SC's and Reliability

thunderbrothers

Registered User
I wasn't exactly sure where to post this, so I hope this is the right place.

I've read a lot about reliability issues on this forum, and members having issues keeping their cars running right. I just wanted to add my own experience on this issue.

Last fall, I was able to find a 93 5 spd in perfect condition with 90K on the clock. It's rust free, perfect interior, and doesn't leak a drop of fluid. I drove it very sparingly, and between September of last year and May of this year, I only put 1500 miles on it. Right now, she has 102,500 miles on the odometer. That means due to handling family issues, I've put over 10,000 miles on her in the last 2 1/2 months. I'm currently in Atlanta. I've driven to Chicago and back 3 times. I've driven to Austin TX and back, and to Hilton Head and back, plus miscellaneous daily driving. I do enjoy running it WOT sometimes, but I never let it run over 4000-4500 rpms before shifting. Other than a sway bar end link that has started rattling and a tire that decided to de-tread itself at 80 mph on the interstate, I've had zero problems with my SC. It never overheated, never failed to start, never threw a light, nothing.

I know that there's a known HG issue with these, but with my experience, I don't see these cars as any different from any other car. If it's well maintained and not drag raced, it's just as reliable as any other car on the road.

Others may disagree, but this is just my $.02 and my personal experience...

Eric
 
I agree with your summary. Thanks for taking the time to report :)

Any car/engine will complain when it's rode too hard/put away way too wet.
 
Eric I agree a 100% thats why I love these cars. Once the car is up on it's maintenance it will just be a sweet ride.

I think more reliability issues are related to upping HP. Once you start changing perameters there can be issues but again once sorted out they are reliable. 270rwhp to around 300rwhp should in my book be very reliable. After that I am not sure but again I am sure many have done it.

We hear about problems all the time on the forum because that is where we come but there are thousands of trouble free mile being logged all the time that we dont hear about.

I have seen many examples of relatively stock SC with 200k and over running well.

I am sure there are a few members that feel the same way.

If I can DD a SC in the summer heat in stop and go traffic, hitting the highway for 500miles is a no brainer. Just fill her up and go.

Glad the car is treating you well!

Stephen
 
I remember driving 10,000 trouble free miles. I think it was between 1996 and 1997. Now the car has over 500HP and revs to 7000 rpm.
 
I've been daily driving my 90SC for about 1-1/2 years now, and years ago I daily drove an 89XR7 for about 2 years, and neither one has ever left me stranded. The XR7 even got me all the way home 300 miles from VA to NJ with a rod knock! Granted, I have put a lot of work into the SC to make sure that it will be reliable for me for a long time, and I have an accumulation of spare parts for the things that are likely to go, but just like most other cars, if you take care of them, they will take care of you. Where I can see the SC being a problem is if you can't do your own work, it would very quickly become a money pit. Without OBD2, drivability issues can be harder to diagnose, and due to the packaging, certain maintenance and repair items take much longer on the SC than they would on a V8 MN12, so for someone who is going to be paying a mechanic by the hour to maintain and fix their car, I would reccomend something with a 4.6, but if you are an enthusiast and don't mind putting in the wrench time and learning about the car's quirks, I wouldn't say they are any less reliable than any others, and they certainly are a hell of a lot more fun.
 
I was pushing coolant out of the overflow tank on my '90 SC (100k) - I bought all the parts to do the heads and waited for a downtime window.

Turns out the ECT was bad (plunged pin) and the water pump was on it's way. Replaced those and no more drama. HG's/heads are fine. Parts to do the heads are on the shelf.
 
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I bought my 90 5 speed in 1996 for 10 grand, had 47,000 km on it. She had a crack in the rear skirt, peeling tint in the back window and and a tear in the leather seat bolster. Car before that was a 81 Cutlass Supreme with a 267 V8.



I had to do brakes as soon as I got it, a timing chain and a tune up in about 1998. Maybe a couple grand in repairs in all. I also drove it like it was stolen and she held in to 210,000 km until the clutch started to go.

Now she's restored, 325 at the wheels and I need to work on it almost every time I take her out. Mainly, cause she still "stolen".
 
As stated, I was referring to a stock SC that is pretty much like it was in the showroom. Highly modified SC's change the dynamic that was intended at the factory, and changes the reliability potential.

My SC is all factory stock except for the air intake and a couple minor cosmetic additions...

Eric
 

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My Sc spun a rod bearing at 105k with nothing as far as mods but a cai 5% blower pulley and ic fan... I've owned it 10 years and haven't put 10k on it... and not because I didn't want to! My 4.6 sn95 has 371k of very abusive miles with full bolt ons and n20 and I've never touched~the engine. Still rocking original suspension parts other than sway bar end links. I hear all the time about pur cars being good Dd's I just don't see it... maybe if it was bone stock and you drive like an old lady and have a trunk full of spare parts... if you blow a top or bottom radiator hose its a 1/2 day wait for parts! Same with plug wires belts thermostat gasket ignition parts .... I have never had to wait on any part for a 4.6 just something to consider.. I'd never take mine in a road trip without spare belt spare hoses dis coil pack cam and crank sensors because if any of that stuff fails you will be stranded for at least a day waiting on parts! I'm sure there are more things you can't get when you walk in the store, I was shocked when I pulled the end off a plug wire and had to wait 2 DAYS for plug wires!
 
Mine has ported heads, cam, MP2 blower, double intercooler, 80# injectors, 85mm TB, 90MM MAF, and true dual 2.5" exhaust. It makes about 18psi of boost, and gets beaten on every day. It is fast, comfortable, handles well, gets decent gas mileage, and has never let me down, so I'll take an SC over a Mustang for a DD every time, as long as the SC was well maintained.
 
got a one owner here

Way back before time, or so it feels I got a new 1990 sc for my wife to drive. This car has been thru all the family stuff that is needed to run a family, shopping ,kids to school, and all the rest. Every winter it gets put away and now we have a rust free car that still does whatever it is needed to do. I have put two sets of tires on it, two sets of spark plugs, brakes twice and head gaskets at 120,000 miles. They were not leaking but I needed to change the valve cover gaskets as they were starting to leak, so I did the head gaskets just to be safe. Other than that it needed a radio as it stopped working and a brake light switch.
That was just about it for this car. Now it has a bunch more miles on it and still everytime I want to drive it the car is ready to go. It has seen a few passes down the track, but it is still stock right down to the air box.. I had made a deal with the wife a long time ago that I would never mod this one and I did keep her that deal..Part of that deal was that I could mod the heck out of my 35th's cars without getting in trouble... Those have been modded and those are another story with the hoods open more than closed.
All in all this was/still is a great car... Treat it with kindness and it will give you many thousands of miles in return with a smile on your face, and lots of money still in your pocket to spend on other things....Rich
 
Northern car that is now rust proofed and daily driven including winter.

20,000 plus since purchased with original HG's and plug wires.

Only see's boost going up hills.

$900.00 to purchase and a water pump in 3 yrs.

Beat on them and they fight back.;)

Paul
 
I must have bought the worst Sc of all time! It was a one owner car and well taken care of but just about everything on the car has failed at one time or another ive kept it in the garage and I have not been nearly as mean to it as my other cars yet it has gave me less miles and morentroivle then any automobile I've owned ! I still love the car even though its kind of a love hate thing at this point! On a good note I've never had to work on the rearend or the tranny! Lack of parts availability And the fact that I rack up 700 miles a week mine will never be a dd I'll drive it in the summer a day or two a week that's about it.
 
I've had two cars that were reliability nightmares. A 1978 Fiat 124 Spider, and a 1988 Monte Carlo SS.

I bought the Fiat slightly used, in 1978. The cylinder head warped. The tech at the dealer sent it to be milled, then went on his 2 week vacation. I got it back 3 weeks after I took it in. On a cold winter night, smoke started pouring in from the heater. Something inside the trans came loose, hit a gear, and shot through the trans case like a bullet. All the oil drained out on to the exhaust. The dealer ordered a new trans case from Italy. I got it back 6 weeks later. There were a lot more problems, too. It left me walking 4 times. The major stuff was fixed under warranty, but I finally got tired of fixing it.

The 1988 Monte Carlo SS was my first, and only, new car. I didn't think I could go wrong, since Chevy made small block V8s and automatics since 1955. Boy, was I wrong! The 200R4 trans was a piece of junk. Replaced 5 times under warranty. The valve guides leaked oil into the cylinders, so it smoked when you started it. It overheated; the dealer said "they're supposed to run hot". The air had to be charged every spring "that's normal; like airing up your tires". My new car left me walking in the middle of nowhere 3 times. I finally sold it when I bought my SC in 1997.

My SC has never left me walking. It's had a cam sensor, a new radiator, and some coolant leaks. But it's been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. I did the usual bolt on mods a few years ago. It really came alive. And, so far, no problems. It's not a daily driver any more, but I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere.
 
Another 'project' - not what the OP is talking about...

Do you have a stocker you can talk about?

I thought the first 2 paragraphs about me driving it stock for 5 years counted?

Then I modified and now it's not reliable
 
My 94 has been daily driven all its life, and now accounts for 55k on the odometer. All in all, the car has given me very little trouble, and I've had to replace the following:

Plugs and wires
Battery
Brake Pads
Rear Shocks
Passenger Ball Joint
Passenger caliper
A few vacuum hoses
Rear swaybar links

All in all, not too bad for a car thats nearly 20 years old. Mind you this car was also sitting for 6 years which didn't help; but being an original owner car the history was known which made life easier.

Its never left me stranded, even with a few extra modifications. I've recently adopted Paul's policy with trying to drive it very kindly, just because I really can't afford to have the car down for long, though i see no reason why something would go wrong.

As its been mentioned here, take care of her and she'll take care of you. Beat on her, and well, she'll be like an abused wife...she'll pose for pictures with you but she wont love you anymore ;)
 
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