I bought my car from the previous owner, not from a dealership. They handed me a file of all the work that has been done on the vehicle. It was thicker than a Stephen King novel.
The first night I had it in my possession I took it home and when I decided that I wanted to go back out again, the car wouldn't start. It ended up being the battery terminals were so corroded that power wasn't getting anywhere. I took it into a service center where they cleaned it up an put a sealer on the terminals. They need to be cleaned again because the battery acid is eating through the sealer.
Last summer my car's overflow tank would start boiling if I was driving or idling. I took it to the shop to get it looked at and was told that I had a crack in my radiator. Replaced that and this summer it is doing the same exact thing. I was pissed. I was told that it was probably my head gasket. I took it to the Chrysler dealer in town and they ran an engine block test on my vehicle and the head gasket seemed to be working properly. They did find however that the wiring to my fans were shot. That is getting fixed right now and should get my car back tomorrow.
I also was advised that I need to replace my timing belt. I don't believe it's been replaced and at 100,000 that scares me. I am still calling around to get quotes on the parts and labor for it.
This past winter I was having a very bad transmission fluid leak. It was so bad that I had to fill it up right before I left to take it to a service center and left a trail all the way there. Good thing I live in a small town! It ended up being a hole in the lining around the transmission.
My brake pads and rotors are on order because when I brake I feel like I am skidding on the pavement they are so worn out. I have a brother that will be installing these (thank god I'll save $ on labor here.)
I just found out that my water pump should probably get replaced and that I need to add more freon into my air conditioning unit. Great, more $ for me! Those are my problems thus far and I've only owned my car for a year and a half. As soon as this stuff is fixed I hope to sell it and get at least enough money to pay of the rest of my loan and the cost of the work I am currently having done to it.
This car was cool when I first got it. The windows suck because they scratch against something in the door when they are rolled down and it has left them with rectangular scratches down the whole window.
The passenger seat doesn't go back as far as I would like it to. This makes it an uncomfortable ride for my tall friends.
The CD player was worthless so I got one for Christmas that will actually play a burned CD.
The acceleration could be better, maybe once I have all the current problems fixed it will run a lot better.
Overall, I would never buy another one of these cars!
The problem is not with the car, it was the previous owner's lack of maintenance. You should have had a mechanic or knowledgeable friend look the car over before purchasing it. The corroded cables should have been a dead give away when you opened the hood in the guy's driveway. Right there it tells you the owner does zero maintenance and walk away if your are not mechanically inclined to do it yourself. Got to do homework man.
Dude... If you think that corroded termials from a leaky battery means that the car is a lemon you deserve to be stuck on the side of the road. A $700,000 Shelby Cobra could have corrosion on the terminals.. ACID = Corrosion. Don't be such a cheapskate go buy and Optima, Buttmunch.
If there is acid on the terminals it DOES mean the car wasn't maintained - there should be NONE. If there is it should have been cleaned off immediately.
Go back take a mechanics course before you buy another car.
I had one of the first Neon's when the first came out in 1994. Bought it new..1995 model. Got rid of it for a nearly new 2000 Neon in Nov of 2001. First Neon had 129,000 on it. The only thing put on the car was 2 batteries, 4 sets of tires, a factory replacement switch and a muffler.
The 2000 is much better. It turned over to 100,000 this week and I still have FACTORTY origingal brakes on the car.
Other than 2 batteries, 4 sets of tires... that is it!!!
Nothing. I am in love with the 2 liter engine and am looking to buy a new Caliber. It has been nothing, but great dependable transportation. Forgot to mention, that I am extremely high maintenence.
Finally, I graduated college in 1973 and have only bought 5 cars. Only one of which was new.
Chase.