I've seen plenty for sub-$6k. What I've been able to read, I don't see a whole lot of common weaknesses. I did see an oil manifold gasket failure that's a PITA to get to but is a $12.00 part.
I've seen plenty for sub-$6k. What I've been able to read, I don't see a whole lot of common weaknesses. I did see an oil manifold gasket failure that's a PITA to get to but is a $12.00 part.
The inside is ugly as hell. Unless you find a 3.6 V6 car, they're sorta gutless. Gen 2 car is waaaaay nicer on all counts.
Still, it seems to be a lot of car for the money, no?
https://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/4344857950.html
The first gen cars have aged really poorly aesthetically in my opinion, especially the dash design.
I don't think there is anything particularly wrong, or bad, per say.
I'd overlook those shortcomings for a low enough priced V. 
I think part of the problem is that they came out during GM's "Plastisize Everything" phase and there is a lot of hard plastic in the interior. The only thing I have heard is that they consume oil.
IIRC the V6 models could be had with a manual transmission.
The interior plastics are awful . . . Hard, brittle and squeak over every bump. But it's liveable in the V.
I dated a girl a few years ago that drove one, thankfully her plastics were much softer then the car's
Avoid the 3.0. The 3.6 is tons better but does have a tendency to use oil. I haven't been able to convince my buddy to do the Seafoam soak and see if it helps like it does with Saturns. His '05 has superb front seats. Mileage with the 3.6 is meh. He had an alternator fire at around 100k (odd failure, amiright?) and has done the rear wheel bearings. Other than that, just routine stuff for him and it's at 145k now.
The interiors are just as bad a current WRXs and 93-2002 F-bodies in terms of cheap plastics and squeaks.
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