1990 Honda Concerto 1.6i16 review from France

1. Front brakes grind loudly and unpredictably. No one can figure out the problem.

2. ABS pump chatters.

3. Brake master cylinder died.

4. Electrical short activates the door locks.

5. The hose between the air filter and intake manifold slips loose.

6. Fast idle slips and has to be tuned back.

7. The back of the driver's seat slips back and has to be adjusted regularly.

8. Gaps have formed in the rubber seals between the pedal cables and the chassis.

9. Combustion produces a lot of acid. I've replaced the mufflers twice.

10. Very loud car, thanks to two cherry-bomb mufflers under the cab.

The car is very comfortable, and generally speaking, I feel very safe in it. I bought it because it is Japanese and European cars are poorly finished. The car had several problems when I got it, however, and I had to return to the car dealer nine times in 10 months to get most of the problems corrected. I discovered just after the 1-year warranty ran out that someone, probably the dealer, had patched the exhaust system with pieces of sheet metal. Changing the exhaust system quieted the car tremendously, but it is still a very loud car because of two cherry-bomb mufflers under the cab. The mufflers are a feeble attempt by the manufacturer to make the car sound powerful. My brother-in-law calls it a "rice burner." It is factory rated at 130 horses and 210 kph. Those mufflers make so much noise, though, that you think the car's going to explode when you get over 120. I've had it up to 180, but it wasn't a pleasant experience. The car's terrible on ice. The front end pops up when you accelerate, and on ice, you end up sliding around a bit. It took awhile for me to get used to driving the car. All that power makes it very squirrelly, and being a heavy car, it handles a bit like a boat, heaving from side to side. My wife refuses to drive it because it is so powerful.