HELP! Gonna buy '99 ES, 41k for $7900. Should i? my concerns

[graph101]

I might be finally getting my car after weeks of research on which vehicle is right for me. Ive heard bad reviews on the jettas thats why i stayed away and im hoping the galant wont be unpredictable when it comes to reliability. the galant i testdrove is great but....

My concerns are the following:
1- no ABS, only rear discs,
2- no Alarm system & no keyless entry: id like to have somebody install keyless, remote starter and alarm system all at once but how much will it cost inc labor?
3- Brakes needs to be pushed halfway for it to start braking, can it be fixed?
4- i will be needing a roofrack for my car, does it exists for the galant?'
5- moonroof? would be nice but i heard its not a good idea to buy car with mroof if its old since its susceptible to leaks and a pain to fix.
6- my general concern is,, is the galant a good car to start with? i want a reliable trouble free one. I will keep it well maintained and i dont want to have sudden failures due to poor quality. should i look for a 2000 instead of a 1999?


please help me with my concerns.... as you can imagine im very anxious about my first (my money) car purchase.

oh by the way the 7th concern is that it has a Really really ugly pinstripes, how can i take it out? if i cant im willing to have it covered with a black one.

[Elwenil]

Ok, I have an 02 that I bought a few months ago, and I'm happy with it. Only problems I've heard about are the usual brake rotor warping, which can be fixed with aftermarket rotors, the transmission checking out, which normally only happens if you hot rod it, or boost your engine, the glove box latch, which I think had a recall part to fix it or something like that. Maybe a TSB. As for the numbered concerns, here goes:
1- ABS is crap, and only someone with absolutely no driving skills needs it. Plus if you are a decent driver, the ABS will only fuck with you. Be happy it has rear discs. I have the drums, and would gladly take discs over them.
2- The whole alarm/keyless entry and remote start can be added by the aftermarket. Shop around for prices on a local shop for the install. Probably could get it done with an entry level kit for about $400. Up up to $1000 for a top of the line set up.
3- If the brake pedal feels funny, then I'd just have the brakes checked. The distance the pedal travels before the brakes take hold varies from car to car, and I don't think it's really a problem. Might need pads or something simple.
4- You can put a roof rack on anything if you want to drill the holes for it. I can't say I've seen a roof rack for a Galant, but it may be out there somewhere. There are no drip rails to mount one to, so it may not be a good idea. I have seen a Galant with a cheesy looking luggage rack on the trunk, but that's next to useless. What are you carrying that you would need a roof rack for anyway? Skis or something? If that's the case just stick them though the fold down in the rear seat.
5- Better feel this one out a bit. When I called about having a power moonroof installed on my Galant, it was going to run about $3500. I think that's a little high, but either way, I wouldn't pay more than $1200 for one, personally.
6- In my opinion, the Galant is a nice car. It's a good riding, comfortable car that the only complaint I really have is that it is underpowered. I'm assuming that since you are looking at one that has 4 wheel discs, that it is a V6. If so, the power is much better. The only thing I would suggest is maybe putting out a little more cash and getting an 02 or 03 that would still have some factory warranty. I paid about $11k for my 02 I4 with just under 25k miles, and it's under warranty til 35k for the bumper to bumper, and to I think 50k for the drivetrain. Hertz rental cars uses Galants and are selling off a lot of them now, which is why they are so cheap. You should be able to find an I4 ES for around $10k now, and slightly more for a V6 ES. Just my .02

[graph101]

I just found out that the '99s have some serious premature wear out on brakepads and rotors which is serious enough for a lawsuit.

http://www.lemonlaw.com/galant.html


some user reviews:
http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_revi...view_11150.html

yayks!!! ill move up to 2000... by the way are the roads in yonkers NY bad?? im looking at one which was driven there for 60k.