Shop Parts and Accessories for Mighty Max at Mitsubishi Motors North America

As dependable, durable, and capable as the compact pickup was, Mitsubishi had to compete with the likes of other truck brands like Toyota, Nissan, Ford, and Dodge. You're in luck, though; vehicles that go out of production not only generally get cheaper to service. They also get cheaper to customize. According to industry authorities like CarGurus and Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, for instance, the average Mighty Max goes for as little as $1,000 to about $5,000 or so, depending on whether it's a short-bed, one-ton long-bed, or four-wheel-drive-equipped, short-bed configuration. That means plenty of money left over for mods.

The 1994 model, for example, had either a 116-horsepower, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine, capable of 136 pound-feet of torque, or a 151-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6, capable of 174 pound-feet. You can get more power for it, by adding a turbocharger or supercharger, by replacing the factory air intake and engine air filter with a cold air intake and performance air filter, and by putting in a cat-back exhaust with a high-flow catalytic converter.

The model has few reported problems -- among them, the occasional defective clutch, faulty seat belt, or bad engine control module (ECM), according to RepairPal. The best way to keep it a truck you can depend on is to keep up with regular service-- change air filters, replace the oil filter, swap out the spark plugs, and so on -- and use top-quality OEM parts and accessories for repairs.