1993 Eagle Vision TSi 3.5 liter SOHC
Summary:
A first car you will keep forever!
Faults:
This car was wonderful when I took over the payments from my dad. I'm rough on cars, so it's stood up pretty well for what it's gone through.
Every January it finds a reason to become too expensive to keep on the road. I don't exactly have a lot of money to spend on car repairs, being in college. If I made $30000 a year, I would be very satisfied with its reliability and cost of ownership.
I have to replace the tires once a year (my fault). It's just too fun to spin tires and win a race at the same time.
The transmission went at 70k miles, just like every other 3.5 liter Intrepid. My dad had it replaced for free through a 3rd party warranty company. Funny how Chrysler's current warranty is to 70k miles... Every Intrepid owner I know has their transmission last if they change the fluid regularly and have a cooler installed. 95 and up have the cooler stock.
I killed the engine by Evel Knieveling into the side of a hill, cracking the oil pan, then driving it again without watching the oil level. At a Chrysler dealership, for $62/hr I had my engine replaced with a used one. $2600 for a 60k mile 3.5, parts and labor. The only way you can kill this engine is to run it without any oil or any coolant.
Right now the car needs tie rod ends and lower ball joints. Quoted $450 parts and labor. These parts have stood up very well, considering 12 years on the road, and... well... me.
General Comments:
Warning!:
If you drive this car as your first car, you will be disgusted and disappointed with every other car you ever own.
Everyone in my family is about GM except me. Why? This car was VERY well thought out.
The body style and chassis are superb. No other 1993 model car is anywhere near as curved and styled as this car. The fully independent front and rear performance suspension is a definite plus. Drive this car, then drive a 93 Lumina or Cutlass, and you can tell which is superior right away.
The engine has great get up and go. A little wheel spin is a problem if you tramp it from a red light, but on 2 lane and 4 lane highways, watch out! For the even more power hungry, this car also offers more upgrade options than other 4 door sedans. dodgeintrepid.net
This car is very easy for the home mechanic. In the engine bay, everything is in a place that makes sense. All 6 spark plugs are accessible from the top of the engine. The oil is easy to change yourself with ramps. When you buy a Haynes manual for the car, it only covers 2 engines (not 5 like a GM W-body), so they can cover them in more depth.
Sitting in the car, you can see everything extra you would want in a car. CD player, A/C, power everything, trip computer, cruise control, tach, electronically shifted transmission, leather seats...
A sweet body shape, AND you can see out the back window - imagine that.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 3rd March, 2004
6th Mar 2008, 16:03
I agree with you both. The vision was and still is my first car. I have had it for over two years now and it is working exceptionally well, especially since it has 240,000k on it. Overall, they are fairly well engineered cars. Comparable I dare say, to the Japanese.
10th Aug 2009, 22:00
The phrase "A first car you will keep forever" really caught me eye, because that's exactly what mine is. My parents leased it new & then decided to buy it. It has made countless trips from Kentucky to Georgia, Florida Texas, and back. When it came time for my mom to get a new car (in 1999), I couldn't bare to part with the Eagle. So it has been "mine" since I was... about 11. I am 21 now and it has been my only car. I fully intend to keep it forever, even when it's not really drivable anymore.
1st Jul 2006, 23:54
You're certainly right about the Vision being a fantastic car. It was my first car and (even though the a/c didn't work) I absolutely loved it. It was stolen after only a year-and-a-half and I have owned two Intrepids since then. As much as I enjoyed them both, I still crave the opportunity to own another Vision.