1991 Pontiac Sunbird LE 2 dr Sedan review from North America
"Good sporty little commuter car with decent MPG for engine; reliable IF treated right!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Heater core went out at 230,000 or so; 2nd time has had to be replaced from what previous owner said.
Front left tire has been suddenly going flat; have to put air in tire every day.
Interior is starting to show wear; dash panels are separating, etc.
Transmission now shifts through gears roughly, but not so much it hinders driving.
Once I get the car up to 75 MPH+, it rattles horribly. Any suggestions to fix this?
Idles roughly and sometimes seems like it is going to die at idle.
Back right speaker has some problem where it crackles when I turn things on in the car, at start, when accelerating, etc.
Radiator has small leak in it, wasn't a big problem until now; now the car is starting to overheat after a month with the problem, luckily, it doesn't get any farther up the gauge then a little above halfway, but it used to sit at the 1/4 line. And, the low coolant light comes on all the time, and I have to keep a gallon of water with me to make sure and fill up the coolant tank, which I have to do every time I drive the car. Any suggestions?
General comments?
I got the car from a friend at work that took very good care of it, unfortunately, I don't know that much about cars and I can't afford to take it into a mechanic, so I do what little I can, but with this many miles on the car, I am glad it is running at all.
It still gets 20-22 MPG depending on whether I am driving around town or on the freeway.
The interior IS uncomfortable (and cramped!), but not so bad that I couldn't drive it for a long period of time. And no cup holders make for a troublesome adventure with drinks!
The appeal for me in this car is that still it is my 2nd car and is miles ahead of my last car which I have finally sold. And I still get an exhilarating feel when I gun the engine on the freeway and the 3.1L V6 takes off.
Overall, I am glad that the car is running and it is still a good little car, especially when compared to my last car; a 77 Grand Prix with a LOT of problems.
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| Cheap, fun, project car |
|
| 1991 - Sunbird LE 96-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder It's an ugly little car with some problems, but it's not bad for a cheap student/first car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1991 |
| Year of manufacture | 1991 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.1L V6 Multi-Port FI Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 4 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 228000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 235000 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Grand Prix |
| Date of Entry | 25th February, 2005 |