If you own it long enough it will happen.

I almost forgot...

Knock - Knock - Knock

Here'* my .02. Any make and model of a car can be good or can smell like lemons.

A 94 with less than 100K miles on it is asking for trouble. It has sat sometime, somewhere. I will willingly buy a car with higher mileage because it was moving and a moving car means things didn't wear as bad. Flatspotting is a real problem in all parts.

I had a 91 Grand Am 2.5L. Bought the car 3 years old with 65K on it. Drove it to 190K and sold it to friend. They drove it to 210K and sold to another friend. The only reason this car finally died was lack of oil changes. Axles were original, motor was original...everything cept starter and alternator pretty much.

When I got my 95 SSEi it has 150K on it. Previous owner let some things slide and now I'm nearly done with fixing the small stuff. I'm fairly certain this car will pass 200K and have no reserves about putting it to the floor every single day. I drive and I drive hard. My vehciles never seem to have major problems. Dunno why...maybe cause I fix things when I notice and I notice quickly.

As long as I'm ranting. Have you taken a look at the maintenance schedule on a Honda/Toyota? They are in the shop every 7K for $500+ worth of "maintenance". If my American cars ever had that much maintenance they'd fall apart from the bolts being loosened too many times. My 2000 Chevy pickup just turned 100K so far it has had, 1 fuel filter, 1 set of plugs (just done) and soon I will consider the brakes. Otherwise the only things I've done are cleaning, oil changes and tires. Please..show me that Toyota!

My sisters Honda Civic went in for a tune up last year and it cost her about $1000 and they said that was pretty normal for those cars. She has sunk more into it since then. I just stuck a grand into my pickup (box and paint), but that was elective and cosmetic to make it look really nice. Still runs like a million$

I'm sitting at 202k right now and fantastic can vouch for how well my car runs. Sure I've got some blood sweat and tears int it....but hey, you're going to have that with any car. There'* no way around it.

if you neglect your car long enough, and not repair it properly, it will catch up to ya, usually all at the same time

Step 1: SELL

Step 2: Buy Honda

Step 3: Be Like everyone else

Step 4: Fix Honda

ken

Everycar will break down every once and a while. The question is when. Without a doubt in my mind a honda or toyota is far better in quality than any of our bonneville'*. Sure if you let a car slide and don't do maintnance it will catch up, but that is not an issue here with my car or my dads car. As far as the car sitting around, we are talking about mechanical parts, the more mechanical parts are used to more wear they have. Either way, even if the car did sit around which it hasn't forsure in the past 5 years, that is no reason for things to go wrong. And as far as taking care of it and neglecting it, i've never done that. Again, i've only ran fully synthetic oil in my car the whole time i've had it. And the things that are breaking in these cars have nothing to do with maintnance or how long it'* been sitting. Things that are breaking are due to poor quality. Bottom line, you see, and hear of far more american cars breaking down then you do Janpanese cars.

I have had great luck with the reliability of my 2 previous Bonne'*, and my Caprice as well. I hope to have a good experience with my current Bonne as well.

There is some truth to the idea that a car that sits too much gets more problems at times.

I have driven my cars pretty nicely, and a little hard at times.. so, the first rule is not to beat the crap out of it.

If you dive a few miles here and there around the city each day....that'* going to make trouble, in my opinion.

Last year, I bought my Caprice Classic LS 9C1 with 99,000 miles. I joined a forum that has a lot of info on that car. It seems at 100,000 miles we are expected to replace the optispark, transmission, and water pump, which all adds up to 2000 bucks, or less. I don't drive like the animals on the forum, but I do drive a lot. I drive a lot of city, and a lot of highway, and I believe the highway trips make the engine and everything work itself clean, and give it less chance for build-up anywhere. I drove this Caprice 27,000 miles this year, and I have replaced brakes, and a fuse, and of course, fuel filter, air filters, and oil/filters. I also use Mobil1 oil in my cars when I buy them used.

I bought my 1994 Bonne with 108,000 miles, and drove it about 3 years, and sold it running strong at 161,000 miles. The new owner beats it daily, and since he'* young, and just tosses the keys under the floormat and leaves the doors unlocked, his so-called friends have stolen that car from him, and beat the crap out of it on 3 occasions. The car'* body now looks like crap, and he had to replace a hub assembly, and an aluminim wheel. The car is still running strong, and has a couple small issues.... not bad for that kind of abuse and milage.

As for those who like to detail their car and engine...you are sometimes inviting trouble if you aren't very careful. I have a couple friends who are like that, and one guy always has car troubles, and many times his issues were caused by him bumping things, and making a bad electrical connection somewhere, and one time he bumped a dry-rotted air intake rubber elbow. Between his lack of care, and over use of water and steam, he has been his beautiful car'* worst nightmare. He'* also one of those who putts around the city 9000 miles a year, and almost never takes a long drive.

Many years ago, my dad said if I'm going to the store, or making a short trip...drive the car at least 5 miles to circulate the oil....he said making a lot of those 1 mile rides would be sure to kill a car early. I believe this.

Another enemy is those who like to start the engine, and throw it in gear and go......sure, the fuel injected engines can go without a warm-up period, but that doesn't mean a warm-up won't help. This is especially true in areas like mine where we get bitter cold winters.

These are my thoughts and opinions, and I am aware of the fact that it seems some folks do everything to keep a car running and looking great, and have terrible experiences, and then there are those who pound the crap out of their cars, ..never maintain them, ...and they sometimes have more reliable cars... who knows.... :?

take a 94 toyota, and compare it against a 94 bonneville, you cant compare a 2000 to a 94. apples to oranges I will be you that if you had a 94 toyota, you would buy an american car next time