New Owner/Poster - Some Questions on my '91

[Sagitta]

I bought a '91 Continental over the summer for $400 (theres a reason it was so cheap... read on) and have a few questions regarding the car.

The car has the 3.8L V6, around 135k on it, though I suspect the engine could be a replacement (it runs silent... as in, like-new silent).

The transmission is solid (as far as I can tell without having any significant time in the road with it).

The reason I haven't driven it yet is that I have been saving up to replace all four brakes. The people (maybe the garage) who had the car before me left the car sit without rear tires in the Maine mud. The front brakes are just worn enough that we're going to do all at one shot so we won't need to worry over it later.

The suspension has been replaced recently 9as in, shortly before the car got parked), though the car sat for almost 2 years before I acquired it.

The reason the car was parked was because the people before me slid the car into a ditch and bent the engine cradle so that it poked a hole in the transmission pan (without, thankfully, hitting the tranny itself).

I keep reading of air ride troubles, and I was wondering what I should be wary of in case I have them with this one. For that matter, I'm not even certain where the switches and whatnot for the air ride even are.

What expenses should I be watchful for with a 91 that could crop up on me?

For all the problems the car DOES have, the major items (motor, tranny, etc) are solid as a rock.

Also, is there any site online where I can buy new trim? This car was repainted BADLY by someone and it looks bad - REAL bad.

 

[pepperman]

The air ride switch is in the trunk on the drviers side, just keep a watch on the air springs as for the other things other conti owners will help you out.
:W to :V :Beer :L

 

[MichiganTeddyBear]

sounds like you picked up a deal. kinda like mine, but mine was a freebie. Only took 100 to get it on road, and since 200 more in additional repairs.

don't be surprised if the engine is original. I have 137k on mine, it sat for 2 yrs, started as soon as I dropped batt in it (on 2 yr old gas too), within 5 secs of turning key. it purrs like a happy kitten. A well maintained 3.8 is very quiet and smooth. A couple things to watch for, headgaskets are a know problem in these. Keep coolant and oil fresh, and avoid overheating them at all (iron block, aluminum heads). Also, mine needed valve cover gaskets. someone in past put crappy gaskets on (metal sandwiched between cork I think). they leaked like they where not even installed. I replaced them with molded rubber gaskets (felpro I think), and not a drop of oil out of them since.


if the airstruts are as new as you say, you should be golden there. they typically last 7-10 years from what I have heard. it might take a couple cycles of the ignition switch to get it pumped all the way up if its sitting on ground (computer shuts air compressor off after 90 secs or so of running).

As with any older car, there are maintainance items that come up. but the bigs ones are the suspension, engine, trans on these.

 

[Conti94]

:I with Michicgan. Watch for the headgaskets, keep oil and coolant changed regularly. Air struts are not as troublesome as everyone thinks, once they are replaced they last a good 10 years. There are coil springs out there that last for lesser a time. Other than these things they are solid cars. The engines last for a long time if properly maintained. And the ride these cars give is unbeatable. Congrats on you're new ride and :W to :V .

 

[jpappano]

Read my post on the rear brake flexible rubber lines!! I'm SURE you may have the same issues!!