A lovely car to drive but you can quickly buy the car a second and third time in yearly repair bills. I had an AC "control head" problem that was a $700 repair for the master control. that lasted about 2 weeks and the AC stopped working and worked intermittently. Took in again, (same shop) this time it was the evaporator coils in the dash. (14 hours labor by the book +replacement part = $1800+ repair) Look online, it's a known problem based on manufacturing defect of dissimilar metal corrosion. Took it to a different shop who showed it was leaking Freon from compressor seal. Replaced seals $400.00. AC worked one week. Took back to shop who then said they could only add stop leak to the system. Found a "second leak" in the evaporator coils. In winter heat worked until the BLOWER stopped working suddenly ($400. repair- not done) . On recent trip in winter compressor bearing seized and compressor ($800-$1000) destroyed itself and caught on fire . So the total is $1100 spent with no result, with another $1800 + $400+ $1000 = $3200 needed on a $3000 car. $4300 total would have to be spent for cool air in summer in Alabama. This after a blown head gasket that was an $1800 repair. Back to the Japanese I guess. Also leaked oil (they all do that) and trans fluid.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
A lovely car to drive but you can quickly buy the car a second and third time in yearly repair bills. I had an AC "control head" problem that was a $700 repair for the master control. that lasted about 2 weeks and the AC stopped working and worked intermittently. Took in again, (same shop) this time it was the evaporator coils in the dash. (14 hours labor by the book +replacement part = $1800+ repair) Look online, it's a known problem based on manufacturing defect of dissimilar metal corrosion. Took it to a different shop who showed it was leaking Freon from compressor seal. Replaced seals $400.00. AC worked one week. Took back to shop who then said they could only add stop leak to the system. Found a "second leak" in the evaporator coils. In winter heat worked until the BLOWER stopped working suddenly ($400. repair- not done) . On recent trip in winter compressor bearing seized and compressor ($800-$1000) destroyed itself and caught on fire . So the total is $1100 spent with no result, with another $1800 + $400+ $1000 = $3200 needed on a $3000 car. $4300 total would have to be spent for cool air in summer in Alabama. This after a blown head gasket that was an $1800 repair. Back to the Japanese I guess. Also leaked oil (they all do that) and trans fluid.
- spiv, Bham, AL, US