1993 Dodge Spirit 2.5L 153 CID FWD, non turbo

Summary:

Reliable, but not trustworthy

Faults:

Engine: Alternator, all the belts have gone bad, A/C belt, alternator belt, timing belt, idler pulley, air filter, fuel filter, water pump and battery.

Exterior: Paint has faded, my headlight lens came off going down the interstate, the front wheels sit different on either side (EX: front of my car this is how it looks: left front tire ---> |-----/ <--- right front tire) and that's about it.

Interior: Dash has become darker from the sun baking it and it's warped a little, the interior is faded somewhat, and that's it for that.

General Comments:

I really don't like when I have to punch the gas, because I can see the gas gauge moving as I'm punching it.

Its major problems have been fixed, it doesn't handle the best, but it's better than I expected. Not enough horsepower, and the seats are uncomfortable because there is no lumbar support, and it's just a flat seat with some cushion in it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st January, 2012

23rd Jan 2012, 22:23

These 80's-90's Mopars tend to last a while if taken care of, and if not built on a Monday.

With your belts and such being bad, it sounds like your car has more than 58K; the timing belt should've lasted to around 80K.

The paint fading is no surprise, almost every early 90's Mopar on the road has faded paint, thanks to Chrysler's cost-cutting.

The 2.5 engine in this will probably keep ticking for as long as you keep the car. The transmission may end up going at 90k though, like my Horizons.

1993 Dodge Spirit Base model 3.0 V6

Summary:

Basic, simple and reliable

Faults:

This car was purchased new by my parents.

The only problem that we had with the car while under warranty, was the awful grinding noise that came when it was steered to the right. We were told that this was common. Sure enough, my buddies mom's Le Baron did the same thing.

At about 245,000, it started to overheat and no one could tell me why. We replaced hoses, thermostat, and radiator and the problem was never cured.

General Comments:

This is one of those cars like the Rambler American. It might not be pretty, but it will run forever with little trouble. I wish they did still make them. It was a great car, and I know of several people who have owned them, and have given them thousands of miles of efficient motoring.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th September, 2007

1993 Dodge Spirit 2.5L 4 cylinder

Summary:

A good basic vehicle and nothing else

Faults:

Thermostat was shot at around 120,000 miles.

Very very loud belt squeaking noise.

Paint was very poor. This is because of a failed environmentally-friendly paint design Dodge was implementing in the early 90's.

General Comments:

Let me just say, get a Spirit only if you want a cheap, reliable car that is NOT going to turn heads... or in my case, turn heads because it squeaked and squealed.

We purchased this car as a rebuilt bent-frame vehicle with only 18,000 miles on it. It was driven between my mother, father, and myself for over 115,000 miles before trading it in. During that time it was hit by 2 deers. No matter what, it still kept on ticking at kept taking a licking.

The 2.5L 4-banger seems kind of like a sleeper, but push the pedal down and you're going places fast. The only complaint to be made is in the belt department. For some reason (it's very common amongst these cars) it squeaked very loudly from about 70,000 miles onwards. We tried replacing belts, pulleys, etc. and it wouldn't stop.

The car is very heavy and has front-wheel drive, so it was very good in the snow or mud. I drove it to a campsite on some of the most primitive roads I've seen in Virginia and it handled impeccably.

It also is a very easy car to work on. High enough ground clearance for a skinny guy/gal to change the oil without putting it on jacks. Because of the small 4 cylinder, you can reach almost everything under the hood.

Fuel economy is so-so. I got around 23-25 mpg.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th March, 2007