Faults:

I bought this car when I turned 18. It had 100.000 miles on it, and looked like it was in perfect condition.

The outside was in good condition; only had a bit of paint fading on the driver's side fender. The inside was in great condition.

Since I purchased it, I have had many problems.

About two months after I bought it, the transmission went out.

When driving from California to Idaho, the trunk fin flew off.

On vacation in the mountains, the electricals went out, causing the fuses to blow and the car not to start.

At 137000, the fuel pump went out, shredding the alternator belt.

The paint is going like crazy, the door speakers went out, and the passenger door panel fell off. And I have had to replace both the passenger and driver door handles twice, since they make them out of crappy plastic.

I have had to replace two of the 17" rims, because they bend so easily.

The only good thing about this car is the motor; it has got me back and forth from Cali to Idaho 6 times, and the interior is still in really good shape. However the quality of this car is very poor, and I would probably never buy one again.

Faults:

Oil leak.

Engine failure after engine heat cooked wires, which then shorted out in the engine deep underneath the car.

Would have to jiggle shifter to get the transmission unlocked from park.

General Comments:

The car is cheaply built with many plastic parts which looked good until they snapped off.

Best thing about the car was the engine and transmission, which were borrowed from the Mitsubishi Eclipse of the same year. It was durable, but unfortunately underpowered for the weight of this vehicle was much heavier. I placed an aftermarket catback exhaust and cold air intake in it. Didn't help much.

The clearcoat on the paint started peeling away around two years after owning the car, so around thee years after its production, I checked online and found it to be a common problem. No recall for this problem! Resale value is non-existent.

The car has no torque, but on the positive side it is a great long range cruiser with a smooth ride. I abused it at the end, neglecting to change the oil for the last 30000 miles driving through mountainous terrain, three hours a workday. It took it like a champ and refused to die.

Faults:

Overall, I'm very pleased with my car. It has been very dependable and maintenance free.

The previous owner obviously took good care of it, and I try to do the same.

It came with all service records, and has still never had any motor or transmission work, other than fluid changes.

I put a new timing belt and water pump on it at 100,000, just to be safe, but it didn't need them.

Motor runs smooth and strong for a 2.5L, transmission shifts great, brakes work great.

The turning radius does suck, I do agree with that, but that's not a defect.

My lower ball joints are just starting to creak, and I notice that's a recall issue I will have to look into.

Everything works as it should on the car, with the exception of the drivers door mirror, which is no longer powered, but who cares... I'm the only one who drives it, so it never needs to be moved.

Either everyone else doesn't maintain their Sebrings, or I got an unusually good one, as the only issues I have are the low hanging front bumper air dam, and the poor turning radius. I got over the first issue by making myself back into parking spots, instead of pulling into them and bashing the air dam.