Faults:

I have had to replace the battery at 55,000 miles.

Other than that there has only been one exception to the otherwise flawless reliability performance. After 30,000 miles the Mass Air System Sensor broke which cost me about £450 (all told) from a Nissan garage. This regulates air temperature within the engine and is important in order to make sure the engine does not perform erratically. Since then though there have been no problems, not a hint. I fully expect this car to go for ever. Unfortunately that won't be with me because I can afford not to own a girls car anymore.

Tyre wear good, and as they're so remarkably dinky they're cheap too.

General Comments:

The car is a great little runner. If someone is looking for a car that gets you from a to b, or a first car then look no further. Its very reliable, and never fails to start. Handling is surprisingly good considering the size of the tyres and the fact that its so small you feel like you could blow it over. Downsides: 1.Doesn't like the rain much, either in terms of handling or in terms of leaks (passenger footwell). 2. You feel like you're in one of those submarine orca things out of Jaws as the windscreen seems to stretch all around you. 3. It's a girls car.

Acceleration isn't bad for a 998cc, but lets face it, you're not going to go for a track day with it. Top speed is quite impressive though, just don't try to reach it uphill (it doesn't like that, especially not with people in the back.)

Faults:

I had to replace the clutch at 95,000 miles.

A hole appeared under the drivers door which needed welding.

The front brakes were replaced at 98,000 miles.

The Constant Velocity Joint in the front-left wheel was replaced at 102,000 miles.

General Comments:

Very nippy car for a 1.3 engine and sounds great with the induction kit and sports exhaust.

The car goes round a corner like a double-decker bus, but still handles better than other cars I've been in.

Lots of headroom.

Faults:

Nothing. Not a thing.

General Comments:

The 1.3 is a fantastic rev-happy engine, easily capable of keeping up with most other manufacturer's 1.4L models. This car took regular 300 mile trips to see the in-laws in its stride, cruising at 90-95mph all the way. Totally reliable in the time we had it.

The interior is a good place to be, with decent design and good quality plastics. It could have done with a rev counter - although the way we thrashed it, it was probably better not to know how far beyond the red-line it had gone... It could also have done with power steering.

Compared to Novas, Fiestas, Swifts or Metros of the same age, it was light years ahead in all respects.

My wife cried when we sold it. Aaaah.