I've never seel a pickup coil fail in a Ford that I can remember.
GM ones have 2 wires leading to them and the wires eventully break from constantly being flexed.
Chrysler ones seem to be the most popular. Especially on the 2.2 and 2.5 engines.
How has GM stayed in business so long?
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GM ones have 2 wires leading to them and the wires eventully break from constantly being flexed.
Chrysler ones seem to be the most popular. Especially on the 2.2 and 2.5 engines.
HAHAHAHA, it's 12:20 am and I just realized I'm watching a GM infommercial. It is some sort of ad about a car show but they are only talking about GM owned car manufacturers.
This is almost as bad as the Ford Windstar, Freedomstar???, infommercials but not quite.
Steve
This is almost as bad as the Ford Windstar, Freedomstar???, infommercials but not quite.
Steve
We all know that every company has some lemons role off the line!! The difference is in how many lemons per 100,1000,10,000, 1,000,000 and their is a big difference between first place and third! I think the real issues is why a company does not fix something as simple as intake manifold leaks, warping rotor, seal wheel bearings/hubs that fail around 60,000-80,000 miles like clock work etc... It is like dieing a death of a thousand paper cuts!! No matter how much content you give some one 100,000 miles down the road they still want the car to run more then the heated car seat!
GM is stupid for not takeing car of intake manifold issues permanatly and for letting warping rotor, CPI issues and piston slap etc.... to beat them to death!! Silly bean counters!!!
GM is stupid for not takeing car of intake manifold issues permanatly and for letting warping rotor, CPI issues and piston slap etc.... to beat them to death!! Silly bean counters!!!
I had a 2.2L Dodge Omni as my first car. I replaced both the pickup coil and the fuel filter using the "buy the part at the parts store, then go look under the hood for it" method.
I think most of the problem was caused by the fuel filter, but the pickup coil wasn't too expensive or difficult to replace.
I have become quite negative about the long term prospects for the two remaining US based automobile companies.
There is simply no excuse for GM to have the chronic intake manifold leak problem for so many years.
John
There is simply no excuse for GM to have the chronic intake manifold leak problem for so many years.
John
I had a 58 ford 292 with the same dumb design.
GM keeps going on its profits on trucks and SUVs. At this time, no foreign manufacturers make anything like a 2500HD Silverado or Sierra, or a Suburban.
Forty years ago, GM had over 50% of the domestic market. Today, what is it....about 25%
Forty years ago, GM had over 50% of the domestic market. Today, what is it....about 25%
I think they might make less cause there's going to be about 2.4 million of us..Lawyers give you a brake when they work in bunches..
They lost a customer with me. I've owned 5 GM vehicles (still own 1) After buying a Honda I see no reason to go back. The rear disk brake/parking brake setup on my S-10 has to be one of the stupidist designs ever invented.
If I'm not mistaken, GM builds many engines for NASA and the military. They have the technology IMO, to compete with the best. In racing, they are very good. I think the U.S. auto companies have different obsticles to deal with. BTW, J.D. Powers has said that the domestic cars now exceed the Europeans in quality. A VW may look like it's built well, with it's refined interior, but don't count on that! Those cares have more problems than any I have ever seen.
Cars make problems, may be there are more problem free cars but... my computers are the problem generators when compared with my car. May be that's my luck, but I got very little problems with GM.
I would get another GM. There are some "special likes"... e.g. it rides and handles, in the same time! Thats amazing.
I would get another GM. There are some "special likes"... e.g. it rides and handles, in the same time! Thats amazing.
Same obsevation from me. Tear apart the trims and my '84 Chevy actually has better workmanship.
Well lets see since I stopped buying GM products about 12 years ago the only experience I have is relatives and friends. My friend had a Malibu 2000 ish. He had to replace the water pump at 40000 miles. He just traded it in a 60000 miles since the transmission was slipping. So he buys a Trailblazer, new and gets the extended warranty. I asked him why he would waste $1500 in an extended warranty, he told me cause everytime he brings it in they shaft him for several hundred. Unbelievable!! I show him my 10 year old Toyota 4-Runner with almost 100,000 miles, his jaw dropped. He is a die hard GM loyalist that continues to put up with the abuse! Oh, well....
Daily Drives:
-2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner,2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil 1 5w30 ODO 13850
-1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter,6 cylinder, Mobil 1 10w30 ODO 94200
http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer
Daily Drives:
-2003 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner,2.7 liter, 4 cylinder, Mobil 1 5w30 ODO 13850
-1995 Toyota 4-Runner,3.0 liter,6 cylinder, Mobil 1 10w30 ODO 94200
http://community.webshots.com/user/amkeer
the numbers I find disagree quite a bit... GM posted earnings for FY 2004 at 193 billion dollars, toyota's worldwide earnings at 38.4 billion (4 trillion ¥). toyota is nowhere near as big as GM is in total revenue.
-Bret
I took my '87 Grand Am from 180,000km to 311,000km with no problems that couldn't be considered routine maintenance.
My dad just sold his '80 Suburban (work truck) last year. He had it for 18 years and it served him well. I don't believe any major engine or transmission work was ever done. He replaced it with a '91 Astro Van for better mileage.
My mom's '99 Sunfire GT is at 120,000km with no problems yet.
However, when it came time for a new car last year, there wasn't anything that GM makes (that I can afford) that interested me. That Sunfire GT is kind of sad, in terms of quality, when you get into it after being in my Mazda 3. But GM has been okay for us.
My dad just sold his '80 Suburban (work truck) last year. He had it for 18 years and it served him well. I don't believe any major engine or transmission work was ever done. He replaced it with a '91 Astro Van for better mileage.
My mom's '99 Sunfire GT is at 120,000km with no problems yet.
However, when it came time for a new car last year, there wasn't anything that GM makes (that I can afford) that interested me. That Sunfire GT is kind of sad, in terms of quality, when you get into it after being in my Mazda 3. But GM has been okay for us.
They also make diesel locomotive engines (GM EMD, GM electromotive division)
Or they did--apparently they've agreed to sell that division off.
http://www.gmemd.com/en/company/news/links/20050112_Sale.htm
Question for you guys with high mileage low end domestic cars, do you ever put shocks on or revamp the suspension? I wonder, because these car look pretty feeble and don't seem like they ever get freshened up...at all. I mean, yeah...they run but they don't seem really pleasing to drive. How about the interior or paint? Nobody seems to restore Citations or K-cars??? I drive an 18 year old 200k Euro car almost every day and it is still: shiny, smooth, quiet, tight, fast, rust-free, everything works and the inside is perfect with the exception of slightly wilted velour. It burns 1q of GC in 10,000 miles. Original clutch, alt, timing belt, water pump, wheel bearings, and only ever had a valve cover gasket on the engine. I re-did the front shocks and mounts and it got a starter. Really, I don't mean to offend, but the cars speak for themselves. The domestics seem to offer the lowest possible level service. For instance, Cavalier safety is non-existant. Do people with these cars have experience with many Asian or Euro cars? I could not go around in one of them and it's not simply an economic issue, some cars just last longer and command better serviceing. GM is really the Bo-Bo of automobiles, imo. PS it took a bad batch of 2 million coil-packs for US cars to get a better "satisfaction" rating than Euros. All things being the same, who would take an Intrepid over a BMW 325?
I must be missing something.
Maybe it doesn't count because it's a Mustang, but I replaced the shocks and struts on my 1988 Mustang 5.0 with Tokico blues. It has 163,000 miles now. I just ordered an SUV lights headlight harness and replacement weatherstripping for the hatch.
Maybe it doesn't count because it's a Contour, but I replaced the struts on my 1995 Ford Contour with Ford OE struts at 125,000 miles. It now has 150,000 miles and is my brother's car.
Right now I'm replacing the suspension parts to restore the "original ride". Sitting in the sun so long mine lost its shine and has some vinyl cracks inside, and there is this jumpy speedo needle at low speeds in this 20 year old, but I'll take care of them. Others I guess matches with your Euro. I use it almost daily, 225K kms on the odo. Lots of highways here so routinely past 85mph or ~85mph suspended diriving on mountainous area. Uses no oil (5w30 synthetic), gives original mpg and performance. Original wheel bearings eventhough I hit snow-hidden curbs at high speeds. Smooth, quiet. And still straight as a dart at 120 mph (sorry, did it once, but I also have to add that its not quiet then). I never "manage" steering, it feels like I draw the lane stripes at any speed its engine could afford. It's steering isn't just 2.7 turns lock to lock, it's also responsive and true.quote:
Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Question for you guys with high mileage low end domestic cars, do you ever put shocks on or revamp the suspension? I wonder, because these car look pretty feeble and don't seem like they ever get freshened up...at all. I mean, yeah...they run but they don't seem really pleasing to drive. How about the interior or paint? Nobody seems to restore Citations or K-cars??? I drive an 18 year old 200k Euro car almost every day and it is still: shiny, smooth, quiet, tight, fast, rust-free, everything works and the inside is perfect with the exception of slightly wilted velour. It burns 1q of GC in 10,000 miles. Original clutch, alt, timing belt, water pump, wheel bearings, and only ever had a valve cover gasket on the engine. I re-did the front shocks and mounts and it got a starter. Really, I don't mean to offend, but the cars speak for themselves. The domestics seem to offer the lowest possible level service. For instance, Cavalier safety is non-existant. Do people with these cars have experience with many Asian or Euro cars? I could not go around in one of them and it's not simply an economic issue, some cars just last longer and command better serviceing. GM is really the Bo-Bo of automobiles, imo. PS it took a bad batch of 2 million coil-packs for US cars to get a better "satisfaction" rating than Euros. All things being the same, who would take an Intrepid over a BMW 325?I must be missing something.
Ride appeal can be quite subjective imo. Please don't take my nick too seriously, it was a quick selection just for fun. I test drove Germans before deciding that appealing ride. Since I buy used I could afford a finer German. I just find them too stiff, kind of like unnecessarily stiff which is not good for handling in the rough roads or the real world outside the little land of Germany. This GM give me better overall balance, I could leave steering wheel riding unto the potholes -though I don't prefer. Interior, good design thinking for details, right proportions for the seats cannot match with -say- a BMW. I doubt the headrests are really functional. But the mechanical basics, suspension, steering geometry, brake balance, usable HP, linear engine response seemingly aren't compromized, actually given the price range hard to match. It feels floaty up to the ~85mph, so this may skew ideas about the body stiffness, you just cannot perceive its stiff or not until you hit a manhole with a lost grill or past that 85 limit. It's stiff. I rode on the cement bags that fall from the truck in front of me, some wood blocks, pipes -same scenario... I rode at 55mph one side in the dusty ditch 5" below the road surface and other on the aphalt in most slippery earlier time of a rain. In all of the scenarios it was very straight, I never had to manage it. So I'm very satisfied with this A-body GM. Very well mannered, should you push it real hard at curves it never leaves its contact abruptly. That's why I'll look first at the GM showroom should the new vehicle need arise. But I know, there is this possibility they might not building them like they used to.
Apart from a few finer Germans, Jag. and a few higher-end Citroëns all the Europeans either has a good ride but feels like a wet frog, or more oftenly they have the roadholding but rides like a truck. This is at best tolerable for me as a driver up to 600 km continiuum. As a passenger I can't read or eventually I feel seasick. I travel a lot. I spend one whole month (night and day) of every year on the roads. Too bad, the trend is for compromized ride nowodays. Because handling is more quantifiable on the tests (so more marketable) and managing safety margins with stiff susp. is cheaper. GM is (or was?) living proof that both can be achieved and still have handling necessary for a family transport with generous safety margin. Should I drive 1000+ kms in a day I take my Chevy, that's very clear. C'mon fine Germans are not more economical than US cars. They are not 40mpg cars just like the mid-size GMs. They both use generous caster effects which in turn makes very heawy steering wheel so both have the high capacity energy ripping pumps. Their dynamics aren't compromized for the extra mpgs. So why GM should lack, it's just oriented for longer cruising with operator's fatique more in front of the optimization line. Very result of the geography. Go racing, a Corvette outhandles every or most of the Germans.
So I hope I could show mine "personal reality" and that I'm not a die hard American lover. I drive or ridden in Germans, Frenchs and Japanese every day. Just this may show why GM and a few others like Sebring to Crown Vic. still can sell. Having said that I wouldn't prefer an American below the mid-range level. Imo they excells as cruisers.
Might not count but I have a 160K 96 Caprice with modifications I have replaced and rebuilt most of the drivetrain, on the suspension I have replaced all the greasbles but the only bushings replaced were with upgraded lower control arms. One new set of shocks in rear but am on the second set up front because I cheaped out the first time.
My other car a more recently aquired 95 Roadmaster wagon with over 175K, I don't know a full service history but it looks pretty original and well cared for and was likely driven a lot easier than I do my Caprice. One window is slow in cold weather, and the seam in the leather by the controls(heat, tilt, lumbar) on the seat is begining to seperate because it is high on the outside edge meaning you stretch that seam every time you get in and out, the rear load leveling shocks I think will go by summer they are begining to get soft in the few thousand miles I have driven the car.
They really aren't lowend cars though and are actually much the same car as a police package Caprice or 94-96 Impala, full frame, RWD, V8. When I pulled the original 4.3L V8(not a typo called a L99 smaller version of the LT1) at 110K to put a LT1 in it's place that little motor that I had beaten severely showed almost no wear cylinders or bearings. By beating on it I mean lots of time at WOT and even WOT before warmup, honestly I wanted an excuse to put the LT1 in.
My other car a more recently aquired 95 Roadmaster wagon with over 175K, I don't know a full service history but it looks pretty original and well cared for and was likely driven a lot easier than I do my Caprice. One window is slow in cold weather, and the seam in the leather by the controls(heat, tilt, lumbar) on the seat is begining to seperate because it is high on the outside edge meaning you stretch that seam every time you get in and out, the rear load leveling shocks I think will go by summer they are begining to get soft in the few thousand miles I have driven the car.
They really aren't lowend cars though and are actually much the same car as a police package Caprice or 94-96 Impala, full frame, RWD, V8. When I pulled the original 4.3L V8(not a typo called a L99 smaller version of the LT1) at 110K to put a LT1 in it's place that little motor that I had beaten severely showed almost no wear cylinders or bearings. By beating on it I mean lots of time at WOT and even WOT before warmup, honestly I wanted an excuse to put the LT1 in.
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