Faults:

MTX - 2 rebuilds, and then replaced with new rebuilt before 75k under warranty.

Computer replaced once, and then reprogrammed several times under warranty.

Head gasket - typical leak and then replaced (with secret warranty assistance) along with time belt/water pump (preventative maintenance) at 108000 off warranty.

A/C croaked at 130,000, but just replaced belt with non-A/C belt to still use power steering.

Original headlights have typical neon headlight glaucoma. Tried polishing them, but have to keep after them.

Early models lacked a trunk light, but this was retrofitted with an Omni trunk light and a mercury switch from something else.

Early models lacked front door map pockets, but have retro fitted the door panels with junkyard replacements.

Chrysler lost money on this car's 75000 mile warranty.

Over the 10 years owned, the car was in multiple car accidents (90% not owners fault) to the total of about $9000 (!) of repair work:

Shoddy repair of right rear door/gas tank area let water in the trunk, but was fixed with 1 1/2 household sized tubes of silicon plus spray in undercoating in wheel well.

Radio died after one accident (after warranty out), but replaced it with a Dakota radio and then warrantied the Dakota radio out!

Owner replaced clutch, CV axles, clutch cable, shifter cable grommets ("booger bushings") at 160000 miles - wouldn't have been worth it to pay service labor/parts cost to do this.

Want to get Sport front/rear anti-sway bars to replace the standard front only anti-sway bars.

General Comments:

If kept maintained, these cars run forever, but the market who can afford these cars usually beats them and throws them away.

Fuel efficiency for an 11 year old car is between 37-40 MPG using 89 octane (87 octane knocks).

Paint has actually held up since it was repainted due to previous accidents.

I got the car from my ex-wife, who bought it new 11/94, so having a known history is a help.

'95 SOHC models had the better cam versus later models (plus MTX helps!). Drove a '97 or '98 auto trans car, and it was a pig.

Neons.org helped a lot with keeping this car on the road. Booger bushings for the shifter cables alone saved about $200!

Faults:

Averaged over ten years, very little.

Power steering hose at <10,000.

Biggest pain: cruise control seemed to quit every 20,000 miles. At 99,000 miles the dealer replaced it with a redesigned one, even though it was still working. (while the car was still under it's extended 100,000 warranty). That cruise control just gave out at 260,000, so the new design was much better.

Head gasket replaced at 210,000, due to water pump failure.

Tie rod broke at 225,000.

Replaced gas tank (hole developed near top) at 270,000.

General Comments:

Very reliable car. Most of what has gone wrong with the car is pretty typical parts that wear out over 10 years and 200,000+ miles. (If you disregard the power steering hose)

My previous car was a Cougar with a 305 engine, which I loved, but with the relocation to the "snow belt" and major commute, I needed an economical car that could handle adverse weather conditions. This car filled the need well.

I have driven this car through 1 ft+ lake effect snow, ice, heat, and it handles like a dream. In bad weather, I preferred this car to my hubby's 1989 Range Rover, when he was still driving it.

Biggest complaint is the road noise, most notably the noise from the windows.

Co-worker just commented today that this car still look awesome (at 276,000 miles!) Only a few tiny surface rust spots have started appearing, but the car still gleams.

Original clutch and transmission performing great at 276,000! (5 speed manual)

Recently calculated highway mileage: >44mpg.