Faults:

Bob-weights seized on engine in 1997 causing occasional back-firing. It took 5 trained Honda mechanics to free it.

Clutch cable snapped in 2002. First time car had actually "broken down".

Taking car to scrap heap tomorrow (28-Sept-2002), though sad to see it go:

1. Gearbox cover plate has rusted to nothing - the oil is leaking through a plate of rust.

2. Rear and central exhaust sections have rusted.

3. Passenger side windscreen de-laminating and starting to crack.

4. Both near-side and off-side sills rusted (changed one of them 3 years ago).

5. Structural rust near off-side rear suspension - this might require dismantling of the suspension before welding.

6. All 4 wheel arches have rusted, especially off-side.

General Comments:

Superbly reliable despite its age and little maintenance.

Quiet and comfortable ride. Like a limousine when sat in the back.

Thoughtfully designed and superbly built - no corners cut.

Mechanics are superb, but couldn't stop the structural rust.

Barely spent a penny on it except sensible things when I first bought it (new cam belt, oil changes etc).

Passed every MOT for last 4 years, but will not pass this year - I've done no maintenance to it for 2 years.

Even though the engine oil is now like tar (18 months old), the car drives beautifully.

Faults:

The car has never left me stranded. It has required some routine maintenance, like timing belts at 60k, one clutch, an alternator or two, etc.

General Comments:

Quite possibly the world's greatest car. I "inherited" the car from my parents who purchased the automobile new. In high school it was really fun and had lots of pick-up, and in college, it was always there for me even though I put almost no money into it. After college, I once hit a deer at 85 mph, spun 360, and ended up in a ditch. After a farmer yanked it out of the ditch, I drove it five hours back home. (My father-in-law calls it "the Deer Car")

The car has been rear-ended, plowed through a deer, survived me in both high school and college, and is now doing double duty by chugging me back and forth to work and making trips to the hardware store. However, as a new homeowner, I need a truck, but I just can't bear to give up that Honda. It's like turning my back on an old friend. I can't bear the thought of it in a junkyard, because it's still got another 150k miles to give.

Oh it's ugly, that's for sure, but the darn thing keeps ticking. It's got a few bumper stickers on it, a mangled front fender, and a headlight that is held in place by a bungee cord, no power steering, but make no mistake, this is quite possibly the world's finest automobile.

I wish they made a truck version.

Faults:

There has always been a swiss cheese type pattern of holes in the center of the tailpipe, something I have been meaning to replace. So, the tailpipe is very loud.

The hose connecting from the reserve tank by the radiator popped off and spat antifreeze/coolant all over that area of the engine compartment, and as a result of me driving and not knowing this was happening, the car got very hot and most of the belts snapped off (they were overdue for replacement anyway). The whole thing cost me about $150 to fix and I had to replace the waterpump as well, which luckily there was a brand new one in its box in the back of the car just waiting to be used.

I just replaced the brake pads and had new rotors put on the front.

My stick shift partially melted in the heat of the sun over the course of a few days of the car not being used.

The tripometer doesn't work correctly and the speedometer bounces a bit. In the winter time when it gets really cold, the lights in the dashboard don't work.

When I first got the car, the paint had been peeling off. Something I have yet to take are of. Also, the interior could have used some work; I could use new seats, front and back.

General Comments:

I keep it as clean as I can and I'm always buying little things for it to modify it back to near-new condition. I love messing with this car and despite the problems it has had, I really enjoy driving it and taking care of it.

It's not the prettiest car in the world, but with a few "cosmetics" it could be one groovy little cockroach of a car. I'm into music so I'm always hauling big amps and speakers and things in the hatchback. Every time I put something big back there I look again and find more room to put in something else. It's amazing how much stuff you can fit into such a small car. I love this thing.