Convertible, handling, acceleration, gas mileage, comfortable seats, rarity, engine sounds, feels stable at any speed, easy to clean and maintain, lots of features, back window rolls down

Cupholders, although I am used to them now.

I have had 62 cars, from Jags to Corvettes, Fiat X19, Crossfire SRT-6, Mustangs, etc. This is my favorite car. It is not the fastest, nor the most economical, but it is the most rewarding car I have ever driven. It is so well balanced, quiet and comfortable at low RPMs, but at 5500 RPMs, Hyde replaces Jeckyl! When you upshift at the redline, the engine is still in the power band to maximize the vtec engine. 4 wheel disc brakes stop it quickly and have no fade. I put a decent stereo in it, with a subwoofer in the back for bass. I am a married 52 yr old with 3 kids, but I still love music. It is so smooth on the highway, even though it is at 4,000 rpms. It took a while to get used to that. It has a motorcyle engine in it! You can take the top off and latch it in the trunk, and still have lots of room in the trunk. The car has cruise, power windows, tilt, power brakes and steering, and is very comfortable on long trips. The 160 HP Vtec is the only way to go. I had both the S and SI, and they aren't nearly as much fun to drive. They are still great cars, but don't have the handling and acceleration of the VTEC.

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FAST strong wont let you down

only a two steer

This car is the fastes car you will ever drive with out spending the big$$$$$

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none

Dependability, MPG, Removeable roof, big trunk, interior lock for trunk & gas.

Cupholders, low to the ground

My sis bought this car new in 97. She can no longer drive stick (medical) so she gave it to me. I absolutely love this honda. I absolutely cannot say enough good about this car. MPG is consistantly 38mpg. Maintenance with both her and I have been brakes, exhaust, tires, & oil changes. Normal stuff. Its trunk is suprisingly spacious. Cupholder suck & is noisy at at times due to the roof setup, but love the easy top off. By far, one of the best cars I've owned & I've owned a lot.

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Volvo, BMW, Toyota Celica, VW jetta, passat, Mazda3,

Mine, the 1.5 with 5-speed transmission, has to be the most incredibly reliable car ever made. Stunning elegance, phenomenal gas mileage, what more could anyone want?

The top rattles until I take it off. :-) And the cup holders are in a stupid place. That's all I can think of after 14 years of owning this car!

This car is magic, it was love at first sight when they first came on the market in 1993. In 1994 I bought mine new at a dealer, and 14 years later it's still my daily drive, and it turns heads wherever it goes. I'll never sell this car.

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Not in this lifetime!

Hot look (for a Honda)
AC freezes me out
Surround sound set up with where the speakers are
Targa top!!
Lots of other things...

Bad gas mileage (not typical)
Top used to leak
body makes alot of squeaking when its cold

This car is more than a typical Honda. Its a cheap person's S2000. My Del Sol has been nothing but reliable for the past two years I have owned it. It currently has 97K miles on it, and is still running in top shape. It starts every time, and the mechanics of it are like new. I know I could easily continue to drive this car for the next ten years. Its fun to drive, and handles well considering its the base model. It only has about 106 hp, but it still manages to have more than enough pick-up to get me out of sticky situations. I couldn't be happier with it! The only major problem I have had is gas mileage. Its only gotten about 25 mpg city/28 highway, which I know is not right, but everything I can think of has been worked on or replaced. Most Del Sols get great gas mileage, however.

Hot look (for a Honda)
AC freezes me out
Surround sound set up with where the speakers are
Targa top!!
Lots of other things...

Bad gas mileage (not typical)
Top used to leak
body makes alot of squeaking when its cold

This car is more than a typical Honda. Its a cheap person's S2000. My Del Sol has been nothing but reliable for the past two years I have owned it. It currently has 97K miles on it, and is still running in top shape. It starts every time, and the mechanics of it are like new. I know I could easily continue to drive this car for the next ten years. Its fun to drive, and handles well considering its the base model. It only has about 106 hp, but it still manages to have more than enough pick-up to get me out of sticky situations. I couldn't be happier with it! The only major problem I have had is gas mileage. Its only gotten about 25 mpg city/28 highway, which I know is not right, but everything I can think of has been worked on or replaced. Most Del Sols get great gas mileage, however.

reliability
fun
great mpg

roof noise
front end gets a little light over 120 mph.

I love my del sol. I've had it 6 yrs and it is the most reliable car I've owned along with a '91 CR-X which I gave to my son on his 17th birthday. I'm a big guy (6'3" and 250) but the way the car is laid out I fit in it with room to spare...it's like a cavern inside. I almost never fail to get 30 mpg in all kinds of driving avg. It will get a true 37.5 mpg on the highway and would get more if it had a 6th gear. It will accelerate 0-60 in 6.9 sec...maybe slow by today's standards but fast enough for me. The sound of the V-tec cutting in at 6000 rpm's is music to the ears. I'm almost 60 yrs old and this lil car helps keep me young. It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. And I keep it polished and spit shined. It is my favorite car to drive, even including my mercedes and suburban.

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The most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Nada and zilch, 'cept for two of the most minor, pickayune things:

1. The cup-holder, as all Del Sol owners know, is ridiculous. But, hell, who has any inclination to drink coffee if they're gonna drive this car? This ain't no stinkin' multi-tasker's vee-hick-ill. Buy an SUV or MiniVan instead if you really _have_ to have a half-dozen or so conveniently positioned cup-holders, factory-installed GPS and a Video-disk player for your rug rats. (Can you _tell_ I'm an "empty nester?")

2. The blind spots caused by the rear columns/roll bar support width. But this can be easily overcome by visiting your local NAPA, PepBoys, AutoBarn or their ilk and coughing up 10 simoleons for a wide-length rearview mirror which can easily be spring-clipped onto the existing one, making it possible to see _plenty_ good enough when changing lanes.

When I was a kid, I always thot the MG TCs or TDs of the late 1940s and early 1950s were the classiest looking cars around. When I got older, it was the Mazda Miata. Well, the MGs - I long ago learned - were very underpowered (50hp!) and I've only recently learned that at my 6 foot, 3 inch height I would _never_ have been able to _fit_ into either an MG or a Miata. I've always gotten a kick out of driving convertibles; my second car as a teen was a 1959 Chevy Impala convertible, the one with the unique "teardrop" taillights. In the late 1980s I managed to get my sis-in-law to give her old 1972 Olds Cutlass convertible to my oldest son, but _I_ managed to get in a lot of time driving it as well. :-) Problems with both those cars were that if and when I drove them in the winter it was a damn _chilly_ ride and I went thru a few tops (which I replaced myself using canvas roof _kits_) mainly because having snow accumulate on the canvas kinda ruined the roofs a tad too prematurely.
Okay, so. . . A few years ago I took an interest in finding a Del Sol to tool around in, as my "mid-life crisis toy." I searched the used car ads in local papers and on the 'net, and had a buddy at work who likes to constantly look up car ads "keep an eye open for me" too. Turned out, he found one was up for "auction" so-to-speak having been seized by the County Mounties from a 3-time loser (Explanation: Local law allows the PD to impound the vehicle of anyone who has been found guilty of DWI for a third time within a period of five years; if the former owner makes no effort to take steps to re-validate their drivers license within a certain time, the PD then puts the vehicle up for auction). As a result, I jumped on it and picked her up back in the summer of 2005 for a lot less than her fair market value. Another good thing about it was that since it was stored in impound long-term it only had 62,000 miles on it tho it was eight years old (a relatively low odometer reading for that age car, I thot). I ran the VIN at CarFax to check the Title history before buying and had a cousin who is in law enforcement do a bit of research about this particular car's history before buying, too. . . and everything came up smelling roses. No discernable accident or repairs on her either, despite her former owner's propensity for boozing.
This baby is the car of my dreams, way better than my previous fave - the '59 Impala convertible. I've made no changes in her other than to change the radio/CD player; she's all stock. She sure can't keep pace with any 'Stangs, Camaros or 'Vettes, but she's lots of fun for someone with my limited resouces. The 160hp is, in my opinion, just enough to make her peppy, not overwhelmingly overpowered. I've always gotten a kick out of making my turns tight, and _this_ car handles the turns and curves very nicely, thank you. Driving a 5-speed stick again, too, after soooooooo many years was like, as they say, riding a bike. . . . you never forget how, and it sure is _fun_.
I'm not by any means well-to-do, so this car is the culmination of my dream to own a classy looking sporty car (yup, a "Poor [and in this case a bit OLD] Man's Sports Car," as the Del Sol has been called by some). When you consider that the 160hp engine _is_ as powerful as it is, the fact that you get 25 mpg around town and 30 mpg over the highway is almost surprising.
Unlike my old Impala and Cutlass - and some other Del Sols according to _their_ owners - I've had no problems with any leaks around the top. Maybe that could be chalked up to mine's being the last year Del Sols were manufactured for the USA and Honda must've "gotten it right" by then, or on the other hand it could be because the previous owner may've coated the targa's seals with some silicone spray or grease and I've kept up doing that every six months or so _and_ I keep her in my garage, out of a lot of inclement weather.
This is one of the most uniquely styled and designed cars on the road ever; I can spot one from 'miles away' and the driver of that other one will nearly always give me at least a nod, a wave or even a toot back. . . a nice feeling ('specially when its a young _gal_ ;-). You get the feeling, too, that _all_ other drivers are interested in what you're driving. Way cool for a "50-something" aging "Hippie" like yours truly.

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There's _nothing_ like it nor ever has been. According to the April, 2007, Motor Trend mag tho Damlier-Chrysler has a concept car they're calling the Dodge Demon (yes, that's right. . . . _same_ name as the old muscle car, but. . . .) which they hope to bring to market within the next few years to compete with the Miata and which will sell for about $15K (cheaper than dirt!) and which has a 173hp engine. Hmmmmmmm. . . . Was Honda just _way_ ahead of its time with the Del Sol or is Chrysler just a smidgen way-way-way "20th Century" conceptually? Just 13hp more than my old Del Sol? Lee Iacocca used to spout in Chrysler's ads: "If you can find a better car, _buy_ it." Hey, I've _found_ it, Lee, I've _found_ it.

transmission/shift linkage, handeling, braking, ride quality

acceleration, leaky trunk and targa seals, chassis flex, huge blind spot behind quarter panels.

I purchased this car at a junkyard in late August of 06' with 204,000 mikles on it and let me tell you this is one amazing car. Even with 4 crappy tires (all of them were diffrent brands too) it still handles quite well, just a hint of body roll, however there is some chassis flex. The only modifications to the car were lowering springs and a "performance" muffler. The kid who had it before me did his best to rice it out, he even painted the interior white. the only problem ive had with the car so far is that it blows alot of oil. When i found it at the junkyard, the owner told me that the reason the kid sold it too him was becuse it didnt run, the reason why was becuse that kid filled it all the way up to the valve cover with oil (about 12 quarts) and blew the valve seals. once the oil was drained to its normal level the car fired rite up. other than the rappid oil consumption (which was quickly fixed) the car runs flawless. The tires were changed in december before the snow came and now the car handles even better. the brakes are great, but shudder when they heat up under spirited driving conditions.
The gearbox still shifts great, the linkage I think besting that of my dads mazda 3. 0 - 60 mph acceleration is a tad bit on the slow side. I had a friend in the passenger seat and a half a tank of gas and managed to pass it in a little over 8 seconds, droping the clutch at about 4500 rpm and standing on the gas once the tires hooked up. I plan on swapping a JDM spec B16a or LS/VTEC in the near future and racing it under NASA in one of the Honda modified classes. All in all this was a great steal for a car with this kinda of miles, that can handle the accasional trips to the far side of the tach, this is truly an example of how well Honda's are made.

Convertible fun
Good looks
Reliability
Performance and handling(VTEC)
Price
Fuel economy
City driving and parking
Storage space (for its class)

Noise
Leaks
Small size (makes for more stressful interstate driving, handling in snow, difficulty in tranporting people and stuff)

Having owned a classic roadster in the late 80's, I think the Del Sol is a great modern interpretation on what a fun car should be.

I'm the original owner of my milano red 12 year old 94 Del Sol. After all this time, it still runs great, thanks to Honda's amazing reliablity. Mine has only 47K miles because I use mass transit to get to work, but it sits outside year round, and so it subjected to the elements, even if the miles are low.

The car lets me enjoy some of the best aspects of open air driving, but in contrast to some other pop tops, its reliable, has big rear storage, a hard top and ample head and leg room.

This year, I gave it a facelift with a new paint job and other fix ups, but inside, the old girl is all original and shows no signs of quitting.

The VTEC model which I have is amazingly fast and handles great.

Even at over a decade old, the design still looks fresh and fits in nicely with Honda's current models. It's a shame they didn't produce the car for a longer period of time, as the style has endured. I promise, if you take the top off and go for a cruise, the car will turn heads.

The targa top combined with power rear window remain an amazing innovation. With the top and rear window down, you have a full convertible experience. But the rear window lets you really regulate fresh air without all the wind howling you'd get from putting down the side windows. It's handy for comfort with or without the top on.

In a congested city, like where I live, the small size is also a plus. I can squeeze into parking spaces my neighbors only wish they could. Also the car is pretty good on gas, the VTEC gets you about 25 mpg city, 30 hwy.

Downsides - the car is noisy, whether its the rattling top, wheel noise or wind. But it holds its own with other convertibles and sports cars I've been in.

Also, the car can leak.

When I first bought the car, the seals near the top leaked. They were replaced and I have kept them lubed since and they have been fine. Still a few years ago, the rear window began to leak, and that needed a clever fix. I loved the car though and stuck with it and it no longer leaks.

And 2 seats can be great fun but it is a big trade off if this is the only car you will own.

Long rides with the hard sport seats, road noise and stiff suspension can be wearing. The car works is most fun for trips no more than several hours.

In addition, the car is not much good in rain and pretty bad in snow.

Finally, in highway driving, it can be a little intimidating to compete on the road with all the SUVs and 18 wheelers.

All these downsides are basically to be expected in owning a convertible sports car, but they are worth it for the exhilarating feeling of a top down ride.

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