Faults:

I purchased the car in November of 2003 from my cousin who was basically tired of the car and it's maintenance. At the time the car would constantly cut off and would only start after the engine was cool. I met the master mechanic at my local Acura dealer and he fixed the sensor problem for about $300.

All breaks were replaced at 170,000 miles.

The muffler had a crack in it and was replaced along with most of the exhaust at 185,000 miles.

The alternator was replaced twice.

The engine also had a horrible knock, which I tried to hide by using thick oil.

The engine died on me at a little over 197,000 miles due to a valve problem.

Right before the engine went bad, the car also need shocks, struts, and ball joints.

General Comments:

I would still be driving the car today if it were not for the high price of a rebuilt engine.

The car amazed people on a daily basis because they could not believe how old it really was.

This was my dream car, and it really hurt when I stopped driving it.

I have tried other cars and nothing compares.

I don't understand why Acura would stop making such a wonderful car.

Faults:

First off, let me say I bought this car completely blind to its history. The car had been sitting in a car lot for over a month and no takers. I bought the car because I needed something that I thought would last a year.

The car is now 16 years old. Here are the problems I have discovered since the purchase.

The right-rear power window motor doesn't work.

There is rust around the rear wheel wells, most of it near the rear doors.

There is rust inside the gas entry port.

The transmission clunks when changing gears from first to second during hard acceleration. (Most likely a bad transmission mount)

Third gear is going out and have to start out in second gear, get up to 30 or 40 miles per hour, let off the gas, shift into drive, let the gears engage and then apply throttle.

The brakes on the front-right side rattles like it isn't secured in place.

The car smoked extensively out of the exhaust pipe. (I thought it was from the crisp, cold air that morning)

Small amount of smoke comes out from under the hood when coming to a stop after it has warmed up. (Probably oil leak from valve cover gasket onto exhaust manifold)

The engine-bay hood struts don't work.

The power antenna doesn't work correctly. Corrosion is to blame for this.

Dashboard lights need to be replaced.

The shocks need to be replaced, they are spongy.

General Comments:

The good points of this car are:

The leather interior is in pretty good shape for as old as this car is. (Three tears in the back seat)

The car starts up most every time with no difficulty.

The ride is somewhat smooth and the acceleration acceptable.

Fuel economy is OK for a vehicle with this many miles on it. (200,000)

This car has power everything.

Faults:

Power steering high pressure hose leak at braiding ($85).

Valve cover gaskets leak ($24).

Front brake rotors warped ($70).

Fog lamps do not work.

"Check engine oil level" comes on intermittently on the self-diagnostic screen, regardless of oil level.

General Comments:

This is a perfect example of Honda/Acura's legendary reliability. I would never even consider purchasing from another manufacturer.

The car is a joy to drive and is very comfortable.

The V6 engine is smooth and powerful.

The automatic transmission is tight as a drum and sure-shifting.

It has typical weak Honda brakes and some intermittent electrical problems, but these do not detract from the obvious high quality of the vehicle.