1990 Plymouth Horizon 2.2
Summary:
Had Plymouth kept building them like this, they'd still be around
Faults:
Fuel hoses had to be replaced.
Needed an alignment when I bought it. Also needed a tune-up.
Radio doesn't always work.
Reverse lights don't work.
Cruise control doesn't work.
Radiator leaks.
Hatch hydraulics are old.
General Comments:
Has never left us stranded, even on its journey from Terra Houte Indiana to St Louis MO.
Very comfortable, I'm willing to say it's comparable to a modern Jaguar or even a Mercedes. I've ridden in a few, and somehow this $900 hatchback is comfier.
AC and heater still work, and they work well, though turning the AC on will notably effect your power.
I'd recommend opening the front windows, but make sure it's both; if it's just one, the car will feel weird on the highway.
Takes the highways like it was built for them, but don't get cocky around 18 wheelers.
Despite being an automatic, it feels pretty quick, even quicker than my V6 '84 Mustang.
Handles great, one of the few FWDs I've enjoyed driving.
Parts are dirt cheap and labor is cheap with these, the engine is easy to work on.
MPG is great, easily better than the PT Cruiser.
I like their basic innocent look with a few rugged touches like the wheel well skirts. I prefer function over style in a car.
There's a little bit of rust on the outside near the rear wheels; I plan on fixing that.
Previous owners didn't seem to maintain it very well, but despite this the car works for me like a soldier, and it puts up with my mother.
If I brought another Chrysler, it would either be one of these or an older model; after this they made the Neon (there was a dealerships worth of those at a junkyard I went to), and after that the slow, inefficient PT Cruiser.
Blindspots? Nope, good luck backing up a Magnum though.
Omnis/Horizons usually go for $800, and you can get 500k in mileage if you maintain one of these right, probably more. GLH models aren't that much either (those competed with exotics back in the day, and won).
These were made in the same factory as the Bluesmobile, and they may be 4 cylinder hatchbacks, but they're still more American than the new Canadian-built Challengers and Chargers.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 5th December, 2010
23rd Apr 2012, 16:24
UPDATE: Here's a better review, now that I've had this car for a longer time:
A number of parts had to be replaced, mostly maintenance, but a lot of it was due to the original owner's neglect.
Drives okay, but hitting the brakes too hard will cause the car to "plow" and it will hardly turn. This is due to the Omni/Horizon not being intended to carry a 2.2 sized motor originally.
Was roomy inside, I'm 6'1 and I could sit in the back just fine. Could've been a little wider though.
Takes hail very well, I hardly noticed any dents until the sun hit the car just right.
Gas mileage was decent.
The car had terrible rust underneath, bits of the car would be on my driveway almost every morning. Paint's your usual low-quality 80's Chrysler stuff.
Speedometer didn't work, cleaned the sensor and that fixed the problem.
Sold it at 89k when the tranny wasn't downshifting, I had the filter/fluid changed, but no dice. The Torqueflight was nearing its end.
It was an okay car, but you could tell that it was built on a low budget with cheap craftsmanship.