1995 Honda del Sol S review from North America
"Practical and fun!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Before I bought the car at 60k miles, the owner had replaced the radiator with a metal one because the stock plastic one had melted.
The clear coat was totally deteriorated.
I don't know if this is Honda's fault or the owner, but even though the car is black I didn't know this could happen so quickly.
Here are the problems that I have had:
The interior squeaks a lot.
Sometimes it takes a lot of wiggling to get the key out of the ignition (even with a brand new key from Honda).
The trunk lever doesn't always pop the trunk.
The windshield fogs up easily and is hard to defrost.
(All of these problems are exacerbated by cold weather.)
I have not had any problems with leaks.
Other than that what can I say, it's totally reliable and will probably last forever, especially if properly maintained.
General comments?
The S model is the most economical, it's definitely not a sports car, but it can be feel like it when driven aggressively and hey, it sometimes looks like one.
This particular version is one of Honda's best ideas, it's nice to have the benefits of a really small, reliable, economical car, but the bonuses of a sports car style.
You're nice and low to the road in this car. The handling is great, nice tight turns, but even on this model, the handling could be much better if the factory had put wider tires on it. The stock tires don't do it justice.
Just right for singles or a couple. But, if you've got more passengers, too bad, the only room is in the spacious trunk!
The blind spots can be a pain, but the otherwise good visibility and maneuverability of this car makes up for it.
The interior has a wonderfully nice and simple layout, totally comfortable.
The convertible top is excellent, and it's discrete so no need to worry about getting it slashed. Takes about 10 seconds to pop it in the trunk, great design.
Besides the targa top, the most under-rated feature of this car is the back window that rolls down, perfect for fresh air without the wind beating you in the face.
Repairs (if there ever are any) are cheap because the car is virtual identical to the ubiquitous Honda civic.
Repairs and maintenance are also very easy for the do-it-yourselfer because of the intelligent layout under the hood, just get some ramps.
One last note: Look out for SUV drivers! We're little.
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| 1995 - del Sol S 1.5L non-vtec Small car big SOL |
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| A very sweet two-seater targa top |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1995 |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 59000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 67000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Sentra |
| Date of Entry | 8th November, 2004 |