Overview and Common Failures
Body and Interior The paintwork here is thin, and the metal is soft, so chips and dents form quickly. The corrosion resistance is also weak, and additional treatment is necessary. The interior is very spacious, with cheap plastic, but it has decent wear resistance. Electrical issues are rare, although the automatic climate control is often criticized online. Engine The petrol engines of the Sirius II family with a cast iron block have a long service life. However, the timing belt and balance shafts do not last long, and if they break, the valves get bent. After 150,000 km, hydraulic compensators usually wear out and rings start to leak. The Beta II engine that replaced the Sirius II engines is almost trouble-free. The V6 powertrain is quite reliable but consumes an unreasonably high amount of fuel. In the early years of production, the intake manifold shutters would fall into the cylinders. Transmission The manual gearbox is reliable and durable, as long as oil leaks are monitored. The weak points of the transmission are the CV joints and clutch hydraulic drive. The automatic transmission is decent, with failures mostly occurring in the first two years of production. Suspension The suspension is complex, consisting of double wishbones and multi-link, but the reliability is fairly high. Stabilizer struts and rear wheel bearings are often replaced before reaching 100,000 km. The steering rack is relatively weak and starts knocking, and later develops leaks. The brakes are good, but occasionally there are ruptured hoses and ABS sensors malfunction.
