Mitsubishi Lancer 8(CS)

The CS-series Lancer (2003–2007) is the plain, rock-solid mid-size saloon Lancer that came before the CY generation — a car for buyers who want an undemanding daily with honest Japanese mechanicals, not a design statement.

The engines: Over here it's essentially the 4G18, a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated unit from the Orion 4G1 family making around 72 kW. Mechanically simple, no direct injection or turbo, and good for 200,000–250,000 km in principle. Two age-related weak spots to know: the oil control rings wear early from about 100,000 km and push up oil consumption — so check the oil level and exhaust discolouration before buying. Second, timing runs off a belt (not a chain), and the 4G18 is an interference engine: if the belt snaps, you get catastrophic engine damage. No documented belt change history means walk away or budget the belt immediately.

The whole car: The headline issue is rust. The underbody and spring plates corrode (sev4, from around 150,000 km, €100–800), plus rust under the rear door seals and an exhaust seam that comes loose. Suspension-wise the usual wear items: front control arms (€150–500), tie-rod ends, rear wheel bearings. Seized brake calipers (€120–400) are common — typical for a car that spent its life on short trips. On manual cars the clutch tends to chatter in cold, damp conditions (€450–900), usually a comfort rather than safety issue.

Test drive: Wait for a cold start and watch for blue smoke (oil consumption). Listen for clutch chatter when pulling away. Check the steering for play (tie rods), and watch for pulling or uneven wear when braking (seized calipers). Above all, inspect the underbody and spring plates for rust — that's the expensive item here. And clear up the Takata passenger airbag recall (sev5) — is there proof the airbag was replaced?

Market 2026: Clean, service-history cars sit around €1,500–3,500. The Lancer VIII isn't a car you want to throw money at — the insider pick is a low-mileage 1.6 with a documented belt change, the Takata airbag done, and a rust-free underbody. Find that one and you get an honest, cheap-to-run mile-muncher. Anything with underbody rust or no belt history is only worth it as a project car.