I need so help to decide.

I stored my RX-8 this winter (Located in Montreal).
I bough from a old lady a Pontic Sunbird 1992 with only 45000KM on it.

Car runs well.. but recently i had to change the battery + Altenator ~ $400CDN
Now, my car is at the garage to change the gaz/brake lines... leak... cost $650CDN.

I payed the car $3000CDN... very cheap on gaz + insurance... but what shoud i do?

I also bough winter tires... cost $300CDN..

What's next... ??

Should I sell the car and lease one for cheap (Toyota Echo for example) or buy rims for my 8 + winter tires... or keep that Sunbird and pray... for nomore problems..???

Please someone help me to clarify that.
Thanks

 

Sunbirds are one GM vehicle that I've heard nothing but bad things about... Chances are, you could repair things like you have been, and it'll run flawlessly for the rest of winter. But, I wouldn't bank on it... But, if it's any consolation to you, I drove my '97 Miata through 3 winters, and never got stuck. Ice, snow, whatever... it handled it all flawlessly. With the extra perks in the 8 like TCS/ASC, I'm sure you'd be just fine. Just be sure to keep the underbody washed regularly (rinse off the road salt), and you have little to worry about.

 

This is my first winter with the 8, got snow tires and it's been fine. My mother also has a mustang and has driven it through 3 winters with no problems.

 

I'd go with the winter tires and/or wheels for the 8. Never buy a Pontiac w/o a warranty. The Grand Am/Sunfire makes are pure junk (I have firsthand experience trying to keep a Grand Am in proper order after warranty). If you are not comfotable with RWD in the snow then go ahead and get a cheap Yota, Scion, or Honda as a beater.

 

I would get rid of that car like a hot potato.
My friend had the exact same one, and right from the factory the head was warped, and they replaced the head gasket twice before the warranty was up and one after. THe last time GM doubled up the gasket rather then properly fixing it. As the car got older, so many little things broke and stopped working as well. He had nothing but problems with it since new

 

dude, get new rims and SNOW TIRES! the 8 is so much fun driving in the snow.

 

I had an 89 Grand AM that never game me a bit of trouble execpt fot the starter had to be replaced, and it had the darn late 80 early 90 GM paint pealing problem, other than that it took a wacking and kept on tracking. Ugly car traded it in on the 98 Ranger I have now. Now the next modle of Grand AM after mine where they got all curvy thoses were qualified POS cars I had a friend that had one, got it new and after the warrenty went the car started to go to junk.

 

I looked for a long time at winter cars. They are great to have, no worries about salt covering the car, can carry bikes in it, better on gas, dents and dings -who cares! I decided to go strickly for reliability and low maintenance costs and focused on older Hondas and Toyotas. This has paid off. My Honda has been dirt cheap to operate and I have put 10k miles on it for a grand total of 185k miles. Sell the Sunbird and go for a cheap, older Japanese car. Snows for the 8 are fine, but you are going to spend more on them than on a winter car.

 

I was actually thinking about an old protoge to beat on. A little cheaper than comarable civics and corollas.. Anyone have older protoges that can speak for their reliability, etc?

 

Thanks everyone!

I will put my Sunbird for sell. Just came back from the garage (cost $650cdn) and everything is now in good condition... but I will sell it to probably by a Kia Rio for winter... actually lease it.... I do not want to use my 8 here in Quebec... winter is very bad and a lot of bad drivers.

Wish i could get a job down south.. or somewhere with no snow... any offers...
I'm software Engineer for telecom company..

Thanks a lot everyone for your inputs... Monday, Pontiac Sunbird 1992 with only 52000Km for sell...

SB.

 

Take it from someone who grew up in D.D.O. -- you don't want to drive your 8 in the winter. Perhaps try finding a cheap used car that you feel would be more reliable than the Sunbird.

 

Besides being crap car that falls apart, Sunbirds have one of the worst crash test ratings.....buy winter tires and drive a nice car. I still don't understand why people in cold climates but a nice car only to garage it for 4-6 months and then drive a beater....life is too short for that!

 

hey Mi_familyman you lived in DDO?

rotten42, you should see the roads here in quebec during winter.. horrible.
Just this morning since the weather went craze.. +12 to -15 next day the roads
are ugly.... big holes on the highway... 9 cars with flat tires this morning on the 20HWY..
crazy...

Also, i want to keep my 8 clean... for my song when he's older.... i don't know... maybe rotten42 he's rigth... get good tires... i want to drive her.. i look at her everyday... getting crazy here not driving her.... me a car is drive/look...

SB.. confused..... :-)

 

Yes Bullitt, I grew up in DDO and lived there until I left for college... I miss Montreal quite a bit, although when I go back now I see how it has changed so much over the years... I remember when as kids we used to ride our bikes up, down and across St.Jean's Blvd. to go places, but now I couldn't imagine a child riding a bike anywhere near there just due to how much traffic and congestion there is now. But I have so many good memories of growing up there and I still try to make it back as often as I can (preferably in summer time, when the weather is nice) :D