Overview and Common Failures
Body and interior
For a car of this age, the body is not bad and only damaged specimens quickly rust. Corrosion can be found only in the arches, under the moldings of the doors or on the edge of the hood. A number of suspension components and the metal fuel tank are also prone to rust. The interior made of oak plastic often starts squeaking from the first kilometers of mileage. However, there are no special problems with the electrical system here, although there is not much of it.
Engine
Petrol engines are very reliable, and thanks to the cast iron block, they have a long service life. It is necessary to monitor only oil or coolant leaks and the condition of the timing belt. Diesel engines are less common and have a bad reputation.
Transmission
Manual gearboxes are not known for their high reliability or long service life. But the automatic transmissions here are not bad and, with frequent oil changes, last up to 300,000 km. Weak points of the transmission can also include not very durable CV joints.
Suspension
The suspension cannot be called highly durable, but the parts for it are quite cheap. Weak points include stabilizer struts, hub and support bearings.
Steering and braking systems are reliable and there are no major complaints about them.
