1978 Plymouth Volare Custom 225 Slant Six 2 Barrel from North America

Summary:

Great car, fun to drive, and very comfortable seats

Faults:

All the radiator hoses went (from age and dry rot).

Carb went at 57,000 (due to me beating on it). It sucked the gaskets in. The valve cover gasket went (due to age).

Body rotted out at the bottom, and so did the frame in the middle; my reason for getting rid of car.

General Comments:

This car was fun to drive; even with its 110 horsepower it still moved.

I never got stuck in the snow. It handled the snow great, plus being rear wheel drive, it was also fun to play in the snow.

Driving on dry pavement, it handled like it was on rails. It took every turn I threw it into beautifully.

The hill hugger transmission was great for me because of my long legs. I had to drive with both feet because the steering wheel didn't have tilt. Oh well, I still loved it.

The slant six was a beautiful engine. I couldn't kill it, and believe me I tried everything (without draining the oil and running it dry).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 7th November, 2008

1978 Plymouth Volare Slant 6- 225 from North America

Summary:

An old-timer that grabs the attention of everyone that drives by

Faults:

Transmission went at 26,000 miles.

Some rust has begun to form near the wheels.

The passenger door sticks when you go to open it.

General Comments:

I love my Volare. It was given to me by an elderly aunt as a birthday gift for my 16th birthday, and it has been the best gift I have ever received. The gas mileage is great, the ride is zippy, and the look is very retro.

This car is the coupe version, and it is red with a while Landau top. Nobody misses it when it's going down the road. This car has 32,100 original miles on it, and I have put 8,000 on it since I got it. My aunt never drove anywhere, and only managed to put 24,000 miles on it in 22 years.

As a high school student, I thought the car would have been ridiculed as it sat in the lot; however, people respect its retro style and the fact that I absolutely love the thing.

My father drove into the curb with it in October 2001, and I just got it back and I missed it more than anything in the world. Every told me to junk it, but I would never. I was ecstatic to get it back.

It had been a wonderful first car, and I will never sell it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th April, 2002

27th Oct 2002, 21:18

Hey I have one too it is the world to me. I am 17 I got it for my grandmother it is a Duster Volare coupe. I have been restoring it, it has its ups and downs, but it is a lot of fun. William Deaton.

20th Jan 2003, 11:45

I have a 1980 plymouth volare with a slant 6. It looks sporty, but is almost impossible to work on and is very hard to find parts for. I still love my car to death and even though it runs rough for almost 400,000 miles the engine doesn't run too bad.

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1978 Plymouth Volare Sedan Slant Six from North America

Summary:

A gas guzzler that looks ugly

Faults:

My transmission went.

The radiator broke and the car overheated.

It stalls in the rain.

The engine stalls when you stop at a light even if not in the rain.

My alternator broke.

It burns oil clean like crazy. You have to add oil every 1,000 miles.

You have to add brake fluid every 5,000 miles.

My air conditioning broke, but the heater worked from day one (story told by the previous owner).

Takes three tries to start.

General Comments:

Once the car is running it is great, and one day you wake up in the morning and it decides to break before you start it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th May, 2001

19th Jul 2001, 22:50

Some advice handed down to me by a Volare-owning mother. Drive the car non-stop for 2 or 3 kilometers (a mile or two) WITHOUT STOPPING until the engine temperature gauge reaches a certain level. Then you're good to go.

27th Oct 2002, 08:33

The stalling problem is something I need information about. On my daughter's 79 Plymouth Volare, it stalls around turns and at stop signs. She has nearly had a number of accidents because of it. We changed out the carburetor and ignition module, and it still does it. Any suggestions? TDG8130@aol.com.

28th Oct 2002, 16:14

Forget what anybody else says, the Volare is a great car. It was made in 1978 and still runs like a dream. I am currently doing the carburetor work on it. Love the car. I plan to get a new truck and restore the Volare to its full potential.

In reply to 27th Oct 2002, 08:33

5th Aug 2015, 01:23

Get her a new car. WHY would you risk her life, in a junker that almost got her into a few close calls. Really?

In reply to 5th Aug 2015, 01:23

5th Aug 2015, 12:13

Given that the post you replied to was 13 years old, no doubt they have moved on to other cars since then. However, it is worthwhile to note that the reason we drive old Volares and the like - that is, cheap cars - is usually because we are impecunious, like most Americans nowadays. So, it isn't really nice to harass the poor about their bad cars - rather, give us advice about how to make the best of them.

1978 Plymouth Volare Slant-6 from North America

Summary:

A ghetto-mobile with character

Faults:

We replaced the horn at least three times, as well as the starter.

The software (door handles, locks, etc.) is atrocious -- quite possibly the cheapest collection of crap ever put on a car.

Despite a number of attempted adjustments, it had a stalling problem in the rain.

Turn signal repeatedly and mysteriously broke.

Air-conditioning was non-functional from the purchase date, heat worked sporadically.

General Comments:

Despite various irritating problems as described above, the Volare was a competent, if ego-crushing, first car. Aside from the stalling problem, the engine was a workhorse and is considered an excellent design. The car never once just up and died, meaning I never had to fear being stranded anywhere. And as it got older, people started to see it as cool, rather than hideous and laughable, as they did in high school.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th August, 2000

21st Mar 2001, 01:59

If the heater breaks, it's because the brushes are worn down. Hit the heater motor with a stick and the brushes will go back into alignment. Viva las Volares!