1986 AMC Grand Wagoneer review from North America
"It's the most capable vehicle I've ever driven!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission cooler blew
Engine/gearcase/diffs/transmission leaked like a sieve
Transmission blew
Frame broke (in 4 spots in 1 day)
Various windows
Power steering pump
Turn Signal lever / heater core /gas gauge
U-joints last 2 years
Floor rotted out, and body dropped
Headliner fell
Side window vents rusty
Radio antenna decayed
Engine mounts broke
This is only a taste!
General comments?
Awesome car. Dropped a Chevy 355 into it with tuned port, a bit of a cam, headers, bigger valves, chipped, 10:1 and a 700R4 tranny with shift kit and cooler. About 350 HP and it changes the vehicle totally!
It's the most capable car I've ever owned. It's a bullet on the highway and it handles better than my wife's car ('92 Grand Marquis). With the stock rear end, it accelerates surprisingly fast. It's great off the road (body lifted about 1", suspension lifted about 3"), and you can't get it stuck unless you do something really dumb. Frame's been boxed and reinforced, body's about to get its second paint job. Gets about 10 MPG on the highway at warp speed (~80 mph), about 14 at 50 mph. I've had a lot of problems during the evolution of the car, but it's a huge laugh, and it always gets a second look. I'm keeping it forever.
Recommended reviews
| They Don't Make Them Like This Anymore |
|
| Generally a money pit. Similar to a Harley |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1986 |
| Year of manufacture | 1985 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 120000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 215000 miles |
| Previous car | Buick Electra |
| Date of Entry | 8th May, 2006 |