What can you expect from your 1989 Plymouth Horizon (or Dodge Omni) so far as oil changes and other routine maintenance goes?
Your Plymouth Horizon has obviously been on the road for a few years. They stopped making new models several years ago, so we're stuck with the model year we've got.
So, what can you expect from your Horizon?
Sluggish performance. This car will get up to forty-five or fifty MPH quickly, but forget it after that. It just doesn't have the power or will to go from zero to ninety in two-point-eight seconds.
You can also expect the ride to be a bit squirrely - they're front-wheel-drive, and little to none of the car's weight is in the back end. Expect to fishtail if you try to make a sharp turn above about thirty-five miles per hour.
You can also expect decent gas mileage, a long life, and a rather fun ride in an odd-looking car. Overall, the Horizon is more than worth having because of these attributes and characteristics.
Regular maintenance procedures will probably not be the easiest thing in the world. For example, oil changes require that you stick your hands between the engine fan and the engine itself to access the oil filter - a rather tight fit for ANYONE. I suggest that you proceed with caution.
Also, the oil nut (which you remove to drain the oil from the vehicle) is almost impossible to access unless you've got a pit. The car is very low to the ground and, to remove the nut, you must lay on your back and slide between the front tires - then HOPE you can find the nut without someone else underneath the car guiding you.
Anything that you must do underneath the car - or even simply in the engine compartment - is going to be very difficult unless you have the hands of a ten year-old girl. Everything is low to the ground, packed in tightly, and simply hard to reach or work with. Loosening bolts or nuts is a pain because there's little to no room to maneuver a wrench or socket driver, which proves to be extremely frustrating. Unless you've got infinite patience, I suggest a mechanic versus do-it-yourself when it comes to this car.
You'll have to replace a lot of the "little things" on your car, and quickly. Do you know where the fusebox is? Check to your left when you're in the driver's seat. No, look a little lower. No, lower. There you go! It's way down there by your ankle, to the left of the driveshaft. Notice how little room you've got? Good luck getting broken fuses out of that box without slamming your head or elbow into something.
Also, the hydraulic posts that hold the hatchback up tend to break. That is, the small black rings that serve as stops will. In other words, watch out for the trunk lid - it'll fail on you at some point. Just be ready to replace the stop rings (in the middle of the posts when they're in their extended positions) and you'll be fine. They don't cost much anyway. This is probably the easiest routine maintenance you can perform on this vehicle.
While you're at it, I suggest keeping an eye on your air filter (located to the right side of the car when facing the engine compartment - it's underneath the black plastic covering toward the middle of the compartment), the fluid levels, and other such routine, everyday matters.
Finally, I suggest you order a book called the Chilton's Manual. It goes into great detail about your car, provides troubleshooting, pictures, and diagrams, and is more than worth the twenty or so dollars you'll have to pay for it.
