1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z 2.2L turbo from North America

Summary:

Sweetest 80's sports car ever!

Faults:

CV axle blew at 99k miles, and brake lines blew out at 103k miles.

Brake lines blew out due to rust. It was a Pennsylvania car all its life. Road salt caused bad undercarriage rust.

General Comments:

First got this car when I was 16, and had it until I turned 20. Absolutely loved it to death; the only reason I sold it was because I joined the military, and my dad didn't want to take care of it while I was gone.

Mine had the Super 60 package, so performance computer, camshaft, injectors, and manual boost controller. Super fast, super reliable, and super comfortable. I've never driven a car that had a more comfortable driver seat.

Mine was a loaded model with leather, sunroof, 12-button navigator, and other goodies. Mustangs and Camaros were always embarrassed to find out they were beat by a 135ci 4-cylinder Dodge.

I would highly recommend any Daytona to anyone who wants a cheap, reliable, and fun to drive car. I own an '88 Daytona Shelby Z now at my current assignment, and it's even more of a blast to drive!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th April, 2011

1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z 2.2L turbo from North America

Summary:

Totally awesome

Faults:

The only thing that I had trouble with was the auto transmission. But it never left me on the side of the road stranded.

General Comments:

The car was very good.

Suspension was great for high speed driving and cornering.

The interior was very comfortable and suited me to a T.

Instrument panel was easy to read.

The car was very quick, even to its last days.

Paint was very good for the years I had the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st February, 2009

21st Feb 2009, 07:43

Did you really drive this car 525000 miles?

1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo-Z 2.2 135ci 4 clynders from North America

Summary:

I fell in love with this car

Faults:

Transmission was replaced approximately 60000 miles.

Radiator replaced approx 80000 miles.

Reupholstered drivers seat approximately 85000 miles.

Now it needs rack and pinion steering attention.

General Comments:

This car was really quick and handled like a dream.

The front wheel drive pulled it around corners unbelievably fast.

It is only two door and not much room for folks in the rear seat, however the cargo space is fantastic (hatch back you know)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd March, 2008

1984 Dodge Daytona 2.2L from North America

Summary:

Will never buy another Chrysler product

Faults:

Engine computer went bad right after the warranty expired. Dealer first replaced all the sensors $$$ before diagnosing the main computer problem.

Engine computer had to be replaced again within two years at great expense.

Catalytic converter went bad shortly after initial computer problem. The replacement never worked properly and performance was more and more sluggish until I finally got rid of the car.

General Comments:

This was a very cool looking car when it came out; it looked sort of like a poor man's Porsche 928.

The handling wasn't too bad and it got good gas mileage before things went haywire.

Despite the good looks, this was really just a gussied up K-car and about as reliable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 17th October, 2005

18th Jun 2012, 19:52

K-cars were/still are one of the most reliable cars on the road. Sorry you had trouble with yours.

Engine computers rarely go bad, and are relatively cheap to replace.

Cat converter isn't your car's fault, nor is it your car's fault you put a cheap junk replacement on.

19th Jun 2012, 23:41

I believe these cars had a lot of Mitsubishi components and/or were pretty much Mitsubishis under the skin. Not to judge an entire brand, but the few Chrysler products I've owned had a lot of problems, and almost all of those ended up being due to the Mitsubishi-sourced components. Usually the cars were pretty much solid; it was just certain parts from what I consider a very questionable manufacturer.

I could be absolutely incorrect about the Daytona's origins. And this comment is not at all meant to judge newer Chrysler and Mitsubishi vehicles.

21st Jun 2012, 23:41

I owned a Mitsubishi-engined 1988 Daytona. It was OK, but my 1990 Omni with the American built 2.2 went just under a quarter of a million miles with just two timing belts and one hose replaced. All my Chrysler products (3 cars and one truck) have been virtually flawless. Far better than our poorly built Japanese imports.

In reply to 21st Jun 2012, 23:41

22nd Jun 2012, 08:52

I wanted to believe in Chrysler reliability, but then the tranny on my 90 Horizon blew at 90k. I maintained that thing very well, and drove it like a granny.

The cat thing sounds like a rust issue, and oh boy did these Chryslers rust underneath if you ever hit salt.

For the record, I've heard of K-cars having issues at just 25k miles; cars owned by elders and maintained well might I add. The Chrysler 2.2 is a good engine, but the rest of the car parts were shoddy and cheap.

In reply to 21st Jun 2012, 23:41

26th Nov 2012, 14:55

The ONLY thing that Mitsubishi supplied in the Daytona was the 3.0L V-6, which was introduced in 1990. Everything else was American.

Mitsubishi did NOT supply any engines for a 1988 Daytona.

28th Nov 2012, 14:21

The Dodge Daytona did come with the Mitsubishi-built 2.5 "silent shaft"4-cylinder engine in 1988. I know because I had one. The Mitsubishi engine was not as fast or reliable as the much better American-made 2.2 engine.