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88 LeBaron vs 98 Camry

Here is a comparion for the 2 cars I still have.

-1988 LeBaron GTS 2.2 Turbo -1998 Camry 2.2L 4 Cyclinder

-Bought it in 1989 with 6K Miles -Bought it in 2001 with 32K miles

-Has 250K miles and running -Has 120K miles and running

-No fluid leak -No fluid leak

-Replaced 1 water pump -Replaced 1 water pump at

60K miles with timing belt

-Replaced 1 time belt

-All dash lights still work -2 Dash lights went out, Speedometer and fan speed switch (Dealer won't fix under my bumper to bumper warranty)

-Original 3 speed transmission -Original 4 speed transmission, buzzing when driving in very wet road. (Dealer won't check because the road was dry)

-Lots of wind and engine noise -Very quite

-Car roll a lot during sharp turns -Handle much better than the LeBaron

-Brakes have no problems -Have brake problem since day one, replaced 2 sets of rear drums -Dealer won't test drive the car without charging me, because the brake problem appear after a long drive (10 miles) on highway and braking on exit ramp.

-No ABS -Has ABS

-Replaced Steering Rack -Steering is still good.

-Wheels are good -Found out all four wheels are not round a year later, needs to replaced them all, ride much better now

Well, I have better luck and service with the LeBaron for the past 15 years. The Toyota is still a more dependable car and I usually take it for long trips. But I have a problem with the 2 Toyota Dealers I dealt with. My next car will be a Honda.

Kenny

Reply to
Ken
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Have fun with the Honda. About the same reliability as the Toyota. 2% better or worse depnding on the stats you read.

If you want reliability, get a Hyundai. I HATE to say it, but their stats are the top rated.

--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013
Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

HYUNDAI??????????????

no way!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- EL FORY - "I still have the sun to kiss your shadow"

Reply to
EL FORY

Check the stats... My gut reaction too. In fact, my gut reaction (probably based on the 80's cars they made) would still probably keep me from buying one, but they do have the best records right now.

--

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr.

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V8013

long

stats

Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

Good luck. The single worst car I've owned was a 1984 Honda Accord I purchased new.

Matt

Reply to
Matt Whiting

See, buy one now, and it can be as good as a Stealth plane, but what about in 5, 7, or 10 years??

I've seen 1990's Camrys that run and feel like new, that's 14 years !!.

Again, I'm stuck with Toyotas; I've never had a Honda, but it seems that they're very reliable too. I've had 2 VW's ['85 Golf and '90 Jetta], and even though there were 5 years apart, they both were very bad cars; specially the electrical system and suspension. Ford's are out of the map; I won't waste my time talking about them.

My Brother in law has had 3 Toyota pickup trucks, my brother has a Corolla, my dad has 2 Camrys, and I have a 2001 4Runner and a '96 Camry; No major problems whatsoever on all of those cars.

In conclusion, if something works for you, stick with it!!!

-- EL FORY - "I still have the sun to kiss your shadow"

(probably

15

My

2%
Reply to
EL FORY

And the worst vehicle I ever owned was the only brand new vehicle I ever owned - a 1976 Dodge Ramcharger SE. And I've owned some REAL junk, according to what others say. My 1972 Firenza (Vauxhaul) was only half as much trouble as that dodge. The 1967 Peugot came awfully close.

Nothing made today and sold in Canada can be as bad as most vehicles were in the late seventies to mid eighties. Honda went from extremely poor to very, very good in the last 15 years. They have pretty well caught up to Toyota. Nissan is getting close, as is Mazda.

The Koreans have snuck in almost un-noticed, after the Hyundai Pony and Sonata fiascos, the current crop is VERY well designed and built - much better than ANYTHING built in the mid eighties. The Kia (owned by the same "mother" company) is also an exceptionally well designed and excecuted vehicle.

Some of the local dealers leave a lot to be desired, but that can be said of Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Ford GM, Chrysler, Jag, Volvo - you name it.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi languishes in the shadows - building some of the worst cars to be imported from Japan - and still better than the vast majority built by anyone in the eighties.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

. . .for initial build quality, which is good if you keep the car for a year, but it's the long term that counts, so it will be a couple of years to know how good modern Hyundais are in the long term. Now granted the modern Hyundai is a lot better than the Pony of days gone by, but I don't know if I'd call it exceptional quite yet.

Reply to
Bill 2

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