1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD Turbo 2.0 DOHC

Summary:

A high-performance headache..

Faults:

Replaced alternator three times.

Replaced mass airflow sensor.

Turbo went 6 months into owning it.

Power windows failed and needed repair.

Front brake calipers replaced.

ABS unit went bad first day I bought it.

General Comments:

The Eagle Talon is a hot looking, very fast and very fun car to drive.

However, pricey parts, labour, and overall poor reliability, especially after 200K, would keep me from buying another, particularly with the AWD and turbo options.

Overall, I took incredibly good care of this car and found it to be a disappointment in the long run, having spent more time on blocks and in the garage than on the road where it should be.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd July, 2002

1991 Eagle Talon TSI AWD 2.0L

Summary:

The fastest and best looking car in its price range!

Faults:

Gaskets blew: $CAN 600.

Timing belt needed replacing before car was bought: $CAN 650.

General Comments:

The car is fast and powerful.

Even with automatic transmission, I still smoke standard manual transmission cars.

I've taken down Civic, Acura, 325 BMWs, and older Camaro models off the bat and in the long.

The slick, sporty design turns heads big time... you will be seen and given looks in this car.

The interor is almost futuristic looking and everything is within your fingertips... power mirrors and windows, sporty looking gauges, a very curvey interior.

The stock exhaust is loud and also turns heads.

The stock system is amazing for a 1991 car, although it's an awkward tape deck so puting in a compact disk deck leaves a huge rectangular gap which a compact disk deck couldn't cover. The good thing is that the deck has an equalizer which considerably improves the sound, but which would be lost if a compact disk deck was put in. I'm hooking up a portable compact disk to the tape deck so that way I can listen to compact disks and not lose the equalizer effect.

It's all wheel drive and handles like a dream; you don't even have to break on right or left turns at speeds which normally require a driver to slow down. No... not with this car.

Because it's A.W.D, when all the other guys are storing their Mustang, Firebird or Camaro for the Winter, you get to ride this car 365 days a year.

The Car is also original and isn't as common as Honda, Acura Mustang and the usual sports cars in and above its range. By far, the fastest and best looking car in its price range.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th June, 2002

4th Aug 2003, 23:21

You got off light with your Timing Belt. My Tensioner blew and it cost me about $850 CAN to replace that and the belts. But it was too late, my Valves were shot and my pistons damaged.

That just goes to show how important Mechanical Upkeep is. If I had changed the belt regularly it would have never happened. Of course, I only had the car for about 9 months, so I never knew the Tensioner was shot.

Anyhow... I'm sure that your AWD goes amazing in the snow, there's no doubt in my mind. I have a FWD TSI and it goes great in the snow. I live in Northern Ontario too, so I know about snow.

30th Aug 2004, 13:32

The shifter is the best short shift grip I have ever experienced in a 5 speed vehicle. I like being low to the ground, and being able to drive really fast, low to the ground, makes this car my new best friend.

30th Nov 2005, 18:19

We have an 1991 Eagle Talon and we love it to death. It is very important to keep the maintenance up on it or things do go on them, but that is apart of driving a CAR. As far as maintenance on this car, there isn't much price difference compared to most imports. It is an awsome car in the snow I can go anywhere.