And one of the fastest growing brands is...

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Mitsubishi? Really? But apparently sales are way up.

Even without the new Eclipse Cross which is due in the near future.

I've owned three and a half Mitsus. All of them Chrysler cross brands, I give the troublesome Mitsu V-6 in a mid-nineties Caravan credit for a half car. I looked at the two existing crossovers before buying a used Buick Encore. Even drove the smaller one before pulling the trigger. I was underwhelmed. These are old, old cars. Am I missing something in the last couple of years. Hidden improvements that I don't appreciate?

If there's any recent converts or long time Mitsubishi fans, please enlighten me. Maybe new Nissan money has brought about huge, hidden changes.
 
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Well, I don't know what article or numbers you're referring to but let's get a little perspective here.
If Mitsu sold 2 cars last year, and this year they have already sold 6 cars, their sales have tripled. What other manufacturer has tripled their sales this year? Get the idea?
 
Originally Posted By: 555
Well, I don't know what article or numbers you're referring to but let's get a little perspective here.
If Mitsu sold 2 cars last year, and this year they have already sold 6 cars, their sales have tripled. What other manufacturer has tripled their sales this year? Get the idea?


Exactly !!
 
Originally Posted By: 555
Well, I don't know what article or numbers you're referring to but let's get a little perspective here.
If Mitsu sold 2 cars last year, and this year they have already sold 6 cars, their sales have tripled. What other manufacturer has tripled their sales this year? Get the idea?

That is the only explanation!
 
Considering they closed their only US plant in 2015, every car sold only adds to their overhead costs by having to transport them. That can't be sustainable for the long run when customers will be footing the bill on what is supposed to be a "budget" vehicle.

If you only sell 100 cars one year and 108 the next, you can claim the 8% YOY increase that Mitsubishi is claiming. Just to put Mitsubishi's self-lip-service into perspective, I hate Toyota Camrys... and Toyota sold 3 Camrys (just Camrys!) for every single total Mitsubishi sold during January. 8% increase on a drop in the bucket is... a drop in the bucket.
smile.gif
 
Mitsubishi sales have been dropping for years. Also, dealers are closing shop all over the US so the problem is compounded. As already mentioned, any increase in sales from very low numbers will be exaggerated percentage wise.

The backing of Renault Nissan is a positive development mostly for Nissan who used a bit of “your signature or your brains on the contract” strategy. Nissan was the one who leaked the cheating scandal of fuel economy numbers in Japan with Mitsubishi’s kei cars. These were Mitsubishi’s best selling segment and sales collapsed overnight. Their stock price followed and at the opportune time and price, Nissan jumped in and bought a huge chunk.

I do wonder why Mitsu dealerships have not consolidated with Nissan in the US It would make sense.

Another factor is Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV which is a big seller everywhere else in the world but kept getting held up entering the US market. I believe 4-5 years have been lost in that alone.

I’ve owned 2 Mitsubishi vehicles. A 1992 Expo and a 2000 Montero Sport. Both lasted many years and many miles. Maintenance costs were minimal. These were also Japan made vehicles instead of the ones made in Illinois which had quality control issues that were widely known. That plant closed long ago.
 
They strike me as a car brand for people who want a new car to show off at a used car price. You never see old ones around here and you do not see them in the junkyards either, they are truly disposable.

EDIT: My fam also had that mitz v6 in a 89 dodge caravan! 3.0 L V6 I believe! It burned oil big time at the end but my dad also towed with it when we got a boat in the early-mid 90s and perhaps even before that towing other small trailers. We got rid of that in 97 for a 95 2500 burb 4x4, what an upgrade!
 
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The bad credit used car lot turned into a new Mitsu dealer.

Prices seem insane high compared to other comparable brands.

I would buy an outlander sport for the wife, if it were 2+ years old and dirt cheap.
 
From what I just found on the web:

Quote:
NEW ORLEANS -- Mitsubishi expects U.S. sales to surpass 100,000 vehicles this year for the first time in a decade, even though a highly anticipated new crossover will not reach dealerships until early 2018.

Hitting that milestone would mean an increase of at least 3.9 percent for the brand from the 96,267 units it sold last year, amid analysts' expectations for total industry sales to be roughly flat.


To put that in perspective, Ford sold 89,385 F-series trucks in the month of December.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Perhaps they sell great in non US places?



They do. Southeast Asia, Inda, Africa are huge markets for them as is the Japan domestic market although I’m not sure that has recovered since the scandal. This was a huge reason Renault Nissan bought into them was access to markets they do not currently have big exposure to.
 
Mitsubishi...its the bottom of the barrel in Japan. Like GM here about. I remember DSM having Hyundai building their engines because they could never get it together. Only time I ever wanted a Mitsubishi was when Fast and Furious first came out. Drove an Acura Integra and never thought twice about anything but the big A or H.
 
Originally Posted By: Marco620
Mitsubishi...its the bottom of the barrel in Japan. Like GM here about. I remember DSM having Hyundai building their engines because they could never get it together. Only time I ever wanted a Mitsubishi was when Fast and Furious first came out. Drove an Acura Integra and never thought twice about anything but the big A or H.




There was a lot of stories of rampant drug and alcohol use at that plant. I have no direct knowledge of that but the stories are out there.

On a few occasions when I was at the dealer for a oil change or yearly inspection service, I checked out the US made Galants. The quality difference between those and the Japan assembled vehicles I owned was night and day. It was shocking to say the least.

Mitsu hasn’t built cars in Normal for years so I wonder what that plant has been producing? I had heard they were making HVAC products which is a successful segment of the Mitsubishi conglomerate. For those that do not know, Mitsu is Japan’s version of General Electric. They make everything.
 
Old GF had a Mitsubishi Eclipse it ran good used no oil got 42 MPG on the Hwy. Other owners I've known have had good luck with the brand. I'm seriously considering one over the high priced spread! The new little SUV looks impressive. They are a used car bargain.
 
Quote:
For those that do not know, Mitsu is Japan’s version of General Electric. They make everything.


Luckily for people here in the USA no vehicles are made by GE.
 
My brother got an Outlander as a rental; not a bad vehicle IMHO. Nothing made it shine over the myriad of other CUV/SUV choices, but certainly a reasonable contender

Some of the comments here suggest some believe the world revolves around the 'low growth' US car market.
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
My brother got an Outlander as a rental; not a bad vehicle IMHO. Nothing made it shine over the myriad of other CUV/SUV choices, but certainly a reasonable contender

Some of the comments here suggest some believe the world revolves around the 'low growth' US car market.


OK, then let's talk Global sales:

http://www.automotive-fleet.com/channel/...re-down-15.aspx

Quote:
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) global sales volume during the cumulative three quarters in FY16 declined to 673,000 units, according to the company's third quarter financial statement. This is 15% lower than the same period of last year, but relatively in line with the revised plan released in October 2016.


Ford F-series sales, US market-only, for 2017 were 896,764 in comparison.

Mitsubishi is not a big player in the automotive market even when looked at globally.

BMW moves roughly twice what Mitsubishi moves globally, if that helps paint a better picture.
 
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