putnam
Member
- Joined
- October 17, 2003
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Brunswick, GA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1991 EB
I got my 1991 EB in June for $2,000. It's in pretty good condition - it has had only one owner and the sunroof has never been used.
However, the following has had to be done already (in chronological order):
1. Radio
The radio was broken the day I got it. I immediately replaced it with a Sony XPlod (whatever the cheapest model is in the latest generation) to find out the premium sound subwoofer was blown. That cost me $5 to replace. 6.5" subwoofers were on clearance at Radio Shack. It really sounds good.
Cost: $155
2. Fan Clutch
I was driving and the air conditioner was blowing hot sometimes. I realized the engine temperature was getting hot, and the folks at Brake Check said I needed a new fan clutch. They insisted I get the more expensive "heavy duty fan clutch" because "you're a teenager and I know how teenagers idle a lot." What I got was an extremely loud whistle added to my car. It's very embarrassing. People tell me my car sounds like a flying dirtbike.
Cost: Approx. $170
3. Radiator Flush, AC Recharge, Oil Change
Well, the oil change was a given. The AC started acting up again, just like before. I went to Master Lube (Garage #2, if you will) to see what the problem was. My dad suggested it was just low on freon, so I asked them to refill the freon. They performed an AC recharge, and did a check on the rest of the car. My coolant was black sludge. They said that THAT was the real reason my car was starting to run hot again. They flushed the radiator on top of the AC recharge and oil change. This fixed it all.
Cost: Approx. $130
4. New Hose, that big one, I think it goes to the radiator
I came home one day not long after my radiator flush when I noticed that the car was giving off steam. I checked to see if it was running hot. It wasn't. I shrugged it off and continued to see if it would persist. It did. I took it to Master Lube again and they found that there was a small hole in a hose. Coolant was spraying onto the engine and creating the steam. Replacing the hose fixed the problem.
Cost: $45
5. New Starter, "Idle..." something, Rear left tail lightbulb, power steering hose, oil pan sensor
For the past few days, my starter was acting up. It would start slowly like it was about to die, then quickly start. It got worse and worse. I was driving out of my neighborhood the other morning on my way to school when the car almost completely went out on me. The power steering stopped, the CHECK ENGINE light was on, the CHECK OIL light was on, and the car had all but cut off. I put it in neutral and (luckily I was on a hill) rolled down into some grass. My dad managed to get it to Hanson Brothers Garage (Garage #3, Master Lube told me to come here to check my power steering). These guys found out that the CHECK OIL light was reporting inaccurately, because the sensor was bad in the oil pan. They explained that it cut off the other morning because of my idle something, and that my starter had completely quit. My power steering has been leaking since I got the car, and I have had to replace the fluid almost every week to stop it from being embarrassingly loud. Hanson Bros. found that it was a hose, and replaced it. The new hose, new starter, new idle thingy, were all they did that day. They had to order the oil sensor (and actually, I'm kind of hazy as to whether they did replace the PS hose or not yet. I think my dad mentioned they 'need to order that too', but when I left the garage they said they'd 'call when the sensor gets in'.) They also replaced the left rear taillight bulb because my turn signal wasn't working and neither was the brake light. Duh. Hanson Brothers suggests that I go back to Brake Check and demand a new regular clutch fan for free, because my "heavy duty" fan is for pulling large loads.
Cost: $250+ if they charge for the sensor when it comes in
This is all I've done so far, but the headliner needs to be replaced (quoted at $160) as it is falling down in the rear a good 5". Glue won't cut the mustard in a first-gen as it is separated from the foam backing.
The leather on the console is cracking. I wish I could find a replacement console, but can't. The leather on the driver's side seat is ripped in two spots, and I'd like to replace that.
There is a gurgling/squishy sound coming from under the glove box area on the passenger side. One day it squirted out some thick, gooey, orange liquid onto the floormat. I'm not sure what it is.
The right-rear door handle is doing this thing where you have to pull it all the way up to make it open (and the same with inside). There must be a spring or something messed up within the door itself. I have looked at a few threads on this site about that, but nothing has really had an answer. Anyone know what to do?
My steering wheel has some sort of thick, sticky black crap oozing out of the seams. We think it may be the glue. I put a leather steering wheel cover on it, but sometimes I'll accidentaly touch my finger in there and get that stuff on me. It's very hard to wash off. Anyone know what that is?
Lots of problems, it seems, for my first car. I've spent a total of $2,000 on the car plus $750 in repairs. I need to spend at least $160 more to fix the headliner, and possible another $150 to replace the heater core.
If anyone has some 91-94 EB floor mats they can sell me, I'll buy them.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Anyone have any suggestions (other than burn it, sell it, etc.)? It really isn't that bad though, and I've received lots of compliments. I'll try and post a couple of pictures with this.
However, the following has had to be done already (in chronological order):
1. Radio
The radio was broken the day I got it. I immediately replaced it with a Sony XPlod (whatever the cheapest model is in the latest generation) to find out the premium sound subwoofer was blown. That cost me $5 to replace. 6.5" subwoofers were on clearance at Radio Shack. It really sounds good.
Cost: $155
2. Fan Clutch
I was driving and the air conditioner was blowing hot sometimes. I realized the engine temperature was getting hot, and the folks at Brake Check said I needed a new fan clutch. They insisted I get the more expensive "heavy duty fan clutch" because "you're a teenager and I know how teenagers idle a lot." What I got was an extremely loud whistle added to my car. It's very embarrassing. People tell me my car sounds like a flying dirtbike.
Cost: Approx. $170
3. Radiator Flush, AC Recharge, Oil Change
Well, the oil change was a given. The AC started acting up again, just like before. I went to Master Lube (Garage #2, if you will) to see what the problem was. My dad suggested it was just low on freon, so I asked them to refill the freon. They performed an AC recharge, and did a check on the rest of the car. My coolant was black sludge. They said that THAT was the real reason my car was starting to run hot again. They flushed the radiator on top of the AC recharge and oil change. This fixed it all.
Cost: Approx. $130
4. New Hose, that big one, I think it goes to the radiator
I came home one day not long after my radiator flush when I noticed that the car was giving off steam. I checked to see if it was running hot. It wasn't. I shrugged it off and continued to see if it would persist. It did. I took it to Master Lube again and they found that there was a small hole in a hose. Coolant was spraying onto the engine and creating the steam. Replacing the hose fixed the problem.
Cost: $45
5. New Starter, "Idle..." something, Rear left tail lightbulb, power steering hose, oil pan sensor
For the past few days, my starter was acting up. It would start slowly like it was about to die, then quickly start. It got worse and worse. I was driving out of my neighborhood the other morning on my way to school when the car almost completely went out on me. The power steering stopped, the CHECK ENGINE light was on, the CHECK OIL light was on, and the car had all but cut off. I put it in neutral and (luckily I was on a hill) rolled down into some grass. My dad managed to get it to Hanson Brothers Garage (Garage #3, Master Lube told me to come here to check my power steering). These guys found out that the CHECK OIL light was reporting inaccurately, because the sensor was bad in the oil pan. They explained that it cut off the other morning because of my idle something, and that my starter had completely quit. My power steering has been leaking since I got the car, and I have had to replace the fluid almost every week to stop it from being embarrassingly loud. Hanson Bros. found that it was a hose, and replaced it. The new hose, new starter, new idle thingy, were all they did that day. They had to order the oil sensor (and actually, I'm kind of hazy as to whether they did replace the PS hose or not yet. I think my dad mentioned they 'need to order that too', but when I left the garage they said they'd 'call when the sensor gets in'.) They also replaced the left rear taillight bulb because my turn signal wasn't working and neither was the brake light. Duh. Hanson Brothers suggests that I go back to Brake Check and demand a new regular clutch fan for free, because my "heavy duty" fan is for pulling large loads.
Cost: $250+ if they charge for the sensor when it comes in
This is all I've done so far, but the headliner needs to be replaced (quoted at $160) as it is falling down in the rear a good 5". Glue won't cut the mustard in a first-gen as it is separated from the foam backing.
The leather on the console is cracking. I wish I could find a replacement console, but can't. The leather on the driver's side seat is ripped in two spots, and I'd like to replace that.
There is a gurgling/squishy sound coming from under the glove box area on the passenger side. One day it squirted out some thick, gooey, orange liquid onto the floormat. I'm not sure what it is.
The right-rear door handle is doing this thing where you have to pull it all the way up to make it open (and the same with inside). There must be a spring or something messed up within the door itself. I have looked at a few threads on this site about that, but nothing has really had an answer. Anyone know what to do?
My steering wheel has some sort of thick, sticky black crap oozing out of the seams. We think it may be the glue. I put a leather steering wheel cover on it, but sometimes I'll accidentaly touch my finger in there and get that stuff on me. It's very hard to wash off. Anyone know what that is?
Lots of problems, it seems, for my first car. I've spent a total of $2,000 on the car plus $750 in repairs. I need to spend at least $160 more to fix the headliner, and possible another $150 to replace the heater core.
If anyone has some 91-94 EB floor mats they can sell me, I'll buy them.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Anyone have any suggestions (other than burn it, sell it, etc.)? It really isn't that bad though, and I've received lots of compliments. I'll try and post a couple of pictures with this.
