Good morning! For your mid-week Showdown, I’m getting you over the hump by showing you the two cheapest viable rides I could find in my old stomping grounds around the Twin Cities. They may not look like much, but they’re cheap, and they run just fine.
Yesterday’s California stickshifts both ran fine too, though the Matrix made some ominous noises. That wasn’t enough to put you off it, though; it took a narrow but definite win. Personally, I’d prefer the CR-V, but that’s just because I liked the feel of my old beat-up Honda Accord better than my old beat-up Toyota Corolla.
It sounds like the lien paperwork didn’t help the Honda’s case, and I understand that it might give you pause. I just know that lien sales in California are no big deal, because we went through it once, for a Nissan Pathfinder that someone took to a mechanic to have a bunch of work done, and then never came back to settle the bill. We got it for $1,300 with a rebuilt bottom end, new clutch, new water pump and timing belt, and a bunch of other work. Their loss; my wife and I moved to Portland in that Pathfinder, and drove it for three more years after that.
Speaking of cheap cars I used to own, I spent ten years in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul driving a string of absolute crap cars. Some lasted me a year or two; others a matter of weeks. The cheapest one was $175 (’78 Plymouth Volare) and the most expensive was $800 (’88 Oldsmobile Calais – with a Quad 4 and a stickshift). I do not miss those days, nor do I pine for any of those cars, except maybe that Calais. That one was kinda fun.
From time to time, I like to look at cheap cars for sale in that area, just to see what I might be stuck driving if I were in that situation today. Obviously, I’m not going to find anything for the five hundred bucks that was my average purchase price back then, but these two are only fifteen hundred each, and they’re actually a hell of a lot nicer than any of my old beaters were. Let’s check them out.
2003 Mitsubishi Outlander – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4 liter overhead cam inline 4, four-speed automatic, AWD
Location: Cadott, WI
Odometer reading: 179,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Mitsubishi’s entry in the early days of the crossover wars was the Outlander. Like Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s RAV4, it borrowed mechanical components from a compact sedan, in this case the Mitsubishi Lancer. And like the others, it sat taller than its sedan cousin, and offered all-wheel-drive, which this one has.
This Outlander, like most, drives all four wheels with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. I’ve never actually seen an Outlander with a stick, though I know they did exist. This one has a manual shift gate on its shifter, but it isn’t really the same, is it? The good news is that it runs and drives well, according to the seller, and both the heat and air conditioning work. At this price, what more can you ask?
It ain’t pretty, but then, it wasn’t pretty to begin with. It looks like it’s had a bonk or two on the nose. The plastic front bumper cover is all cracked up, and appears to be held together with wood screws if I’m not mistaken – a time-honored way to hold broken plastic pieces together on old cars. I think I see the zip-tie trick here and there too, another classic. It also has a pretty good crack in the windshield; you’d have to see whether or not it blocks your vision. Wisconsin doesn’t have inspections, and I doubt anyone would pull you over for it.
What I don’t see is much in the way of rust, which is impressive for a twenty-year-old car in western Wisconsin. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any; there may be some nastiness hiding behind that plastic lower cladding, but it isn’t advanced enough to peek out yet, so it can probably be ignored.
2011 Dodge Avenger SE – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.6 liter dual overhead cam V6, six-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Anoka, MN
Odometer reading: 210,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The Dodge Avenger was the replacement for the four-door Dodge Stratus, after the Stratus was the replacement for the two-door Avenger. This was before Dodge started recycling old names and brought back the Dart name for its compact sedan. I don’t know why it didn’t bring back more of the old names; there were some great ones: Polara, Coronet, Aries (just kidding).
Most people, if they have had any experience with the Avenger, it was in the context of a rental agreement. Avengers were the official “it’s all we have left” car of rental counters all across the country for quite a few years. But most of those had the base 2.4 liter four under the hood. Not this one. In 2011 – and I didn’t realize this – the optional six-cylinder was Chrysler’s then-new 3.6 liter Pentastar V6, sending a whopping 283 horsepower to the front wheels, and probably giving a whole new meaning to the term “torque-steer.”
The V6 Avenger also got a couple extra gears in its Ultradrive automatic, for a total of six. Again, a stick would be better, but I’ve never seen one of these with a manual either. This one runs and drives just fine, according to the seller, and has surpassed 200,000 miles, so the transmission must have been serviced properly.
Inside, it has held up well, but it’s a bit grubby and there are some weird stains on the seats here and there. It might clean up, or it might not. Outside, it’s got a split lip in front, some minor rust along the bottom of the trunk lid, and those dumb cheesy stripes that I guess are supposed to look like the stripes on the similarly styled Charger Daytona. Whatever; for this price you can embrace a little cheesiness.
At this price point, you can’t get too picky. Condition matters a lot more than brand, or style, or reputation. If it runs and drives well, and isn’t about to fall apart, that’s about all you can ask for. The fact that these both have working air conditioning is a bonus, and the fact that they aren’t riddled with rust holes is even better. If you had to choose – and you do; that’s how the game is played – which one will it be?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
There can be only one, so Outlander.
I knew this comment was here somewhere. And wasn’t Sean Connery in both Highlander and Outland( er)?
Yep. Comment was a bit off the mark because Highlander, not Outlander, but maybe the Connery connection gets half a point.
I hate the Mitsubishi…but I would hate myself more for having owned that Avenger so I guess default victory to the Outlander it is
This exactly
I’ll take the anonymizer known as a Mitsu over the rolling probable cause generator that is the Avenger Sevenfold.
300hp is 300hp and while the ick factor is great with the avenger I rented the outlander once and its a buzzy POS and I couldn’t live with it.
I know the Avenger might be the objectively correct answer here, but yuck. I just hate them, along with most Chrysler products from that era.
D-dub is correct that you’re getting pulled over damn near daily in this Avenger. I’d rather fade into the background in the Outlander, which at least at one point in the past was a decent car, unlike the Avenger.
The Mitsu has the wretched World 2.4, the biggest turd of the time.
Well then.
To be honest though, it seems like my 2.4 is going to outlive the Hyundai transmission it’s hooked up to.
If I’m this down, I’ll start my delivery weed service and the proper car to do that in is the Avenger.
I think the Outlander will be cheaper to keep on the road, and at this end of the market that’s all that really matters. It would make a solid winter beater if you want to keep your fun car away from the salt.
I don’t want either, but these aren’t cars you buy because you want them. I couldn’t come up with a reason to vote for or against either, so I flipped a coin. Heads was Avenger and tails was Outlander. Tails won, so…. Outlander, I guess?
The Mitsubishi wins by default.
The Avegner has a transverse V6, and the Outlander has more room, a 40cylinder engine, and leather and sunroof too 🙂
While the Avenger is the technically correct (the best kind of correct) answer, it looks like a DoorDash-for-meth delivery vehicle. I’d imagine driving that thing would get you pulled over by the police more often than you’d stop for gas.
It looks like someone tried to add a speed hole to the hood of that Outlander.
I wouldn’t buy either and frankly nothing with any age from any of those midwestern states. The underside of these probably looks like the Titanic
Dodge, please, he said with some hesitance.
It’s eight years newer than the Mitsu and the windshield is intact. A good detail shop should be able to sort out the interior, so that’s not a big deal.
Conversely, the interior on the Mitsu is pretty rough and austere; detailing won’t change that nor will it fix the damaged driver seat. A basic 4-cylinder from that era coupled with an automatic will essentially guarantee a lackluster driving experience.
I think they’re comparable on the rust issue. The Dodge, as indicated, has a little bit on the trunklid. However, the Mitsubishi is also showing some: look at the last picture (above); you can see rust (and rust runoff) down near the rocker panel where the back of the driver’s side door meets the front of the rear passenger door.
You can tell the Avenger’s 283 horsepower were judiciously applied by the worrisome stain on the passenger seat.
Yeah, I can smell that from here. No dice.
I didn’t even know there was a V6 option for the Avenger but truthfully, it’s a car I’ve never paid any attention to so I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about them. But I do know that having nearly 300 hp going through the front wheels of an early 2010s Chrysler product sounds like a terrible, very silly, and probably a bit fun time so I’m going with the Avenger.
Before the Pentastar V6 the 235hp 3.5 V6 was avail…….a friend had one and it rather hauled ass and handled fine. It just was a crude ride.
If you want to learn, there’s apparently…
If you told me there was a Dodge Avenger forum with over 260,000 posts, I wouldn’t have believed you. There’s over 10,000 posts on just “custom interior/exterior lighting.”
That is one busy Avenger fan.
YIKES!
Uhhhhh … I guess I’ll have the Mitsubishi, but things have not gone well if this is where I’m at.
The Avenger’s 62TE is quite the odd ball, and things like the wiper linkage/motor are already discontinued, but I’d rather have it then an Outlander like that one.
I just hope they got that cylinder head fixed. And properly sealed all 3 oil pans on the transmission.
Having known people with Avengers, I’m picking the Outlander. Those avengers can be a mess to service from what I’ve heard, and DIY maintenance on a transverse 4-cylinder is far simpler than a slapped in V6. And for cars like these, i’ll take the better MPG over the bigger power.
what better MPG are you talking about? Most 20yr old CUVs with a 4 speed didn’t get you good MPGs despite being 4 cyl. These were about 20 MPGs combined, the Avenger with its more modern engine and more gears will handily beat that figure
The Mitsu looks like it just needs a bumper and windshield. Not bad for a 1500$ car.
I picked the Outlander. Ugly puppies are almost always the best pick, so maybe that applies to CUVs?
I don’t want either but I voted for that dodge thing because I think I could slap some cheap/decent looking rims on it and sell it quicker than the Mitz.
As is often said, that Dodge is a lot of engine for the money.
If I am bottom of the barrel broke looking for a car, that means I am also probably having a hard time paying rent. I’ll take the mitsu, more room to live out of in a pinch.
Wisconsin doesn’t have inspections, but my state certainly does.
The Outlander is 8 years older. Bushes, seals, etc.
Bet if I pry that cladding away from the Outlander, rust galore.
Both of these are in states with actual winters and ergo salt, but just add in age (oxidation, UV exposure, thermal expansion) and it likely tips towards the Avenger here pretty hard. The Avenger’s appearance likely cleans up easily enough.
I know from secondhand experience that the Mitsubishi Outlander can live a long and useful life, but in this case I’m going with the Pentastar V6 attached to an Ultradrive transmission that, unlike its forebears, is a survivor.
A
littlelot of torque steer doesn’t scare me.