Ok, so now that I've redirected people from my myspace page and other locations to my blog I figured here is a better place for the Sebring story.

About 2 months ago I purchased a Champagne colored 2000 Sebring Convertible JXi with around 80k miles and in excellent condition for around $5,200 or so from a local dealer. Checked it out, everything seemed fine mechanically and electrically. I bought this car to drive between home and work (64mi round trip) on a daily basis. About a week after purchase on my way home I heard what sounded like lifter knock as a car was passing by, about 2mi later I heard 'tap-tap-tap-tap-tap' getting louder the further I went. Since I was so far out of town, I did a very bad thing and drove the rest of the 30 or so miles home when the car finally died.

I got the car towed home, then to a shop not far from mine to look it over. Once the mechanic pulled the oil pain, they noticed a lot of play in the connector rod (bad bearings), no biggie, around $800 or so of work. After that peice was completed, they turned on the car and heard a lighter 'tink-tink-tink-tink' in the top of the engine. Thinking it might be the cam bearings going bad, they pulled the cam and noticed something not so good; a 1/2" chunk of the number 1 piston missing. Most likely due to the pistion slamming against the top of the #1 cylinder. Repair just got a whole lot more expensive.

My choices were to get the engine rebuilt or purchase another used engine. I went with a used engine from a wrecked 2000 Sebring Convertible Limited, 66k/mi total. The only other snag was a bad waterpump on my engine (the new engine didn't include one) which added some additional cost.

Once everything was resolved, the repairs cost me around $1,925. Not a drop in the bucket. But seeing how most 2.5L Mitsubishi engines run in the 1G 'verts, I'm expecting around 200k/mi out of this new engine before any major issues (aside from general maintainence).

I got some new plans, some cheap like the TPS and TMRS mods, some that'll cost money down the road (within the new year or two) as money and time permits; like a new sway-bar, new cat-back exaust system, new cold-air intake, MSD ignition, etc.

For those with Sebrings, I recommend the Sebring Car Club, Tom Vago's site as well as Stratusphere. All these places have excellent resources for your Sebrings or cloudcars in general.