is the ford pinto better than a AMC gremlin?

Question

witch one is better the amc or the ford

Answer 1

I think someone's thinking of the Pacer. The gremlin was actually a pretty good little car. The interiors were probably about even, but the engine availability from the factory of a gremlin was much better, not to mention that you could stuff a 401 in it using factory parts.

Answer 2

I do not think that some of the people answering this question have owned either of these vehicles. I have owned both and still own a 1972 Levi Gremlin that turns 11 second runs with a factory stock engine except for the intake, headers and ignition. The Pinto was a good basic transportation car, I have seen some with the 2 liter engine and a lot of money turn some decent times in the 70s. Formula Ford still uses the same engine in their series with the cars hitting 130 mph with very good reliability.

Answer 3

Both cars are very unique, the pinto was fine and all this rear end crud was at 85 MPH, most cars would do the same , Corvair had the bad wrap as well, and was over ruled but it was to late 1969 was the last year for the Chevy corvair,pinto was fine for what it was ,and the Gremlin the same, ford pinto was a better car and the later versions were much better that the first year, for pinto, Gremlin was an AMC American Motors Corporation Vehicle They used parts from Chrysler, Ford & Gm To build there vehicles, Gm Distributors, Ford brakes Chrysler Transmissions and Motors(but not all the time , what ever was the lowest bid thats what they used ) there guages were crap as well as the interior stuff, but all and all it did the job, jeep eagle or mopar as you know wipe em out, and stuck with the jeep witch ford invented in the begining ,WWI Ford Willis Jeep & WWII. either vehicle in mint condition is worth a hefty Dollar,and are classics the 2000cc pinto stick and the wagon were fine vehicles for the money and very safe reliabl transportation,I did the homework, and did work on them all, in my 27 years as a auto mechanic, Vega would explode and did not need to be hit, but GM paid a lot to keep that quite, like they had just as many role overs as ford ,in the SUV line but they only pointed at ford GM paid a lot to hush that as well, and if anyone remembers GM trucks Used to have the Fuel tank just under the finder skin and when hit at low speeds they would burst in to flames, after many deaths they moved the fuel tank inside the frame rail, just behind the driver , like ford always did,

Answer 4

I've actually had exposure to both.. although I didn't own either. My vote would for the Gremlin because the Pinto's had this really bad habit of exploding upon a rear end impact. The location of the gas tank in Pinto's were position such that they would sustain a lot of damange in a wreck where the vehicle, especially a 'low nosed' one would 'run up under' the back.

That being said, since both of these vehicles are extremely old and neither a 'top of the line' for quality, I would suggest you weigh the merits of the two specific vehicles you are looking and IF they are equal in every other aspect... go for the Gremlin.

Besides.. the Gremlin is more unique.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Answer 5

Heck Yessss! The Pinto is the stuff! Nevermind that it explodes when hit from the rear. That's just a minor design flaw. Besides, the Gremlin looks like a rolling aqarium with those huge windows.

Answer 6

i owned both at one time and here is my experience. the pinto was built a lot cheaper and lighter. its 4 banger engine was weak and known to shed timing belts and was not one of ford's better ideas. while the car was meant for basic transportation and good gas mileage it felt tinny and uncomfortable. it was pretty good in the snow. handling and braking were not as good as most cars of the time which is to say they sucked by today's standards. the gremlin was a heavier car with a well proven 6 cylinder. it would run circles around a pinto and on bare pavement would out handle and out stop one. on snow or slippery roads it was a beast to keep going in a straight line. the wheelbase and balance really screwed up its directional stability. i felt safer in the germlin as it was a more solid built car and it was much more comfortable. they would often outlast many more expensive cars but the 3 speed manual tranny was a POS that had a habit of shedding teeth after 50,000 miles or so. they got hard to find after a while since AMC used them in the hornet as well. by my experience the gremlin was a far better car. by the way the looks grew on you after a while. i endured the pinto and i liked the gremmy

Answer 7

Sorry - you must really hate your teenage relative. Those are all awful cars. The Ford Maverick or the Valiant is too much car for a teenager. I owned a Maverick that was sold to me by a guy who didn't want his teenage grandson to have it - way too fast and powerful and has squirrely 70's power steering. How about getting a newer used car that has some of the modern safety features - like an airbag and antilock brakes? Important for a new driver. EDIT - I was not suggesting a new luxury car. A 1990's Honda Civic will have an airbag and possibly anti-lock brakes. He can have the driving experience when he is older and a more experienced driver. And the three cars you suggest aren't going to provide much of a driving experience anyway.

Answer 8

You mean WAS better right?
I don't know about better but there were many more Ford Pinto's on the road and lasted much longer then the Gremlin's did.

Answer 9

My very first car was a Ford Pinto, and it was ok, but not great. I have never driven an AMC Gremlin.

Answer 10

The Pinto!