Minor inconveniences throughout ownership (i.e. knobs and emblems falling off, lights going out, etc.)
Transmission went out at 185000.
My 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury was the best car I ever owned. Bought it in September 2007, ran amazing, got 24 mpg highway, 20 mpg in town with the 2 barrel carb.
My only mistake with that car was putting the 4 barrel manifold and carb on it, broke a tooth off the distributor in the process and it never was the same again.
I had 2 choices as far as timing, either decent gas mileage and crap for power, or the balls off a bucking rodeo bull and terrible mileage. I was 17 at the time so I decided power was the way to go. Once that 4 barrel went in I was racing EVERYBODY. The carb I got for it was a little screwed up, I got about 6 mpg in town, but once it was out on the open highway I was getting 45-50 mpg.
Once the tranny went however, I couldn't afford to replace it due to the fact that I was a poor high school student. So instead of keeping it until I could save enough money, I decided to scrap it so I could buy a commuter car for school (1996 Oldsmobile Achieva, not a bad car but that's what this is about anyway).
The biggest mistake of my life was swapping out the 2 barrel for the 4 barrel. I miss that car, but I've found an '89 that I'm going to buy and restore to the beauty that was my first and favorite car of all time.
45-50 mpg with a V8 Fury?
Right.
And then you swapped it for an Olds Achieva that got what, 95-100 mpg?
My name is Justin, I am 23 years old and I bought a 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury when I turned 22 as my "birthday present". It was a cheap 360 dollar vehicle that I negotiated from a private seller right here in good old North Dakota. His Grandma drove it the entire lifespan up to 99,000, then he sold it to me.
I still own this. It has had some issues as far as the alternator going out, battery had to be replaced, new distributor and spark plugs.
I hit a deer in September of 09, and it barely damaged the car considering I was going 70mph when I hit the deer. It has been repaired since, and it now has 110,613 miles on it, and just yesterday I drove 400 miles going to Fargo twice to see my girlfriend.
The drive is quite comfy and cozy. It can and will drive very fast. My top speed I have attained is 107mph, but it is not smart to drive this type of vehicle that fast, especially considering the age and miles. I would still like it to last a few more years.
Gas mileage is fluctuated based on how you drive this vehicle (as with any). I always fill up the tank (18 gallons), and in the winter I get about 150-200 per the 18 gallon tank... which equates to about 10 mpg!! Not the best, but it works with low cost otherwise...
I think that your comments about your experience with the Gran Fury is poor research...
Do not buy this car if it is overpriced. It is a "classic" but not entirely. They do drive well, and the V8 does have some darn good power, but in comparison to modern cars, it does not even come close.
Be sure to always get an oil change often, this does burn a lot of oil, and make sure you warm it up in the cold weather.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site