Faults:

New battery, head gasket blown, rusty wipers, noisy dashboard, another starter motor.

Water heater leaked, so now I have no heating as it costs another 600 to fix.

Loose hoses; had to stick sticky tape to hold them in place.

Paint fading, ignition lead replaced, poor seats falling apart.

Bonnet holding screw has fallen off; had to replace it or otherwise face danger of the bonnet flying into my or other peoples windscreen.

Oil pressure switch replaced as it was leaking oil, plus many other parts which I don't even want to look at the invoice, as it's usually about $400 mark.

First I thought my mechanic was taking me for a ride to get more cash out of me, but after reading on Internet, I see what the problem is.

As of now the car is heating up more than usual, because I don't know whether it's the temperature switch or the cooling fan that is broken.

General Comments:

I'll be worried just before I do go to bed whether the car is going to break down, and how much more do I have to spend on it as usual, in the hope that I won't have to take it to a mechanic.

I've had a few cars, and this is the worst car I ever purchased in my life. I just wish I'd read all the comments on this site before I bought the car, so this is why I am making an extra effort to document my experience with this car.

Faults:

Everything! Bent front stub axle, CV joints, wheel bearings, clutch, brake cylinders (master and slave) and they are still squishy, 2 timing belts, distributor recondition, exhaust rusted out completely. I think that is all, but it's been in and out of the garage so many times I have lost track of repairs.

It has cost me a fortune to keep it on the road. However it hasn't broken down in the last 18months, so perhaps that's a good sign.

General Comments:

When I first bought the car I was in high school and treated it like gold, never driving it hard nor thrashing around.

After 2 years of constant repair I became frustrated and started to give it hell on the roundabouts and corners, and it really surprised me how well it handles! The suspension is the only thing that hasn't failed. It takes corners very, especially sliding sideways on roundabouts like a true rally car. Note this was after the CV joints were replaced, and before the new wheel bearings.

The clutch is very tight which makes for quick gear changes.

Very spacious in the hatch. I have fit my mates 14.6ft inflatable boat folded up with floorboards and 30hp outboard motor in the back.

Great economy around town and on the highway.

Fastest speed I have reached is 145km/hr, but I’ve never held the accelerator flat.

The last year and a half the car hasn't caused me any troubles, but before that it was an absolute nightmare.

The Koreans have built a great car, but then ruined it by filling it with poor components.

I am not sure if my car is a Cielo or a Racer. The badging says 1.5i and i always thought it was a Cielo, however a dealer advised me that it is actually a Racer when he replaced a side indicator light. Can anyone provide some insight as to what I really have? It has been a mystery for quite a while now.

Faults:

Mechanically the car has been excellent, apart from a few minor problems, which in total have cost about $500 all up over the last 9 years.

Interior is solid and comfortable. A bit of wear and tear on the car seats, but that is mainly my fault.

General Comments:

The car is quick and sturdy, with A1 suspension. The suspension is probably the car's best feature and hasn't given me any trouble since day one.

The seats are comfortable for the size of the car and the back is quite roomy.

The car is good on the road and the tyres have good grip.

The car steers well and has pretty much been mechanically excellent since I bought it.

I had to replace the tyres after the first 100,000km's, mostly because I live in the country and drive on dirt roads a lot of the time.