Faults:

Front Wheel Bearing BAD at 48K-ruined tire.

SAME Wheel Bearing BAD at 64K-ruined tire.

Dealer says second bearings were just a bad set of bearings.

Covered under extended warranty, but will there be a next time? and then not under warranty? Too much of a coincidence for me.

SHOULD I LOOK TO TRADE before 75K and no extend warranty??? Am thinking of it.

Faults:

The clock light bulb failed at 18,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car is the best car I have owned. It cruises effortlessly at motorway speeds and is quiet at high speeds on most road surfaces. The cruise control is, for me, a very useful feature. The car is also easy to drive around town.

Although coming up to 3 years old it is as smooth as when I bought it, but an irritating rattle has just started in the nearside front door.

Disappointments are few, but include a poor Pioneer Radio/Cassette player and a rear screen heater that is extremely slow to do its job. If you are tall then headroom is limited under the sunroof and you will leave little rear leg room if you have the front seats fully back. However the front seats are comfortable and have an excellent range of adjustment.

My local dealer has been excellent in every way.

Faults:

Nothing. Runs like a Rolex. The shocks respond as well as when the car was brand new, the gas mileage is better than quoted (I routinely get 35+ on the highway and that's at 70+ mph) and she performs so well, that I have to ask myself why I bought a 1995 Audi A6, this is a better car expect for luxury accouterments and status. Great sound system. The seats are very supportive, but a little flat (I realize America is gaining weight and needs flatter seat bottoms to accommodate same)

General Comments:

If I could change one thing about the car, I would like more torque immediately off the line, at off idle. I readily admit that I am a victim of GM/Chrysler V-8's of yesteryear and often forget that an inline 4 is not a V-8. The mid-range torque and rush to redline from the VTEC engine are WELL worth the slight off idle torque deficiency. I notice this only because I have the 5 speed, an automatic model does not reveal this engine characteristic. The solution is rev the engine a few hundred rpm's and the problem; isn't. The ease and smoothness of shifting of the 5 speed are as good as it gets at any price for any vehicle.

Faults:

Drivers window squeaks & binds slightly when the weather is very hot.

Black paintwork always looks dirty, but this is a general car thing and not model specific. It would have been nice to have more colour options when I got it.

General Comments:

A very comfortable & easy car to drive, around town and on long distances. Great handling when pushed. Simple to operate steering wheel mounted cruise control is just brilliant.

VTEC engine is perfection itself albeit a tad thirsty when pushed. Very quiet, refined & smooth. Just keep above 4000 RPM to get the VTEC to kick in when you REALLY want to motor. Top speed 130mph with cruise control on.

Electric everything, & controls easy to reach & operate, but a little dull in appearance. Standard internal trim is also a bit bland. Next time I'll specify leather seats & climate control instead of straight air conditioning.

Extremely reliable car, just drive it with no worries.

Only thing that lets it down is purely aesthetic - the standard steel wheels look a bit small & weedy.

Don't buy a Mondeo or Vectra without trying one of these first.