Interesting tidbit of info. Might explains some issues...

[navydave]

Taken from http://pinewood.schoolreferenc....html -----------------------------BEWARE OF "FIRST MODEL YEAR" LEMONS There is secret car makers don't want you to know. Nearly all models, regardless of brand, suffer significant quality control problems during the first 12-24 months of manufacturing. It's impossible to work out every problem in a complex new machine before it's actually built. This means that automobiles built during the first (or even second) year after introduction are "guinea pigs." During these first two years the manufacturer is learning about a lot of little problems that need to be refined. "First model year" quality problems exist when a brand new model is introduced and when an existing model is made "all new" with major design changes.

[ColonelPanic]

I have a tendency to buy those. I've only had two new cars, the first being the second model year, the second being the first model year. And I'm wanting to do this yet again, what gives? lol!

[djpositivek]

Quote »Figuring Out Your True "Total Coast Of Ownership"

[scherry2]

Quote, originally posted by navydave »BEWARE OF "FIRST MODEL YEAR" LEMONS There is secret car makers don't want you to know. any person that works in an assembly plant knows that.everything looks good on paper to an engineer, but when it comes to real world there are problems.

[Houston]

Tell me about it - I worked in quality control at Buick for 33 years.I had a 1967 (first year) Pontiac Firebird for thirteen years; have a first year design (at the time) 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP and also a first year 2003 Pontiac Vibe. All great cars without major problems of any kind.What you say is true, but does not necessarily mean those cars are crap. I'll also get a first year Pontiac Solstice, if I get my act together.

[jake75]

I had a first year (1996) Plymouth Voyager and it had no faults except at 60,000 miles it blew a head gasket BUT the dealer/Chrysler gave me a break & replaced it for a mere $200 (as opposed to $1,000) as there had been a lot of problems with that gasket. My first year (2001) PT Cruiser was nearly perfect though I traded it 10/2004 at 39 months/25,000 miles so I don;'t know what happened after that; and I would have to say the same about my first year (2003) Vibe though it has only 17,600 miles as we speak.