I would love to take the eclipse because it handles great, awd grip is fun year round and i love driving it. However it would not pass (appropriate for it's era) emissions testing plus i average only 22 mpg which is rather poor - mostly because i can't keep my foot out of the floor. Additionally they are not know as being the most reliable cars either. The first car i've ever had where the jack stands are a wear item! Almost got a very expensive ticket in it last week when i was "playing" with another eclipse i met on the way to work. Was able to calm down the angry police man and he eventually let me go with a warning and a ticket for not having valid proof of insurance with me. Initially he wanted to write me up for 60mph in a 30mph zone and if he had written me up for racing they could have impounded my car. Since then i have been much more careful about where i enjoy myself in that car. The "green" in me wants to sell it too.

The golf tdi gets twice the mileage of the eclipse and it is my sensible car. It is going into the shop next week for a timing belt change. Last week i fixed a glow plug issue in it and swapped in some larger injectors also which resulted in clutch slip and not much else. But the upgraded clutch and pressure plate arrived today. Been dissapointed in the reliability of that car too - lots of electrical problems.

After selling the two "modern" cars it should pay for a decent used car over there. Don't know yet how much shipping is but that probably gets expensive too.

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Jeroen in Kansas, USA
1965 bug, stock. 2001 VW Golf tdi, mostly stock. 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse AWD, not stock!