1971 AMC Gremlin review from North America
"The car is a pleasure to own, despite costs associated with it"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The main problem has been rust (both frame and body). Door panels and under the rear bumper have especially worn.
Carburetor needed to be rebuilt.
I've had various brake problems.
The reverse gear is starting to slip.
Several front end problems persist that are hard to fix because of rare parts.
General comments?
My Gremlin has been a great car that gets plenty of attention, probably due to the electric blue paint with a white stripe.
The engine is wonderful with decent fuel economy (for a '70s car) and great reliability.
The car, while definitely a keeper, is a money and time pit. Rust is by far my biggest concern and is slowly eating away the under-body. Parts are scarce and somewhat expensive, and it's hard to find a good, honest mechanic to work on such an old car.
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| Best built domestic built car of this era |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1971 |
| Year of manufacture | 1971 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 litre, 232 cubic inch Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 61000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 66000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 20th October, 2004 |