97-01 Q45 Reliability

[ahmed_wasim]

Hi,I have heard that 97-01 Q45 is very reliable. What is your experience?Regards,Wasim.

[Q_SHIP]

You have heard correct.

[99q45t_vl]

Be prepared to pay when the KS go bad - $1000, Turbine sensor - $600 - $800, bad injector (parts and labor) - $600.

[Q_SHIP]

What are signs of the turbine sensor going bad? What does it do? Price of the part? Could a shadetree mechanic do it?

[99q45t_vl]

Transmission fluid leak. Search what FarFetched had to say about it.

[HashiriyaS14]

$600 to replace a freaking injector?

That's got to be dealer prices...

[Q_SHIP]

Let's just say "even though these cars are reliable, Im glad I know how to work on them myself"

[HashiriyaS14]

Makes sense.

Any repairs at the dealer on an out-of-warranty car sends ownership costs into the stratopshere. That's true whether it's a Q or a Cavalier.

Viva DIY.

[Falkdesigns]

Yeah, either DIY or do it at a shop you trust. Fortunately for myself, I've worked as a mechanic, and have used the same shop for about 6 years, I'm friends with the owner and I worked there for a bit. That said, I've still dropped coin on up-keep, spark-plugs, O2 sensors, alternator, suspension bushings, brakes, fuel filter and the regular maintenance, but nothing out of the ordinary, and in nearly 2 years now (in March) this car has lived up to all expectations, and exceeded them. Of course this doesn't include all the things I've done because I want to.

[nchopp]

The main thing to keep in mind is, it's a luxury automobilbe, and it's going to have luxury costs assosciated with it. The more performance and the more technology goes into a car, the more possible things there are to go wrong. On the other hand, the quality of the workmanship is significantly higher than most other cars - so it's a trade-off, really.

[Chrisfrend]

My 97 has been very reliable, but as others have said, things do wear out eventually and dealer service would be very expensive. I have found that an after-market extended warranty can be a very good investment. A good private mechanic does reduce the cost significantly. For example, the local dealer wanted $1100 for the turbine sensor, and a very good transimission shop did it for $600. It is not surprising that that as these cars approach 80-000 or 90,000 miles a number of things need to be replaced.

[mizanq]

I'd say that my 1999 Q45 has been reliable over my 3.5 year/ 36,000 miles of ownership. I purchased the car in August 2002 with 66,800 mil. on it, and it has 102,950 mil. on it now.Other than regular maintenance like fluids and filters, I have only needed to do:

2 tension bars at ~ 75,000 miles1 tie rod end (+required alignment) at 78,000 miles brakes (rotor resurfacing) at 82,000 miles4 oxygen sensors: 1 at 76,000, 1 at 80,000, and 2 at 101,000 miles.

I added a transmission cooler and served it only mobil 1 oil and other synthetics. Previous owner used synthetics fluids too.