Faults:

Brake calipers seized up, and I had to have the car towed to the garage as I couldn't move it. An $800.00 bill later and the problem is fixed. I had them do some other minor, not absolutely needed brake related repairs at the same time.

General Comments:

I have been driving this car for just over a year now, and I really like it. It seems to me that it is a very reliable car, other than the brake issue, but what do you expect with a car that is as of now 22 years old.

A couple of minor things that I think could be improved upon:

First, maybe it's just me, but I think if the car sat an inch or two higher from the road, it would make a difference in how it handles.

Secondly, it would be nice if it handled the snow a little better. Last winter was my first winter owning and driving it, and it definitely needed new tires. I had all new tires put on in the spring, so that will help me this coming winter.

Predominantly I use this car as my getting to and from work and home car, which is five miles one way. This past summer I did take it on a 700 mile round road trip and the car handled it fine with absolutely no problems; at times getting up to 80+ mph for almost 100 miles straight. I do some other minor 100+ mile road trips with this car, but predominantly local in town driving.

Overall I really like this car; it's the best $2,950 I ever spent. Of course I had to put a little money into it, but it's mostly wear and tear stuff. I do change the oil myself every 3,000 miles after discovering how insanely easy it is in these cars. I've had cars where you have to be a contortionist and an athlete to get to the oil filter, and 1.5 hours later, covered in grime and oil, the job is done. That is not so on this car. I do it myself in ten minutes; love it. My other car (2011 Toyota Rav4) I take it to the garage for oil changes.

I am going to drive this car until it will no longer drive. It looks like that won't be for many more years. I'm not afraid to put a little money into a car within reason that is completely paid for. If the repair costs ever get into the thousands per year, then it's time to start thinking about a replacement. With knowing how this car is running, I don't perceive that happening for many years to come.

Faults:

Rear Windows stopped rolling up - they're permanently up now, after getting stuck down a few times.

Passenger side window motor has died a couple times, and the window fell off the track once.

Door handles - inside and out - have broken several times.

Power door lock on driver's side is dodgy - sometimes works, sometimes doesn't.

Air Conditioning no longer works.. (may just need freon or something)

A hubcap fell off somewhere.

Dashboard has some bad sun damage and is cracked up.

Radio display can be evil.

Shocks (suspension?) are awful, though get the job done.

General Comments:

My parents inherited this car in the late 90s, and ever since, it's been a family car. I drive it when I need it, my dad when he does, my mom when she does... etc. So it's been around a lot of my life. Anyway, my grandmother chain smoked in it (smell still won't come out.. yuck!), and never had any of maintenance work done. Literally. Originally, my parents figured it'd just be something to drive until it died, but it won't die!

I'm going to divide this into a few different sections.

I'll start with a few more technical things.. The engine runs strongly, and although it's only 4 cylinders, the acceleration in it is beautiful! I'm not saying it can out run a Camaro or something, however, it easily takes off. The car starts on the first try, even in -30 degrees Fahrenheit weather. It's got an automatic transmission, and it shifts so smoothly, you can barely tell when it changes gears. One of the only drawbacks are the shocks.. they're really weak, so going over bumps, or into large dips, you can scrape and bang a little. The shocks make little bumps less noticeable, but the the big ones, and the potholes scare the daylights out of me sometimes! Nothing's broken yet though.

As far as the driving goes, like I said - great acceleration. I've never gone to its top speed, but it easily gets up to the speed limits on expressways. Climbing hills is easy too. In the snow, it drives astoundingly! It's front wheel drive, it won't slide, and it easily stops. Even in a ton of snow. Night time, the headlights are adequate, and the high beams work just fine too. The car's turning is amazing too, it manages to make it hard to over or under-steer.

As far as the comfort inside goes, the back seats are a little cramped on very long trips, and five people gets VERY cramped.. But other than that, the front seats are comfortable. I should mention that the seats are cloth - no tears either. The moon roof is a nice added touch too - works well with the back passengers when it's hot, as the back windows stopped working. The radio's actually surprisingly clear! good speakers, I suppose. The theft deterrent was played with a few too many times, so it can come loose occasionally.. just push it back in and it's fine! Plays tapes fine - hasn't shredded any.. But the display is hard to see during the day, and sometimes nothing shows up on it at night but 8s.

I guess if I had to name the worst drawbacks of the car, it's that the radiator's a little dirty, as are the hoses in the cooling system.. We're afraid to flush it, as the gunk might be what's holding it together. Instead, we just drain it and refill it. it's worked for about 60 or 70,000 miles! :)

My closing statements though, are that it's a very reliable car.. Not bad looking either. The things that have gone wrong look like a lot on paper.. but nothing MAJOR has gone bad. The door handles could've been designed a little better.. A bit flimsy, really. That, the windows, and the horrid shocks are the biggest problems. But considering the mileage of the vehicle.. I can't complain. It's been very good, and has only stranded us.. once.

If you find a low mileage one, I'd say get it. It's a nice drive..