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Re: Need Help Picking Car Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Mon, 15 Jan 2001 10:11:37
In Reply to: Need Help Picking Car, Michael [Profile/Gallery]
, Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:48:32
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I don't know what you mean by the new generation 900 having engine problems. The '94 and newer 900 uses the same 2.0 (turbo) and 2.3l (non-turbo) engines as in the 9000. The V6 had problems,but that should be avoided in both the 900 and 9000. The early new generation (94 & 95) had some problems, but were pretty minor. In fact, the major problem in the new generation 900 had to do with manual transmissions - clutch cable (breaking) and output shaft (leaking) problems. The automatic on the new generation 900 has been pretty reliable. Frankly, a '96 or '97 900 is a pretty decent car.
In the 9000, 92 was the last year of the old body style. In '93 they went to the CS/CSE style, which was slightly longer, had a lower hoodline, and smaller taillights. Another option in newer the 9000's was the Low Pressure Turbo (LPT). These cars were still turbocharged, but the turbo boost was reduced. These cars don't have turbo gauges. The LPT works nice, but these cars aren't as powerful.
Avoid the V6. Some people have had good luck with them, but they did have problems. They have a timing belt that needs periodic replacement, and some simple maintenance tasks (replacing spark plugs, thermostat) require an amazing amount of effort.
The automatic transmission in any 9000 is a weak spot. Expect to rebuild an autobox every 80 -120K miles. Hey, manual transmissions break, too. That is where complete service records come in. If you find a car with 85K miles and the original transmission, assume you'll need to pony up an additional $2500 in the next couple of years for a rebuild. If it lasts longer, great, but at least you've planned for it, and build it into the price. Your best bet is to find a car where the previous owner just replaced the transmission and is now fed up and selling it. You're now good for another five years or so.
Other weak spots on the 9000 are the heater core and fan. If you smell coolant inside the cabin, suspect the heater core. If the blower fan is noisy, it may be on its way out. If you replace one, do the other - the major cost is labor getting to them. Either way, it's a few $$$ to fix them. Again, look for a car where that work has been done if you can, and if not, build it into the price.
With an automatic transmission, I would go for a full turbo car, maybe a LPT car. I would not go with a non-turbo and a transmission. I have a non-turbo automatic from '92. It's a great car and I love it, but it's just plain too slow. Load it up for vacation and you have to plan ahead for hills. It's a great day-to-day car, but the autobox pulls too much power from the car to go non-turbo. An automatic with a turbo is just plain fun.
Good luck!
, Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:48:32, Mon, 15 Jan 2001 10:11:37 <-- Viewing This Message
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