What is the best used American car for reliability?

[becscar]

Today I did some research on the best mid size American cars to buy for reliability,
and I came up with Buick Regal, & Chevy Monte Carlo as being
reliable. I think that the Lumina became the modern Monte Carlo, so I
am interested in Luminas too. Can anyone tell me more about these
specific cars? Have any of you owned these cars? How reliable are
they? I need as much info as I can get before I buy a car. Is there some good spots on the web to get more info? Any good books to buy on the subject?

I am trying to find out what will be a good car to buy. I need a
reliable car!

I was told Chevy Cavaliers or Pontiac Sunfires are good compact cars,
but when I looked them up online, I saw TONS of problems listed.
Everything from head gasket issues to starting problems & (typical for GM--) brake issues.
Can anyone tell me more about Mid size or Compact American Cars specifically GM and which ones are the best to buy?

I will only have between $3,000 and $4,000 to spend...so I expect some problems, I am trying to stay away from transmission problems, head gasket problems and other such large repairs.

I appreciate any help!
Thanks so much!!!

['97ventureowner]

Just a side note. I, along with some friends over the years have noticed that the more reliable cars GM has produced are those that are in their final years of production before being discontinued in favor of a "newer and improved vehicle". It seems that when GM, ( or any other 'American' car manufacturer for that matter,) comes out with a new vehicle, it is bound to have problems and bugs that need to be fixed. Over the years of the production run, these problems seem to get fewer, until the final year of production, when the least amount of problems have been recorded. We used to joke back in the '80s and '90s that they weren't content with producing problem free cars, and when most of the problems have been solved, it was time to quit making that car and bring out a new one with a host of new problems, and start the process all over again. That is, I believe, where the comment came, " Never buy a new car in it's first or second model year of being introduced, until the problems have been discovered and fixed."

[abaird]

For everything good someone says about a certain car, someone else will say it is junk. You just have to pray you got a good car. Having said that, in my experiance, many mid 90s GM cars were pretty reliable. My buddy drives a 95grand prix with 180,000 miles. He just put in a tranny last summer. Another friend of mine got a 94 bonneville when he was 16 in 2000. It had a new tranny in it when he got it. It now has right at 200,000 hard miles and if he still needed it for a daily driver it wouldn't take much for it to be good as new again(it does drive though). My girlfriend had a 96 monte carlo that was plagued by all kinds of little problems but seemed to be reliable. Now she has an 03 impala that doesn't seem to be any better. I am a pickup man myself, so I say buy a truck.

[dewaynep]

I will put my vote in for the Buicks. I currently have a 98 Skylark (kinda mid-sized) and have had no problems at all. I bought it off lease with 25,000 miles on it and currently have 176,000 miles on it. I recently added up all of the receipts I have for it, it came to under $800. That includes normal maintenance items like brakes, oil and filter changes, tranny fluid and filter changes, serpentine belt, air filters and intake manifold gasket set. The intake gasket would have been the most expensive repair if I didn't do it myself (only $35 for the gaskets, the rest is labor costs), but even that would have been under $250 to change. In my opinion, a great car that is very reliable and easy to maintain. But then again, I got more than 160,000 trouble free miles out of a Geo Metro that people said were junk.....

Oh yea, 98 was the last year for the Skylark, so maybe that's why it is so trouble free for me.....

[tom3]

Late model low mileage Ford Taurus, cheap because they are so ugly, but pretty darn good cars. With late model GM cars you should get a new fuel pump assembly and a set of intake manifold gaskets laying in the trunk as part of the deal. You'll need them

[dmbrisket 51]

ford taurus is a good car, but watch them, the transmissions are horrable, and as for the intake gaksets on gm's, yes it is true, they are plastic pieces of sh*t, and need replacement every 60k (gm's reccomended intraval) but, they have now got Aluminum instead of plastic at the dealer, not sure how good these will work yet, but weve changed a few at work and not one has been back yet, but the oldest one is maby 3 months old now

[Ultrashock]

The monte carlo and the lumina are pretty reliable cars if thats what you have your mind set on than go for it........

Ive also heard that a buick regal is pretty reliable as well

[becscar]

Yes, I have heard that too, my brother in law had a regal that he drove into the ground at 220k+ miles, and he did not take care of it well. It still held up! I will look into those, thanks!

[muff34]

Why not look at the G.M. forums with the least amount of postings. If people aren`t complaining about them they must be good........Right..... LOL

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by abaird

I am a pickup man myself, so I say buy a truck.

Absolutely correct!
The most reliable vehicles I have ever come across are older Chevy S10 pick ups, especially with the standard transmission. The fewer options the better.

My last one drove perfectly with 410,000 km on it.

Older full size pick ups and full size vans are really good, too, but are a bit large and cumbersome for some people.

[Ultrashock]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

Absolutely correct!
The most reliable vehicles I have ever come across are older Chevy S10 pick ups, especially with the standard transmission. The fewer options the better.

My last one drove perfectly with 410,000 km on it.

Older full size pick ups and full size vans are really good, too, but are a bit large and cumbersome for some people.

If you are interested in trucks as well, try looking at older S10's, S10 Blazers, and older Rangers, even older toyota trucks. These cars get decent gas mileage. These are also the trucks you see that can be old beater trucks but hey they are still running. Find yourself a nicer one and try and stay away from power options, they are a pain in older vehicles. My car is mechanically immaculate but i have problems with the power windows

[boofer22811]

A lot of people have said this car or that, doesn't really matter if maintained right. I've noticed GM's 3.1L v6 to knock itself to death, regardless of vehicle. 3.4L is the same block w/different heads, same problem and both too underpowered. I'm a Pontiac guy, 91 Bonneville with series 1 3.8L v6, and sold it with 417,xxx miles on it, yes, almost half a million miles:
2 complaints, cassette deck quit working, and at 215,xxx miles the fuel pump went out and after the fuel gauge wasn't the best 1/4 tank or less, it bobbed from 1/4 to E when I hit bumps, but reliably got me upper 20's to low 30's on the freeway.
Now I have a 99 Pontiac grand Prix gtp, and I got that in 2009 with 152,xxx miles. 20,xxx later I found out, modify it!!! 240 HP and 280 lb ft of torque factory, but mustang gt's and cop cars with ford 4.6L v8 only makes 235 HP and less torque.
OK, these models, supercharged 3.8L v6 series 2, are more modifiable then civics! Long story short, 400hp and 480 lb ft of torque in mine now, and mileage in town suffers but 55 mph gets around 38 mpg, 75-80 mph is around 30-32 mpg. This coupe had a heads up display, a first before Cadillac, or the grand prix's big brother, trans am WS6 package.
But, the Prix, impala, regal, and a few others share the same chassis, motor, trans, but the supercharged versions get the better trans and options. As far as reliable, well living in nw Minnesota without a block heater in the winter is dangerous, but I charge people $5 to jump start them!!! Ive never had starting issues, just the mandatory recall; front (left bank) valve cover gasket leaks oil on the manifold and starts fires, i got lucky having headers and copper gaskets to avoid that problem. Only drawback is the supercharged versions can only use premium fuel but are more fun to drive. I have only seen 1 grand Prix with a problem not from an accident. Young female tailgating other drivers for about 95,xxx miles, the shift solenoid went bad. Internal so $600. Aside from that, I've got a 99 gtp, gf has an 02 gtp, and her daughter has a 99 gt, all coupes.
If you use the good lubricants, full synthetics, regular flushes, etc..., the bodies will fall apart but you could still drive them! Lol
If needed, check www.zzperformance.com for more details on the awesome 3800 series motor n trans from gm, arguably the best, or at least very close to it, motor next to the chevy 350 v8. By the way? The 3800 since the late 60's/early 70's, is a buick motor, go figure.
Good luck, hope this helps.