1986 Dodge Colt E from North America - Comments

Seats have worn very badly, but were not too great when I bought the car.

Clutch went out at about 158000 miles, I had a new one put in and now it works fine.

Drive shafts are wearing out, I'll need to replace them soon.

All other problems with the car have been things like brakes and fuel filters going out, the kind of problems that you would expect to happen anyway.

It is a very reliable little car, I've driven it pretty hard and it still runs well, and it ALWAYS starts on the first turn of the key. I consider the Colt to be super dependable.

The Colt is also good on gas, I can go really far on a full tank.

One downside to this car is that it lacks power. My car does anyway, it has some problems that may cause it to not run as well as other colts, so maybe I'm wrong here. My car has problems trying to go uphill in 4th gear, I often have to downshift it into 3rd (it is a 4 speed, not a 5).

Overall I'd say it's a great little car. I've been hard on it and it can handle everything I've put it through. I've loaded it down with camping stuff and gone on trips that most people would only take an SUV on. I'm very impressed that a small car with so may miles on it can run as reliably as this. You should buy one if you can, but the colt is getting harder to find as dodge no longer sells them.

I've got the same car and it lacks power as well. I'm trying to figure out how to make it perform better. Very reliable, but it still has its problems (sticking jet valves, extremely cheap interior) e-mail me if you can help with my colt power woes somewhiteguy@adres.nl.

I have a 1987 Dodge Colt E, it has the same power problems as your describing. If you find any solutions Email me at Jason_bennett4@hotmail.com.

I have a Mitsubishi Colt GLXi '91 and I have the same problem that your car has concerning going uphill... Well I first noticed the problem while driving the car for the first time.

I was going uphill and I was in 4th gear and I was doing like 80-85km/hr. and I noticed that the car didn't speed up even if pressed the gas pedal little further.. so I slammed my foot on the gas pedal so it was licking the floor, but still the speed didn't change... otherwise I love my car... seats are worn up a lot... engine behaves sometimes badly at first (when its cold!)...but after like 2min. its smooth as ****

Greetings from Iceland.

The owner of a Mitsubishi Colt GLXi '91 model..

(A.K.A -UniCorn-)

I too have an 86 dodge colt e. I got it from my dad a year ago, and its in good condition. I lacked power just like you guys, and still do lack power, but I've added some power just as well. theres a big difference in power when you add a K&N air filter, a high flow exhaust, and new spark plugs. I love this car, and like you guys said the only problem is the power. this is why I'm going to drop a 4g63t eclipse motor into this car this summer. wish me luck guys.

I loved my '86 Dodge Colt. I bought it in 1988 while in college -- it was only two years old, but already had about 70,000 miles. I drove it until 1990, I sold it to my Dad when I got an '88 Mitsubishi Mirage. My Dad drove it for a number of years after that.

The jet valves in my '84 Colt have been a disaster. The first to disintegrate ejected the stem through the valve cover, spraying oil under the hood. The second ejected its guts into a cylinder, requiring a complete engine rebuild. The third also ejected into a cylinder, but the parts somehow managed to make it out past the exhaust valve, with some scratching of the cylinder wall. I finally got smart and located a jet valve eliminator kit. These are basically bolts that take the place of the valves. This may increase emissions somewhat, but my state has no inspections.

Screw state emisions inspections.

Yeah, screw state emisions inspections! and tags and registration too! and insurance! and drivers licenses! Screw traffic lights and stop signs! POwer to the people!

The 1986 'Dodge' Colt, P.O.S. This car has no guts, whatsoever. The no-power-in-fourth is typical, however; this car will take a beating and still get you from A to B. I had one in high school, which means this little car: went where some 4x4's only dreamed, went through many snow-piles, doughnuts on a regular basis, etc. Many of the parts were easy to find and quite inexpensive, so there was never any fear of hurting it. The engine guzzled oil, but sipped gas. I ran this car out of oil on several occasions, and it still ran like a champ. Fantastic economy car, but no power at all.

The 1986 Dodge Colt... What Can I Say. This car has really been a lifesaver for me. Like everybody else seems to say, the car doesn't have any power, but it drives descent and can take some pretty hard beatings. I'm 6' 4", so it is kind of a tight squeeze to get in and out, and I have developed a specific way to accomplish the task! I drive about 85 miles in it each day, and I rarely have problems with it. I really liked the comment before mine about the Colt drinking oil but only sipping gas... It is really true. I have accidentally ran this car out of oil on several occasions, and all it takes is a few quarts to get it running fine again. I really enjoy the fact that this car is foreign, yet you can find parts for it in a snap. My wife has a Mercedes-Benz (don't even get me started), and finding parts for this thing is absolutely nothing like finding parts for a car like that. I also like the fact that when you find the common part at any parts house that you're looking for, you don't have to take it to a special certified one-of-a-kind mechanic to have it worked on; you can do it yourself no prob. Here is a list of the only problems that I have had with the car:

-Water Pump quit at 130,000

-Replaced right-rear door due to fender-bender

-Muffler fell off at 160,000.

Other than these things, I have only performed scheduled maintenance on the car. Interior is still just fine and everything still works great. I put in a newer stereo, and had no problems. Here is a list of the things that I really enjoy about the car:

-Size

-Maneuverability

-Trunk Size (Impressive for this size of automobile)

-Height at which you sit at

-General Availability when purchasing parts

-Look

-Gas Mileage!! :-)

However, there are quite a few things that I would change on the car:

-Headlights! I HATE THEM!

-Front Seats (They don't slide back enough)

-Heater

-Windows

-Door panels

-Side Mirrors

-Not enough POWER.

These are just a few things that bother me and would probably be just fine for other people. Without bragging, I have made quite a bit of money in my lifetime, and people laugh at me when I pull up in my black-suit and Dodge Colt. Everybody asks why I don't just buy a different car, and my response is this: Money is not the most important thing in life. In the USA today, everybody has to keep up with the Jones', and I say, "Why"? Why not drive a perfectly descent car until it's not driveable anymore? Why squander your hard-earned money on an expensive newer car that you're not even able to work on? My Dodge Colt hit 200,000 miles last night on my way home from work, and I just thought about how great of a car it has been for me. If somebody offered me a bundle of money for it, I would say no. This car has great value to me. Maybe not financial value, but definitely sentimental value. So, if you have a Dodge Colt and think that it's a crappy POS, just think about some of the cars that you COULD be driving. Isn't it nice to have something that runs? If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me: dkentner@crestviewcable.com.

I got a 1986 colt cranks up find, but when it warms up it wants to cut off. Any suggestions?