Faults:

The main belt went at 180000. The car is a beast and I drove another twenty miles.

The water pump broke, the car never overheated even though I drove it a thousand miles that way. I don't know how a car could take having no cooling fluid running threw it on my long drives to college and back, but it survived. cost was $300.

The previous owner somehow drained half the transmission fluid and never re filed it. It lasted 20000 miles that way before it needed replacement. cost was 900.

Stater went, replaced it personally. Pontiac placed the starter in an tight spot and was a pain without a engine lift. it was cheap, but took me an hour.

Power booster went taking out the master cylinder. I wasn't going fast so I was OK. I should of realized it was going to break because it leaked break fluid. cost $400.

My glove compartment broke so it is always open. it would bang against my passengers knees.

There are so many shorts in the interior lighting I had to pull the fuse so my battery wouldent die.

General Comments:

Its one fast car up to 80mph. it smokes my Lincoln with a 460 cubic inch in it up to 80 then its restricter kicks in. At 105mph it tops out, but in overdrive that's only three thousand rpms.

It can take a corner like no other car I have ever drove. For some reason my car's anti-lock brakes kick in if I get it going sideways. But just on the rear tires. It is like slamming on the E-brake without the tire damage, very fun.

The interior is nice, it is very roomy.

Although it is a nice car it does not make me gleam with pride that my 1978 Lincoln Continental does when I walk out to get in.

Faults:

The throttle body gets stuck every 10,000 miles or so. This requires no parts just a gentle tap from the mechanic.

The alternator needed to be replaces at 70,000 miles.

The air conditioner needed to be recharged at 64,000 miles.

The new struts and shocks were needed at 64,000 miles.

The Anti-lock breaking computer needed to be reset once.

The transmission has a distinctive whine.

General Comments:

Receiving this car made me reconsider leasing a 3 series BMW. With Pirelli's on all four corners this car keeps up with most anything under 80MPH. It handles very well. If you're not racing you will be pressed to feel the difference between the 2002 BMW 325i and this car. One problem is that you need a light foot to drive this car. Even with good tires I leave rubber if I'm not careful.

The winter handing of this car is phenomenal. It drives better than some light trucks. The ABS brakes and front wheel drive make this car a solid winter performer.

Even in ice and snow I was in control of the car. The heat comes fast and plentiful even in -20F starts.

The interior is great. I'm 6'2" and have a great deal of problem fitting into many cars. I have to slouch to drive the biggest Saturn's and have difficulty with Mustangs and Corvettes. The seats are very comfortable for me and my passengers. The cloth seats require much attention to keep them nice. The cup holders are great and well positioned for all riders. This is the most comfortable car I have ridden in.

The costs aren't excessive I get around 20-25 MPG city and 25-30 highway. Very close to the ratings it shipped with. I do change the oil more frequently than recommended with synthetic oils. This adds around an hour of my time and $20 a month. I usually need around $500 a year on dealer upkeep and repairs.

Despite snowy winters and lots of road salt and sea spray the car has no body rust and only light rust on unpainted components.

I've done thing with this car you should never do. It doesn't take well to off-roading. The wheel wells fill with mud quickly. It takes a while to go in mud more than axle deep. It's hard to get a good nights sleep in the front seat. The backseat is much nicer for sleeping. Try to keep all the wheels on the ground. With even a few inches of air you bottom out the suspension. You can hold 2 full sized male college students in the trunk for drive-ins. Don't do neutral drops. This is where you bring the car to redline in neutral then drop it into second gear. It works much of the time, but you can drop the transmission in between gears. None of these college worthy activities results in pain suffering or repair bills.

The car also crashes and repairs well. It was hit head on traffic driving in the wrong lane, side swiped into a police car by delivery truck running a red light, and hit by a falling New York City street lamp. Both collisions happened under the former owners and were able to be fully repaired with no cosmetic or functional problems. All the occupants in all accidents were uninjured.

Parts of this review are very odd for the normal driver, normal for the college student. This is an good looking, well powered, good handling, comfortable vehicle that survives abuse and protects it's occupants. There is no better college car.