Faults:
Brakes and regular maintenance like any car.
Drivers seat started to wear badly, so had to put seat covers on.
Water pump and serpentine belt went out at same time, about $400 to fix.
Needed a new alternator or a rebuilt one.
Needed 2 new batteries, at least.
Needed new bulbs for headlights and maybe tail lights or turn signals.
Needed to have fuel injectors cleaned out 2 or 3 times by garage, and they charged about $200 or so a pop.
Needed new front control arm and caliper because had a rod knock in the front when you would step on brake. Cost about $300 or $400.
Needed new intake gasket and some oxygen sensors at the end because it was running bad, but they suggested a newer used engine to be installed. It wouldn't accelerate right and would stall out at red lights. Would have been at least $600 to $1200 to get it running right. But would maybe only last little while without putting another motor in for about $3,000!
Body was not worth fixing, paint was all chipping off down to bare metal, had crack across windshield from pebble chip. And floor boards or something must have been rotted because floor was usually soaking wet when it rained, dunno!
Needed to replace radiator too and other things for heater and a/c finally stopped working near the end, never got that fixed cause car died shortly after, we never could start it again.
Also the dash and middle console and radio display lights stopped working, they said it would be a few hundred dollars to fix cause was some kind of electrical problem. So never did. But the dome light and map lights still worked, odd.
General Comments:
I thought car was nice at first, a bluish gray color that gleamed in the sunlight, but the longer I had it, the more the paint chipped off to bare metal and it would have rusted a hole in the roof if a friend would not have repainted it for me, but it still did not look that great, they did a bad job. I was disappointed because I was still making payments on this car and it looked like a cheap made car, and I had paid like 10 grand for it! I bought it because I wanted something more reliable with less repairs and low miles and sporty looking, only had 25,000 miles when I got her.
But besides some of the repairs it was usually reliable. It was a nice sporty looking car and had some pick up and go. But at the end had to sell it, for only $200 because it would not even start, and I had to almost give it away, my poor baby, money pit! lol!!!
30th Jul 2008, 13:19
"Stylish unique car with American-made car problems"
Excuse me, but would like to respectfully point out that all cars have problems. Take a look for instance at all of the very serious problems Toyota has been having recently as documented by Consumer Affairs:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/toyota_engine.html
I am not saying this necessarily applies to your review, but for some reason, it just seems that when a problem occurs with an American car, people often use it as a judgment against the entire American car industry, while shrugging off comparable (or often more serious) problems with foreign vehicles.
You bought the car when it was already 15 years old with 120,000 miles. The car now has 260,000 miles and the problems you listed are all minor and/or common for a car of that age. I do not think that is too bad.
I am not bashing your review, but just do not like the unfair stereotype you are giving credence in its title.