Earns Acclaims

To make this review a simple read, I have outlined the pros and cons of owning a Plymouth Acclaim. I have been driving one for about three years now and this list is based on solely my own experience with that particular car.

*Note* This is the car as it is in present conditions with 129,965 miles on it.

Let's begin with the pros, shall we?

The Pros:

-Highly reliable. Long Island is famous for their bizarre weather patterns, but this car has stuck it out for me through thick and thin (even when we had a big flooding around here a year ago). The only weather-related problems I've encountered was doors being frozen occasionally.

-One of the most safest cars according to current standards.

-The interior is very roomy and the seats are rather comfortable. Seats are adjustable and there are adequate elbow rooms.

-Goes about 22 MPG. I think that's very, very good for a car the size of the Acclaim.

-Great suspension system. There have been times that I've driven over really bumpy roads, but the car has held up amazingly well.

-The instruction manual that comes along with the car is excellent. It has a very, very detailed drawings of the car's engine which makes troubleshooting a lot easier. I know nothing about fixing cars but there have been times where I've saved money just by looking at the manual and being able to pinpoint the problems. The manual even comes complete with recommendations and exact serial numbers of suggested parts.

-Very easy car to clean and maintain.

-HUGE trunk space, perfect for anyone involved with the mafia. =)

The Cons:

-After a long period of driving, the engine doesn't feel stable. It feels as if it's ready to falter.

-Despite the fact that it runs pretty solid during cold weather, the engine takes a while to warm up.

-Steering wheel makes a weird clicking noises sometimes.

-The stick shift feels too filmsy, meaning it it feels a little too easy to "knock" it around (which can be really fatal to your transmission).

-The back seat can be rather uncomfortable, despite the fact that it has a lot of room.

-Power windows does not roll down smoothly (this applies only the rear windows). The front window are fine, but lately, I have been having problems with one of the windows. I consulted the manual and did what it suggested me to do. It's improved but it still is not 100% flawless.

-Low horsepower

-The axles grind a little too much when making steep turns at high speeds.

-Not exactly a "fun" car to drive around in (meaning it doesn't have the "fun factor" that a corvette has), nor does it welcome upgrades. Putting a spoiler on it wouldn't look good.

-The stereo system is bearable. At a high volume, the radio gets VERY garbled, but the best feature about the system is the powerful bass that it generates.

Problems I've had with the car:

-Ignition trouble (minor). Cost of repair: $30

-Faulty transmission (major). Cost of repair: $900 (which included an extended warranty good for one year on ANY repair involving the transmission- it was well worth it). By the way, the damage was my fault, not the car's.

-Blown torque (minor). Cost of repair: covered by warranty.

-Faulty electrical wiring (for the power door locks). Cost of minor repair: $100.

It may seems like the cons (and problems) outweight the pros, but this is from a car that is 9 years old. The key factor to why I am still driving this car (other than because I can't afford the BMWs and Mercedes that teenagers around here are driving these days) is because it is a VERY reliable car, hands down. When I need it to chug me through long trips, it obeys.