They're awful cars and they're awful driving experiences. I spent 8 years of my life working on these things, they are junk through and through. I literally could write a book on these things, but I'll keep it short.
These are the things that were "trouble" areas...
Intake gaskets -- 5-7 hour job, tear half the engine apart
Steering racks -- they leak, they are tough to replace
Power steering pumps -- they fail because the rack leaked
Struts, control arms, sway bar bushings and steering intermediate shaft -- all JUNK
EVAP codes and leaks -- poor placement of lines, materials, sensors
Interiors fall apart -- seats are designed better in go-carts
Engine leaks -- it's like a waterfall under there, they leak from everywhere
EGR failure -- it'll be the port to the throttle body, it will fill with so much oil and carbon that you'll need to drill it out, and the valve will fail too
Every sensor you can think -- O2 sensors, crank sensors, map sensors...they all will fail...lowest bidder, poor placement, they're always covered in some engine fluid (because the engine leaks everywhere). Garbage
Despite all this^^^ They do keep running. The wrist pins on the pistons will be clacking and clinging, the exhaust will be leaking, the engine will be dripping...but it'll still run. It just will cost you every few months to keep it that way.
