Faults:

Leaking oil seal on steering pump early in the peace. Pump promptly replaced by later type under warranty.

Three loose 6mm set screws inside timing cover at 184,00km (112,000 miles). One came out, destroying the timing belt and damaging both camshaft pulleys.

Its neighbour just skimmed the back of the exhaust c/shaft pulley. Nett result: four bent valves and a lot of dismantling/reassembly. No piston damage!! Also AUS$1200, mainly in parts.

The third screw situated on the top of the oil pump started to come out; the threaded boss on the alloy oil pump casing holding the belt tensioner bolt snapped under the strain and the screw (tensile 8.8) bent. No trace of Loctite on any of the fasteners, although the one that broke the belt and its neighbour screw into the alloy head, thus excessive torque not possible.

I've scoured AUS and NZ for a new oil pump, but to no avail. (Still trying)

The engine comes from GM's Holden Engine Operations in Melbourne, AUS. I think I'm just one of the unlucky ones, as these engines are exported in vast numbers and appear in Vauxhall and Opel cars, too.

General Comments:

Apart from the above major disaster, the car's been terrific. My previous car was a Nubira SX (1.6-litre Korean-made engine) and that was good, too. I sold it to friends at 21,000km (12,000 miles) and it was perfect.

It's a pity there was no Loctite available when my engine was assembled!

Faults:

The factory muffler fell off (literally) at 30K and again at 70K. I'm told this is a problem common to many wagons that mainly do short trips. Due to the large size of the Daewoo muffler and since the distance from the motor to the muffler is longer than a sedan moisture is retained longer. I have since replaced it with a smaller after-market unit.

The front brake pads wore out at 50K.

One rear brake light globe failed.

The positive battery terminal corroded and needed replacing at 75K. The battery is now 6 years old and shows no sign of failing any time soon.

The "parking brake on" indicator globe failed at 50K. Unfortunately we found out about this after my wife cooked the rear brakes.

The front shock absorbers now make a "squishing" sound until they warm up, but seem to be functioning correctly.

General Comments:

The car has been mechanically very reliable and economical.

My only real gripes concern the quality of the metallic paint, which seems to mark very easily, and the black paint on the roof rails which was very poor and has flaked off in places.

We bought the car because of the three year Free Care program. I liked the idea of not having to put my hand in my pocket for three years very much.

Faults:

I bought an 1998 used car of this type on year 2000.

On 2001, its transmission broke down, and the car's 5-yr motor-transmission warranty covered up the parts/repair expenses, but the frontal left side tire ball bearing also broke up, and it happened outside the 3-yr piece warranty : (

On 2002, the power windows system on the the frontal passenger door and the driver's side rear door broke up. On this same year its interior trims began to peel off, and its brake system sometimes went "blank".

Finally, on September 2003 I had a fatal accident on the damned car going to work, and thanks to the driver's seat belt that broke up in the crash and to the airbags that never opened, had multiple trauma/fracture on my face, left ankle, right lower leg, and right chest ribs (broke 3 of them). Was incapacitated for six months because of this, and am still receiving physical therapy for full recuperation.

General Comments:

A spacious car, that is not reliable nor secure to drive.