks!
I’ve seen a couple of these at the pick-a-parts, but this past weekend, I spotted an early ‘Galant Sigma’-badged one OUTSIDE of one, probably owned by an employee based on where it was parked.
As a 20 year old ’87 Dodge Colt 2-dr hatchback owner in 1988, this car was the Bee’s Knee’s! I mean, look at the graphic equalizer and the Sigma I test drove had that awesome sunroof! As a young aspiring yuppie-type wanna be, this car gave me hope. Then I bought a Nissan Hardbody.
Nothing seems to be removed from it. Probably will go to the crusher in nearly the same condition.
Yechs I owned one of those pseudo models. Very uncomfortable seats. Really nothing special.