Faults:

Ignition module.

Likes to spring vacuum leaks and run rough until you track it down.

EGR valve.

O2 sensor.

Odometer runs like 10X too fast, so who knows how many miles it really has now.

Doesn't like third gear much, shifts into it late and jumps out of it early. Someone told me it might be a transmission seal somewhere; it's run the same way for three years, so I ignore it.

General Comments:

The car that won't die. Got it for $400 with 75K on the odometer, and an "ignition module" diagnosis, which I chose to believe. Towed it to the house, husband fixed it for under $75.

They obviously put some quality into the interior. This car has survived I don't know how many owners in its 21 years, and the dash and headliner both look like brand new. Compare this with our 02 Dodge Ram, whose dash crumbles more each day! Front seats have some expected wear, but still look good. Back seats look almost new.

Husband thought it was a 6 cylinder for the longest time, because the pickup is awesome for a 4 cyl. It has served as a learning car for two 16 year old kids, and came out smiling. They hate it because of the old fashioned styling; I think it is groovy!

I have no clue what happened to the odometer; when I got it, it was spinning around like crazy, and every 1/10 mile or so it registered another mile! I am guessing it has 100K+ by now, I've had it for three years with only the minor repairs I listed.

It must get 25 mpg at least; I don't go to the gas station too often.

I'll come back in a few years and tell you more, I expect it to still be tooling around!

Oh, and the insurance on it is like $10 a month, too.

Faults:

OK, here is a strange story. For my 18th birthday my father told me that there was an old lady selling a car. It was a 1990 Pontiac Grand Am; the SE with the 2.3L quad 4 engine.

The old lady said that she only drove the car once in a while. It was strange that a car that was 13 years old (it was 2003 at the time) only had 35,000 miles.

I drove the car hard and had fun.

Unfortunately one day at a light while in traffic the car shut off. I tried turning it on. The engine cranked but did not turn over. I had the car towed to my local mechanic that I knew. I thought nothing much of it, and thought it would be a quick fix.

The mechanic broke my heart when he told me, "she is very sick". He showed me the engine. After only driving the car for 1,000 miles the engine looked like it threw up oil all over itself. The mechanic said that the car needed a new engine. Since I bought the car for 1,000 dollars, I thought it was better to lay the car to rest...

General Comments:

My father tells me that "I woke the car up". He says that the old lady probably drove the car a little bit and very slow. When an 18 year old started driving the car 70 - 80 mph, the car couldn't take it...

Now that I'm 23 I always think of that car. I thought the car had "soul". There was something special about it. When I make a little more money I think I'll buy another one just for fun...