229,xxx miles on my 1st one, and at 227,xxx on 2nd
Paul S.
on 11/20/2016
Comfort Rating: 2
Performance Rating:
2
Interior Rating: 3
Reliability Rating:
5
Safety Rating: 1
Technology Rating:
1
Value Rating: 5
Keep in mind that I am writing this in 2016 and it is a 23 year old car now. There is not enough to be said about it. Here's the deal--this car, by today's millennial entitlement standards, is a piece of crap. There are no power windows, no power steering, no air bags, there's lots of road noise and wind noise. A remote keyless entry system? Never. Air conditioning? Probably not. At idle, the engine shakes the car. Anti-lock brakes? What are those? It is not the speediest thing by any means. It is tiny. The wheels are 12 inches in size. Most people are embarrassed to drive it or even be seen in it. It is a dinky tin can on wheels. But if you are a realist and the type that would rather not rely on government hand-outs and don't care about impressing your buddies, and don't want to live out your life in constant debt, and want something very reliable, this is the car for you. Also, when gas hits $3-$4 per gallon, it suddenly doesn't become very embarrassing anymore. It also helps if you do not let fear run your life, because if you get hit, you may be better off on a motorcycle. Due to the fact that it is a 22 model year old car as of 2016, it is *very likely* to have problems unless the previous owners maintained it well. Almost any car this old will have such problems. It is just the fact of life with old cars. Visibility is absolutely great. Tight parking spots are never a problem. You can throw all sorts of stuff into the hatchback. The turning radius is great. Repairs are the simplest of simple. The timing belt can be replaced in 45 minutes in an apartment parking lot. If said belt breaks, no engine damage is done. Wheel bearings can be replaced with simple ordinary hand tools. Parallel parking is awesome because it will fit into spaces that 99.9% of the vehicles out there have to pass by because they will not physically fit into them. If it is a REALLY tight spot, you can pull forward into it, and you and your buddy can get out and dead lift the rear end of the car towards the curb. If the battery goes COMPLETELY dead for whatever reason, I was able to Macgyver my cordless drill batteries through the cigarette lighter outlet and then push-start the car all by myself. Common problems include a frame that rusts out and breaks at the front suspension. I would recommend buying one of these where road salts are not commonly used if at all. The engines burn up valves, which contrary to popular belief, is ultimately caused by the neglect of oil changes--the reasons are technical. 1st and 2nd gear manual transmission synchronizers wear out, making it tricky to downshift to those gears while the car is moving forward. Interior door handles break, but are available aftermarket for not a ton of money. Otherwise, that is all for the common problems. Considering that these cars were like $7,000 when brand new, there is actually great value to them as they will get you to where you need to go and you would have only lost $6,000 in depreciation if you bought one new. They are highly reliable. The 50 mpg is no joke, at least it is not during the summer months. Head room is no problem for someone 6'4". You want to get one with the 3 cylinder engine and manual transmission if you want the fuel economy. Automatics seem to chug gas. The 4 cylinders really compromise fuel economy as well. The odometer is deadly accurate. The old cable driven speedometer is deadly accurate. The car just works.
