Is It the 1970's All Over Again?

[custom442]

The guy I bought the xjs from said there was a short in the wiper motor and it would always run the battery down. That's half the reason he was going to sell it cuz wiper motors for these cars are.... well not cheap. He pulled the v12 which was in nice condition and was going to junk the body, but never could fix the electrical gremlin.

So one day after I forgot about the whole wiper deal I was driving in the rain. Parked it in a lot and left and when I got back the battery was dead as a good indian. I traded in the recent battery and got back on the road... the wipers always stayed in the 1/4 up position on the windshield after I used the motor.. turns out after some playing with it I found out you have to push the blades all the way down after you use the wipers and it turns off power to the motor. Otherwise you've got a full circuit running at all times

I had a few other headaches with gauges, but the electrical seems to be ok now...knock on wood

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The guy I bought the xjs from said there was a short in the wiper motor and it would always run the battery down. That's half the reason he was going to sell it cuz wiper motors for these cars are.... well not cheap. He pulled the v12 which was in nice condition and was going to junk the body, but never could fix the electrical gremlin.

So one day after I forgot about the whole wiper deal I was driving in the rain. Parked it in a lot and left and when I got back the battery was dead as a good indian. I traded in the recent battery and got back on the road... the wipers always stayed in the 1/4 up position on the windshield after I used the motor.. turns out after some playing with it I found out you have to push the blades all the way down after you use the wipers and it turns off power to the motor. Otherwise you've got a full circuit running at all times

I had a few other headaches with gauges, but the electrical seems to be ok now...knock on wood

Oh, believe me... The Prince of Darkness will rear his ugly head once again... :lol:

It's kind of sad though, because the XJS is such a beautiful car to look at. The interior is nice, and the engine looks wonderful. I have looked at several in the junkyard that still had good leather and couldn't help but want one. I tend to think most of them are junked due to electrical issues. If one knows how to sort the electrics and perhaps make them more durable, they are really nice cars. BTW, if you ever do need to clean up the contacts on the various connections in the car, I would try using some dielectric grease. It should keep out moisture and corrosion.

 

[custom442]

Oh, believe me... The Prince of Darkness will rear his ugly head once again... :lol:

It's kind of sad though, because the XJS is such a beautiful car to look at. The interior is nice, and the engine looks wonderful. I have looked at several in the junkyard that still had good leather and couldn't help but want one. I tend to think most of them are junked due to electrical issues. If one knows how to sort the electrics and perhaps make them more durable, they are really nice cars. BTW, if you ever do need to clean up the contacts on the various connections in the car, I would try using some dielectric grease. It should keep out moisture and corrosion.

I hope not I've had enough problems with it so far :shock:

I never thought of using diel. grease on connections, I usually only use it on spark plugs/wires. I'll start trying this

 

[vladj]

ok here we go again with the Hyundai hating. let me give you some reality check here.

lets start from the beginning. when i was 16 my drivers ed instructor had a 2001 Hyundai elantra with 350,000km on it. i asked him if he had any problems with it and he said he didnt had it break down even once since he got brand new, all he did was the regular maitanance.

So of coaurse when it came time to but a new daily driver. i was looking for an elantra.

now i own my 06 elantra,87 ford ranger, 89 ford ranger and my 79 cutlass.
I have taken my elantra apart and put it together(not because it was broken but because of all the mods i did to it) same with my trucks and im just putting back together the cutlass. and i can safely say that the elantra is built so much better then the cutlass of the trucks that its not even funny. I would rather swap the engine on the elantra then the cutlass( yea its that easy).

now then since i own a 79 cutlass and also have an 83 cutlass with a 231 in it i will say this: is i had to drive the 231 i would kill myself, even the 305 in my 79 is crap my 2.0L in the elantra will run circles around it all day long. Dont get me wrong i love the cutlass and dont plan on ever selling it but i would never use it as a daily driver. the G bodies are really crappy cars if you just gonna drive one, the only thing g bodies are good for it modding.

now lets talk about stealing designs. YES Hyundai copy's other cars and puts their touches on it BUT GM just brings in the other cars and just rebudges them. there is very little cars gm has that they made them self in todays market:
vibe=matrix
aveo=daewoo
wave=daewoo
spectra=daewoo
epica= suzuki
sky=opel
astra=opel
cruze= daewoo

and now for the top gear episode. they have tested the crappiest cars and just said they wont test the good once because they don't like the looks. they had an elantra in that episode and they didn't test it even thou the elantra has the same engine, same trans and the same suspension as the Tiburon that they said is a really good car. they also said that the Tiburon is a better sports car then the Lexus. why didnt they test the 1.6L gas accent thats lighter faster and has more power then their reasonably priced car?
also in that episode they say that daewoo is gonna be a chevy and yet for the next season they got one of those rebudged daewoo's as their reasonably priced car now why is that?

now i have about 1k in the engine of the elantra and it does 0-60 MPH in 6 sec flat and has a top speed of 160 MPH and still gets 30 MPG all day long, now which domestic car can say that?

also in todays economy huyndai is on top and making money instead of loosing it like most other companies.

so in conclusion hyundai is a much better car then anything GM makes today.


vlad

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Oh, believe me... The Prince of Darkness will rear his ugly head once again... :lol:

It's kind of sad though, because the XJS is such a beautiful car to look at. The interior is nice, and the engine looks wonderful. I have looked at several in the junkyard that still had good leather and couldn't help but want one. I tend to think most of them are junked due to electrical issues. If one knows how to sort the electrics and perhaps make them more durable, they are really nice cars. BTW, if you ever do need to clean up the contacts on the various connections in the car, I would try using some dielectric grease. It should keep out moisture and corrosion.

I hope not I've had enough problems with it so far :shock:

I never thought of using diel. grease on connections, I usually only use it on spark plugs/wires. I'll start trying this

You may enjoy this Top Gear clip on the XJ-S if you have not already seen it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDAu-ipa6zk&feature=related

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

ok here we go again with the Hyundai hating. let me give you some reality check here.

lets start from the beginning. when i was 16 my drivers ed instructor had a 2001 Hyundai elantra with 350,000km on it. i asked him if he had any problems with it and he said he didnt had it break down even once since he got brand new, all he did was the regular maitanance.

So of coaurse when it came time to but a new daily driver. i was looking for an elantra.

now i own my 06 elantra,87 ford ranger, 89 ford ranger and my 79 cutlass.
I have taken my elantra apart and put it together(not because it was broken but because of all the mods i did to it) same with my trucks and im just putting back together the cutlass. and i can safely say that the elantra is built so much better then the cutlass of the trucks that its not even funny. I would rather swap the engine on the elantra then the cutlass( yea its that easy).

now then since i own a 79 cutlass and also have an 83 cutlass with a 231 in it i will say this: is i had to drive the 231 i would kill myself, even the 305 in my 79 is crap my 2.0L in the elantra will run circles around it all day long. Dont get me wrong i love the cutlass and dont plan on ever selling it but i would never use it as a daily driver. the G bodies are really crappy cars if you just gonna drive one, the only thing g bodies are good for it modding.

now lets talk about stealing designs. YES Hyundai copy's other cars and puts their touches on it BUT GM just brings in the other cars and just rebudges them. there is very little cars gm has that they made them self in todays market:
vibe=matrix
aveo=daewoo
wave=daewoo
spectra=daewoo
epica= suzuki
sky=opel
astra=opel
cruze= daewoo

and now for the top gear episode. they have tested the crappiest cars and just said they wont test the good once because they don't like the looks. they had an elantra in that episode and they didn't test it even thou the elantra has the same engine, same trans and the same suspension as the Tiburon that they said is a really good car. they also said that the Tiburon is a better sports car then the Lexus. why didnt they test the 1.6L gas accent thats lighter faster and has more power then their reasonably priced car?
also in that episode they say that daewoo is gonna be a chevy and yet for the next season they got one of those rebudged daewoo's as their reasonably priced car now why is that?

now i have about 1k in the engine of the elantra and it does 0-60 MPH in 6 sec flat and has a top speed of 160 MPH and still gets 30 MPG all day long, now which domestic car can say that?

also in todays economy huyndai is on top and making money instead of loosing it like most other companies.

so in conclusion hyundai is a much better car then anything GM makes today.


vlad

GM owns Opel (well... did) and Daewoo. (The Vibe/Matrix was a joint design between GM and Toyota, and it showed with the crappy excess of hard plastic on the interior.) That means they are stealing from themselves. Also, Top Gear is an entertainment show, so take it with a grain of salt. It's nothing to get upset about.

 

[vladj]

oh im not getting upset im just tired of people putting down Hyundai. they are great cars for what they are

 

[maximus84]

ok here we go again with the Hyundai hating. let me give you some reality check here.

lets start from the beginning. when i was 16 my drivers ed instructor had a 2001 Hyundai elantra with 350,000km on it. i asked him if he had any problems with it and he said he didnt had it break down even once since he got brand new, all he did was the regular maitanance.

So of coaurse when it came time to but a new daily driver. i was looking for an elantra.

now i own my 06 elantra,87 ford ranger, 89 ford ranger and my 79 cutlass.
I have taken my elantra apart and put it together(not because it was broken but because of all the mods i did to it) same with my trucks and im just putting back together the cutlass. and i can safely say that the elantra is built so much better then the cutlass of the trucks that its not even funny. I would rather swap the engine on the elantra then the cutlass( yea its that easy).

now then since i own a 79 cutlass and also have an 83 cutlass with a 231 in it i will say this: is i had to drive the 231 i would kill myself, even the 305 in my 79 is crap my 2.0L in the elantra will run circles around it all day long. Dont get me wrong i love the cutlass and dont plan on ever selling it but i would never use it as a daily driver. the G bodies are really crappy cars if you just gonna drive one, the only thing g bodies are good for it modding.

now lets talk about stealing designs. YES Hyundai copy's other cars and puts their touches on it BUT GM just brings in the other cars and just rebudges them. there is very little cars gm has that they made them self in todays market:
vibe=matrix
aveo=daewoo
wave=daewoo
spectra=daewoo
epica= suzuki
sky=opel
astra=opel
cruze= daewoo

and now for the top gear episode. they have tested the crappiest cars and just said they wont test the good once because they don't like the looks. they had an elantra in that episode and they didn't test it even thou the elantra has the same engine, same trans and the same suspension as the Tiburon that they said is a really good car. they also said that the Tiburon is a better sports car then the Lexus. why didnt they test the 1.6L gas accent thats lighter faster and has more power then their reasonably priced car?
also in that episode they say that daewoo is gonna be a chevy and yet for the next season they got one of those rebudged daewoo's as their reasonably priced car now why is that?

now i have about 1k in the engine of the elantra and it does 0-60 MPH in 6 sec flat and has a top speed of 160 MPH and still gets 30 MPG all day long, now which domestic car can say that?

also in todays economy huyndai is on top and making money instead of loosing it like most other companies.

so in conclusion hyundai is a much better car then anything GM makes today.


vlad

No doubt Hundais are better cars now,than when they started out...as crap.But I wouldnt mind owning their new 'high-performance' offering.But to say all GM and ALL 'g'-body cars are good for nothing but modding shows your lack of intelligence on the subject.I've had a 78 Cutlass Supreme for years with ZERO pronlems,&now have an 84 Elky for a couple years with the 305ci I thought I'd never own,but its also trouble free.Maybe you dont know how to buy a car knowledgably enought to base your opinion on,but dont generalize that EVERY car is like your lemons. This IS a G-body Forum,& although most stock ones arent powerhouses,they are loiked for what they are & designed to do.There will always be crap cars from every manufacturer,but there are usually triumphs as well.

 

[vladj]

im not saying g bodies are not reliable im just saying i would use one as a daily driver or leave it stock because i need a car with a little more power and MPG then most stock g bodies except for the t-type or GN's. in my personal opinion a v8 should beat a N/A 4cyl. and like i said before i LOVE my cutlass but i wouldn't use it as a daily only for the fact that i need more power and when ill have it i wont be able to afford driving it daily lol

 

[custom442]

You may enjoy this Top Gear clip on the XJ-S if you have not already seen it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDAu-ipa6zk&feature=related

I can't watch it till I get home cuz I dont have any headphones with me :x
I want to see it though, those guys are a little nuts