Faults:
Well, first off, we bought this car from one of those no credit, bad credit places, so we were expecting that there would be a few "issues".
We bought it in February, and had it in the shop in March to have the rear drivers side wheel bearing replaced. Dealership we bought it from had an awesome warranty, and because we had just purchased this car, replaced the bearing at no cost.
Took it to the shop in June of the same year, to have the passenger side wheel bearing looked at. It was humming while driving. Wheel bearing was OK, but we were told that the tires were bad and should be replaced. At $179 for the cheapest tires (17 inche tires) we are still driving on the bad tires.
Also in June, we had the evaporator condenser replaced (fuel system). We have since had some instances of it burning a lot of fuel, as well as one instance of "vapor lock".
July of that year, while camping, the horn took a vacation. A few days after we got back, all was well. Thinking that perhaps the car was home sick?
August brought a dead battery. I went to go to work, and the car would not start. Not even a click from the starter. We replaced the battery with a used one $15 from a salvage yard.
The only issue that we have with the sunroof (knock on wood) is that the switch for it does not always want to work. Usually only when trying to close it. A few pushes at different locations on the switch will usually persuade it to close.
The windows leak just above the mirrors in the car wash. Not a big deal. Keep extra napkins on hand for this.
Passenger side door skin will sometimes come loose near the bottom. A soft kick will usually re-attach it.
Leather seats suck in the summer! Not only do you stick to them, but they melt the skin off the back of your legs! OK not really, but sometimes it feels like it.
Occasionally the front seat belts will become twisted in the adjustable height thing if it is set too low. Because I'm short, I have to use one of those clips that direct the belt away from my neck so that the shoulder belt height adjuster thing doesn't twist the belt and lock in place.
I think the motor for the power seat (drivers side) is slowly crawling to it's death. Each time it is adjusted, it seems to be getting slower and slower. So lately when my husband drives it, his knees are pressed against the dash.
General Comments:
The front end of this car is rather low, and while it helps provide stability, it causes a rukus when going in and out of a steeper driveway. Also can be an issue in the winter. We are in Wisconsin, so there are times when we have quite a bit of snow to drive through.
Overall, I love this car. If it wasn't for the great warranty we got from the dealer when we purchased it, perhaps my opinion would be different.
We have really not had too many major issues with this car. We are nearing the 100,000 mile mark and we are keeping our fingers crossed that she holds up as well as she has.
I love the fact that this car wants to get up and go on the highway.
It handles very well, and is a sleek head turner. I enjoy the comments I get from people on the look of this car.
20th Jun 2006, 17:10
I also own a 97 LX Sebring, and I'm just warning you what you are in for! Be prepared for something to go wrong in the front end about every 20K or so. You will have to replace the ball joints at least 2 times a year... both upper and lower. The bearings will go, which will run you about 400$ just for the parts. Also, the radiator usually needs work every 40K or so (usually just a new thermostat).
Also, the brakes are very bad!! After replacing the rotors and all pads after 160K, my brakes have now seized and it will cost a total of 1000$ to replace all the lines.
This car also goes through oxygen sensors like candy. If your engine light comes on, just reset the codes because it's probably just the oxygen sensor. Also beware of the exhaust system. If your exhaust pipe gets damaged (like a stone or something puts a hole in it), the pipe is over 1000$ to buy because it runs the whole length of the car.
The good thing I have to say about the car is that it was great for highway driving. I put a lot of KM's on my car, and it never broke down on me once while on the highway. I drove it everyday 150km's for 2 and a half years.
The worst thing about it, is that the parts are extremely expensive, and because it's a 97, they don't make the cheaper brand of parts for it anymore. I have just taken the car off the road at 210,000 km. I've read that this is the max. people usually get out of a sebring. I won't buy another one though, I think I will stick with foreign cars like Nissan, or Honda that are still worth something after 250,000km.