Faults:

Intermittent loss of power.

Otherwise just wearing items, wheel bearing, clutch judder etc.

Some rust appearing here and there.

General Comments:

A fast, comfortable car which has been fun, but reliable.

I think that it is a bit more grown up than its boy racer image and following. It is quite happy to oblige when the hooligan comes out in you, but frankly it seems a bit soft when on a real charge. Handling is OK, but it seems happier (and more comfortable) when cruising swiftly and being driven smoothly. Power over-steer is always there to catch out the unwary, but it is not that progressive or predictable due to the sudden nature of the boost arriving at 3000 revs. I would rather tackle roundabouts at speed in my wife's Almera GTi. Not much can keep up with it on faster, straighter roads however. I'm sure that modification would make it sharper and more focused.

I think it still looks quite fresh although the 'penis extension' and 'Knightrider' jokes still come my way.

Fuel consumption is poor when driven hard, service costs are scary and insurance is pricey, but set this against the fact that £2000 (or less) buys a genuine 140mph coupe that goes as well as the latest breed of 200bhp hot hatches. The Nissan badge isn't fashionable, but it has been as reliable as a Micra or Sunny.

Seats are comfortable, all round vision is good, standard stereo is rubbish and there is only enough room in the back for amputees. The boot is surprisingly big however.

I do get irritated by the warm up and warm down wait that is necessary to protect the turbo, but you learn to live with it.

A tight turning circle makes it surprisingly easy to park.

Faults:

Turbo blew about 6 months after I bought it. I was stupid and took it to a Nissan dealer who charged my 1250 for a new unit. After driving the car with the new turbo it showed how broken the old one was. Turbo lag should be there, but not too long. If your's lags for a good 2 seconds then explodes into madness it may be on the way out. New ones are smoother and start pulling around 2750 revs.

General Comments:

The most practical sports car I have ever owned. It's rear wheel drive, turbo charged, sleek, yet still accommodates 6 ft planks of wood from B&Q without problem. The interior is a bit drab, and the seats aren't great, but once the turbo kicks in and you get that smooth punch in the back you'll be smiling all the way. Not a car to hit the windy roads on because it's a bit long and soft, but an awesome tourer and relaxed tarmac scorcher. They're rare and fast - after 4 years I'm far from bored with mine. This is the car I'll own until I either have a family or the car falls apart.