I'm having a bit of a dilemma, and maybe your opinions could help. I've been wanting a GST for a loooong time now, but I don't have the best credit in the world, and I'm a little upside down in my payments on the 2GNT. But I got approved for a loan of up to $20 on a new car, but I don't like hardly ANY of the new cars out there except for the RSX which is more than my loan, or the Lancer Evo VII which isn't out yet, and even when it comes out in January, it will still be more that 20 g's.

I don't know if you guys have tried to look, but while it is easy to find GST's, and GSX's for sale from private owners, it is HELL trying to find one at used car dealerships. I think ever since The Fast and the Furious, certain cars like Supra's, and Turbo Eclipses went up, and are harder to find.

So the Mitsubishi dealership around the corner from my job has a black 1999 GST with black leather interior, and is fully loaded, BUT, to my shock and dismay, it was an automatic. AAAAGGGHHHH!!! Anyway, do you guys think I would get laughed at with a 210HP A/T GST at the local race spots, also do you guys think it really sucks to have an A/T? I'm so used to my 5-speed, but the financing that I have received for the new car is so much lower, and I could pay the GST off faster. Should I keep my 5-Speed 2GNT, or should I go for the ever elusive GST A/T?

I would only suggest buying it if you are going to do a swap to a manual, basically immediately upon purchase. Being a fan of the manual, driving an auto may cause you pain. Otherwise I say keep looking for that 5 speed.

Una salus victus.
He will triumph, who knows when to fight, and when not to fight. - Sun Tzu

Michael J. Kulaga
e-mail: Michael_97RS@2gntDSM.zzn.com aol IM: MJKulga
http://highlander.dsmpower.com/

All motor in the making.

Injen CAI, 55mm TB, P&P Intake Manifold, Crower Stage 2 Cams, Hooker Header, GS-T Muffler, AFX UDP, S-AFC, 8.5mm Magnecor Wires, Crane Fireball HI-6DI2, FU/RU/RL STBs, TSW Blade 17x7.5, Bridgestone Potenza RE730, Front KVR Cross-Drilled Rotors & Carbon Fiber Pads

To Be Installed: P&P Milled Head, Rear Disc Brakes, Rear KVR Cross Drilled Rotors & Carbon Fiber Kevlar Pads, SS Brake Lines

The GST automatics have as much or more problems as our cars. If you mod the GST and achieve more than 250 whp, you will have problems with the stock transmission. You can get a built one, but it will cost you a couple grand.

Everyone that I know that has a automatic GST has sold it due to these problems.

You can build your car to be even faster than a GST. My buddy had a 97 GST with manual trans and my track times already beat his. He had a big 16G with starion front mount, walbro 255 w/rewire, fuel pressure regulator, 2.5-3 inch downpipe w/free flow turbo back exhaust, injen intake, ported stock head and stock bottom end and 550 injectors. He was running 20 psi boost with a mix of C16 race gas.

I was running 12 psi with 1/2 C16 and pump gas. You all know the rest of my setup by now.

All this said, keep your own car and build the shit out of it. I think you will be much happier.

If you could get a GSX, then my thoughts would be different if you want a track car. For streets and highway, FWD has lots of advantages.

Thanks for the advice guys. I talked to a guy at Extreme Motorsports (specializes in DSM for thos that don't know), and he said that an automatic Turbo isn't as powerful as a manual unless you get a torque converter, etc. I think I'll keep looking.