1958 Plymouth Belvedere review from North America
"Beautiful in looks, mechanically a disappointment"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The brakes were a constant source of trouble. They did a poor job of stopping the car. The brakes always chattered.
The lining were replaced at least 5 times.
The car never stopped in a straight line. I had changed the wheel cylinders at least three times and that helped for a little while. Brakes would bind up on one side (usually front) and you'd have to drive the car to heat them up so they'd release. You needed to beat the drums off the car with a drum puller, to check brakes or do any type of work.
General comments?
The car had a torsion-bar suspension and did not have a very comfortable ride. The frontend was always off and the steering was not always comfortable, as the power steering was some what over assisted, and it gave you a poor feel for the road.
The engine performance left a lot to be desired. It was a 318 V8, but honestly it was nothing to get excited about. In fact I found it to be rather sluggish even after it was tuned up.
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| 1958 - Belvedere 2-Door Sport Coupe 350 c.i. Golden Commando Power, Style, and Tailfins -- the 1950s had it all |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1958 |
| First year of ownership | 1964 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1966 |
| Engine and transmission | 8 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 54000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 68000 miles |
| Previous car | Buick Special |
| Date of Entry | 4th December, 2005 |