2001 Chrysler Sebring LXi, 2.7 V6

This thing was sitting out for 3 years under a tree, it’s gotten the full cleaning treatment, some engine work, and an hour drive to get a sensor for the transmission (thank god it worked).

Luckily when I was ready to leave all the windows got stuck down and I had to spend 8 hours rebuilding every single regulator and nightmare steel wire hell wheel so I wouldn’t get rained on. I curse whoever decided unflexible untreated steel wire was great for moving windows up and down.

At least it drove me home today

  • jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    7 hours ago

    The shitty engineering competition is fierce among American automakers.

    Couple of runner up ideas that I’ve personally encountered:

    • Connect every climate control damper to the modulator with a thin piece of brittle plastic that will break after 10 years, requiring removal of the entire dashboard to repair. – Ford, 3rd Gen Explorers and Lincoln Aviators (2002-2005)

    • Place the distributor – which happens to be very sensitive to fluids – immediately under the water pump so when the water pump bearings inevitably fail, the distributor gets wet and is destroyed. – GM LT1 Engine (1992 - 1997)

    I remember working on the first Toyota I owned and thinking, “Wow! These people really put a ton of thought into where everything is located. This is nice.” We’ve had a Toyota as the primary family vehicle since.