Used Mitsubishi Magna (3rd Generation) review

Exterior:

• Let’s begin with the paint. You might encounter numerous online complaints from owners about paint and clear coat fading, but consider the context: these cars have endured over 20 years of exposure to Australia’s harsh climate. If the car has been regularly garaged, cleaned, and polished, the paint can hold up remarkably well. After consulting with panel beaters, it’s clear that the paint quality and resilience of these cars are no better or worse than other vehicles of similar age and price range.
• One area that hasn’t aged as gracefully, even with regular care, is the exterior plastics, rubbers, and seals. Expect brittle plastic clips and trims, with many examples likely sporting at least one cracked door handle surround.
• Additionally, while the frameless doors are undeniably cool, once the rubber seals perish, you may encounter wind noise at best and water ingress at worst.
• Despite these challenges, rust isn’t a common issue for the Magna or Verada. However, there are specific areas to inspect, such as beneath the plastic cowl where the windscreen wipers are mounted and around the boot lid seal, including the boot interior. Even so, these cars generally exhibit strong resistance to corrosion.

Interior:

• Inside, one of the most frequently reported problems is with the heater core, or more specifically, the plastic elbows exiting the core. These can crack over time, and in the worst-case scenario, this can lead to the car’s ECU being soaked. Needless to say, you don’t want coolant and electronics to mix.
• Compounding the issue, sourcing replacement heater core connectors or an ECU is becoming increasingly difficult due to the car’s age and limited popularity. Additionally, fixing the heater core often requires the entire dashboard to be removed, a labor-intensive task that can take up to eight hours, making it expensive if performed by a mechanic.
• Another recurring issue is a strange electrical or immobiliser fault caused by tension on the wiring harness and corroded plugs, which interferes with the key barrel. This can lead to frustrating no-start conditions that require time and patience to resolve. While replacement parts are typically affordable, finding them can be a challenge.

Mechanically:

• The Magna and Verada engines, including the 2.4L inline-4 and the 3.0L and 3.5L V6s, are known for their reliability, but all share similar age-related issues.
• Oil consumption is a notable problem, primarily due to worn piston rings. Valve cover oil leaks are common as well, often dripping onto the exhaust. Additionally, these engines are infamous for burning oil due to worn valve stem seals, producing plumes of smoke and a distinctive odor when accelerating from a stoplight.
• Timing belts need replacement every 100,000 km, but leaking front cam and crank seals can necessitate earlier service. For the 4-cylinder engines, the balance shaft belt is another concern, as it’s often found broken during timing belt replacements.
• Cooling system issues are also prevalent, including corroding steel coolant pipes and throttle body fittings. Head gasket failures were once common, particularly on the 4-cylinder models, though most affected vehicles have likely been repaired by now, and recurrence is rare.
• Other mechanical components prone to failure include old-school distributors and spark plug leads, which are frequent culprits of poor performance or starting issues. The idle speed control valve is another weak point but is relatively inexpensive and simple to repair.

Transmission:

• The automatic transmissions in these cars can have a reputation for failure, particularly if they haven’t been regularly serviced. The primary issue is the wave spring, which can snap after years of use and heat cycles. When this happens, fragments can enter the transmission oil pump, leading to catastrophic failure. This problem is more common in the later 5-speed automatics, though the 4-speed versions aren’t immune.
• A prudent preventative measure is to replace the wave spring with the stronger version used in the final TW Magna and KW Verada. Alternatively, removing the wave spring entirely eliminates the risk of failure. It’s worth noting, however, that many owners report no issues even with high-mileage 5-speed automatics.

Update Details:

TE/KE (1996–1997): The TE and KE Magna/Verada were the most aerodynamic cars ever produced in Australia, surpassing even the VF Commodore and FG X Falcon in this regard.

TF/KF (1997–1998): This update brought redesigned wheel covers, speed-limit alerts, and upgraded interior trims, including cup holders. The Executive and Advance trims looked identical externally, but the Advance added airbags and ABS. The Altera and Altera LS trims introduced power windows and other features like dual airbags. Manual transmissions became limited to specific trims, and a limited-edition Solara variant was offered mid-1998 with alloy wheels and exclusive badging.

TH/KH (1999–2000): The 4-cylinder engine was dropped due to slow sales and consumer demand for more power. The 3.0L V6 became standard, while the 3.5L V6 became optional on the Executive and standard on higher trims. Cosmetic changes included a new front grille, redesigned rear end, updated interiors, and revised wheel designs. Air conditioning became standard across the range.

TJ/KJ (2000–2002): This update introduced a raised central bonnet section and new grille design. Rolling updates during this series added side-impact bars for the Australian market and energy-absorbing material in the front doors.

TJ.II (2002–2003): Introduced Tiptronic functionality to the 5-speed automatic and featured a new instrument cluster, two-tone interiors, and chrome gearshift surrounds. This series also saw the debut of the AWD Magna/Verada, which continued until the model’s end in 2005.

TL/KL (2003–2004): The TL/KL update brought restyled front and rear ends, mild mechanical revisions, and improved interior trims. These updates included enhanced equipment, technology, and safety features.

TW/KW (2004–2005): The final facelift, this series introduced “Series II” badging, color-coded headlight bezels, and larger US-spec bumpers for the Verada. It marked the end of the Magna/Verada line before the introduction of the Mitsubishi 380.