1998 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE Structure Problems

I PURCHASED MY 1998 ECLIPSE GS IN 2003 WITH APPROX. 38,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN 2 MONTHS, MY DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. THIS OCCURRED ON A DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER. NOT THINKING MUCH ABOUT IT, I HAD IT REPLACED AT A COST OF ALMOST $300.00 (PARTS, LABOR, & PAINT) IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITHIN 3 MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THIS ONE ALSO AND ONLY CHARGED ME FOR THE PART, A MERE $175.00. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME WAS OPENING THE PASSENGER DOOR AND THAT HANDLE BROKE OFF. THIS MAKES 3 BROKEN DOOR HANDLES IN 11 MONTHS. I MIGHT BE A STRONG GUY, I GUESS, BUT MY GIRLFRIEND WAS 5'1" AND ABOUT 90 LBS.. THE KIND OF GIRL WHO HAD TROUBLE TEARING NOTEBOOK PAPER. WELL, WHILE WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT HANDLE, MY BROTHER WAS GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY CAR TO INSTALL A NEW STEREO AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE SNAPS OFF IN HIS HAND. I HAD TO LEAVE A WINDOW DOWN FOR A WEEK INORDER TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE STOPPED ORDERING FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS A FIBERGLASS DOOR HANDLE WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR $35.00 AND CAME BLACK IN COLOR. TO DATE, AS OF 2010, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE 6 TIMES AND THE PASSENGER SIDE TWICE. AFTER SPEAKING WIT QUITE A FEW MITSUBISHI ENTHUSIASTS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM MITSUBISHI KNOWS ABOUT, ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT, AND HAS SIMPLY REFUSED TO FIX, EVEN AS FAR AS NOT MAKING REPLACEMENT DOOR HANDLES OUT OF STRONGER MATERIAL. I WILL NEVER BUY A MITSUBISHI AGAIN BASED ON THIS SIMPLE DESIGN FLAW WHICH THE COMPANY DEEMS IS BENEATH THEM TO MAKE RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 44,000

BOTH OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. *JB

Mileage: 63,000

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES SNAPPED AND BROKE OFF WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE. *AK *JB

Mileage: 22,000

THERE APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE BODY OF ALL MITSUBISHI ECLIPSES THAT HAVE THE SAME BODY STYLE OF 1998. THERE IS A PIECE ON THE UNDERSIDE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT CATCHES ON PARKING SPACE MARKERS AND CAUSES THE WHOLE FRONT PIECE OF THE CAR TO EITHER TEAR, HANG, OR IN SOME CASES FALL OFF. *NLM

THE VEHICLE LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND THE RAG TOP ROOF LEAKED WATER WHEN IT RAINED. DEALER REPAIRED BOTH PROBLEMS SIX TIMES. *JB

Mileage: 54,000

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP STRUT ARM IS BENT NOT ALLOWING THE TOP TO OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY. DEALER STATES IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JG *JB

Mileage: 39,000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT CLOSE DURING A RAIN STORM. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.*AK

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED AT THIS POINT EVERY TIMES IT RAINS CONVERTIBLE ROOF LEAKS. INTERIOR SEATS ARE DETROYED. SHE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE ROOF WILL LEAK AS LONG AS SHE HAS THE VEHICLE.*AK

THE DOOR HANDLE FAILED. *SLC

HATCH COVER CLIP FAILED. YH