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In light of the "Will America's automakers survive?" thread, I wanted to start a thread seeing what make and model of vehicles people owned, and how reliable they were.
Feel free to praise, rant, whine, brag etc. My car:
Make: VW Model: Jetta Year: 2003 Problems: Knock sensor wiring, stuck open thermostat. No major problems. I love my VW. EDIT: other cars now My last car:
Make: Subaru Model: Legacy wagon Year: 1997 Problems: Alternator, major oil leaks, an okay car
First car:
Make: Jeep Model: Grand Cherokee Year: 1994 Problems: Brakes, replaced auto transmission, broken motor mount, not a reliable car
[ January 25, 2006, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: Nick ]
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Make: Jaguar Model: Vandenplas Year: 1989 Problems: Don't even get me started. It was a sweet car, but it was just too much to take care of.
Make: Volkswagen Model: Passat Year: 2004 Problems: The brake light switch went out once. Nothing major. It's a great car. It's fast and has all kinds of bells and whistles.
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Make: Mazda Model: 121 Year: 1997-ish. It was my parents' car first (bought new) and we inherited it in Jan 2005.
Problems: none. Sure, no air-con (but that's the model), the back door lock is kinda screwed and we had to fix the boot latch. But it is a zippy little car (which can do, as I accidentally discovered, 100 km/h in 4th gear. Made more impressive by the fact it will start from a full stop in 2nd gear) and uses very little petrol. Cheap to run and fun to drive and it hasn't broken down on anyone. Good car. Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Make: Toyota Model: Celica Year: 1987 Problems: It already had 150K when I bought it, but it did well for its age. It suffered some oil leaks and finally blew its head gasket. That's when I sold it (being completely up front about that and other minor problems I knew of). I would have kept it, but we needed a bigger car when our daughter was born--and the head gasket just wasn't worth fixing to me.
Make: Pontiac Model: Bonneville SE Year: 1995 Problems: It's been a good car, but has had regular problems--gaskets, water pumps, suspension, etc. But overall a very dependable car.
Make: Nissan Model: Pickup Year: 1996 Problems: The durned check engine light keeps coming on. I had some repairs done to get it past inspection, and the light stayed off for four months. Now it's back on again. Other than that, this truck has been very dependable. I love it to death.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I've had about 9 cars in the last ten years, none of which were new, and all of which had various problems. But my 2001 Honda Accord is definitely one of the most stressfree vehicles I've ever owned.
I also had two late '80s early '90s Nissan trucks that ran forever.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Make: Honda Model: Pilot Year: 2006 Problems: My daughter put pennies in the DVD player..
Make: Jeep Model: Wrangler Year: 2001 Problems: No problems that weren't...self-induced (the cool tech at the dealership wrote down my problem as "carbon build-up" on the cylinders and proceeded to scrape red clay off of them and fixed it under warranty. Oh come on! Who hasn't forded a stream in their Jeep? Posts: 1480 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Many Volvo 240s, of early- to mid-80s vintage. The usual issues you get when you've got a car that had 200k+ miles on it at the time of purchase.
Currently: Make: Honca Model: Civic Hybrid Year: 2004 Problems, CVT transmission broke (speifically, a chain in it), at 8000 miles. Replaced under warranty and no problems since. MPG: Lifetime ~39MPG over 19k miles.
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My dad has told me when I'm ready to buy my own car, I should buy a Jetta or Passat. He restores 60s VWs for fun.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Make: Ford Model: Contour Year: 1997 Problems: Air conditioning trouble, replaced the battery when it was three years old (not sure if that's normal), severe rattling issues everytime it hit 68mph that was never quite figured out. I can't say I was too fond of the car.
Make: Scion (Toyota) Model: tC Year: 2005 Problems: None yet... still to early to tell, but I am loving it so far.
Posts: 4292 | Registered: Jan 2001
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Just had my first tire allignment. I think I might be leaking a little oil now, but I just had an oil change so they might not have put the cap back on tight enough.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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1996 Chevy Cavalier (Teal, god I hate that color) Got this car for $500 from an old boss. It was still running great and had no issues (other than a missing right rear view and a blower that only blew on high)
Repairs I've done: Replaced Blower Motor Resistor - This was a pain in the ass as it had me reaching into a small cavity to pull a screw that was nearly impossible to reach (I had to screw it back on too). The motor now blows on all speeds, though! Replaced Right Rear View Mirror - $15 on Ebay Motors. Just bolted it on. Replaced Fuel Pump/Level Assembly - This was potentially expensive, but I was able to get a used part for about $50 on Ebay (they were almost $400 through the dealer). I wound up having to cut off the bolts holding the tank on with a grinder, but the rest was pretty easy. I should check the new bolts today to make sure they're still holding that tank up.
1993 Nissan Maxima This car has been great. It had an issue where it wasn't starting when wet. I replaced the Distributor Cap, Wires and Plugs and she runs fine now. It also had a heavily-worn right-rear ball joint, but I didn't replace this myself as I wasn't confident in my DIY car repair abilities at the time.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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*gives props to PC for fixing own car* It's all about do-it-yourself with a little bit of ebay. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Yeah, that's my recipe for fixing up my old Mustang. Otherwise I'd have to write a check for ~10K to get it running.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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2006 Dodge Grand Caravan 1200 miles No problems thus far, but we've only had it for about 3 weeks.
1994 Chrysler Town and Country 160K miles Repairs and problems: Water pump replaced. Heater coil is going out and needs to be replaced. Transmission has been replaced once (previous owner). That's pretty much it. My husband is very good about maintaining our vehicles, so I rarely had any problems with my T&C. We still have it, though I haven't driven it since we replaced it with the Caravan. We're trying to decide whether to donate it or let my neice drive it.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Make: Scion (technically Toyota) Model: xA Year: 2005 Problems: No problems due to the car itself. I have had rocks, pieces of wood, and numerous other things thrown at my car (basically by big semis). The result is that I have a crack down my windshield and a large irremovable scuff on my front bumper.
Posts: 1960 | Registered: May 2005
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I used Craftsman for years before I got my snapon, and they were GOOD tools, but I wanted to get top quality.
I still use some Craftsman tools.
By the way, ball joints are pretty simple if you have a jack that can go pretty high or if you have a lift. If you don't, don't attempt it...
It's all about having the right tools for the job.
It's pretty impressive that you know that the blower motor resistor pack is what was faulty though. I know of people who fix cars for a living that would have a bit of trouble with that one...
Ohm's law with a wiring diagram goes a long way.
[ January 25, 2006, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: Nick ]
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Make: Pontiac Model: Grand Am GT Year: 2002 Mileage: 62000 miles Bought brand new Problems: Faulty solenoid caused the transmission to occasionally stutter when cold. Fixed at 30K miles under warranty. Other than that, it's been problem free. However, I wouldn't recommend this vehicle. It kind of seems like I beat the odds. There was a widespread design flaw in the GM 3.4L V6 engine causing the LIM gasket to fail (coolant in oil-not good). There is statistically a host of other problems with this car. However, I've run synthetic oil since the first oil change and done all the required maintenance on time (or early) myself. Although I've beat the crud out of it by taking it camping, extended road trips through the desert, etc it's still runs like the day I bought it. Moral of the story: do all your required maintenance.
Also, I can second Nick's caution on the VWs maintenance costs. My wife was looking at the Beetles. However, just to get a headlight changed is ridiculous (some dealers charged almost $100). Also, the Jetta, Passat, and Beetle are all on the Consumer Reports list of worst cars (98-05).
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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Make: Pontiac Model: Bonneville SE Year: 1988 Mileage: 218,000 miles when sold Bought brand new, hand-me-down from father. Problems: - One cracked engine mount (120,000 miles) - One dead water pump (120,00 miles) - One dead A/C compressor (180,000 miles) - One violently dead Alternator, flames involved (200,000 miles) - One dead radiator fan (215,000 miles) - All but engine mount replaceable in the driveway. - Note, from the time I took over this car it is fair to say it was abused. Anything Uncommon oil changes (up to 12 months between) to taking the car over a 13,000 foot jeep trail in Colorado was inflicted upon this car.
Make: Chevrolet Model: Impala SS Year: 2004 Mileage: 24,000 miles Bought new Problems: - One recall to check tension (torque?) on bolts. - One bolt induced blowout on interstate - And… umm, well nothing. I think there’s a small dirty spot on the steering wheel I can’t get off with water.
EDITed to add that the two bolt issues were not related. Though it makes for a funny read.
Posts: 1368 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Fahim owns a motorcycle - no idea what kind. Well, he knows, I don't. The last time it went in for repair, it was for regular maintenance plus to get rid of the termites in the seat.
We usually take trishaws everywhere, though. Much easier and very cheap. Made in India by Bajaj, usually. They're tin-can two-stroke engines on three wheels. :0
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Make: Ford Model: Focus Year: 2002 Mileage: 28,000 miles Bought new
Problems -
Alternator died at something like 24,000 miles and was replaced under warranty. Other than that, no problems that were Ford's fault. It's been in the shop probably a dozen times, but those are due to the fact that everyone in Southeast Michigan wants to take a turn playing bumper cars with it.
All in all it's a fantastic car. Gets about 25mpg in the city, and if driven right, can get up to 32mpg on the highway. Has the upgraded engine, and a lot of zip when I need it, which isn't often, but it works for everything I need it for.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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A while ago I had a VW Golf, '89 I think. It was awesome. Problems were usually caused by my stupidity, like driving up a mountain without coolant and warping the thingies that hook up to the engine block. Or that bad wreck. The door handles kept breaking, and they cost like $100! The cheap 3rd party ones break even faster. Replaced the alternator. The brake light switch went out too. But I drove it tons and tons of miles (up and down the canyons in the SL valley) even after the wreck. I'm sure it had more problems that I'm not remembering. But it was a stick and it was fast.
Now I have a '93 Nissan Sentra. I had to take it in for repairs once, like $1000 or something. It was in a bad wreck too and that cost a lot to fix. And it is a slow automatic. But it seems to be chugging along ok.
Considering everything, I don't think I've spent too much on them and am happy.
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I drive a 2005 Uplander. No problems so far, and I love it.
However...the best darn car I've ever had is named "Old Blue" and is currently sitting out in our driveway. Old Blue is a 1980something Buick with an insane amount of miles on it. It's very loud, and the faux-wood paneling decorating the interior was once very trendy. We bought it for $600 and have never had a problem with the thing!
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Salt Lake Valley. From just about anywhere in the valley it is about 20 minutes to a canyon, where you can drive up and up and up and up until there is snow, except in July-Nov I think.
When I graduated from high school, I sent probably the majority of the days that summer hiking in the mountains. So I really racked up the miles on the Golf. That was why I brought it up.
Posts: 1209 | Registered: Dec 2003
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1978 Thunderbird - changed the alternator. When I rebuilt the engine for fun with my dad, I ran an oil pressure line too close to the manifold, and lost all the oil while doing 90 down an interstate. Ran just fine until the day I put it out to pasture.
1984 Thunderbird - no problems at all, unless you count it's death wish. I bought it wrecked. It nearly caught fire during some welding (serious fire extinguisher use required). drove a rake through my foot washing it. Was rearended on the way to the hospital. Was eventually totalled in a traffic accident.
1976 Jeep J-10. Changed the alternator. Brakes went bad. Kept driving it anyway. Gave it to my brother.
1968 Thunderbird - somehow managed to crush the oil pan, messed up the oil pickup on the pump. Haven't fixed it yet.
1997 Thunderbird - had to replace the intake on warranty work. Refused to start the one time I was too drunk to drive. Started right up once I had sobered a bit. Great, great car.
1986 Ranger - bought it with a bad engine, and abused it until it blew. Replaced the engine, sold it off, was in a horrible wreck that left it in 12,485 peices. Guy was ok tho.
1999 Ranger - No probs whatsoever
2005 Mustang - No probs whatsoever
2005 Sante Fe - temp/compass stopped working, still hasn't been fixed. Power windows had some problem, got it fixed on warranty.
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Can anyone here tell me if the new Volkswagen Beetles (Bugs) are all standard transmission? My daughter has decided that's what she wants, but then I pointed out that I think they are all sticks (like my truck is) and that discouraged her because she hates shifting. Do they make them now with automatic transmissions?
FG
(I went to their company site, and it LOOKS like you can get it with automatic for $1500 more, but I'm not positive.)
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Going backward in time: (These are just cars I have owned personally, not including ones owned by my husband when we were married, or other ones owned in my family that I have driven)
Make: Nissan Model: Frontier Pickup (2-wheel drive) Year: 2002 Problems: Have had absolutely NO problems at all. I go through tires pretty rapidly, but that's because of where I live.
Make: Jeep Model: Grand Waggoneer 4x Year: 1988 Problems: gas hog supreme, but I loved it anyway. Had to have the engine totally rebuilt about two months after I bought it, but then it did good. These are known for transmission problems, however
Make: Datsun Model: pickup Year: don't remember Problems: Good gas mileage, but got too cramped for family. I don't remember any mechanical problems.
Make: Chevy Model: Apache Pickup Year: 1961 Great truck - got it from my dad, who used it as a "haul firewood" truck. Wish I still had it but not enough seatbelts once I had two kids
Make: Ford Model: Pickup (don't remember number) Year: 1960 Oil pump quit and blew the engine. Left me stranded four hours from home.
Make: Chevy Model: Nova I had two different Novas at different times and they were both pieces of crap that broke down continually and I didn't have them for very long.
Make: AMC Model: Eagle 4-wheel drive Year: 1980 Remember when this came out? 4-wheel drive car? I thought it was the coolest. Bought it nearly-new. Had several problems with electrical wiring with it, though.
Make: Ford Model: Mustang Fastback Year: 73? (I think) Seemed to be a sound car when I got it, but it began leaking oil pretty soon. And I kept having people steal that Mustang-symbol gas cap off the back.
Make: Plymouth Model: Valiant Year: 1971 Good solid basic car until my best friend drove it and wrecked it. Easy to work on engine. No major problems. Slant-6 engine
Make: Plymouth Model: Valiant Year: 1965 3-speed basic car. My first car (had belonged to my mom) that I began driving with. I rolled it in a field when I was 14, and that was the end of that car.
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FG, New Beetles come in both Automatic and Stick. Actually old ones did too, they just didn't work. (I'm quoting my dad here)
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Make: Volvo Model: V70 Wagon Year: 1998 No problems that I didn't cause through my own stupidity. 116K miles so far, and I expect it to hit at least three times that without problems.
Make: Volvo Model: 240GL Year: 1989 Died once due to "alternator brushes", otherwise super-reliable. Eventually succumbed to rust at over 300K, and the still-solid engine was salvaged and as far as I know, still used today.
I don't think I've ever spent more than $200 for a repair that wasn't caused by me smashing the car into something. I couldn't be happier with these cars.
Beetles definately come with both auto and standard. My wife was looking very seriously at one about 3 months ago, so here's my take for what its worth.
They are VERY roomy inside for two (I'm 6'3, 190 lbs) however, if you are over 5'10 your head will hit the window if you sit in the back. However, access to the back seat is made easy-the front seat kind of lifts up and forward. It's hard to explain but it's not like it just tilts forward like many models. The feel of panels & construction is solid and the materials look and feel quality. They are also come standard with nice safety features like ABS, etc. The test drive was fun. While it wasn't quick, it didn't feel underpowered, although we didn't try passing at freeway speeds or anything. Brakes were very responsive. While cornering there was a fair amount of body lean, but it was to be expected considering its height and wheelbase length. I don't think there's the same chance of rollovers that SUVs have, but it may be something you want to check out.
I was nonplussed by the gas mileage, but there is a diesel available that gets around the neighborhood of 50 mpg. Unfortunately both used and new they charge a premium for these. And don't worry...it sounds nothing like the diesel on a Dodge Ram.
However, what finally steered us away was a combination of a few factors. Statistically, these cars have a lot of problems (both used and new). Andecdotally, there's a lot of problems ranging from unhelpful, dishonest, and overpriced dealer service departments, to the lack of people qualified to repair them.
So I guess you have to decide: is the "cuteness" of the Beetle, worth the (likely) expensive frequent repairs? To a teenage girl, probably. To a mother, maybe not.
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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VW automatic trasmissions have gotten better since they gave up their whole "maintenence free" idea. When the beetle first came out, yes, they had a lot of problems, but they have fixed them now, for the most part.
They have the same inline 4 cylinder 2 liter engine that the 2004 and prior Jettas had. Jettas typically don't have that many problems, speaking from experience (I own one).
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Current: 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Limited Bought new, closing in on 70,000 miles. Oil changes and new tires, but no other issues. Runs like a top and can climb a greased firepole if necessary.
Current: 1993 Toyota Camry Bought new, closing in on 170,000 miles. Runs good to this day, but will need a new CV joint soon. For as big as I am, it's a comfortable ride on long trips.
1987 Ford Bronco II Bought used, traded it at 135,000 miles. A four-wheel drive aquarium with a lot of bounce and the tightest turn radius I've ever seen. Just about flipped it the first night I owned it when a possum ran out into the road. Remarkably good gas mileage (22 to 24 mpg on average), but the tie rods gave out (luckily they were spotted by the mechanic before they completely failed -- steering loss in the NC Mountains is a terrible way to take up sky diving...). Traded it to a carpenter for labor on building a deck.
1985 Ford Escort Bought for $350 at an auction, 130,000 miles before odometer gave out. Door hinge broken, muffler fell off in traffic, would create James Bond-quality smokescreens at 60 mph. Would not die.
1987 Ford Mustang Bought used. Great little car, ran like a top. Until a Honda Civic decided to jump into the passenger seat (T-bone collision, he was doing 55 mph est. at time of impact). Axle broke, car demolished, I walked away with bruises and scrapes.
1987 Ford Thunderbird Bought used. One of the most fun cars I've ever had. Drove like a dream, but on some mornings I had to rock it back and forth to start it. Go figure.
1978 Ford Thunderbird Graduation present, definitely used. Pimp mobile deluxe. Parents thought it would be a safe car. Big Cleveland-block engine ate the gas but paid off in speed bigtime. Master cylinder went out, but otherwise was reliable.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Current car: 2004 Toyota Camry I bought about 3 months ago. No problems yet. Just had the oil and transmission fluid changed (when it hit 30k miles).
Hubby has a 2000 Honda Civic with about 55k miles on it. We've never had any problem with it.
Previous: 1993 Ford Ranger I bought right as it was hitting 100k. I had it for almost 4 years and about 35k miles. I had lots of little things that needed to be replaced, but that's kind of expected when you're dealing with a 10 year old vehicle (new clutch, slave cylinder, starter, replaced pretty much everything in the cooling system, your standard tires/brakes/battery) and towards the end it developed an obnoxious electrical problem (probably the coil was overheating in the phoenix summer). The engine and tranny was still in great shape when I was hit, effectively totalling it (since it was worth so little). It lasted longer than I had needed it to (when I bought it, I just wanted something to last me 2 years) and overall was not a bad vehicle. I had already been planning to get a new vehicle when it was totalled, so it wasn't a major loss (just saved me the hassle of selling it).
1988 Chevy Sprint I had for about 4 or 5 years. I bought it for a couple hundred bucks because it had a blown head gasket. I don't remember a lot about any problems I had with the car while I owned it, but it's such an unusual car, not many people have one anymore (gotta love a car with a 3 cylinder, just under 1 liter engine). I remember it having some summertime overheating issues, but other than that it was pretty good. It and the previous car kind of blend together in my mind.
1982 Plymouth Champ I bought when I was 16 for $25 from a neighbor who was going to scrap it (I actually got it and a Dodge Colt for $50). This was my introduction to the world of auto mechanics. I rebuilt the carbuerator and the engine (at least once) and did lots of things to it. I had it for a couple years. It was also fun for the do-it-yourself bodywork opportunities - think bungie driving. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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1991 Toyota Paseo Bought used with something like 180,000 miles on it. Abs are broken, but it came like that. I haven't had any real problems with it. The transmission is a little twitchy and it occationally stalls out even when going at full speed and the clutch is out. But you can just leave the clutch out, glide and turn the key and it springs back to life. I love the little thing to peices. It works find at high way speeds reaching 70s and 80s in 4th and 5th gear and can start from a full stop in 2nd gear. It probably gets around 30 mpg in the city and I'm not sure about highway. All I know is that it has about a 9 gallon take that I have to fill up once a month. Which is brilliant with todays gas prices. All in all a good car.
Now if it just had airbags...
Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Allllll right! Another '78 T-Bird driver! Talk about safe, I bounced that thing off of everything! I only had the Windsor, tho But the gearing made up for it - it could go from 60 to 80 in an INSTANT
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Smitty, a friend once asked how fast my car was as we were riding down the road. We were doing about 20 mph and I was able to bark the tires just by stomping on the accelerator.
He was impressed.
Me, I just knew that the tires were pretty bald. Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I had big fat tires on the back... only barked 'em once. Windsor's didn't have quite the power. I still love that car. Body was starting to go, and I have enough projects.
Posts: 880 | Registered: Nov 2005
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