Faults:
First of all, what hasn't gone wrong with this car??
First - the knobs and controls of the car are very poorly made. The gas cap has broken, the control for the lumbar for the drivers and passenger seat has broken, and the rear view mirror has fallen off several times.
The sunroof which came installed from the factory has leaked since the day the warranty expired. The ceiling liner is stained from 2 years of leakage.
The brakes only last about 10,000 miles, and then I need new brake jobs. A new set of tires only lasts about 20,000 miles on the car.
The two front window motors have both gone bad. The windows start to rattle and then they just fall inside the door. The whole motor needs to be replaced.
The door locks do not work. I have to open the window to use my key to unlock the door from the outside.
The bumper panel is lopsided, and cannot be hooked back into place.
The back hatch does not pop open without having to continue lifting it and pushing the unlock button.
Ready for the good stuff? As of today, I have a leak in the: Water Pump, the Condenser, the compressor, and an oil leak in the Intake Manifold. All total, about $2500 to fix.
I have had several go arounds with the car overheating. There have been coolant leaks galore!
Also, the special DEX antifreeze coagulates, and hardens, causing the car to overheat. You must drain the antifreeze and flush the engine.
I have put about $8,000 of maintenance into this car over 3 years.
General Comments:
This car is a disaster. First of all, I paid $25000 for it, brand new. It has sunroof, multi-CD changer, and 4 captains chairs, the tent attachment, and the drawers in the back.
The best part of the car is the storage room overall. No car matches it. But, I'd have been much better off renting trucks for the $$ I've spent.
The worst part about this car is the rapid and total depreciation. You better love this car, because you cannot trade it in, nor can you sell it. After 3 years, no dealer will pay me more than $3500 for the car. I still owe $15,000 on it.
It never handled well, performance was average. I bought it to camp in the NC mountains, and it ran hot over the mountain driving the first month I owned it.
The vinyl and interior of the car is cheap and cheesy. It scratches easily and looks very worn after 3 years.
Overall, if I can save anyone from the impulsive decision of buying this car, my experience won't be half as bad. At this point if I had GAP coverage on my insurance, it would be in the bottom of a canal somewhere very far away!! Don't do it!
31st Mar 2006, 10:14
If your car is running hot please have it checked. My car ran hot only when I drove 25 miles per hour, 6 mos. later the gasket blew and now I have a $700.00 bill. My mechanic is removing the dex-coolant which he states destroys everything it touch. He replacing it with regular coolant.