Faults:

Water pump. This is a typical fault as the impeller is plastic, but the shaft is metal. The impeller cracks and does not rotate properly in the shaft.

Radiator leak.

Viscous coupling on the cooling fan.

Air lock in the cooling system.

Thermostat.

Basically, everything to do with the cooling system packed up within the first 3 months of ownership. However, since this was all fixed it has been totally and utterly reliable.

General Comments:

The addition of 17" alloys have made it look great and handle even better, but at the expensive of ride quality. It tram-lines badly.

Faults:

Exhaust needed replaced as soon as I got it, but I new this before sale. The radiator needed replaced sooner after.

Also the bit that connected the radiator pipe to the engine corroded. Cheap replacement, but took a week to get the part in.

Sometimes it overheats in heavy traffic.

General Comments:

Even though I've had to do a bit of work since I bought it, I love this car. It's a great drive, feels nice and has enough power for me. The overheating in traffic is a bit of an annoyance, but nothing that bad. Considering that it's a 10-year old car, it's great.

Faults:

Water was getting into the electrics through a crack in the seal at the bottom of the windscreen. - A bit of silicone sealant and clearing the drainage channels fixed it.

General Comments:

Great car, it can still cut it against modern machinery (don't believe all this turbo diesel torque malarkey). Effortless performance and lasts like Stone Henge. It's a comfortable cruiser and a motorway mauler. Oh how we laugh at the Backward Baseball Cap Brigade! You won't meet much else day to day that will challenge you (well you might, but it'll be a short lesson for them).

Be warned it'll eat soft sport tires and is very partial to a drop of unleaded if you decide to go head butting the horizon.

The exhaust note and sound of the straight six will send a shiver down your spine in tunnels and multi-storey car parks. Chassis is still fresh and the driving experience is solid. I drove an IS200 sport recently and couldn't wait to get back behind the blue and white propeller. It has been called a poor mans M3 and it gives you a taste for less than half the price, it's the only way to fly!

Faults:

Nothing Major, just general wear and tear.

General Comments:

This car is fantastic, looks and handles superb.

Sorry to disappoint the would be detractors of fuel economy, but this car performs better mpg than my previous car, A Rover 220GTi and is a tad more 'sophisticated'

The car is almost 10 years old and still drives like a dream.

Only drawback is that everything you want for the car is expensive, but if you are worried about that, take the bus!

Faults:

Radiator Blew a hole in it.

Brake Disc's and Pads.

General Servicing and Maintenance.

General Comments:

For a 1.8 this car is immense. The engine is very torque happy at high revs and will pull right up in to the red. With 140 BHP the weight of the car isn't really noticible apart from the solid feeling.

Handling is excellent although I have 18" wheels and sports suspension fitted.

The car is always admired even though its seen as "old" I always get approached in the street with people saying they like it. It does have a full M3 Kit, M3 Interior and big wheels, but the standard car itself is a stunner.