91 lx 4 banger reliability
 

I am looking for a daily driver so I can give the 05 a rest and have the oportunity to pick up, as the title says, a 91 lx 4 banger for ~$1000. odometer say 65... more than likely that is 165k but the owner "doesnt know."

My main question is how reliable are these cars, how far can you push them before it flat out dies on you?

Thanks,
Chris

My younger brother is driving a 91 lx 4cyl auto. It has about 305,000km (190mi), all city on it right now and the engine and tranny are both still original.

Be careful though, ive heard a lot of bad things about them too.

We drove our 1990 for 11 years. It was a good reliable car. No problems with the drivetrain, just routine maintenance.

A lot depends on how the pony has been treated before it gets in your hands.

I would think as long as you take care of it,it should last you years.

Have you done a good check over of car?

Check for possible rust of floorpans..look under carpet.
Ask if timing belt has been changed.
Tire wear pattern seem normal (will show possible front end/steering problems)

Take it for a good test drive (local and highway,also over bumpy road surface) does it drive straight/does it brake straight/does it shift ok etc etc...also listen for any sounds that dont seem right.

Saying all that,it's a grand so you should expect to budget for repairs...however lots of old foxes out there,so used parts can be had for cheap...

this site might help you
http://www.carsurvey.org/modelyear_F...tang_1991.html

good luck with your purchase...

Sometime during 91 the 2.3 went from 4 plugs to 8 plugs.
Not sure which you have?
If its the 4 plugger than there will be plenty heads available should you crack it.
Since it was also used on Pintos all the way back to the 70s

However. if you have the 8 plugger than don't ever let it get low on water.
IMO the extra plug holes make the head more susceptible to cracking.
I have replaced two so far on different ponys. The bad news is they don't make 2.3 Mustangs anymore. However, the good news is they can be found the Ford Ranger pickup truck. However, it took me about a month of recalling some of the same salvage yards that I called weeks and the months before to find one. If I recall it was 150 buck and and 100 to have in clean up with new rubber valve seats. The dealer wants over 700 for a head.

The timing belts are something you'll need to watch out for as well.
But no matter how ugly they get the gas mileage alone makes repairs well worth it. IMO