Summary:
Was scared of American cars before. Changed my mind..
Faults:
Flasher switch at 130 000km.
Rear brakes rusted out at 130 000km.
Thermostat replaced at 147 000km.
Right rear power window does not work anymore.
General Comments:
I bought this car for $1300. Sadly, rust was hidden all over the place, but the car runs fine. The car was never rustproofed and I live in an area where winters are tough on cars (salt + sand). The power steering cooling like broke because of the rust, the rocker panels are cooked (hidden under the "sport edition" plastic body moldings), rust around the right wheel well in the back etc...
The interior held up pretty well, even though some plastic trim is starting to show some signs of wear and tear. I find it pretty roomy (sedan), but the puke green colour is not very pretty. hehe.
The doors are very heavy, and the handles are easy to break because of that.
It's quite fun to drive, even though it's gas hungry. It handles pretty well for a large sedan.
Always started in the winter, and never left me stranded. If something breaks on that car, it still drives me everywhere (I'll knock on wood).
Fully loaded, and the A/C still works.
Transmission made harsh shifts, but this problem is gone since we used some transmission conditioner.
Even though it seems that I had lots of problems with this car, I haven't spent more than $300 in repairs in a full year (except from brakes, which are expensive, but it's some regular maintenance).
I like the car, but I'm planning to let it go since it's starting to look like an orange instead of a white car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th March, 2010
