Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? - Antique Automobile Club of America Discussion Forums

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#501807 - 04/12/08 10:51 PM Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share?
Reatta Man Reatta Man Member Registered: 09/25/00 Posts: 1522 Loc: San Antonio, TX USA	A friend of mine is looking for a car for his daughter. A dealer here in Florida has one advertised with 5,900 miles on it. Yep, less than 6,000 miles! And, he is only asking $2,000 for it. He was closed when I went by today; car looks good, but have to examine and drive it when he is open. As I remember, Consumer Reports trashed them at first, but then really liked them just before Chrysler stopped making them (go figure!) Also, do any of you MOPAR folks remember if the '89s came with driver-side airbag? I couldn't find much info on them, so if you know of a Web site with detailed info, please post it on here. Thanks, Joe
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#501840 - 04/13/08 02:51 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Reatta Man]
Rusty_OToole Rusty_OToole Member Registered: 09/12/06 Posts: 1061	They were a good economy car in their day with not too many faults. Don't think they had air bags that far back, not in Omnis anyway. The only typical fault I can think of is they were known for blowing head gaskets. Usually in the heavier cars and mini vans that used the same engine, seldom in the Omnis. Also the air conditioning is unlikely to work in any car that old. Personally I think you should try to get a newer car. No more than 5 to 7 years old. There are too many things that go on a car that old. Such as dried out and cracked vacuum lines, electronic faults, the aforementioned air conditioning. Simply because they were never meant to last this long. On the plus side they are a pretty easy and cheap car to repair. Any time you see an ad that says "muffler $29.95 and up" "Brakes $79.99 and up" that's the car they are talking about.
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#501856 - 04/13/08 08:38 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Rusty_OToole]
Steve Braverman Steve Braverman Member Registered: 08/21/06 Posts: 410 Loc: Cutchogue - Long Island, NY	I remember when my mom bought a new 1991 Dodge Shadow convertible (that will be a rare car someday) there was a leftover Omni/Horizon on the floor. The dealer was hot to get rid of it, and my father considered it. I believe they wanted $6,000 for it at the time. The Shadow had an airbag, as did all Chrysler products in '91. I'm not sure about the Omni, doubt it though. They were ok cheap cars, For $2k I don't think it can be too bad. There is no reason for the A/C not to work on a car of any age. Air conditioners are simple devices. When the A/C went warm on my '84 BMW, I was told that I'd have to convert it to R134A and that it would be expensive. I have all the A/C tool for R12, so I just pumped the system down, confirmed there were no leaks, and charged it with R134A. I blew snow for the next five years until I sold it. If you get it, replace all the belts and hoses, including the timing belt, and it should be a reliable car. If your friend's daughter is a teenager, she may hate you for making her drive an Omni though. $\:\)$ I feel that a car that's 5-7 years old can and will have as many problems as a car 20 years old, and you'll pay a lot more for the newer car. _________________________ Steve Braverman 1932 Franklin Airman Series 16A Sedan (The Driver) 1933 Franklin Olympic Series 18A Convertible (The Project) 1932 Plymouth PA Sedan (The one with water in it)
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#501980 - 04/13/08 04:46 PM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Steve Braverman]
Rusty_OToole Rusty_OToole Member Registered: 09/12/06 Posts: 1061	I've got 3 drivers in my driveway all with air. 92 Spirit, 95 Caravan and 85 Mercedes. None work. All have been recharged and shot full of sealer but pooh out in a week or 2. None show any obvious leaks even with dye in the system. An air conditioning service tech told me when a car gets to be more that 5 to 7 years old the hoses get porous and there is nothing you can do about it except replace them at a cost of hundreds of $$$$ bucks. Edited by Rusty_OToole (04/13/08 04:49 PM)
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#502099 - 04/14/08 08:40 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Rusty_OToole]
mrpushbutton mrpushbutton Member Registered: 09/02/05 Posts: 1209 Loc: Detroit, MI - the home of Pack...	Then there was my '90 Olds Toranado Trofeo--the evaporator core on that model (and body shell sisters the Buick Rivera and Cadillac Eldorado) does not drain the water well, the plastic box the core sits in was not a good design, the water pools up at the bottom and rots the aluminum core out and Poof! you have a big hole in the ozone layer over your house. The core is located in a very difficult place to access. That's the only thing I could fault that car for, it was the best car I've ever owned in 30+ years of driving. A couple of well-placed holes with a 1/8" drill fixes the problem, once you can get to it. I would get your daughter a newer car with the modern safety features. _________________________ John The real pity in America is that the people who really know how to run the country are all tending bar and cutting hair--George Burns
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#502109 - 04/14/08 09:09 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: mrpushbutton]
Reatta Man Reatta Man Member Registered: 09/25/00 Posts: 1522 Loc: San Antonio, TX USA	Thanks for the feedback. Just found out my friend's daughter has a rare form of epilepsy and won't be able to drive at least for a year. If anyone's interested, let me know and I'll post the dealer's phone #. Joe
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#502110 - 04/14/08 09:13 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Reatta Man]
Reatta Man Reatta Man Member Registered: 09/25/00 Posts: 1522 Loc: San Antonio, TX USA	Hey, John, Funny quote! "How can a country that wants eight kinds of Coca-Cola settle for two political parties?" I think the humorous response is we don't want to be like Italy; 30 political parties and only one kind of Coke--and they change governments about every 6-18 months. Ooooh, now I'm gonna get it!
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#502126 - 04/14/08 10:10 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Reatta Man]
mrpushbutton mrpushbutton Member Registered: 09/02/05 Posts: 1209 Loc: Detroit, MI - the home of Pack...	I'd settle for 3 or 4 parties. Italy, hoo boy! You definately wouldn't want to talk politics at the barber shop there! _________________________ John The real pity in America is that the people who really know how to run the country are all tending bar and cutting hair--George Burns
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#505367 - 04/27/08 12:09 AM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: Rusty_OToole]
CutNChop CutNChop Member Registered: 03/22/07 Posts: 65 Loc: Alberta Canada	Originally Posted By: Rusty_OToole I've got 3 drivers in my driveway all with air. 92 Spirit, 95 Caravan and 85 Mercedes. None work. All have been recharged and shot full of sealer but pooh out in a week or 2. None show any obvious leaks even with dye in the system. An air conditioning service tech told me when a car gets to be more that 5 to 7 years old the hoses get porous and there is nothing you can do about it except replace them at a cost of hundreds of $$$$ bucks. I have an 88 Dodge Ram 1/2 ton DD and the A/C works like a charm and has not been touched in the 6yrs I've had it. Freeze the toes off a polar bear. A/C is no more or less reliable than any other system in any age car. Never heard of hoses getting porous from age and 5-7yrs on a car isn't anywhere near old. I've never had to replace an A/C hose...a few compressors and sundry other parts but not a hose yet and none of my vehicles are newer than 20yrs...new ones are overpriced junk.
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#507315 - 05/04/08 12:53 PM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: CutNChop]
chrysler51 chrysler51 New Member Registered: 08/28/06 Posts: 2	I have a 1989 Omni with 70,000 miles on it. Every thing still works, including the AC. The AC has been converted to 134A and works quite well on the highway. The only repair work that has been done was to replace the timing belt at 50,000 miles. It gets about 22 miles to the gallon of gas in town and 28 to 30 miles per gallon on the highway depending on speed. The only drawback it has is its low power on hill climbing when the transmission will shift between 2nd and 3rd while going up a steep hill. Its a great car with low maintenance. Good luck.
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#508033 - 05/07/08 02:11 PM Re: Anyone have experience with '89 Omni or Horizon to share? [Re: chrysler51]
Reatta Man Reatta Man Member Registered: 09/25/00 Posts: 1522 Loc: San Antonio, TX USA	chrysler51, Does it have an airbag? Joe
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