Man, that's pretty

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
11/15/2014 at 14:26 • Filed to: None

Super hard to find on Craigslist, but if I had the money I would buy one yesterday. 210hp DOHC V6, 7.4 second 0-60, 5-speed manual, damn nice styling, low beltline, decent handling, and makes a really nice noise.

The best part? My dad used to have the sedan version and was find with schlepping us around as kids in it, so this must be 'safe enough' for him.

DISCUSSION (24)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 14:57

Weren't these DOHC 3.4's a bitch to maintain?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/15/2014 at 15:02

Why yes they were! I've driven two of the mythical quad cam 5 spd cars.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 15:04

DO NOT BUY THESE! They understeer like pigs, engine access is horrible and parts are so damn hard to find. I helped my friend do an engine swap in one of these and it was so painful. They're a novelty but god damn they suck you dry.

But yeah, I've driven two of them (Pontiac and Chevy version) both with 5 spd manuals so AMA about them.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/15/2014 at 15:04

Which brings me to the point of, would someone want a car that someone probably said "fuck it" after the first time properly maintaining it?

Steve in Manhattan > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/15/2014 at 15:07

I was always 'meh' about the looks of these. But the wheels might be worth something!

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 15:22

Don't ask, just the first thing that popped into my head

Kinja'd!!!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/15/2014 at 15:39

I have access to a car lift and shop, so I can just drop the damn subframe if I need engine access.

Questions I have:

1. Is the understeer going to be worse than my 3500-lb FWD 2000 LeSabre?

2. Torque steer?

3. How long is the clutch pedal travel?

4. How terribad is the body roll?

5. Do they shift smooth?

6. Can't parts be simply bought from RockAuto?

We had a 3.1 liter Chevy Lumina when I was younger. Damn comfy car, pulled like a freight train and had 300,000 miles on it when we scrapped it after it started pissing oil on the ground. Figured a dented-up car with that many miles isn't worth pulling the engine to change the main transmission seal.

Takuro Spirit > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 15:46

So pretty I filled it with sodium silicate AND WATCHED IT DIE

Kinja'd!!!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Takuro Spirit
11/15/2014 at 16:30

NO YOU ASSHOLE D:

How many Roadmaster/Caprice Estate wagons did you see go through C4C? I heard those things were next to impossible to kill, even with the sodium silicate.

Takuro Spirit > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 16:33

None. Actually. Lots of Park Aves and Bonnevilles though. Them 3.8s didn't want to die.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 16:35

Firsty, dropping the subrame may only be four bolts but it'll take you a solid day. It's a pain.

1. Never driven a LeSabre but I'd assume the Lumina's better

2. Not a lot of torque steer because the LQ1 doesn't have a lot of torque haha
3. Pretty long for a sporty car

4. Nod bad all things considered. They ride great and drive tautly. They're fun on twisty backroads. They just understeer predictably all the time.
5. Sooooo smooth. Like Honda smooth.

6. hahahahahahahaha I wish! The Transmission is specific to the LQ1 cars and made by Getrag in Germany. You can't get parts for it and nobody in the US can service it. Trans problems? Ship it to Germany so have fun with that. The Getrag trans is also pretty weak and any more than 250 hp will blow it up within a few weeks. Engine parts are pricey, rare and getting more rare. The LQ1 cars also have unique rear brakes so pads and rotors are $$$. Parts not related to the engine, trans, suspension and brakes are easy to source.

They're fun when they work but trust me, my friend owned two of them and they're a constant heartache. I think he spent close to $10k in 3 years working on them. If you want to spend that kind of coin for a car that shares underpinnings with a minivan then go ahead but be warned. They're hard to keep around.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Takuro Spirit
11/15/2014 at 16:40

I've heard of the Roadmasters running just fine even with the silica, and they finally had to just do donuts and stuff until they threw a rod because having it sitting there revving wasn't killing them.

Takuro Spirit > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 16:41

That fucking SHO would NOT. DIE.

Put the death juice in it THREE TIMES.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=…

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/15/2014 at 16:42

Damn. They seemed so promising. It's really hard to find a decent mid-to-full-sized manual car made after 1990 that's domestic and not Chrysler.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 16:45

fordtaurussho.jpg

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/15/2014 at 16:46

Kind of a GM fanboy. The Taurus is just... so offensively bland. And oval.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 17:04

I'm a GM fanboy as well. I've owned a bunch of GM rides but I still bought my Chrysler because bitchin cars are bitchin regardless of the badge on the hood. And a Yamaha V6 is always bitchin.

NJAnon > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 20:34

Um, Jake I hate to tell you this. But the car I own does 0-60 in 7.6 sec and has 60 less HP than that Chevrolet. Also my car is only an inline-4 with 5-speed transmission. These are known as economy cars. :P 7secs is too long. Anyone can walk to the bathroom in less than 7secs.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > NJAnon
11/15/2014 at 21:24

Wow, less weight = faster car! Who would've thunk it?

NJAnon > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 21:27

I wish it was a case of less weight. hehe

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > NJAnon
11/15/2014 at 21:50

...then how?

NJAnon > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/15/2014 at 23:49

Well I will say that the hood of that Chevrolet is cool. But both my car and the car in that photo aren't the result of the cars they should be. Is the car at least RWD? *I can't recall the exact model*

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > NJAnon
11/16/2014 at 00:00

Yes, louvers are badass. Especially when functional.

What's you car?

The Lumina was FWD, sadly.

NJAnon > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
11/16/2014 at 00:29

Just as sad, its a Ford Focus I own. Could have been a Ford F-150 or even a Ford Mustang. I've been saving up though... :P