A loose hose clamp caused a coolant leak, but it did not leave me stranded.
The engine is strong and provides good acceleration and shifting is nearly effortless (except in cold weather).
The interior feels cheaply made, the dash rattles, the glove-box squeaks, the rear deck-lid vibrates... Nothing really broken, but all of the little noises do get annoying on long drives.
Visibility is simply horrible. The pillars are large and in just the wrong places.. The spoiler blocks half of your already tiny rear-viewing area, backing up is not fun in crowded parking lots.
The steering felt loose at high speeds, road feedback was minimal. The car doesn't have the precision steering I have become used to from my Hondas.
Also, the turning radius is huge, it feels like you're trying to park a Buick.
Despite the loose handling on the highway, the car corners on a dime. The wheels simply won't let go of the road.
If you are shopping for a sports coupe, test drive a Celica or RSX before deciding on an Eclipse. They perform well, but they feel like they were slapped together from random parts.
I am overall pleased with my 01 GT. To make the backing up and reversing easier to see I took my spoiler off. It looks much better and it isn't a race car so it won't really work. I have not had any problems with the interior though. The 4 wheel disc will not stop me at high speed or when they are simply hot. Bad breaks. The turning radius is more like parking a Frieghtligner. The car handles way to good on those dodging animal heart pounders. It scares me. Tires will not spin any except first gear, which is good. I am very pleased with it I would recommend a Celica GTS also. I work at Cherokee County Toyota.
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