General Comments:
For a car that is eighteen years old, this car is awesome.
First off the silver paint job probably containing lead to give it its durability, is probably in better shape than any other car just five years old.
With stock suspension and wheels with extra wide tires the car handles like a rally car.
Under the hood lies a beast. The 1.8 liter four banger cruises fine at 80 mph.
With a little pedal to the metal the car quickly reaches 90 and 100 mph like a v8.
If the oil is maintained and changed once a month or every 1500 miles then you will see a difference in performance as well.
Not only does the oil have to be maintained, but so does the tranny fluid for maximum performance. As long as there is a nice transmission with the gears changing you should be fine, but if there is any hesitation, just add a lil fluid until you can accelerate from 0-30 and 30-60 with only one change in the gear transmission. Don't rely on the dipstick. 5 qts. total should be fine. The tranny fluid should be changed at regulary scheduled intervals.
I do have a flowmaster exhaust that came with the car when I bought it. This gives it a lot more power along with my new straight pipe and catalytic converter for optimum air flow.
The seats are starting to wear in the front and the air conditioning filter is breaking apart, but everything is maintaining otherwise with proper care and maintenance.
26th Sep 2020, 04:35
Not a bad car until 160k. Always started. Changed oil on a regular basis. Oil pressure issue before I got rid of it. Needed main bearing work. Not surprised in that I drove the hell out of this car. Repeatedly needed a back up light switch like clock work. Had to put in a new heater core, and radiator. Also, it sprang a leak in a heater hose. May have been sabotaged by mechanic on hose leak.
Minnesota winter killed this car's bearings. But, it got me around the country. No transmission problems.