Readers' Rides: Ridgely's Sleek Eclipse Spyder

Ridgely's mint Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder goes under the spotlight in our latest Readers' Rides submission

18 May 2015

Last week, you guys loved Jeff's immaculate E36 M3. Today, we're turning the spotlight on Ridgely's similarly spotless Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder.

Under the hood is a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine that makes 150hp stock. With some light mods, Ridgely reckons his motor is somewhere north of 165hp, which is why he describes his ride as "the perfect convertible that's cheap to run, extremely practical, and great fun!" In his own words, here is why Ridgely loves his Eclipse so much:

Hey guys! This is my '01 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. I'm 18 and in my first year of University in Washington, D.C. I originally wanted a two-seater roadster - and still do - but for some reason I haven't been able to part with this automatic, four-seater convertible. It's been perfect for me.

She had 30,000 miles on the clock when I bought her, and I'm sure the 19,000 miles since then have been the most exciting for her yet. The Spyder's been a romantic charmer thanks to the generous back seat and small back window, a snowmobile during blizzards, a Jeep when I was forced off-road, and a race car when I'm on the road - just ask the Audi S4 I met at the lights! It's even been a pickup truck when ladders and lumber needed moving; no roof means unlimited boot space.

I've only done few mods to it, since I think it's near-perfect from the factory. I've fitted a K&N air filter, and the local techs had a fiddle with the throttle body. In the future I'd like to fit a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust, and I'm looking into the benefits of getting a performance chip.

photo (5)

This car means so much to me because of all the great times I've had in it. Unfortunately I will most likely have to sell it next year when I move to the UK for University. It's sad to think about but I will be able to start a new adventure with a new car then!

If you want your car featured on Readers' Rides, email darren.cassey@carthrottle.com with a pic and a few words explaining why you love it so much. If we like it, we'll feature it!