That'* a nice Regal...I may call him up right now. It'* way below bb value I wonder if there are problems with it. :?

Jim, you didn't derail the thread. In fact I feel the same way you do, that not all cars are lemons. I think some people just rant about their problems and exaggerate the situation. Because there are people who have these alleged 'lemons' that don't have many problems. I am however too skeptical about the Alero now, especially on the brakes and cosmetic defect problems (dashboard wrinkling). I think I would be too worried all the time about things going wrong, and I don't want a car like that. And I don't want to take as much of a risk now, since I need a car that won't cost me much on repairs, as I need to save up in order to move out of my house.

I basically just read too many reviews that were bad and it definitely put a damper on my good car-buying mood. The Catera seems like if it needed repairs, they would be too expensive for me to fix, and they aren't that common so fixing them would not be easy for a lot of mechanics. Kind of stinks because I got to like that car the more I read on it. Would have been a nice classy cruiser.

I won't dismiss all the cars I looked at just because of the reviews, I still would like a Jetta if I could find one, but I WILL stay away from the Dodge 2.7L engine. I am pretty much convinced it is not that great.

Hey Jim, I should recommend to Pete a DUN DUN DUN

Toyota Corolla!



err, anywho, your dad'* VR6 was the 174hp model right? The 201hp 24V models needed premium, I reckon.


I usually don't base my opinions on those kind of car review sites (I hardly ever visit them if at all), my feeling on the Alero/Grand Am stems from things like SSEiMatt'*... times several people. It'* only an opinion, and just that, I'd want to be uber-cynical when looking for a used car - but also see the other side of the story. I'm not right, I'm not wrong.

I put down a lot of used cars. I'm way too picky.

People are quick to complain, not praise. For every person who think they got screwed, and is on a mission to hurt x car. There are thousands happy with theirs out in the real world.

EDIT: Pete, what about an F body?

Of course...

... but how many people do you see complaining about a Toyota appliance-box? Or a small-block Chevy V8? Or a 3800?

Ive read a few bad things about GA gts. Ive heard that the mazda 626s have transmission issues a lot, and i know someone that had theirs go out at under 50k. I know how you feel about searching for a car that wont be a lemon, ive been searching a little too, and everything in my price range just seems to be a lemon ( excetp a regal, go figure). No matter what i do i just dont feel comfortable with something other than my bonneville, not that id give it up even if i did get another car.

I'd complain about mine, but people would tell me to buy an L67 or quit flaming here. But seriously people do get lemons of those. SSEiMatt93'* first bonne is a good example... Funny thing is those 3 names/engines are all my family has... 88 Nova, 93 Bonne, 98 Yukon, 01 Camry... Another thing is used car reliability is more previous owners then OE stuff. 'Cept early supra HG. (yes i went there)

Pete, If you do get a GA/Alero, etc, get new rotors/pads first and foremost. The brakes are the only issue i have with them stock, they're worse then ours by far.

A friend I know has a (2001?) Mazda Millenia. It is one VERY sharp looking car, inside and out. His is black and has some sort of dark grey 2-tone for the bottom effects part or something. The windows are dark and there'* leather, moonroof, hud i believe, and its really neat, I've been looking around for one but since I got a second car now I'm done looking. I don't know much, or really anything about the engines for them though.

Simply put, don't get the Mustang. I'd hate to see a fellow Bonnevillian upset with his purchase :P

Someone mentioned a 97+ Regal, but really I almost bought a white 96 Regal GranSport(loaded with all options) a couple months back. You can pry find a late 90'* one pretty cheap, and the new ones I usually drive everyday at some point at work. They are pretty nice too, even for being a "Buick Regal". (Just not "cool" sounding haha)

I will agree with those against the Caddy. Wow, yeah, they're real nice and all, expensive, nice engines, but seeing so many of them come through the shop and hearing the mechanics and the owners b*tch about how crappy they are just tells me I wouldn't want one.

Don't get an Alero, for the same reason. The owner at the dealership I work at had a 2001 or a 2002 teal one (loaded) that he drove for a few months as his own car and he hated it and I haven't heard him say a good thing about it except for when he was selling it (which was later celebrated by having a beer and shouting FINALLY!)

If you're going to go with an Eclipse, I'd go as new as you can, and without a doubt 2000+, as I've seen many Eclipses older than that that are just crap. Drove a red 96 convertible for a while and there was so much stuff gone wrong with it that it would take 2 days straight to type it up probably.

I've seen 3000gt'* and looked at buying a couple (turned out to be beat up crap) and they appear nice and I haven't heard many people complain about them..

The new Mazda 6, 3, R7, 007, 316, B5, I14, N 27, G55, O62 [bingo!] whatever the numbers they're throwing on them this month look pretty tight to me from what I've seen of them...

If you want a nice car, good engine, all that hoopla, as I'm sure you already know, I'd go with a Grand Prix (GTP or at least GT) as they are pretty nice, and any since the changed the style in 93 or 94 or whatever look A+ in my book.

My buddy'* mom used to have a newer Stratus R/T and it was pretty sweet..

My family has a had a black 2001 Impala since they ordered it brand new when it came out and it'* been a pretty damn good car. The blinkers don't always work for some reason, and supposedly there'* no real explanation for this.
My mom just bought a red 2004 or 2005 Impala (the boring package as I call it) and she got it for pretty cheap because she'* going with a farmer, and everyone knows those poor farmers just somehow scavenge up enough money to buy a brand new vehicle at least once a year, so they got what I guess you'd call a preferred customer discount. It'* had to be taken in a couple times, but just for a few small things.
You can probably score a pretty new Impala for pretty cheap and sell 'er once you get enough money to buy a Bonneville that already has one foot out the door...

All in all, I'd just do what you can to save up that money for a bonne. You know we'd all accept your choice of buying a piece of Bonne Pride.

That'* all I got. For now..

Just stating what I've heard/what I think about the cars above, do what you want with it, I was bored and had to put forth my .02 :P

Sure, early Supra HG, go there all you want. Fix it properly and it shall never bother you ever again. EVER. Unless, of course, you decide to run 20psi on like regular fuel or something.

What'* gone wrong with your car, Jason? Some steering/suspension wear and tear issues are all I've heard about.

I would hope a perspective buyer of a car would know of common issues that they may (or will) have to contend with. One can never go with the "oh, it'* not going to happen to me" approach and turn a blind eye to it. A lot of the cars that Pete listed have really common problems to them - 3400 LIM gaskets, VW power windows, or (in what you mention) Supra HG'*, for example. Heck, with those three things it'* not a matter of if, but when. And I disdain for those reasons.

SSEiMatt'* two Oldsmobiles haven't made my outlook any better on my feelings about the 3100/3400 and 3.4 DOHC








Anywho, back on topic:

The Millenia is a pretty sharp car, yeah. Trick++ with the 2.3L supercharged V6 Miller Cycle engine, I liken it to an Aurora put out by Mazda. I can only assume fairly expensive repair costs, though

Older DSM (Diamond Star Motors - Plymouth Laser/Eagle Talon/Mitsu Eclipse) models were the definition of not reliable. I remember stumbling on a ca.dsm.org meet in a mall parking lot and hearing things like "it'* sad when your daily driver is less reliable than your DSM" or "DSM'* turn people into mechanics". Also saw an 88-91 white SSE Bonneville that one of the club guys daily-drove to the meet, outfitted with LE/SE tails.
2000+, current body-style Eclipses are remarkedly better, as far as I know, and are more free from Chrysler blood.

I know I have of pessimism in topics like these (even I have trouble believing it, seeing as how I'm 99% an optimist in life). Getting a good used car is something of importance to me, if it makes me a cynical and picky old man, so be it

i like the aurora, isnt it the 3800 also? i liek the looks and that its got climate contorl on the wheel instead of radio

the Aurora has the V8 only from 1995-1999. There were different gear ratios to make some optioned out Auroras slightly faster, called the Autobahn package. the 2001-2002 Models were available with the same V8 as the 95-99 but it was redesigned to accept regular fuel and all were equipped with the "autobahn" gearing. A 3.5 DOHC V6 was also available. The 2003 Aurora only had the 4.0 V8.