Why is it my '79 Celica GT Coupe (was 10 years old when I got it) was *WAY* more reliable than my '95 Contour?
Even if that little bitch was beat to hell (I was 18, and used to race that poor little thing against my friend's 'Stangs, FIrebirds, 280ZX and Celica Supras, even raced a 325 for about an hour, way past redline), I did the brakes on it twice (front, then rear 6 months later), changed the oil a couple of times (both engine and tranny), wires, plugs and cap/rotor/sensor. Had to solder the electronic ignition module to the chassis (bad ground).
About the only repairs I had to do on it.
On the Contour, had to change the HEGO sensor (O2), waterpump, timing *BELT* (why don't they use chains?), EGR, Exhaust Manifold, CAT, My A/C condenser's blown (my '92 Cavalier's was still working), had to wire the cooling fan on DRL using a relay, had to swap the engine (cracked head due to faulty gasket), now the tranny is slipping and dying. (and the airbag light is flashing a *collision sensor not found* code) only 170,000KM on it...
Last week, my muffler went south (actually the pipe right in front of it)
Are they making cars out of LEGOs today?
My Celica had 150,000 MILES when I got it, I let it go at around 250... (smashed into a '76 Monte Carlo, kid didn't seem to know what a stop sign meant...)
I will agree I probably got a Lemon Contour, but it's ridiculous...
On my derelict Celica, the doors never refused to unlock when below freezing point, A/C was still working, suspension wasn't worn, power steering wasn't whining and imprecise, Water pump was still original, rear defrost had _ALL_ its wires working, brakes would work as they should (no ABS shit), didn't use a poor-excuse-for-a-frisbee as the spare tire, windshield washer jets would not freeze. Gas door wouldn't jam closed, and so on...
I can feel the wiper's motor in my brake pedal on my Contour :)
Handled better, stiffer cornering, better acceleration (96HP Carburated 2.2 SOHC Vs 2.0 EFI DOHC 16V). 16 years appart. Carburated VS Fuel Injected. RWD vs Crappy FWD. Old-school steering vs rack-and-pinion. I'm not even sure that Celica had triangulated McPhersons, probably just old school shocks and springs at the rear, with a live axle.
I miss those older cars.
OTOH, My 351C T-Bird totally owned that thing on a straight line :)