1990, Mitubishi, Lancer GL
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PostedOct 27, 2025
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I have a unique connection with the Mitsubishi Lancer — not because it’s fast, stylish, or particularly reliable, but because it helped me rebuild my life after losing everything. When I was forced to close my business and put it into liquidation, I knew I could pay my creditors, but I’d be left with nothing. I walked away with no home, no car, and just $1,800 in my bank account. My wife and I agreed that the little money we had should go toward a car — with transport, we could both find jobs and start again.
After some research, I decided the best way to get a decent car on a small budget was to buy one at auction. We couldn’t finance anything, and we couldn’t afford repair bills, so reliability was crucial. With my mechanical background, I knew I’d have to choose carefully. At the auction, I inspected every car within my price range and waited for my pick to come up. The bidding started low, but quickly soared past what I could afford. The next week, I tried again — same result. Then I noticed that some cars were selling in my price range and still looked decent. So I changed strategy: instead of choosing in advance, I’d wait for any car that sold cheaply and take my chance.
My wife wasn’t convinced. “You’ll end up with a lemon,” she warned. But I stuck with my plan. That’s how I bought a 1990 Mitsubishi Lancer for $1,400. After paying the auction company, I checked the car and immediately noticed the dipstick was dry — no oil in the engine. The car had just been driven onto the podium! I could almost hear my wife’s voice in my head: “I told you so.” I bought some oil, filled the engine, and started it up. To my relief, it sounded fine. I drove it home, and it ran perfectly for weeks. Both my wife and I found work, and for the first time in months, things started to feel hopeful.
Then I noticed similar Lancers on Trade Me selling for around $2,500. I realised I could sell mine for about $2,100 and upgrade. My wife wasn’t sure, but I listed it anyway — and it sold within days. Back to the auctions I went, this time with a slightly bigger budget. That became my routine. I bought, fixed minor issues, and resold Lancers, each time earning a little more. They were popular cars — tidy, reliable, and perfect for first-time buyers. Slowly, our savings grew. We decided to use the money to return to the Middle East, where salaries were better, and start afresh.
By my fourth Lancer, I was feeling confident. I drove it out of the auction house and down the Southern Motorway, my wife following behind in her car. After five kilometres, a massive plume of smoke burst from the exhaust, completely engulfing her car behind me. Then it stopped, and the car ran fine again — until ten kilometres later, when it did it again. When we got home, my wife was furious. “I told you that was going to happen!”
I checked the dipstick and found the engine overfilled with oil. I drained a few litres and took it for a drive. Problem solved — it ran perfectly. Over the next few months, I continued trading cars and eventually saved $10,000. That money became our ticket back to the Middle East and a new start.
All thanks to the humble Mitsubishi Lancer — a car that wasn’t fast or flashy, but one that helped me rebuild my life when everything else had fallen apart.
Front wheel drive- Rear wheel drive
- Four wheel drive
- Limited slip differential
- Overdrive