1999 Plymouth Breeze Expresso review from North America
"Safe, reliable, cheap"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Door locks seize up periodically and need to be oiled or else they can't be opened from the outside. After 2 years the driver's side door lock seized completely and even the dealer could not fix it.
A sensor in the transmission has failed twice, preventing the car from shifting. It's a cheap fix, but annoying.
The electrical system malfunctioned and the cause has not yet been determined. This is after 140,000 miles though, so I cut the car a little slack.
General comments?
I have had almost no serious problems with this car. It has been incredibly reliable for the last 5 years. It is getting old now and little problems keep popping up, little engine hiccups, etc. but that is to be expected after all the miles I have put on it.
The ride in this car is very smooth. The interior is quite roomy, even for 4 people. I drove from upstate New York straight down to Florida with 3 passengers (4 total people) plus all of our luggage, and the trip was quite easy.
Handling is great. The car feels very nimble, especially for a mid-sized. Indeed, I prefer the handling on this car to that of many smaller cars that I have driven.
Gas mileage is great. I average around 28mpg, even with city driving, which is better than I was told I would get.
The acceleration has never been that great, and it has gotten a bit worse each year. Passing on a two lane road is always interesting.
The speaker system in this car is actually very good. The bass is powerful and the sound is crisp. I have made no upgrades to the system.
Overall I can't say enough about this car. It has been more reliable than I could have dreamed. It survived 4 winters in the Adirondack mountains with hardly a complaint, several cross country trips, and it is only recently (120,000+ miles) that problems have started appearing. Its certainly not flashy or all that powerful, but it's a sure bet.
Recommended reviews
| A great car before 100,000 miles |
| Overall, it has been a much better vehicle than I have owned in the past |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1999 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4L I4 DOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 40000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 139000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 15th November, 2006 |