1. Why buy an FTO?
The
majority of people buy the Mitsubishi FTO because of its performance,
handling and more often because of the way the car looks. The car has a
unique design that pedestrians and motorists alike can’t help
but notice. There are very few nine or ten year old cars on the road
right now that look as fresh as the FTO!
Owning
an FTO can be very rewarding, the problem is that many people
(including some of the garages that sell them) don’t know a
whole lot about the car. The result is that many people think that
servicing and parts may be a problem which is not the case. There are
specialist suppliers in both Ireland the UK who can
source parts quite easily.
This
a rough guide to the Mitsubishi FTO in terms of available models and
what to look out for when buying. If you have any further questions
that are not answered here, sign up to the FTO Ireland forums, there are
plenty of members who will be more than happy to fill you in.
2.
Models
There are six
models to choose from, the GS, GR, GX, GP, GPX and GP (later became the
GPvR). By far, the
most common models are the GS, GR and GPX. See table below for some
comparisons:
3. Engine
type
|
Model
|
Engine size
(cc)
|
Engine model
|
Engine type
|
Power (BHP/rpm)
|
|
GS
|
1834
|
4G93
|
16V SOHC
|
123/6000
|
|
GR
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC
V6
|
177/7000
|
|
GX Sport
package
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC
V6
|
177/7000
|
|
GX Sport
package aero series
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC
V6
|
177/7000
|
|
GPX
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC MIVEC
V6
|
197/7500
|
|
GPvR
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC MIVEC
V6
|
197/7500
|
|
GPvR aero series
|
1998
|
6A12
|
24V DOHC MIVEC
|
197/7500
|
|
|
|
|
|
16V SOHC
|
24V DOHC
V6
|
24V DOHC MIVEC
V6
|
4.
Gearbox
There are two
choices of gearbox on the FTO, a 5-speed manual and a 4 or 5-speed
Tiptronic (semi-automatic). Tiptronic variants are the more common
gearbox type, its fair to say that at least 70% of all FTOs were
manufactured in this form. Its
worth noting that 4-speed Tiptronic gearboxes have a record of failing
if poorly maintained. Ideally, the Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
and filter should have been changed every at least every 20,000 kms. If
you come across a car with erratic gear-changes, either in auto or Tip
mode, then walk away. Another thing to note is that an automatic
transmission will incur a 15% loss of total engine power at the wheels.
5.
Facelift models
Facelift
models became available from 1997 on, as well as a facelifted bumper, the Tiptronic
gearbox now came with 5 gears as opposed to 4 in the non-facelift. It
should be noted that 5-speed Tip gearboxes are known to be much more
reliable than their 4-speed counterparts.
At the time of
writing, facelift models are quite rare in Ireland; the majority
of cars tend to fall into the 1994-1996 bracket.
In latter years, Irish car import companies stopped bringing FTOs (and
other models) into the country as it became less cost effective to sell
them on. The rising cost of motor insurance was also a factor in this
change of practice.
6.
Extras
The FTO came
with many optional extras which include sunroof, side-skirts, spoiler,
ABS and Traction control (TCL). For a list of the standard equipment
supplied with each model, check out Steve Hemmings
site
7.
Servicing
Most
consumable parts such as oil filters, fluids and brake pads can be
obtained fairly easily from most motor factors. The FTO shares many of
its serviceable parts with other Mitsubishi models. Certain parts may
need to be ordered from specialist suppliers, this does not mean that
that they are very expensive, it just means that you have to know where
to look! Check out the Services
page for a list of companies who will cater for all of your
parts needs.
8. Common
problems
