Recently ran across a 91' Stealth R/T twin turbo for a GRM friendly price that needs a clutch. What is the reliability like for these beasts? I know it is full of 20 year old tech that was meant to take on the 300zx and supra, but how well has it aged? Are they as trouble prone as their smaller DSM cousins are made out to be? The twin turbo is AWD correct? The wheels are turning in my head, never had awd or turbos in the stable yet.
TIME BOMB. The 3000GT/Stealth manages to take the brutally difficult-to-work-on 300ZX a step further. Think of it as 2x a DSM in terms of both size and trouble. That being said they are pretty decent when they run right, but it is a transverse FWD V6-based car which pretty much destroys any real sporting pretensions. It will also probably break the timing belt yesterday if it hasn't been done. I wouldn't go for it personally. The transverse V6 is bad enough, but when you add in the 4WS and other gizmos you are just asking for trouble.
I've never owned one, but my buddy has. It broke his spirit. Everything that could break did. In fact, the breakyness spread, according to him, too all of his other vehicles. Once he got rid of it, all his woes were gone.
I owned a 3000GT VR4. It was terrible. It looks like it has so much potential, and probably does (to be fast in a straight line anyway), but it's a huge headache to get all the problems sorted out and kept that way.
If you want AWD and turbos, get a Subaru.
They're incredible machines...
I would own one, but i'm sure it would be a nightmare.
I believe one of the GRM interns has a seriously worked one, actually.
When I was in the car biz, the extended warranty companies would not sell plans on these cars. That speaks volumes IMO.
I'm sure all the horror stories are true, but 300hp of turbo AWD goodness for challenge money is mighty tempting, IMO. Besides, you might get lucky,right? 
The big problem is... They make TONS of power for relatively cheap, and the motors are extremely strong.
That makes it hard to stay away.
I've been looking at them as well. They're one of the more ridiculous Japanese tecnhofests that made it to out shores and I desire a beater that is somewhat quick.
They do seem like a black hole for money and optimism though.
The normal ones are bad enough to work on I can't imagine the VR4. Hopefully it is more fun to drive the ES model. That car was fairly boring to drive.
Do you hate yourself? Are you masochistic? If the answer to those are NO, for the love of god, stay away.
The biggest problem with these cars is they have been pretty cheap for awhile now. People buy them but dont keep up with the maintenance on them and beat the crap out of them. So 95% of the ones for sale (especially the cheap ones) are WAY over do for the 60k or 120k maintenance which is about $500 in parts and over $1000 if you have someone else do the labor for you.
As halftrac said they make tons of power for little money. So kids spend money on go fast parts instead of timing belts and drive them into the ground. I dont think they are any harder to work on than z32s, they both suck to work on!
Great cars when they work right. I had a '92 my dad bought a year old, sold it at about 10 years old. Broke my heart to let it go, but at the time I was living in Chicago with only street parking, and its mileage was creeping up high enough (around 180k, if I recall correctly) that things were going to start breaking. And there's a lot of stuff to break on those cars.
As a result of selling it in good shape, I have fond memories that make me want another one. Then I think about the engine bay, and shudder in fear.
I highly doubt there's a cheap way to do anything on them - I think if anything substantial needs to be fixed, you'll likely spend less time and money just tearing the thing down to a bare shell and building from there. While you're at it, delete most of the multitudinous geegaws to make life easier.
If you can find one with a good maintenance record (worth its weight in gold) and keep the motor in good shape, I'd sort of ignore the little stuff that goes weird (electronically adjustable suspension, electronically adjustable exhaust, et cetera; these things are a library of acronyms) and keep on driving it. Or look at it as good practice for electrical troubleshooting.
In stock form it's not a barn burner by modern standards. 300hp and probably 3200-3400 pounds is not an uncommon figure these days. Respectable, but not rip-your-face-off performance. They were a sophisticated and refined GT car. (It was honestly a nicer car than the late C4 Vette my dad replaced it with, but he had to finally have his Corvette.)
Anyway, I still say that these and their peers from the era of Japanese techno-packed semi-supercars are tomorrow's collectibles. Now that they're Challenge priced, one may do well to jump on the best example available (and spend the next 30 years tearing your hair out...).
MG Bryan wrote: I've been looking at them as well. They're one of the more ridiculous Japanese tecnhofests that made it to out shores and I desire a beater that is somewhat quick. They do seem like a black hole for money and optimism though.
"Ridiculous Japanese technofest" and "beater" in the same sentence almost always adds up to a black hole for money...
MadScientistMatt wrote:MG Bryan wrote: I've been looking at them as well. They're one of the more ridiculous Japanese tecnhofests that made it to out shores and I desire a beater that is somewhat quick. They do seem like a black hole for money and optimism though."Ridiculous Japanese technofest" and "beater" in the same sentence almost always adds up to a black hole for money...
I didn't say I expected it to hold up well.
In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:
But the trans isn't. Had a friend with a 500hp beast that he let me autox once. Pretty amazing power, actually had good dynamics on course and didn't feel like the bloated pig it was(I don't remember his suspension setup though). I do recall transmission replacement seemed to be a monthly affair, and I don't think the 6-speed upgrade really helped.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The big problem is... They make TONS of power for relatively cheap, and the motors are extremely strong. That makes it hard to stay away.
So do DSMs, for similar money and a lot less headache.
J308 wrote:92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The big problem is... They make TONS of power for relatively cheap, and the motors are extremely strong. That makes it hard to stay away.So do DSMs, for similar money and a lot less headache.
Not near as cool!
If i'm going to have a total mental breakdown because of a car, i'd rather it look like a late 3000GT VR4 than a DSM.
Intern Matt is way into these cars. I drove one my first day here at the magazine. That was back when 300 horsepower was a ton.
even though i hate mitsubishi and i totally know better.... i would probably be tempted.
My Dad had a 3000VR4, it was pretty good to him, but his drive was pure freeway cruising and he maintained the car. I think he sold it with around 130k miles on it.
I drove it shortly before he sold it and it hadn't weathered well, despite my fathers gentle use and proper maintenance.
my friend chandler's dad has a last MY stealth RT that is his pride and joy if that helps enable you.
Never a problem out of it according to him, and I can vouch that it is still quite quick.
Sorry if I just enabled you. lol
They're better than a bi-turbo....
Nitroracer wrote: Recently ran across a 91' Stealth R/T twin turbo for a GRM friendly price that needs a clutch. What is the reliability like for these beasts? I know it is full of 20 year old tech that was meant to take on the 300zx and supra, but how well has it aged? Are they as trouble prone as their smaller DSM cousins are made out to be? The twin turbo is AWD correct? The wheels are turning in my head, never had awd or turbos in the stable yet.
Have one in the shop 15 feet from me right now.
I would not classify them as backyardable. Everything on the car is an access nightmare.
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