How reliable has your DSM been?

[EclpzLvr97]

I just bought a honda accord for $425 w/235k miles, just broken in for a honda. Good luck on your find.

*Just* broken in?....How long do those bitches last typically?

 

[Kash]

An older mazda 626 would be pretty cheap to get. I had a 91 before i got my dsm's and the gas milleage was pretty good, also did fairly well in the snow.

 

[turbotsi92]

old 4 wheel drive subaru. can't beat them. might rust up, and look like shit, but will last forever.

 

[sexehtopper]

im in fl, snow is not an option

 

[ITSME4G63]

im in fl, snow is not an option

sorry , when we think dd, we think winter

 

[xxrealmsxx]

i've got an old mazda protege.

 

[DSMunknown]

old 4 wheel drive subaru. can't beat them. might rust up, and look like shit, but will last forever.

i wouldn't mind having a new subaru WRX as a daily driver, which is a respectable car. you get awd, a turbo, intercooler, and 227bhp, which isn't too shabby . and then you can let your DSM be garaged, while the stupid subara has to sit in the snow, take a weather beating, get chipped by the friggin salt and sand trucks :laugh: !

 

[Crazy E]

id go with a toyota of honda or some sort, those things run forever

or you could get a 1.8 DSM

 

[SoilentGreen98]

an older 240sx

 

[JessesTalon]

I just got a carbuerated AE86.... MY DD while my subie is on the shop, and it can DRIFT like no other 80hp car can, mawhahahaha

 

[SoilentGreen98]

I was looking to get one of those as a second car but the demand is so high that they're selling for much more than they were years ago. Those things are awesome.

 

[9guy9]

03 SVT Focus Euro Package

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Problem is its almost more fun to drive than the Talon, and now I have two cars to make faster.

 

[yoshimitsuspeed]

Honda CRX SI
or del sol

 

[rowlex]

i just got a 96 esi for my DD - 1800 threw t-belt. has 114K miles.

 

[mike markota]

Hey,

Are these cars reliable for the most part when left stock? Of course, assuming matentience is taken care of...

Thanks
mike

 

[defaced]

I've had my 97 GSX since the beginning of June. I've had to take it back to the place for about $4000 worth of repairs, but it was all covered under the warranty that I bought with the car. That was all done about 2 weeks after I bought the car. I'm assuming the lady who had it before me treated it like it was a piece of dog crap. But ever since I've gotten it back, it's been a wonderful car. The only mod I have is a cone filter. But I've never had any problems with it myself and it's got about 73k on it. I also haven't heard of too many problems with these cars when they're left stock, just as long as you do the timing belt when needed and all the other regular maintanence and don't beat the crap out of it everytime you get in the car, it should do you fine.

defaced

 

[mike markota]

Hey, thanks

I'm searching but everyone is postign about medded cars

bTW: I'm thinkin about a 174K mile 91 AWD

 

[project95talon]

reliable..ha..you gotta be kidding me

 

[Spln_Hrd]

reliable..ha..you gotta be kidding me

you stuff 26 pounds of boost in another stock motor and it might give you a new outlook.

anything that is hotrodded is gonna have problems. alot of dsm's are drivin hard and put away wet everyday and alot of them run pretty good for having such bad abuse.

i don't think dsm's are the best, and i bet they have more problems than most cars, BUT i will also say this.

i have seen alot of stock 4g63's make alot of fukin power and do it everyday and they do get the shit kick outa them

 

[mike markota]

Reason I ask is that the car i have been paying in installments (well just one so far) and the guy said he ne eds all the money by Thurs...so I took out a 1500 loan (paying $300/month for 5 months) and I do not want ANYTHING to break during those 5 monhts or i will be SOL.

I will keep it 100% stock until May...


I will do a compression test and hopefully it will check out okay (there was alil white smoke but he told me it was turbo)

mike

 

[Kash]

white smoke can be an indicator of a bad headgasket, atleast it was in my case.
Do your compression test, and find out for sure.

 

[psychlow]

reliable..ha..you gotta be kidding me

If they are stock and taken care of, they are some of the most reliable turbo cars you can buy, IMHO. On average, you'll find that most problems are not that of build quality, but that of owners who didn't maintain their car or check it for problems. Slipped/broken timing belts are a prime example. The absolute BEST way to maintain these vehicles is to be educated in their minor problems and how they work. If you find that the owner knew nothing about the car and treated it like they would a '79 Corolla, you might be in for trouble.

Some of the 2G's have a small percentage that experience crankwalk, which will happen whether the car is modded or not.

The 1G's do not have this issue. As long as they are taken care of, most will run in excess of 200,000 miles, even on the stock turbo. There aren't any major parts that fail after x years or x miles. The waterpump and the TPS are the most major items I can think of. The ECU can fail, but the fix is easy if you know what to look for.

The caveat is that most owners treat their DSMs like crap because they're not $45K exotics. You have to maintain DSMs better than the average beater for two reasons: because they make 100HP/liter from the factory, and because they're turbocharged.

Turbocharged vehicles require more maintenence. You have to make sure that the oil is clean, that the cooling system is in good shape, and that you don't get foreign material in the turbocharger.

There are also other things you have to make sure of that most car owners will never think about. You also have to make sure there are no boost leaks, which can indirectly wreak havoc on your engine. It can cause you to run rich (which can allow gas seep past the rings, and mix with oil, degrading oil viscocity and lubrication quality) and fry your engine.

If anyone can find a factory-turbocharged engine in this price range generating this HP/liter that's more reliable, by all means, school me. (Supras don't count since people want $5,000 for a turbo '85).

 

[LookDadNoBdyKit]

So like the title says...how do you guys who use your dsm as a daily driver keep it reliable? My turbo is up for a rebuild now and after a certain point I get so sick of dealing with this kinda stuff that I am ready to sell the car. I am starting college in the fall and am worried I am going to keep on having to deal with these issues and I really dont want to have to worry about getting distractions like this. Now I feel like "Okay I fix the turbo issue this week, but what issue will I have to deal with next week?"

I wanna do whatever I can to keep my car as reliable as possible. What do you guys out there do to keep it running well every day and not have to wake up every morning like me thinking to your self "Gee I hope my car starts today".

All comments welcome!

 

[IHeartTurbo]

Preventative maintanence.

 

[2g_spyderturbo]

^^^^^^ yup that sums it up