2nd Nov 2009, 08:39
Checking back in with nearly 84,000 miles on the clock. Had one malfunction, the red airbag warning light started coming on. Turned out to be a bad sensor (it's a $100 part mounted under the hood latch). $300 repair with the diagnostic fees. Well worth the money, if that light is on your SRS system is completely disarmed! Still have the chirp/squeak from the belt tensioner, may have to get it fixed soon. It comes and goes. Also, tires are the Achilles heel of this car. The drone from them is so annoying. I have 26,000 miles on this set (Avon M550) and have rotated them every 5000 miles and kept them properly inflated. I guess they cup and also the rear negative camber wears out the inner edge.
Anyway, car still looks good, even with all the dings and hail/acorn dents on the hood. Will probably keep it for another couple of years.
28th Oct 2010, 09:22
105,000 mile check-in. Car still runs great and is holding up well. Had my 4th set of tires put on at 95,000 miles and just did the second rotation. Went with Continental Extreme Contact DSWs. A little more money but after getting caught out in some major snowstorms last winter and almost not making it home, I wanted something with more poor weather traction.
I also had my belts changed at 104,000 and that solved the intermittent squeaking. The mechanic said that they were worn out. Also had the original front pads done at 104,000. The rears will need to be done fairly soon. Also change all the hoses.
2nd May 2009, 14:26
Just ticked over 72,000 miles and 3 years of ownership and still no major problems. Still getting 31-34 MPG highway.
Only issues are a sunroof rattle caused by a loose fastener and something intermittently chirps under the hood. I think it's a belt tensioner. It comes and goes and I'll live with it unless it gets worse. Couple of bubbles on the 17" alloy wheels and of course new paint chips are discovered after every winter.
My third set of tires is starting to drone on the highway after 13,000 miles.
As far as the satellite, the OEM unit was always too expensive, $300+ USD and it may not be compatible after the Sirius/XM merger. I have a Sirius Sportster 5 (before that a Starmate Replay). It fits great in the pocket under the HVAC controls, wedges in so tight I didn't have to fasten it down. I tapped the power from the back of the factory head unit and ran the antenna wire through the trim and mounted the antenna forward of the moonroof. I am using an AuxMod as an aux-in since 2006 and older models didn't have one.