1984 AMC Eagle Wagon from North America - Comments

Carburetor needed constant adjustment.

Exhaust and muffler rusted, still loud when replaced.

Seat belts stopped retracting.

Doors wouldn't latch in the cold.

Temperature gage inaccurate.

Rear hatch wouldn't stay up.

Headlights needed alignment.

Four wheel drive didn't work.

Bad heater core.

Heater air smelled like mice droppings.

My father had picked it up from an old man who bought it new and figured with the low-mileage it was a gem and it would make a good car, it wasn't. I had to borrow it while my '87 Caprice coupe was in for body work from a deer.

Hardly stylish when new, the basic body style is from 1970! How dare American Motors let a 70's design with huge fender flares yet, be made in the 1980's!

Nobody could ever figure out the idle adjustment and it would stall at traffic lights.

Bad brakes, skids too easily.

Slow acceleration and embarrassing to drive with the outlandish tan and brown paint, huge wire wheels, and high stance.

Interior motor noise (buzz) was loud, even with new muffler.

Cramped legroom, uncomfortable seats on long trips, shifter digs into your leg, seat belt latches dig into your arm, can't stretch out.

Poor handling, rough ride like a Volvo.

Quick on the highway though, slow in city traffic, don't try any quick maneuvers.

Despite all it's faults, it's a solidly built car. Good materials and quality construction.

Don't let the realistic woodgrain and sculpted seats fool you- it'll make you miserable if you drive it all day between the interior noise, the ride, lack of power, handling, stares from people.

Hard to start at times unless you give it the right amount of gas.

Good off-road when four wheel drive worked right.

Not worth getting- just get a Jeep or 80s/90s Blazer, easier to modify and they have more potential.

Unless you off-road a lot and want to be noticed, for the small amount of time you need the 4x4 (e.g. winter driving) it's not worth getting, too much upkeep and too ugly of a car.

Dude, the car is over 20 years old, it's going to have problems. It sounds like whoever had the car before you (ab) used it roughly, or didn't maintain it very well, or both. I had a 1980 Eagle wagon, and it not as bad as you describe. Perhaps you got into this deal thinking you were getting something much better, champagne for the price of beer so to speak. Your carb jets are almost certainly clogged, it's a common ocurrence on these beasts. Obviously, with only 110 horsepower and 3400+ pounds of bulk, it's not going to be quick in any sense of the word around town, but the six is fairly torquey and smooth provided it's in tune. I will give it to you though on the paint, I've seen a few tan/brown colored Eagles, and they are just gross! Mine was a burgundy/red color, and I though it looked OK. The eagles are a bit harder to modify, but things can be done to them. The six can be fitted with fuel injection, you can drop a V8 under the hood if you wanted, a two speed transfer case out of a Cherokee can be fitted. Take a look at the floor pan underneath the car, there's a notch there for a low/high range lever. I'd rather have the wagon over a Blazer or a CJ7, the wagon is more useful. You can haul 4 or 5 people plus a load of groceries or luggage, try that with a CJ7.

Check out http://www.users.nac.net/gr/eagleweb/v8eagle/ for some ideas about what can be done to these cars. Turbocharged EFI 258? Sweet!

An old guy had it before him and since it was new, didn't drive it much, and I think that was the main problem. The door latches all needed to be removed and lubed, the seat belt retractors, the interior smelled of mice, all from sitting around. It was however in mint condition inside and out which is why my Dad jumped on the deal, and he got it for a grand. He did expect that a few things would need replacing on it, so a few things here and there wouldn't be too big of a deal. Unfortunately access to stuff around the motor wasn't very easy (compared to a small block Chevy). It was just that toward the end (he sold it a few months ago) it seemed to be one thing after another. First the doors wouldn't close, then the carburetor acted up, then it stalled at a light in a downpour yet on my Dad and it got to the point where he couldn't trust taking it out so he sold it to someone who was into those cars. As I said, it's a good car for someone who's into Eagles, it's not a cheap car like an old Toyota or something, very solid and well built, but a bit too quirky for my tastes.

I had a 1984 amc eagle dl. wagon and it was one of the best cars I ever owned it was dark blue with the same interior. i payed 1500.oo for put about 1000.00 into it on regular crap. drove it every day down to the states every year and it was awesome in the canadian winters never got stuck once, only problem was the carb. but that is normal had it for five years and sold it for 1500.oo that's not too bad.