Just arrived...

[Arigmaster]

I just picked up a little car for my daughter since she won't be getting the Charger anymore. (some promises just can't be kept but they can be modified) I scored a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire convertible for her. I did some trading and it will only cost me $600.00 when all was said and done. I think it will be a pretty good first car for her and I have a couple years to get it done and ready. Pfft... The way gas is going, I might drive it myself till then.

It needs some bumper facings and a drivers side front fender for sure. I can pull all the dings out of it myself, and the paint part is a breeze. Tires and mechanical is in great shape as is the top and interior. (thus the 600.00 cost is pretty much for parts and materials) Depending on budgets I might do a few extras on it before she gets it.

[GRAMPS SS]

:pics

[Irish]

cough 50 shot cough.... J/K ;)

[Berettaspeed]

leave cosmetics alone. let her get used to how much cars cost so that she may have more care for "her" car. thats just me though. alot of people neglect their cars these days. i think when someone puts their hard earned money into a car they take better care of it rather than getting a perfect car.

but i do agree its nice to own a good car.

[Lash]

ecotec?

[lilws6]

02 it prolly doesn't have the ecotec. if it doesn't plan on head gasket jobs and lack of power lol i know head gaskets were a bit of a problem in these cars

[Lash]

02 it prolly doesn't have the ecotec. if it doesn't plan on head gasket jobs and lack of power lol i know head gaskets were a bit of a problem in these cars

The ecotec was first introduced in the sunfires in the beginning of 02'. The cavies got them mid way through the '02 year....thats why some 02's have the eco while some have the 2.4 LD9. And you do know the 2.4 made more power than the eco did...right?

In the 2.3 quad motor, yes head gaskets were a big issue....but not as much of a problem in the 2.4's. The water pump and #3 bearing are more of a common problem. You don't see as many head gasket issues with the 2.4's.


If it has the pushrod 2.2....you're SOL...lol. Those 2.2's do run forever though.

[lilws6]

i was thinking it would have the 2.2 in it it was not stated if it was a gt or not the 2.4 were good little motors in j-bodies when they were put in the grand ams and what not they were kind of weak the eco's were quick little buggers in the ions i used to drive at saturn. i used to own a 2.2 liter cavy and it was about the slowest thing ever but i still pimped it out lol

[Berettaspeed]

the 2.4 is the headgasket popper as well. LOL not to mention the 8 hour water pump. ouch . labor owns ya

[Arigmaster]

Aww Crap... I didn't know about the potential engine problems with these things... It's got about 87K on the motor now and I'm not very skilled on the engine work. I just figured it would be a good economic and reliable car for her to start out with and with the trade offs I did to get it I'd be okay on the budgets thing. I did hear about some issues these kind of cars had with the power windows and those I can fix. I'd hate to hand this thing over and have the thing break right away.

There are other conditions for her with the car as well. The first being that she maintain her grades in school (My insurance company gives a better rate if the driver keeps a "B" average or above) and she will have to obtain some type of part time job to pay her insurance, fuel, and maint. costs. I will help her with some of these things if she falls short as long as she is making an effort and school is the first priority.

I do have another condition too. The car will be insured for her and I alone. No one else will be allowed behind the wheel. As for the couple special things on it... I was only thinking along the lines of nicer wheels and doing something different with the paint. It's dark blue metallic now so I was thinking about a secondary color with maybe a White pearl around the bottom (to about 8" up) with a 1/2" orange stripe to seperate the two colors. The convertible top is black and I was thinking to do the little rear spoiler, hood and front bumper up to the headlights in black-out satin. Just something to make it unique from the other Sunfires.

Still got plenty of time to think about it.

[Lash]

the 2.4 is the headgasket popper as well.

I've owned 3......not a single problem. I also know MANY people who have owned them and have had ZERO issues with the head gaskets....on high mileage motors too. It's really not as big of a problem in the 2.4's as people make it out to be. Do you have a lot of experience with having to do head gaskets on these? Just wondering how many you've had to do that you think is such a chronic problem.




Aww Crap... I didn't know about the potential engine problems with these things
Other than the water pump....they are great motors so I wouldn't be too worried at all. I've had great luck with them....and I know tons of people who've had the same.

[88Nightmare]

agreed. I know people who loved the cav z24's (with the 2.4) and would religiously beat on them with never an issue. Even the 2.2 is a good runner, just no power.

[Arigmaster]

[QUOTE=Lash;414939]Do you have a lot of experience with having to do head gaskets on these? Just wondering how many you've had to do that you think is such a chronic problem.QUOTE]

I never had one of these before... My first car was a 225 slant 6 Duster... I couldn't kill that engine no matter what I did to it. I went through the Dusters like Bic lighters back then... Had I only known then what I know now...

[Irish]

the 2.4 is the headgasket popper as well. LOL not to mention the 8 hour water pump. ouch . labor owns ya

I did a water pump on a 2000 Sunfire GT. The one thing that gave me trouble was the bolt that fastens the exhaust to the k-member. Man was that a pain in the ass. From start to finish it took me a week working on it a couple of hours each night.

[michelle]

The 2.4 is a good motor to work and I wouldn't be worried about it. My sister has an '02 Sunfire and hasn't had any major issues with hers. And she drives like a crazy person.