Posted by Dan Starnes (IP: 209.119.4.34) on August 05, 1999 at 22:01:49:
In Reply to: Reliability issues posted by Joel Nordness on August 05, 1999 at 21:06:17:
As always when looking at a used car here are a few things I check to determine if the car has been taken care of.
1. check the oil, if it is way overfull or way low those are caution factors, also if the oil is extremely black ( like tar) walk away from the car and never look back. Unless the price is so ridiculously low you cant pass it up.
2.Check the tire wear, if it is very uneven on the front, it could mean extensive repairs are needed.
3. Drive the car, does the transmission shift smooth? do the brakes stop the car without pulling you all over the lane? does it wonder the road and pull with every road defect? could be costly? but if price is low enuff you can factor that in.
4. I always run an engine to its full warm up temperature and then shut if off, then i restart it, if it starts fine that is great, if it starts slowly it could mean starter problems or carburation problems.
5. Walk around the car. does the body line up ( fenders meet with doors evenly? do all doors and hood and trunk open without any problems?) problems in these areas could point to poorly repaired collision damage.
These are basic things at looking at used cars and I havent even touched electrical problems. The Maverick/Comet cars are good transportation and reliable but they havent been produced in over 20 years so all are old cars now. I hope the maverick works out for ya, and I can tell ya this, the lebaron is not a good car of that era and they can be costly to repair. Plus add in the fact that they have no resale value and its pretty easy to see why that isnt the car to buy. Goodluck to ya!
: Hey guys. On my way to work today i saw a '77 Maverick on sale for $775.
: Now, as a poor 18 year old dropout working at a pizza place, i dont have
: that much money to spend, but I want a car that is reliable. How reliable
: is a maverick? I dont know much about cars, so i really cant fix it myself
: if it breaks. Its paint is faded, its vinyl top is peeling, and there are
: a few small dents around the door area near the keyhole, but other than
: that, it looks pretty damn good. Its either that or an '88 lebaron for
: $750 (with a HUGE dent in its rear end). I would appreciate any replies.
: Thanks.