Weird noise from the camshaft at 2800rpm.
Power steering went out at 140k.
Thermostat went buggy at 150k.
The transmission slipped a lot.
Fuel filter went at 140k.
All for cylinders leaked oil (every spark plug was always covered).
Lost nearly a quart of oil every week out of the back of the engine.
Both ball joints went out.
The only things I had fixed were the fuel filter, because the car wouldn't start, and the ball joint, because I couldn't drive it if I didn't.
I had this car for 4 years, bought it for 2k, and abused the hell out of it.
Everything that went bad or buggy, as long as the car started, I ignored.
I replaced the oil filter 4 times in the 4 years I had it, and just added oil to replace the stuff that had leaked out of the back of the engine.
I literally did not care about this car, I wanted everyday for it not to start or to die on the road.
When it had 160k miles on it, I drove from Metro Detroit to Yellowstone National Park (1800 miles one way), I worked there for the summer, and rented the car out and drove it back to Metro Detroit. In those 5 months over 15k miles were put on the car.
The point of this horror story of abuse to a car is to prove a point.
Chrysler can build a car that lasts!
Every mechanic I talked to about his car laughed and couldn't believe the trans lasted past 180k, let alone with this kind of abuse.
If you want a cheap car that will hold up through literal hell, this is the car for you.
These are well-made cars. A friend of mine who owns a small (family-owned) dealership and car rental business has two '99 Plymouth Breezes active in his fleet, one with over 120,000 miles and the other with something like 140,000 and the cars are still serviceable and haven't given him a lick of trouble! Just goes to show, maintenance is key (his, being rentals, are maintained religiously).
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