An American Volvo!

First off, I want to let my readers know and understand that this is my second Plymouth Acclaim. The first being a 1992 Plymouth Acclaim with the 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed automatic. I have also written a review for that car, if you would like to read it.

I found this car at an automobile auction in Altanta, GA. I was surprised and excited when I saw it in the auction line. These cars are becoming incredibly difficult to find in good shape with low mileage. Fortunately, I was very lucky and found my handsome 1994 Plymouth Acclaim. It was a V6 model, in my favorite color combination (white with tan cloth), and only had 61,000 miles on it. It was an incredible find! To sweeten the pot even more, I was able to buy it for a total of about $1,600. Of course, the paint was peeling in some areas, which was also a problem on my 1992 Acclaim, but it was not a huge deal to me. A paint job can fix that easily enough. I was just so happy to have found the car I had been searching for after looking for years...literally!

I will first describe the car to you, so you can get a better mental picture of it's appearance. It is white, with the optional Acclaim alloy wheels. It has the Gold Package, and a factory luggage rack on the trunk lid. The interior is a nice tan velour. It has all of the available bells and whistles, except for power windows. Boy, I wish I could have traded the stupid motorized passenger seatbelt for power windows!

I have owned this car for a short time, but I love it already. It's quite comfortable due to it's spacious cabin and plush seating. I am probably a bizarre 21 year old for saying this, but I actually prefer the split-bench seating with armrests over bucket seats and a console. It's more comfortable for me and is like driving while sitting on the couch. I also prefer the column-mounted shifter because it is easier to use than a console mounted shifter and is in front of me versus next to me. My only major complaint with the interior is how low the stereo is mounted. I realize I have to reach very far forward and very far down in order to use the stereo, taking my eyes off the road while doing so.

As far as the way this car performs, I am quite satisfied with it. I find the V6 to be quieter than the 4-cylinder that my old Acclaim was equipped with, but it's a gruff sounding V6. I expected a much smoother sounding V6. This V6 is very smooth running though. The power it produces is very satisfactory for a car of this weight and can propel the car with ease. I find that stepping on the gas doesn't do a whole lot, even with the V6. Granted, it moves better than the 4-cylinder, but still doesn't feel so fast. I have driven turbocharged Volvos before and this V6 isn't all that special. It takes off with fury, but that is about it. I noticed that the gas mileage I get with the V6 does not seem to be much worse than what my old 4-cylinder equipped model was capable of. I'm a stickler for good gas mileage and this car keeps me happy in that respect.

I'm pretty sure that the transmission is the same model used in my old Acclaim. It proved to be a great transmission, lasting 182,000 miles at which point the car was totalled in an accident. If this tranny lasts that long, I will be pleased. Overall, it's a smooth shifting transmission, but is clunky sounding and feeling when changing gears from Park to Drive or Reverse. The one thing about this transmission that is quite annoying is how it automatically goes back into third gear whenever you let off the gas around 40-45mph. As soon as you give it more gas to accelerate, it upshifts back to fourth gear. This can get really annoying when you are driving in traffic around those speeds, which I do often.

Acclaims handle very well for an American compact four-door family sedan. The suspension is surprisingly stiff for an American car. It tends to feel more European in it's driving nature than American. The steering is also very tight, responsive, and has a fairly firm feel to it. The steering-wheel itself is a fat little wheel for a car of the early 1990's and helps it feel more sporting in nature. The brakes work satisfactory. They stop the car and that's about it. The brake pedal has a horribly mushy, spongy feel to it...like a lot of American cars. My past experience with the brakes on Acclaims is that you should never push the brake pedal hard unless you are trying to lock up the wheels and cause the car to skid sideways. Yes, that has happened to me in this car before. Having driven Volvos and owned one, the brakes on the Acclaim definitely need an ABS system. With that, the brakes should work MUCH better.

A great aspect of the Plymouth Acclaim is that it is very inexpensive to own. Insurance rates are low. Gas mileage is good. Repairs are cheap and maintenance won't break the bank. To make things even better, these cars are usually very cheap to buy used. The only problem being that they are very difficult to find now. Good luck if you can find a nice one like I did. Darn you, Chrysler, for not making these cars anymore!