Faults:

The clutch went at 150,000 miles.

The air conditioning has never worked since I have had the car.

The head gasket blew at 155,000 miles.

The hatch struts have never worked since I have had the car.

General Comments:

The conditions the car was when I got it were absolutely terrible. First of all, it was dirty like nothing I've seen before. The cloth of the seats was torn, stained, smelly and had dog fur all around. I went to the upholster the next month I got the car and put in new cloth, for about $140.

Next, the engine was weak and noisy. It started mixing the water and the oil for nightmare results. I rebuilt the whole engine by myself the summer of 1999, for $350.

Then those trips to the junk yard became a routine. Since I started to go to them I have bought a carburetor that had the original adjustments, a radiator, electronic module, and a lot of small things like wheel hub caps, emblems, and so on.

Between those trips to the yard, I have fixed the radiator, replaced the water pump, replaced the starter motor, battery, shocks, struts, muffler, Constant Velocity Joints, suspension lower arms, and engine mounts, brakes, tires, and I have painted it myself twice. But nothing that it did not need.

The problem I have had almost every year is the head gasket. Since I replaced it myself, I must have not tightened the bolts right, but each year I get it better.

Right now, the car is in an incredible condition, like new. The minute you get in, you forget what year it is. And most important, the car is very reliable.