Faults:

Front brake caliper seized at 158000.

Exhaust system leaked at flexible tube before catalytic converter.

Engine mounts needed replacement at 135,000 miles.

Interior plastic trunk and gas lid release levers broke.

Rear strut / suspension developed noise, but function.

Leather head cushions in rear seats developed strange staining.

General Comments:

It is so reliable and well designed it is actually boring.

The oil filter is incredibly convenient; so are the four spark plugs.

Faults:

The radiator fins separated from the core, causing the engine to overheat. This caused the aluminum head to seperate from the iron block and leak at the head gasket. A very expensive repair.

The control switch for the power windows failed. Another expensive repair. Over $100 for a switch.

The motor for the drivers side power window failed. Another expensive repair.

The power radio antenna does not work; I've given up on fixing little things that cost so much.

The flexible coupling on the exhaust pipe failed $300.

Brake warning switch on the parking brake sticks.

Air bag light came on when I replaced the battery. Dealer wants $40 to "pull out the code" says it is normal condition for this to happen. On a battery replacement!

General Comments:

A little less reliable than my 1985 Buick, but much more expensive to get repaired.

Faults:

Back when it was only 90K the engine had trouble starting in the morning. This was really due to the fact that the spark plug wires needed to be replaced. However the dealer who checked up on the car had the nerve to try to charge me $800 for the "time" it took to diagnose the problems. I told them, "I'd get right back to them." and proceeded to use my spare key to drive the car out.

Otherwise the car has only left me stranded twice when the battery went dead. Again, not the manufacturer's fault.

General Comments:

This has easily been the best car I have ever owned in my life, and is highly regarded at the auto auctions I work at as a reliable and easy to maintain car (I'm an auctioneer by profession). The vehicle in question is an LE Coupe and it has regularly given me 30 - 32 mpg on the interstates and 26 - 28 mpg in city driving. I keep up with EVERYTHING on this car. Oil every 3K, tire rotation every 5K, transmission fluid every 30K, air filter every 15K, spark plugs every 50K (and plug wires since I now know better), timing belt every 60K, and the water pump / thermostat every 120K. Even though this has cost me a couple hundred more in parts, I can tell you that this vehicle shifts as smoothly as the day I got it and the engine still lets me know that it was designed like an underpowered Mercedes. Actually, the car is a little underpowered, but the higher gas mileage and easy to maintain engine more than make up for it over the course of ownership.