Intrepidation

I don't want to get rid of the car, because it's been great so far and I love it...but this isn't happy news for sure. I haven't really listened to it since the oil change, so I dunno if it's gone away or not. Would an engine flush and then switch to synthetic help? I heard that engine flushes can sometimes damages seals and gaskets...is that true? Also, why would it not make the noise when the car is not warmed up? -- CMG, It's the 2.7L in the Intrepid.

Anyone?

I like chopsticks...

Can't argue with that...but IMO Plymouth should have a FWD large car to give buyers an alternative who don't want/car if it's FWD or RWD.

Because 2 wrongs obviously make a right....it makes us no better than the Domestic haters.

The only "bad" engine is the 2.7L...the 3.5L makes 250 hp, 5.7L makes 340, and 6.1L makes 425...

Looks like a regular old Suburban you could pick up for a couple grand or less. Only a moron would waist 30-50 grand on it. Oh I get it, that grill/bumper guard adds 30k or so to the value of the car. Gotcha.

I wonder if all of the design flaws of the 2.7L when it was introduced in the LH series were resolved or if it's still got all of the defects?

Yeah, pushrods are evil despite the fact that there are some excellent engine...the bias is spewing out of you like a drunk bitch at a party. Who cares about a couple tenths of a second difference? It's not a race car, it's a sporty luxury car. How can you despise a small, round instrument with chrome around it and a couple little hands...can you not read an analog clock? There's always the digital one if it's too much for your mind to handle. If you're buying the car then you're driving, so who cares if the backseat isn't the size of a Maybach? As for the center stack, I dunno if it's metal or plastic, but are you planning to fondle it?

They shouldn't water down the brand, but whatever...only their coupes interest me.

I want an `88 GT...I love the way the GT looks and in `88 they gave it the suspension it was supposed to have...too bad they're expensive.

I never had a problem with them, but Chrysler's newer HVAC controls are integrated and a nicer design...plus they have a nice tactile feel and rubberized grip. I'd also like to know how the faux aluminum is "ugly" Would you prefer it covered in faux wood, or black plastic? Real metal would be nice, but it doesn't look or feel bad...and it's no worse than the faux metal you find in, say, the Avalon's interior. I do wonder why the steering wheel controls aren't silver anymore...I liked them that way...but it's not the end of the world either.

What?

Fair enough And yes, the Aurora has pretty good styling even today.

Because naturally, you've sat in one and seen it without the camo and testing gear. I don't see what all the bitching is about besides it being a Hyundai (there's the reason). The styling may not be for everyone, but it's not horrible...I can think of plenty of interiors that look far worse...like the Avalon, Camry, and so on.

If he doesn't approve the bill I can tell you now it'll get a lot worse.

This is why I liked C&D's review better, and why I like C&D better as a whole.

The measure approved Thursday does not specifically mention China and is not as punitive a bill as the proposal before the Senate last year that would have imposed an across-the-board tariff on Chinese imports.

I love how their last sentence is a fully positive one. It's not like "Well it's good but it still won't beat the Germans."...you know, like edmunds

Happy Birthday!

Well I guess I'll post the rest of the story thus far. Our mechanic looked at the car and said nothing mechanically was damaged and neither was the frame...the damage is all above the frame rails. He recommended to us a body shop down the road...so we got in the crap, me in back to hold the driver's seat up for Jessica....yeah that thing's f@#ked...but we have teh old seats so I can temporarily bolt the old one in, and fix or swap parts out to make the nicer one work again. It drove fine, started right up, drove straight, A/C worked, and no strange noises. We got to the shop where the owner greeted us...after we went in to the shop because there's no "door" to the office....you have to go into the bay. He was very nice and understanding, and he also gave us a lot of options for how to go about fixing the car. He looked at it, and said it was all "cosmetic" damage...nothing important like the frame was hit. He said that it would cost about $300 to straighten it out so the trunk would fit and not leak water. If we wanted we could stop there, throw a bumper and trunk on it and call it a day, or we can go to the next step which is making it look pretty and straight. The final step would be painting, which he advised having Maaco do it, because it would cost less for them to paint the whole car than for him to paint the damaged area...because they buy in bulk so it costs less for them...plus red is apparently expensive. I could also paint the area myself if I wanted, or have him do it anyway. So we've got lots of options basically, I just need to get the settlement so I can begin. Then track down a bumper, tail light, and trunk from a junkyard. He said he's got a car in there until Tuesday, with similar damage as it happens, but after that he's free. -- It's been 2 days and I haven't got a phone call yet with numbers for the car's value...I'm calling when they open today at 9am and find out what's taking so long. I'm also getting pries together so I get the value of the car, not half of what it's worth...they aren't screwing me out of the money I deserve...it's their client's fault this mess happened in the first place. Oh yeah, the shop owner suggested I find 5 cars Prizms for sale of the same year and similar mileage for a price close to teh NADA value...not a problem...I found a few LSi models more than that cost of the LSi price on NADA...yet they had less features than ours. I'm confused if ours is an LSi or not...I don't get how the rim level works. You can have an LSi buts till have teh base engine, seats, and no cruise or tach. Ours has cruise, and well...now anyway, it has the upgraded seats. The Title says "PRIZML" So I wonder if the "L" is for LSi...her insurance in KS would have it say LSi on the paperwork.

Since we got back from the road trip I've noticed a low noise coming from the engine, it sounds sort of like knocking, but not a loud knock. This happens after the engine has warmed up...when it first starts it doesn't make the noise. Like I said, it's not very loud, you can only hear it if the car is stopped and the Air is off and the radio is off. I took it to Clark Chrysler the other day for it's oil change and mentioned it, they took a look and determined it to be the lifters, and said it wasn't anything to worry about unless it got louder. I also talked to someone else who said it may be because of the oil that was in it needing to be changed, or that it's just the fact that it's a high mileage engine. It changed it at 3,004 miles after it's last one. I just wanted to know what you guys thought, and if anyone else has any experience with it.

Smaller, handles better, looks better. Love it.

Apparently, it took the EPA to tell these idiots that the numbers aren't as great as they seem, and that no one is smart enough to realize it themselves.