1992 Dodge Shadow Base 2.2L SOHC

Summary:

Stick with Honda, trust me!

Faults:

Engine: head needed replacement at 74000 miles.

Cat converter pipe: replaced and needs replacing again.

General Comments:

I have owned a Ford and a Honda and this is the worst car I have owned. It has no power (four cylinder, three speed auto, my Civic '93 LX has better pickup 1.6L auto).

It looks ugly.

It idles rough and stalls every time you turn at parking lot speeds.

The interior room sucks (hatchback?) and when you turn it feels like it going to tip over (the Civic handles much better.)

I would wish this car on my worst enemy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th March, 2001

28th Apr 2001, 21:39

I don't know if anyone realizes this, but these cars were not built for performance. If you wanted performance from one of these cars you went with the 3.o V-6 in an ES or you got one of the special ones that Carrol Shelby got his hands on; the CSX. They are strictly point A to point B cars. There are some inexpensive mods that you can do to get better performance out of the stock 2.2 and 2.5. As far as comparing it to the Civic, it weighs aprox. 800# less than a Shadow. If you can shave weight, you will always perform better.

1992 Dodge Shadow ES 4 cylinder

Summary:

Good car for poor high school kid

Faults:

1. Door stuck until 145,000 until it jammed shut. I go through the passenger side and climbed over the gear shift... not fun!

2. Driver side window (manual) is broken. Needs to be popped back in whenever moved.

3. Fuel line broke for about 3 days until I noticed. I got out of the car while it was running and the gas was spilling out like a garden house! Self-repair.

4. Heavy car... bottoms out easy. Replaced the oil pan once.

5. IT LEAKS. Leaks by the driver's door in the cabin. Leaks in the trunk. Leaks a lot of air too. Makes it very loud at highway speeds.

6. Repaired the exhaust pipe twice due to large holes from rust.

General Comments:

OK, the car has no pickup. The only reason it moves AT ALL is because it is a manual transmission. But even that sucks because it is a cable clutch.. not hydraulic and it takes some muscle to push it down. Shifts pretty rough because of it too.

The outside is falling apart and the whole car looks awful to begin with. It gets 20-23 MPG on average. Reallym really sucks on gas.

The car runs fine. Burns no oil. Has no engine problems etc. Few other problems system wise. But it has a lot of annoying problems. Leaks, doors, windows, shifting, power, loud, butt ugly, etc.

It's very heavy but built like a tank so it's pretty safe. It gets me from point A to point B. That's all that matters at the moment so I put up with it. But if you are looking for a car to buy... this is your last resort (with the exception of a Metro LOL).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th March, 2001

19th Jul 2001, 23:13

If you live in Ontario, those windows will freeze shut, making it very difficult (and embarrasing) to go through automated toll booths at your university.

While the engine lacks any kind of top end, I can get mine to burn rubber in 2nd gear, a feat that 9 out of 10 young Civic drivers fail to accomplish. Amazing what 93 horses can do.

19th Dec 2008, 17:52

I own a 92 dodge shadow with the 2.5 L engine and the manual shift and I am sorry to hear that your car has no pick up. My car is the total opposite. It flys! I can get it to over 55 MPH and still be in 3rd or 4th gear. That and on the interstate I know some of these cars get a bad rattle at high speed. This one however has gone as fast as 90 MPH with out so much as a whimper. I am sorry your car has not treated you so well.