Which car would be more reliable?

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GT_Indy
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Which car would be more reliable?

Post by GT_Indy »

1990 Beretta GTZ - QUAD4 - 5 speed manual
1996 Beretta Z26 - 3100 SFI - Auto 4T60e

Both cars are rust free and have no issues, up to date on all maintnence.
Both cars have their flaws corrected, such as the 3100's LIM gasket, and the QUAD4's oil pump.

Which would you pick to do a cross country trip, and then daily drive 2 hours a day every day there after in a constant 100+ degree climate?
Which car would be more reliable?
Why?


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Rettax3
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by Rettax3 »

GT_Indy wrote:1990 Beretta GTZ - QUAD4 - 5 speed manual
1996 Beretta Z26 - 3100 SFI - Auto 4T60e

Both cars are rust free and have no issues, up to date on all maintnence.
Both cars have their flaws corrected, such as the 3100's LIM gasket, and the QUAD4's oil pump.

Which would you pick to do a cross country trip, and then daily drive 2 hours a day every day there after in a constant 100+ degree climate?
Which car would be more reliable?
Why?
Second-thoughts on selling the '96?

Being stuck with only one car would be a bad kind of purgatory for me, but going beyond that point, for hypothetical considerations...

'90 Quad vs '96 Z clone... The Quad's Muncie is nearly bullet-proof if kept full of fluid and not hammered-on, whereas the 4T60, while good for an auto, is still a life-limited slush-bomb. However, the 3100, maintained as you've stated, will last and last... Quads are great little engines, but high-strung, and it doesn't seem to matter how mature we all get, drop a high-revving 180 H.P. racer in front of us and hand over the keys, occasionally we are going to push that thing. The oil-pump is not the only weak-link on the Quad, and not even the worst one IMO.

Efficiency still should play a part, and the Quads can get great gas-mileage. On the other hand, my old '95 Z-26, wide-port 3100 and 4T60E, got well over 30MPG on my last cross-country drive with it last summer, no issues whatsoever, even after sitting for several years.

I think the homogenized feel of the 3100/AOD '96 would have me chewing on the steering-wheel after a month or two of driving just the one car, whereas the Quad has such a range of character to it (based on my experience with my 2.4 Twin Cam Turbo 5-speed Z-24, that I never have really gotten 'tired of'). So, unless I could mix that up with a 3100 and 5-speed, as a driver I would pick the '90 Quad.

Reliability? Again, LIMG-F-up fixed as you have done wins on the '96 Z, but the Quad's five-speed beats the 4T60 by more than just the extra gear. No clear winners there, so let's go with the simpler (no ABS) '90 chassis, very little else to distinguish between the two, aside from the slightly comfier ride in the '96.

No real surprise that I would vote for the '90 Quad though -that is one Beretta that is still on my list to get someday, so yeah, I may be a little biased...

Should we do my Berettas next? :O: :wink:


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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GT_Indy
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by GT_Indy »

Yah some second thoughts.
The sunbird was easier to let go of.

Those are all good points. I'll have to think about this some more.

I wonder if I should cary a spare oil pump and oil pan gasket. Or maybe a head gasket and timing cover gaskets.

How hard is it to do a head gasket on a quad? I know the timing chain has to come off.


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Rettax3
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by Rettax3 »

GT_Indy wrote:Yah some second thoughts.
The sunbird was easier to let go of.

Those are all good points. I'll have to think about this some more.

I wonder if I should cary a spare oil pump and oil pan gasket. Or maybe a head gasket and timing cover gaskets.

How hard is it to do a head gasket on a quad? I know the timing chain has to come off.
:ROFL: You could just buy a Smart Car and throw it in the trunk as a spare, if you are that worried!

But, I do think you hit the nail on the head with the head-gasket -those are usually a matter of time, for many of these engines. As far as ease, lots of opinions on that -I think it is a PITA. Support the engine from underneath, remove the mount, pull EVERYTHING off of the right side, including cam gears, then pull the timing case off (remember, the oil-pan is supporting the weight of the engine -bring a 2x4 with you too, so you don't crack the oil-pan- but the case still has to be worked off and on with the lip of the pan still sticking out underneath it, watch out for that pan gasket! %) and remember where the Quad's water pump is?) THEN the cam carriers -lots of fun with that POS after-thought power steering pump- remove the intake and exhaust manifolds, then the head... Yuck, been there, hated that. Be careful of all the timing marks going back together too... :fool: One of the times I did a Quad head R&R, I was able to leave the timing case in the car -that helped a bit. V-6 heads are so much easier IMO...

I just spent a good part of the day a long way from home in the old '95 Z today, and I admit, I had some concerns -the starter has been a little grumpy lately, but it hasn't stranded me anywhere yet. I'm not ready to put a spare engine, transmission, and hoist in the trunk though... :pardon:


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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GT_Indy
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by GT_Indy »

I did not realize the mount had to come off for a head gasket on the quad4. I knew the side cover had to come off but I forgot there was a mount there as well.

I think the 96 would be the better choice for now as far as reliability. Not sure about the black paint though. It might be an oven.
I'll leave the 96 ads up, I'll be driving it if it doesn't sell, if it does sell then I'll drive the 90 and bring spare parts.

smart car.... I won't ever get in one.

Having survived a rear end from a semi in a beretta I used to own, I'd say our beretta's are pretty strong and well built cars. Except the rusty ones. Rusty ones are not safe.


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woody90gtz
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by woody90gtz »

I had a quad GTZ and a 3100 Z26 back in the day. And I sold the quad four the 3100 for just that reason. I was broke and in college and the quad burned a quart every...200 miles? I sure missed the 5spd, but I liked the sound of the v6 a lot better.


91 "SS" - WOT 3400/5spd - 13.29@101.6 - World's fastest N/A FWD Beretta
96 "T56" LS/6spd/8.8 RWD swap - 13.45@104.7 lol
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GT_Indy
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Re: Which car would be more reliable?

Post by GT_Indy »

Thanks for your expierences. I decided my 96 will be the better choice for reliability.
Plus I thought about it and I dont really want to load the gtz with miles just yet.
Took the 96 for sale posts down so Ill be keeping it again.


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