1986 Pontiac Sunbird SE review from North America
"Great car, but would like newer model"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
It was in poor shape when I bought it...here's what I've noticed gone wrong so far.
The transmission lurches, needs to be rebuilt.
Engine leaks oil like a sieve, due to incorrect installation of gaskets (I'm not letting my dad do it this time!)
Electrical short somewhere, battery dies after leaving car off for over a week.
Upper Radiator Hose exploded about five months after I bought it, at around 168,750 miles.
I think I have a warped rotor somewhere.
General comments?
Aside from the engine and drive train needing rebuilding (I am going to make this my project car) I REALLY like it.
The car handles well, and while it's not a sports car, it does have zip, which isn't bad for being nearly dead.
Interior is nice and comfy, and it rides nice, absorbing most of the bumps in the road.
Paint is chipped a little bit, (it was used as a daily driver in an area with lots of blowing dust) but I'm going to repaint it so I'm not concerned about that.
The headliner is falling off so I stapled it back to the roof, I will replace that too.
Gets great gas mileage, around 25-30MPG, I expect better mileage after I fix the thing.
All in all, I really like it and think it's got lots of potential. If I could find a newer one for sale (94 or 95) after I get a better job, I'd buy it, as I really like Sunbirds.
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  | The best car I've ever owned |
| 1985 - Sunbird SE 2.0L OHV (pushrod) Strikingly unreliable |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 OHC (no turbo) Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Distance when acquired | 168500 miles |
| Most recent distance | 169000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 22nd February, 2006 |