RE: 1995 Stratus 2.4l reliable cars?
I think these cars can be quite reliable if taken care of properly. Most importantly is to change the oil on a regular basis as it seems has been done with this car. 3000 miles is ok but if you like to do it more often you can certainly do that.
I did a bunch of research on this car before I bought it and I bought a 96 since it was the best deal I could find.
90k miles on it is pretty low for a 95, I think it will serve you well for quite a while but I will warn you, there are some things you should look out for with these cars and should be taken care of if/when they occur.
#1 is head gaskets. Although it is widely considered an epidemic of the 2.4l cars, Chrysler refused to do a recall for this issue. Some people have never had to replace it, but often, an engine may go through 2 or 3 during its lifetime. The problem seems to be inherent in the manufacturing and really cant be prevented if it will indeed happen. However, some people are lucky enough not to have this problem. Symptoms of this include leaking oil from the top of the engine, aerated coolant and other coolant problems, intermittent smoke from the tailpipe, water in the oil, oil in the coolant, and some others you can find by searching.
#2 Front End Suspension Problems. I personally have some issues with this as I have various noises coming from the steering column and wheel bearings. This could develop into other, more serious issues. It seems these parts wear out over time and start developing problems. However this isnt the most critical problem with these cars but certainly is something fairly common with them.
#3 I have the automatic 41TE transmission which is very popular with chrysler. After changing my fluid and filter on my own a few weeks back and putting in the correct type (ATF +3) the car feels very good and much better than before. It is extremely important that you use the correct fluid type or serious damage could result after just a bit of driving. As for problems, there might be solenoid problems in some models as well as a tendency to develop gasket leaks but really this is a case by case thing. I feel the most problems come with the downshifting problem "limp mode" that seems to occur with damaged trannys and require expensive repair.
There are lots of things that can go wrong with cars, not just this type. Mainly, if you take care of this car it should be kind to you.
Best way to keep your costs of ownership low are to prevent small problems from becoming big ones.
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