Thanks, I'll message you at some point I'm sure. I'm pretty much set on the coupe if I do go with a stratus. I don't see any reason at all not to.
Also, along with getting your personal stories, what are some of the common problems that do arise. All cars have a few issues that seem to show up often, just curious to see what they might be. And if they don't apply to the mitsubishi, coupe, V6 versions I don't really care
The new stratus has had my attention since its redesign, but so has the new Mazda6. Unfortunately, I've heard some negative things about them. Too many drivetrain issues, automatics not shifting well in the cold, excessive fluid leaks, and the engine is weak up until about 4000 rpm. I chalk those up to the fact that it's a ford engine, but maybe that's just my personal bias. Anyway, the information I get on it is so mixed that it makes me nervous. I wish they would put a better, non-Ford engine in them for 2006. Because with the exception of the bastardized power curve, the test drive I went on last week was wonderful. I really don't want to have to deal with issues like this. My current car, a 97 Grand Prix has had far too many issues, and I've learned to put more work into figuring out how a used car has been treated and taken care of in the past. I've replaced the transmission and have a couple small, lingering issues that nobody seems to know how to fix.
Unfortunately, I have yet to get the opportunity to drive a stratus. I tried a couple dodge dealers, and none of them have any new or used R/T coupes . . .wtf?
So, keep the stories coming guys, I really appreciate it.