Nothing has really gone wrong with car, only discomforts:
The windows freeze in the winter (around 20 degrees).
The car has terrible turning radius.
The heat takes for ever to get hot and struggles to keep the cab warm.
I don't know bout the previous owner. The used car dealer that I bought it from insisted that they replace the exhuast system on the car from the cats back. They said something about the muffler being "throaty"
The car has more than enough power for a mid sized sedan, 222 horsepower on a 5 speed transmision makes for some fun driving. A 15.1 - 15.5 quarter is pretty good a for a family car.
Without a doubt it beats all competing mid sized sedans in handling and power for that year. Plus it has that great reliabilty.
Your heat problem is probably a bad thermostat. Same thing happened on my 00' Infiniti I30 (Maxima twin)
Thanks for the help.