I bought the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer a few weeks ago. Every time I back out of the driveway the front end of the car 'bottoms out" and scrapes along the pavement. I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing problem with the car?

I brought the car back to Mark Mitsubishi. They checked out my car and although they admitted that the underside of the front of the car was scraped up, Mike, the service advisor said everything "spec'd" out just like the other new cars on the lot. Thinking that Mitsubishi might offer a stiffer suspension I asked if the more expensive versions of the 2008 Lancer had a “beefed up” suspension and was told; “ No all 2008 Lancer’s had the same suspension.”  I pressed on and asked Mike specifically if they made a stronger strut, springs and/or shocks that we could try and he reiterated that all 2008 Lancer’s had the same suspension. I have since learned, from a review of the car on Auto Mall USA [http://www.automallusa.net/2008/mitsubishi/lancer/reviews.html], that the GTS model has “firmer coil springs, shock absorbers and bushings and larger stabilizer bars than the DE and ES models. The stiffness added by the cross brace on the front suspension towers is tangible in a quicker, more precise steering response.”

When I returned to Mark Mitsubishi to pick up the car I took the Service Manager, Nathan Boisvert, for a test drive and backing out of any nearby driveway, even at 1 mile per hour the car "bottomed out" as the front tires rolled over the very small gutter that is common in residential neighborhoods in Arizona. He said there was nothing the dealer could do other than report this to Mitsubishi since they did not have any "tech bulletins" on this issue. Rather than admit this was a design defect he told me this was a "characteristic" of the car. He suggested I turn the wheel and back out at a 45% angle so only one wheel at a time would go over the gutter and thereby avoid "bottoming out." He also gave me the 800 Mitsubishi customer service number.

I called Mitsubishi Customer Assistance and opened a case [# 1-221800146]. They called me back a day later and told me there was nothing wrong with my car and they would not do anything. In the meantime I checked with Nathan and he took another new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer from the lot and it does the same thing.

I told everyone I spoke with that a new car should not "bottom out" like this and it was unacceptable. The car is warranted and this condition renders the car not road worthy. I bought this car for my 16 year old daughter and she is afraid to back it out of the driveway. By the way, I live in a community that has CC&R's that require that no cars are left on the street so I have to park it in my driveway. All I wanted was to have it fixed. I am only a lay person but from my viewpoint it is obvious that the suspension is not stiff enough. I would think that Mitsubishi would want to get in front of this and fix the problem before it becomes a major recall but apparently they have there heads in the sand.

Is there anything anyone can do to help?  

how steep is the driveway? if its too steep then there really is no argument against them.  lets put it this way, if a stock 350z cant go over it without bottoming out then its just the driveway.  if you want an impractical solution, get coilovers, maintain stock height and stiffen the *** out of it so it wont compress.  

I guess the only thing to do is to get coilovers to raise the height. That's all i could think of.  

How bad does it bottom out?  I wouldnt raise the height of your car... If it bottoms out gently (i.e its not slamming in to the ground) you really arent doing any damage to the car.  I dont remember those cars being that low so it must be a steep dip or incline/decline.  What part of your car is bottoming out?  

I also live in AZ and i know that the pavement is steep. 9/10 times i backup i scrape the front lip of by car, and i always backup at a 45 degree angle. As long as it bottoms out gently you should be ok.  

have you tried parking in your driveway backwards? maybe you have to go at a deeper angle? it should be alrite, just take it easy and it shouldn't hurt the car.