Hire Car review - Mitsubishi 380 - THE IMPORTANT FACTS WHEN TESTING A RENTAL!

XDV800 · 30-03-2008, 02:06 AM

Ok, this is just a tale of my experience with a hire car, I didn't give a stuff how cold the air-con was, how many milliseconds the auto took to shift, I just wanted something quicker and comfier and quicker than my pussbox R31.
Picture this. Mackay to Cairns xmas eve 06. Driving solo to pick up the missus who's just finished a refurb up there, take her to meet mum and spend xrissy. Bonza.
Picked up the navy blue 380 base model first thing from my local thrifty outlet at which a neighbour managed the show, and kindly gave me a generous discount on the hire for 5 days, on the proviso i return it in 1 piece. We'll see.
Full tank of gas. Check. Half a packet of cigarettes. Check. Two musicians wearing dark sunglasses on a mission from god. Well... no just me.
I removed the hubcaps for safekeeping, loaded me gear into the backseat, sat my 3 wallets of cd's on the pass seat, loaded my new tool album in, then headed up the road. 740 od kays ahead. Luvvit.

Found the 3.8l v6 a doddle to overtake with, just mash the peddle, she kicks back to 2nd or 3rd, and i find ive just slingshot past 2 semis without raising a sweat. Overtaking was the order of the day, and the 380 impressed. Even using the 5 speed ****tronic slusher in sports mode proved that highway overtaking duties can be accomplished by just flicking between 4th and 5th.

Activated the cruise control, and switched to some different tunes. Sevendust. Driving music would get me there.
I didn't like the look of the dash, bit of a magna parts bin mess, or the stereos layout or functions. The output of sound kept me happy, but hey, who gives a toss its just a rental.
Got just north of Bowen, came accross a jacknifed semi strewn all over the road, damn delay for over 1hour. Ahwell, perfect opportunity to thumb throught the latest FHM mag then. MMM Emily Scott has the best assets.

Here we go, cops let us past, but now theres about 50 cars in front of me keeping the going slow. No matter. 175 kW, and 343 Nm would soon see the queue dispatched promptly, and it was smooth sailing through townsville and beyond, despite some monsoonal showers.
Onwards and upwards along the Bruce Highway, just a world class motorway, potholes every 60 metres i swear. Larry had seen to this part of the world, it was obvious.
Into Cairns just on sunset and picked up the girl...
[skip the xmas BS, this is a roadtest]

Xmas came and went, so me and the girl decided to do some sight seeing, so headed for the atherton tablelands for a day trip. Headed up the gillies range, 130+ corners of mayhem, tyres and girlfriend squealing all the way. Took in the sites on the way through malanda, milla milla, ravenshoe, including a thrilling damp dirt road section, which showed the 380 had some prowess in rally type conditions, hanging the rear end out on command.
Then on too atherton to catch up with a mate.

A fish and chip meal later and me mate asks, "can it smoke em up?"
"I dunno, lets find out"
Apply handbrake, stall it up, release the brake pedal, and... haze the tyres!
Too easy.
Back to Cairns, and an easy night time descent of the gillies this time.
Spent the next day catching up with people, and hooked up with a best mate that night to go take in a movie. A stop at maccas afterwards reminded me of a youtube experiment involving front wheel drive and some plastic meal trays. BRAINWAVE!
Some apple pies and soft serves later, we find ourselves in an industrial area with an extremely wide stretch of btumen, a favourite pay area as a P plater. With the meal trays under the back tyres and the phone camera at the ready.
Apply handbrake, full lock, plant the boot, and hold on. The thing whips into 180 degree loops while eminating plumes of a wonderful smelling cloudy gas from the front tyres. Fun x 5.
Once the maccas trays are no more we call it a night and retire in preparation for the return to Mackay.

Thanked mum for the seafood and pressies, loaded me, girl, her suitcase from her 10 week work stint, some childhood keepsakes and every street machine mag from 1996 into the mitsu, and headed for home.
Much more sedate trip home, took in some more sights on the way. The thing returned about 11.5L/100 for the trip according to its trippy meter, which i didn't give a rats about, because iv'e got better things to worry about.

Upon the return to Mackay, i stopped in at my local 24 hour DIY carwash to give it a tub, removed the bugs and mud, then thought to myself what a pleasant journey it had been. I had not lived with a bitsushiti for a period such as this, and was saddened by the fact i would have to return this remarkably capable aussie built big 6 sedan the next day.
I finalised my bonding with 380 by nailing the throttle out of the carwash onto the main road, the soapy tyres spinning all the way through 4 speeds upto the 80 km/h speed limit, me and the tyres squealing with joy all the way.

What a good car. I give it a 3.5/5 overall. Not that it matters.

Scott · 30-03-2008, 03:00 AM

I've hired several and it seems you may not have tried to reverse the bloody thing..... they are a reasonable car but I had to press my ear to the roof to see out of the them. At that point, I knew it was useless for just about any woman under 5'10".

fourl6 · 30-03-2008, 11:44 AM

iv got a 01 magna for a work car... has plenty of power but the pulling steering wheel gives me the shits... every time i plant my foot its determined to dive into a gutter...
will have to try the maccas trays thing... great review btw

[Tonko] · 30-03-2008, 07:40 PM

Forget the maccas trays, 44-gallon drum/bin lids work better ;)

Cam · 30-03-2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [Tonko]

Forget the maccas trays, 44-gallon drum/bin lids work better ;)

hahahaa, great advice, i was thinking the same thing!

I have had a few 380 hire cars, apart from the hideous dash layout and the obvious FWD shortfalls, i found it quite a capable car, and considering i was heading from mackay out west, it did the job quite well

ingall9 · 30-03-2008, 08:16 PM

I havent driven one, but have heard mixed reviews, but i believe it to be a pretty good car, especailly for the money. It appears however it wasnt enough to drag Mitsubishi's butt out of the coals. Its a nice looking car to and the interior of the VRX model is pretty sporty and clean.

Windsor220 · 30-03-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cam.giles

iv got a 01 magna for a work car... has plenty of power but the pulling steering wheel gives me the shits... every time i plant my foot its determined to dive into a gutter...

And so a user name was born.......

PALE ALE · 31-03-2008, 12:34 AM

MAAATE!, you should get a job at wheel's or motor magazine or one of those other crap mag's be worth reading then

Tote · 31-03-2008, 10:11 PM

Most excellent review, reads like a Les Norton book with less violence and rooting...
Regards,
Tote

Slow Ute · 31-03-2008, 10:40 PM

had a few 380 as well for hire cars and find them to be very plesant to drive. i do spend 6 days a week in a hilux so even a daewoo matiz is probably more cumfy.

atherton tablelands is a bloody nice drive, done it a few times now and love it every time.

DoreSlamR · 31-03-2008, 10:59 PM

You lost me at the maccas trays...knew a few FWD boys who take their maccas trays VERY seriously....fewls.....

PALE ALE · 01-04-2008, 11:39 AM

A couple of thing's you forgot to test though,the speed limiter, when that cut's in you'll crap you're self and think you've blown it up. also take it up to about 160 and hit the skid's to see if the ABS work's

**Sorted** · 01-04-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PALE ALE

A couple of thing's you forgot to test though,the speed limiter, when that cut's in you'll crap you're self and think you've blown it up. also take it up to about 160 and hit the skid's to see if the ABS work's

LOL

380 vs VE SS........... who won, 380.............. Not only was the Car Faster but the Driver was better............lol

X000BOSS · 01-04-2008, 01:19 PM

cool!
going to utube maccas tray right now...

DBourne · 01-04-2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X000BOSS

cool!
going to utube maccas tray right now...

don't.. you'll loose faith in humanity

**El Venom** · 01-04-2008, 07:40 PM

The 380's are very good cars. I know this because I drive so many everyday at brisbane airport working for THRIFTY. After spending time driving and having to reverse park them all the time, they become very easy to reverse park. They only things I dont really like is the electric seats as they are so slow and the boot release button in the glove box, but the price things things are sold for makes them a very popular choice of big car for people looking at a newer car, especially the VRX models

tex · 01-04-2008, 07:48 PM

Excellent review, thanks for a great read.

I hire lots of cars, and (unfortunately) 380 is one of them. I'm not a fan at all, but had a laugh reading a well structured and informative review.

9/10.

RAREV8 · 02-04-2008, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex

Excellent review, thanks for a great read.

I hire lots of cars, and (unfortunately) 380 is one of them. I'm not a fan at all, but had a laugh reading a well structured and informative review.

9/10.

I agree with the above sentiment- not a fan at all compared with a six speed auto and LSD in my XR6 but a great read and yes, very Rober G Barret style writing!
I am familiar with the route you took (albeit 12 years since I have been up to Atherton) and it is a really good road test of any car....our clapped out HX Kingy sadly didn't fare as well!
The best thing about the 380 was the little rear view mirror dimmer when you have 4WD's with bright lights behind you!

gz1 · 02-04-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAREV8

The best thing about the 380 was the little rear view mirror dimmer when you have 4WD's with bright lights behind you!

If you need this you are not driving fast enough

sly_ba · 02-04-2008, 01:44 PM

I've taken a few out and found them to be pretty punchy for what they are. Almost to much power for the front wheels....

Agreed, dash is terrible.

I enjoyed reading your write up mate, good one...

fourl6 · 25-05-2008, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cam.giles

iv got a 01 magna for a work car... has plenty of power but the pulling steering wheel gives me the shits... every time i plant my foot its determined to dive into a gutter...
will have to try the maccas trays thing... great review btw

just got a upgrade to a 05 magna... they've fixed the steering pulling a bit by uping 2nd gear or something because this one it a fair bit slower... and wont drop back to first above 35kms... :(

Bazil · 25-05-2008, 09:49 PM

The good lady and I were in Cairns/Port Douglas early on in May for hol's and had arranged to hire a 380 through Budget but when we got there they gave us a BF2 XR6,with just over a 1000k on the clock, bonus!

Mongoose · 25-05-2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sly_ba

I've taken a few out and found them to be pretty punchy for what they are. Almost to much power for the front wheels....

Agreed, dash is terrible.

I enjoyed reading your write up mate, good one...

Well,Too much power for the front wheels to be honest, its a sideways mounted pajero engine in case anyone was wondering...

Hybrid34 · 25-05-2008, 09:55 PM

Hire cars I've driven
-06 Nissan Maxima
- BA XR6
- BA Xr6 Mk2
- VY Commodore
- Toyota Echo
-2004 Toyota Altse

Out of all of them, the maxima impresed me the most (luxury exepct for the dash)

Lets be honest....hire cars are thrashed to the sh*i*s...

PALE ALE · 25-05-2008, 10:21 PM

Cant wait to read the FG test drive

loltastic · 26-05-2008, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mongoose

Well,Too much power for the front wheels to be honest, its a sideways mounted pajero engine in case anyone was wondering...

Actually it isn't. The Pajero uses the 3.8 MIVEC engine that goes in the Raliart Galant in the US. The 380 uses the SOHC 3.8L.

Ringo · 26-05-2008, 08:19 AM

Gold.....we should put in to hire another something for 5 days just so YZFR101 could review it.

I vote for something Korean for an extra element of risk....

Mongoose · 26-05-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltastic

Actually it isn't. The Pajero uses the 3.8 MIVEC engine that goes in the Raliart Galant in the US. The 380 uses the SOHC 3.8L.

Its the same engine, MIVEC only stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system. There both the 6G75 engine. The galant in the US uses the same engine as the 380, witch is the same as the Pajero...

loltastic · 27-05-2008, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mongoose

Its the same engine, MIVEC only stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system. There both the 6G75 engine. The galant in the US uses the same engine as the 380, witch is the same as the Pajero...

Technically it's the same block, 6G75, but with different heads and internals, different compression and cams, tuned for different power and torque etc. It's a bit like the Ford block from AU -> BA yes?

Mongoose · 27-05-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltastic

Technically it's the same block, 6G75, but with different heads and internals, different compression and cams, tuned for different power and torque etc. It's a bit like the Ford block from AU -> BA yes?

yeah, fair enough.