Faults:

The whole exhaust system is too sensitive to rust. There were relatively few cars of this model sold, so after-market parts are hard to come by. Had to replace flex pipe twice.

At about 75,000 k developed a leak in fuel injector. As I found out, it's a common problem for this model. Again, could not find after market parts.

The car does not hold well its front wheel alignment, has to be adjusted too often.

At 50,000 k had to replace radio/tape player. Again, could not find a used one.

General Comments:

The car is peppy enough and fun to drive with European-style tight steering.

Front seats are firm and very comfortable, just a little tight space for 5 ft 10.

It's pretty noisy inside, because of both aerodynamics and noisy engine.

The main problem with this car is its gas mileage and inability of the dealer to fix the problem. They just kept charging me money for diagnostics and useless replacements, while this puny little car ran 14 miles per gallon!

Faults:

The fuel injectors leaked at the time of purchase from the second owner. The CV boots eventually decay. Radiator connections become extremely brittle with age. The muffler has begun to shed its outer metal skin.

General Comments:

This Stanza was my first and has been my only car. As the car passed its 10-year-old mark, there were several preventative maintenance and minor repairs reccomended by mechanics. Nothing that wouldn't be expected from other cars, however. Leaking fuel injectors are a common problem with Stanzas, and mine was no exception. I have not encountered any further problems in this area since the repair in '00. Overall, I feel this car is a fantastic value, and it will reward anyone who is willing to pay a moderate/swallowable amount for preventative maintenance and infrequent repairs. Acceleration, engine stability and reliability are phenomonal for a nearly 15-year-old vehicle. The feel of the power-assisted steering was actually a major selling point for me; it is not loose and unsatisfying like many, rather it has a tight and smooth feel. Steering response and breaking were always strong if not mildly shaky. Now both are completely solid after I recently replaced the old, warped rotors and tires. I have not experienced any problems or needed to pay for repairs with regard to the engine, transmission, or electrical system since the purchase of the vehicle. Fuel economy is probably not as strong as other cars in this category, as mine gets between 18-21 MPG in the city, but you will not be disappointed if you give a Stanza the care it needs. It will reward with a comfortable and confident ride, especially if it has been reasonably maintained.

Faults:

When I first got the car, it had sat for a year. I have a bit of a lead foot, so the first thing that went was the fuel injectors. Not cheap considering there are four. $250 and 5-7 days shipping right off the bat.

The motor was a little bit greasy, but I didn't really think anything of it at first. As time went on, I noticed it was coming from the valve cover gasket. Not a big deal, just bought a new gasket and replaced it myself with a road-side assistance kit. Total cost - $6. I then de-greased the motor and it looked a day over 20,000 miles old.

Winter is here in Pennsylvania and I have discovered one serious flaw with the car, no snow traction. This, perhaps, was not helped by the balding tires in the front and the 2 - 15" sub-woofers in the trunk (which fit very nicely I might add). I discovered next year, however, that even with new tires (although not snow tires) and the sub-woofers removed, getting going from standing still is an amazing challenge even on slightly glazed road.

The car has another major winter flaw, if it's below a certain temperature (10 above to 20 degrees below) you will not get any heat because the engine won't stay warm enough. I thought this to be a faulty thermostat and replaced it to no avail. The motor is simply not insulated enough to handle extreme cold.

After having owned the car for 10,000 miles and almost a year, I'm still having trouble with the clutch. I can't quite get the hang of it. The engagement is very high and unless I give it high RPMs I get serious chatter. I believe the problem is rooted to a bad clutch plate and press plate, but that has yet to be seen.

A tie rod broke when they were putting on the new tires and giving it an alignment, just an extra 25 bucks. Better in the shop than on the road.

I've started noticing an increasing amount of carbon build-up on the tip of the exhaust and all over the back of the bumper. It seems to be running rich and the oil is dirty even immediately after I change it. I had the engine flushed and began changing my oil every 500 miles four times in a row. The oil looks almost brand new all the time. Still can't figure out why it's spitting out so much carbon, it doesn't burn the oil at all.

Needed a slight tune-up to get rid of the rough idling. Distributor cap and rotor, plugs, wires and O2 sensor. $60 all together. Just one more hint, using premium gas helps too.

The brake pedal had a very long throw before I would start to get good braking power. 145,000 miles it gets new disc's and rotors, drums and shoes, and now this thing stops on a dime even without ABS.

When it rains at night, I can't see. It's not that the wipers don't work well, there is just a lot of glare, poor power from the headlights even with performance bulbs, so the lines in the road just kinda disappear.

Struts and mounts are starting to go around 150,000 miles, mostly the rear ones. I might as well just replace them and drive the car for another 150,000, since that's where this thing seems to want to go.

General Comments:

Most important thing to emphasize on this car, NO RUST!

I love the way this thing looks. When the dealer first pointed it out to me, I basically said no telling him it was too nice of a car for me. Full power interior is not something that I was expecting, but boy do I love it.

Again I have to be thankful for the trunk space. For the first 2 years I owned the car the trunk housed my 2 - 15" sub-woofers with a perfect fit. I also replace the head unit and speakers with high quality components and the sound is sublime.

The motor and transmission are suited perfectly for this car. I enjoy the manual especially, although the shift gate pattern seems a little narrow at first. It almost shifts like a truck until you get used to it, then it feels like a true rice burner. And don't get me started on the sound, even with the stock exhaust it sounds powerful and throaty.

I know it seems like a lot of words, but there's really not that much I have bad to say about the car. I also think in all honesty that this car should, nay, it MUST drive for at least another 150,000 miles and more. I just wish I could stop topping it out at 135 mph :)