Faults:

A few things:

- "Ghost" breakdowns. For a while, two small alarms (airbag and power steering) were annoying, but they were eventually fixed by replacing the dashboard (luckily under warranty).

- Faulty navigation reader (according to the repairer, they're made of methacrylate and all last between 5 and 7 years). 200 euros. If they were glass, they'd last forever...

- Broken engine mount tie rod.

- Broken windshield washer motor.

- Broken turbo hose.

- Fuel leak from an injector. All it took was a tightening.

- Alternator replacement (I installed a repair one: 700 euros, with official warranty).

Maintenance (these aren't negative things, but I'll describe them here anyway):

1 set of tires.

1 set of brake pads.

1 set of glow plugs.

2 sets of windshield wiper blades.

General Comments:

I admit I've always liked large cars. In fact, before this one, I owned a Ford Explorer for almost 15 years. The Thesis far exceeded my expectations. It's a car that, in its launch year, was ahead of its time, with a level of comfort and convenience that few cars offer even today. It's very pleasant to drive; despite being a huge car, it parks as easily as a small one (well, living in rural Belgium, traffic isn't a problem, but it's still suitable for large cities). It's been manufactured for almost 20 years, but when you look at it, it seems like a car made just a year ago. The years go by, and its modernity remains intact.

In about a month, it will be the 8th anniversary of the purchase of my Lancia Thesis. It's an Emblema Comfortronic with an Alfa Romeo 3.2 Busso engine and automatic transmission. It had a mere 23,000 km on the clock when I acquired it. The price wasn't cheap (20,000 euros), but the car's condition (9 years old, purchased from an official dealership, meticulously maintained due to its ownership, and a 1-year premium warranty) made my decision. At that time, the car had only recently been discontinued (since January), and it could now be found for 15 or 18,000 euros, but in different conditions.

I use the car daily, have made several trips (one of them 4,000 km), and so far it's holding up perfectly. Today it has 124.000 km. The engine maintains its power, although I notice more vibration at idle. The oil level doesn't reach the minimum when I change it.

In the city, it's a bit of a guzzler (12 l/100 km), but on the highway, it uses about 7 l/100 km.

The exterior appearance of the body is practically the same as when I bought it, with the pearlescent paint finish intact, much better than any high-end car of the same age. The sound system is fantastic and has also held up. The climate control works perfectly. The "Poltrona Frau" leather upholstery is excellent, barely showing wear and remains extremely comfortable.

The balance is clearly positive. I just returned from Warsaw (1,302 km) and it was a trip (like all others) without any incidents. We traveled comfortably (four people), with a quiet ride and safety. Fuel consumption was moderate, at 7.5 l/100 km.

In my opinion, it's still a great car, and I recommend buying it (as long as it's a good one) to anyone. Furthermore, its styling, initially controversial, is improving with age.