Despite Hitman's rant on the V6, I think its an absolute great car. Based on what I've seen in the forums, the 97 is the only year to really avoid.
If you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, most of the problems are EASILY taken care of yourself for little money. The drivetrain on the V6 Manuals is great! There are very few problems ever reported with the Powertrain.
The E-Brake can be fixed in about 2 hours for the price of parts ($45).
The Waterpump is a known problem, but again, can be fixed on your own ahead of time. The design was changed in 99/00, and there are very minimal reports of problems with the new WP design.
The IMRC is a known problem, but if you heed the advice of others and remove the WP Cover, chances are good you won't have a problem. If you do, this is another DIY job.
I have no idea what he means about stalling in puddles. Never heard of that as a major problem. If so, clear sign of Wires and Plugs. They probably needed to be replaced anyway.
I had my 95 V6 MTX for virtually 100K miles of problem free driving. And I beat on that little car too! However, I also took care of it. Only thing was the Water Pump, and I knew those were a problem. My E-brake failed too, but it was an easy fix, and my suspension needed replacing. Hell, it had 125K on it, it was due!
I still have my 95, and believe it still has about 1-2 years of life left before the maintenance bills do not warrant the cost of ownership.
If you're looking for a great handling car, I highly recommend a 95-96 SE. Great car for the money.
I'm not sure what kind of budget you're working with, if you're a car enthusiast (do you enjoy driving, and pushing it a little) and whether you mind taking on small DIY projects, but these cars are great when well maintained.
