Opinions on various inexpensive cars

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: pottymouth
I've got a '97 Continental with about 116K on it (I put about 40K of those miles on.)

Premium is recommended, but not required. Mine has maybe seen 4 tanks of super since I got it and has not complained a bit.

No transmission problems to speak of, but I can understand your concerns. With proper maintenance I am confident that these transmissions can last a long time, provided the car is not driven by a 17 year old.

The engine is a sweetheart and the car can move out nicely on the highway. It is really stuffed in there under the hood. Torque steer is very noticeable under certain conditions.

Great cars when they are taken care of, but if you get one that was neglected it will be a money pit.


Wow - thanks for the fast reply! I hate to have them pass on a clean car, but it may be a bit more complexity than they need.

 

[Vikas]

Are these cars that cheap? Isn't this Lincoln V8 more in class of Lexus GS400 or Acura RL at least on paper? I suspect either of those vehicles of that vintage would be pushing closer to 8~10K

What are the things that go wrong with that Lincoln?

- Vikas

 

[Hokiefyd]

I suspect the Lincoln Continental is much like the Cadillac Seville, in that they can be excellent values, but also pretty major risks as well (keeping prices low). I owned two FWD Cadillacs and they were both good, one better than the other. I'd be hesitant to buy one today, at least one that I HAD to rely on. With all the gizmos on them, seems like you're always fiddling with getting something to work right.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I suspect the Lincoln Continental is much like the Cadillac Seville, in that they can be excellent values, but also pretty major risks as well (keeping prices low).

I was thinking Oldsmobile Aurora for comparison. I like your comparison better.

 

[Vikas]

What I have heard with Lincolns is that the air suspensions are always a problem and a *huge* expense when (and they *will* ) go bad. Is it true?

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
What I have heard with Lincolns is that the air suspensions are always a problem and a *huge* expense when (and they *will* ) go bad. Is it true?

A guy showed up at our autocross with a mark8 with the air bags, handled very well for a boat of a car.
Anyways the air bags had a slow leak so his plan was to put springs in. I think I would factor in the costs of installing springs or fixing the air bag system if I was looking at an air bag car.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
What I have heard with Lincolns is that the air suspensions are always a problem and a *huge* expense when (and they *will* ) go bad. Is it true?


My son routinely buys them and gets a spring kit on Ebay for less than 100 bucks. Problem solved.

The Town Cars are amazingly durable on the Panther based chassis.

 

[dnastrau]

Hi everyone:

I am back with the final update to this saga...

After looking at a lot of cars in the $1500 - $4000 price range (lots of junk too), my in-laws found one on their own. This car would not be my first choice (mainly because of the transmission in this model) but they love it and I guess that is what matters the most. It is a one owner, loaded 2000 Chrysler Concorde LXi 3.2 V6 with 71K miles. It is in beautiful shape and they got it from a dealer with a 3 month 3K warranty for $4900 (NADA clean retail was about $6K).

They called me first before they pulled the trigger on it and I said that it should be OK since the 3.2 V6 is a good engine unlike the questionable 2.7 (and the fact that the mileage is low.) I am not really a fan of the 42LE/606 transaxle but at 71K I will change it out with fresh ATF+4 and add a cooler and hopefully it will last. Incidentally, their last car ('97 Intrepid 3.3) had 153K on it when it was totalled and it never gave a hint of transmission trouble - even without much maintenance.

This was a tough haul as my in-laws were not willing to travel far to look at cars. They also decided that they wanted a full sized car and those have almost vanished in their area (southeastern NY state) in their price range probably due to C4C. In the lower price ranges those factors made it hard to find something good. Most of what I found that looked good online was gone by the time they would get there. I am glad that the search is over (as well as the search for a truck for my dad - separate thread.) Hopefully car accidents in families don't come in threes!

Thanks again for all of the feedback during the search!

Andrew S.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The transmission ought to be fine in it. Good call on the ATF+4. The only thing the 3.2L V-6 will need is a timing belt soon, if not already (is it 60k miles or 100k miles on that engine)? Other than that, it should be a fine ride for them.

 

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The transmission ought to be fine in it. Good call on the ATF+4. The only thing the 3.2L V-6 will need is a timing belt soon, if not already (is it 60k miles or 100k miles on that engine)? Other than that, it should be a fine ride for them.


Yep - the timing belt is coming up at 100K I believe (it may be 105K - I will check the book.) I think the car will be good too - I will just make sure they maintain it properly

 

[caravanmike]

don't forget the water pump and idlers with the timing belt.

also don't forget chrysler switched over to atf+4 (better base oil) somewhere around 1999. their transmission problems almost dissappeared (more inline with the industries) after atf+4's introduction. if the 42le has not been abused it will live!
oh and by the way they scored getting one with the 3.2L. mike

 

[addyguy]

Sounds like a good buy!

 

[Scienceman]

Glad they found a car!

 

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: caravanmike
don't forget the water pump and idlers with the timing belt.

also don't forget chrysler switched over to atf+4 (better base oil) somewhere around 1999. their transmission problems almost dissappeared (more inline with the industries) after atf+4's introduction. if the 42le has not been abused it will live!
oh and by the way they scored getting one with the 3.2L. mike


Yes indeed - always change the WP and idlers. Doing a job like that twice is a drag (or worse if the idler/tensioner takes a dump as the 3.2 is an interference engine.)

The ATF+4 is a superior fluid. That is what I run in our '96 Jeep's 42RE and it performs great.

If the car hadn't had the 3.2 I would have strongly advised against it. It seems like the majority of the Intrepids and Concordes after '97 had the 2.7. I think that is one of the reasons why they seem to be disappearing off of the roads really quickly nowadays.

 

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Sounds like a good buy!


So far it sure looks like it!

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

I would have talked them out of the Concord it was me...Just IMHO...At least they do not have the nightmare 2.7 engine!..I do wish them good luck and it is awesome that they have a warranty..Hopefully the dealer they got it from will stand behind the warranty.

Did they get this car from a new car dealer or a used car dealer?...The bulk of used car dealers do not stand behind their warranty as the warranty is useless for the most part with them...If they got it from a new car dealer they should be good to go for the most part.

As you can see I reached a point that I trust almost no one.

 

[dnastrau]

Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
I would have talked them out of the Concord it was me...Just IMHO...At least they do not have the nightmare 2.7 engine!..I do wish them good luck and it is awesome that they have a warranty..Hopefully the dealer they got it from will stand behind the warranty.

Did they get this car from a new car dealer or a used car dealer?...The bulk of used car dealers do not stand behind their warranty as the warranty is useless for the most part with them...If they got it from a new car dealer they should be good to go for the most part.

As you can see I reached a point that I trust almost no one.


The dealership is a used car dealership but they have a very good reputation and have been in business for 30 years. Hopefully they will stand behind the car if anything happens.

I feel OK with the 3.2 Concorde for them compared to a lot of the overpriced junk that I saw out there.
In this price range/age I think overall condition matters a lot. I would have liked to have seen them in a 2000 era Panther platform but none were available in their locale in that price range. Again, I think C4C played a role in this. Besides - my mother-in-law really wanted a front wheel drive car.

The bottom line is: if they are happy, so am I.