That would be the V6 model, and also the Acura TL and CL, Odyssey, etc
Best (and worst) vehicles from about 1985-2005?
- Thread starter CharlesInCharge
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That would be the V6 model, and also the Acura TL and CL, Odyssey, etc
Can confirm. Had a 05 STS with the N* and it was nice when it was working correctly. 320hp RWD good looking sedan. When it left me on the side of the road in another state that was the final straw (timing chain tensioner failed motor trashed). I put less than 50k on that car and was working on it constantly. My nearly 20 year older F-150 was light years more reliable.
My grandad did have a 92 sedan deville with the 4.9 that seemed like a pretty decent vehicle. Terrible gas mileage, but it rode like a cadillac should.
That 4.9 had to have stop.leak in the cooling system. Without it the coolant would drip into the oil. Absolute garbage.
I enter my old Grand Am into the mix, 1989.
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Mustang (preferably the V8), lots of options, and doesn't really matter if it's a pushrod Windsor or a Modular. The 302 is a heck of a lot easier to wrench on though. Somebody mentioned the Termi, but that definitely won't be the in "affordable" category, those cars were awesome though.
F-body from the same era were also pretty easy to work on and durable. When they started putting part of the engine under the cowl they became a bit of a PITA to wrench on though.
E46 and E39 BMW's are easy to work on and very solid cars. Will be a bit more needy than some of the others mentioned, but are much nicer cars.
F-body from the same era were also pretty easy to work on and durable. When they started putting part of the engine under the cowl they became a bit of a PITA to wrench on though.
E46 and E39 BMW's are easy to work on and very solid cars. Will be a bit more needy than some of the others mentioned, but are much nicer cars.
Any opinions of the Chevy/GM Tahoes and Suburbans of that era, specifically the 5.3L and 7.4L and I think they maybe had a 5.7L or perhaps I'm mistaken? I've got my eye on a 95 with the 7.4L that looks nice with 150k miles for around $7k.
Agree with the Acclaim. My best car was a 1992 Dodge Spirit, 2.5/ A403.
I owned Zastava 101 (predecessor of Yugo) and Yugo 55, but the worst vehicle I owned was 1988 Opea Ascona 2.0 Irmscher. Excellent engine and manual gearbox, but being vehicle from time when GM decided to get mire “involved “ in European operations, rusting was an understatement. It was actually gaining in performance as it was getting older bcs. losing weight due to rust. Final straw was taking left corner and rear spring going through the floor!
1996 Opel Vectra had zinc plated body, but then GM decided to use its “magic” on pretty much everything else. To think that Passat B5 and Vectra B seen light of the day in the same year is ridiculous as Passat B5 looked like vehicle from another galaxy compared to Vectra B.
That Vectra was final straw with Opel/GM.
1996 Opel Vectra had zinc plated body, but then GM decided to use its “magic” on pretty much everything else. To think that Passat B5 and Vectra B seen light of the day in the same year is ridiculous as Passat B5 looked like vehicle from another galaxy compared to Vectra B.
That Vectra was final straw with Opel/GM.
I bought an '85 Olds Calais in 1989 that deserved nothing better but to be driven off a cliff. Bought it used from a tech I worked with at a Pontiac-Olds dealership, all of 24,000 miles on it. It spent quite a bit of time in his bay after he sold it. Transmission, emissions, multiple leaking seals. It really was an awful car. Got rid of it and got a new '91 Civic Si. Talk about a 180 degree turn in quality.
My 95 bmw is one of the most reliable cars i have owned.. my 1985 porsche 944 I bought with over 100 k miles and sold it 15 years later with 300 k miles. Plugs and timing belt and battery and brakes and tires.. new coolant and one clutch.. zero broken things other than wear items
I had a 1989 Dakota that ate 3 transmissions in the first 60k miles. Avoid.
We had a 1999 Volvo S70 for 21 years and 276k miles. We both loved that car...
We had a 1999 Volvo S70 for 21 years and 276k miles. We both loved that car...
No, but it was the sport model. I would buy one if I could get my hands on one of those convertibles though, just to be different!Was your Dakota a convertible?
The production year limit just caught the 2005 Ford Mustang. Best looking Mustang since the early 70's.
Anything with the Toyota 1MZ/3MZ engines.
1995 would be Throttle Body Injection TBI, They were about reliable as anything on the market at the time.....But as they aged, A few nagging issues surfaced......
*Fuel Pressure Regulator Spring breakage. Send the Injectors to Trav (If he cleans TBI injectors?), Replace the FPR Spring & Diaphragm.
*Vacuum Leaks from the TBI base gasket & Intake Gaskets (Coolant leaks as well)
*Fuel Pump failures (Low volume).
*Bad PCM grounds, Likely needs new eyelets crimped on. (Easy to access)
*Distributor issues.....Whether it be Ignition Control Module, Pole Piece, Or Shaft Bushings.
*MAP Sensor vacuum line cracking or the rubber ends cracking, Same with the PCV line & rubber ends.
*Sticking open EVAP Purge Solenoid, No "Flow" monitor DTC's to alert you of an issue!
I recommend adding a Heated Oxygen Sensor if not equipped from the factory, California trucks had a heated sensor (3 wire) while 49 state trucks had a unheated (1 wire) sensor.
Any 1985-1993 Honda Accord Is completely bomb-proof, just an indestructible car.
Any small Toyota has always been reliable - Tercel, Echo, Corolla, Starlet…they tend to burn oil, but they go forever sometimes with horrendous abuse!
These are a couple of the best from that period.
Any small Toyota has always been reliable - Tercel, Echo, Corolla, Starlet…they tend to burn oil, but they go forever sometimes with horrendous abuse!
These are a couple of the best from that period.
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