Hire Car review - Mitsubishi 380 - THE IMPORTANT FACTS WHEN TESTING A RENTAL!

[XDV800]

Ok, this is just a tale of my experience with a hire car, I didn't give a stuff how cold the air-con was, how many milliseconds the auto took to shift, I just wanted something quicker and comfier and quicker than my pussbox R31.
Picture this. Mackay to Cairns xmas eve 06. Driving solo to pick up the missus who's just finished a refurb up there, take her to meet mum and spend xrissy. Bonza.
Picked up the navy blue 380 base model first thing from my local thrifty outlet at which a neighbour managed the show, and kindly gave me a generous discount on the hire for 5 days, on the proviso i return it in 1 piece. We'll see.
Full tank of gas. Check. Half a packet of cigarettes. Check. Two musicians wearing dark sunglasses on a mission from god. Well... no just me.
I removed the hubcaps for safekeeping, loaded me gear into the backseat, sat my 3 wallets of cd's on the pass seat, loaded my new tool album in, then headed up the road. 740 od kays ahead. Luvvit.

Found the 3.8l v6 a doddle to overtake with, just mash the peddle, she kicks back to 2nd or 3rd, and i find ive just slingshot past 2 semis without raising a sweat. Overtaking was the order of the day, and the 380 impressed. Even using the 5 speed ****tronic slusher in sports mode proved that highway overtaking duties can be accomplished by just flicking between 4th and 5th.

Activated the cruise control, and switched to some different tunes. Sevendust. Driving music would get me there.
I didn't like the look of the dash, bit of a magna parts bin mess, or the stereos layout or functions. The output of sound kept me happy, but hey, who gives a toss its just a rental.
Got just north of Bowen, came accross a jacknifed semi strewn all over the road, damn delay for over 1hour. Ahwell, perfect opportunity to thumb throught the latest FHM mag then. MMM Emily Scott has the best assets.

Here we go, cops let us past, but now theres about 50 cars in front of me keeping the going slow. No matter. 175 kW, and 343 Nm would soon see the queue dispatched promptly, and it was smooth sailing through townsville and beyond, despite some monsoonal showers.
Onwards and upwards along the Bruce Highway, just a world class motorway, potholes every 60 metres i swear. Larry had seen to this part of the world, it was obvious.
Into Cairns just on sunset and picked up the girl...
[skip the xmas BS, this is a roadtest]

Xmas came and went, so me and the girl decided to do some sight seeing, so headed for the atherton tablelands for a day trip. Headed up the gillies range, 130+ corners of mayhem, tyres and girlfriend squealing all the way. Took in the sites on the way through malanda, milla milla, ravenshoe, including a thrilling damp dirt road section, which showed the 380 had some prowess in rally type conditions, hanging the rear end out on command.
Then on too atherton to catch up with a mate.

A fish and chip meal later and me mate asks, "can it smoke em up?"
"I dunno, lets find out"
Apply handbrake, stall it up, release the brake pedal, and... haze the tyres!
Too easy.
Back to Cairns, and an easy night time descent of the gillies this time.
Spent the next day catching up with people, and hooked up with a best mate that night to go take in a movie. A stop at maccas afterwards reminded me of a youtube experiment involving front wheel drive and some plastic meal trays. BRAINWAVE!
Some apple pies and soft serves later, we find ourselves in an industrial area with an extremely wide stretch of btumen, a favourite pay area as a P plater. With the meal trays under the back tyres and the phone camera at the ready.
Apply handbrake, full lock, plant the boot, and hold on. The thing whips into 180 degree loops while eminating plumes of a wonderful smelling cloudy gas from the front tyres. Fun x 5.
Once the maccas trays are no more we call it a night and retire in preparation for the return to Mackay.

Thanked mum for the seafood and pressies, loaded me, girl, her suitcase from her 10 week work stint, some childhood keepsakes and every street machine mag from 1996 into the mitsu, and headed for home.
Much more sedate trip home, took in some more sights on the way. The thing returned about 11.5L/100 for the trip according to its trippy meter, which i didn't give a rats about, because iv'e got better things to worry about.

Upon the return to Mackay, i stopped in at my local 24 hour DIY carwash to give it a tub, removed the bugs and mud, then thought to myself what a pleasant journey it had been. I had not lived with a bitsushiti for a period such as this, and was saddened by the fact i would have to return this remarkably capable aussie built big 6 sedan the next day.
I finalised my bonding with 380 by nailing the throttle out of the carwash onto the main road, the soapy tyres spinning all the way through 4 speeds upto the 80 km/h speed limit, me and the tyres squealing with joy all the way.

What a good car. I give it a 3.5/5 overall. Not that it matters.