1989 Dodge Daytona ES 2.5

Summary:

Inexpensive yet extremely reliable car

Faults:

Right off the bat, flywheel had to be replaced.

New shocks.

New tires (costly, for the little bit of extra money, I would rather have to buy swampers for a truck, at least they have more rubber)

Electrical system is a disaster (more than likely due to the previous owner)

Relays gone bad.

Headliner droopy.

Motor that makes lights go up and down is bad.

Doesn't have overdrive, noisy when traveling on highways.

Some sort of funky vibration noise when you are stopped and when pulling out onto roads.

Normal wear and tear after 100,000.

General Comments:

Even after all of the bad things, excellent running car for the year and the miles.

Reliable.

Handles well.

Good gas mileage.

Seats are extremely comfortable.

Hard to see out of car, both in front and the blind spots cause a major problem (nearly caused a bad accident one time)

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th September, 2001

1989 Dodge Daytona ES 2.5L SOHC

Summary:

Nice as marble, tough as bricks, slow as mud

Faults:

The transmission would keep breaking flywheels, sometimes within a week. Each flywheel cost about $50.00, but I don't know the service costs.

I had a second transmission put in, but it wouldn't keep fluid so it was always slipping. The used transmission and backyard service ran to about $400.00 altogether.

The fuel pressure regulator literally blew up twice, resulting in some nice highway towing bills. These are a whopping $25.00, and you can replace them yourself with a screwdriver and a metric ratchet set in a time consuming 10 minutes.

General Comments:

This is the sportiest car I have ever driven, but it is also the slowest car I have ever driven. This is not a good car for highway travel because it is nearly impossible to pass anyone in it. Also expect an excruciating struggle on any uphill climbs. I've been honked at and cursed by road ragers everywhere for this car's unsettling performance. My Dodge Omni felt faster than this car, which is ridiculous considering the Omni was a 2.2L!

The body and interior makes this a definite date car. When not on the road, I've been complemented for my "sports car" many times. The interior is very comfortable and is nicely styled for an 80's Dodge.

The car's motor lacks serious power, but it does take abuse well. It will start rain or shine. The motor always started reliably with the exception of the two times I had to replace the fuel pressure regulator, which blew up on the highway. With 15 inch tires and a motor that can survive a holocaust, this is a wonderful car for the winter. It gets excellent traction.

The suspension was soft and uncomfortable on rough roads, but this is typical in most 80's Dodges. This car would be a real corner machine if it lost a little weight and had new suspension.

This car is easy to work on, but I pulled my hair out looking for a transmission and someone to replace it. My first transmission kept breaking flywheel after flywheel until I finally found someone who could replace it for cheap. But after that, the transmission fluid had to be kept up daily, otherwise the transmission slips.

I don't look down on anyone for buying this particular model, but if you do...

Get a 5 speed! Compared to an underpowered automatic, you won't regret it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st August, 2001

1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby Turbo 2.2L turbo-II

Summary:

Consistently solid performer, sharp looks and inexpensive to maintain. 144,000 miles and counting

Faults:

Replaced head gasket seal at 120K miles.

Replaced the turbo unit at 120K miles along with the head gasket seal.

Replaced wear and tear items such as brakes, struts, shocks and bearings. Replaced front CV boots and joints at 110K miles. Replaced exhaust system with high performance 2.5in stainless steel system.

When new the car overheated frequently but was fixed with a new radiator and thermostat. Replaced the 12 year old radiator and thermostat 2 months ago for $240.

Otherwise a few minor warranty repairs but nothing big. Overall its been quite economical to own with no major problems and gets geat gas mileage for such a fast car.

General Comments:

This was my first new car when I was 19 and I have been the only owner. This car has been my favorite car over the years and still blows away most new sports cars of similar size and gets lots of looks, especially after the repaint.

The leather power enthusiast drivers seat is the best seat I have ever sat in. Its got an adjustable lumbar air bladder that makes long trips very comfortable.

It gets 35mpg on the highway and about 27 in town, amazing for an engine that feels so powerful and has over 140K miles on it.

This is not my primary car, I drive a 1997 Dodge Ram 4x4 but I drive the Daytona all summer and love every minute of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th July, 2001

17th Jan 2002, 01:02

I love these Shelby cars. I own an 87 Shelby Turbo, but with the Turbo 1 motor. The car now has 67,000miles on it and it still goes strong.

By chance I was wondering. Did you replace the turbo? And how hard was it. I'm thinkin about doing the Super 60 package and hopefully makin this thing into a full blown rocket. Let me know, thanks.