 My wife purchased this car a few months before we met.  It's been a fun little car to tool about town in.  Handles well, gets excellent gas mileage (32 mpg in mixed city driving), and the convertible top is simple to operate. Unfortunately, the car is poorly built:  Power windows don't operate properly, interior bits are falling apart, and the final straw: Total transmission failure at under 55,000 miles (5 speed manual.)  Google "Self Machining Syndrome" to find out more about how some very important pieces of the drivetrain are held together with rivets! This goes for Golfs and Jettas too. 