Faults:

Mostly electricals causing the most problems - alternator, window regulator, HT leads, etc.

The rest was just wear and tear parts replaced over many years and miles. Keep these cars serviced and they rarely give trouble.

General Comments:

A car I had a long time and put many reliable miles on it.

Dull as hell, but the 1.6 Primera is what you want if you want no fuss motoring.

LX model is a bit basic. Seats were OK though and the interior was comfortable.

1.6 is not fast, but does you a solid 35 - 40 mpg.

Handles very well, the 2.0 GT models must be very fun to drive, if the basic suspension setup in this car is anything to go by.

Sold it to my elderly neighbor last year as he needed a cheap run about. Yes he still has it at 28 years old and approaching 160K, there is no rust on it (I looked after it well) and it still runs as sweet as when I acquired it many years ago!

Faults:

No breakdowns in 35,000 miles. Has had slight hesitation between 1-2,000 revs, but have not bothered to investigate it, as it's not that bad.

Ultra-reliable car that has required no work other than routine maintenance - new battery, oil & filter changes, brake pads, fuel filter.

General Comments:

Primeras have very good handling, and are easy to drive.

The 1.6 engine has enough power for this 40 year old driver. It has enough power for overtaking and general driving, but it's definitely not a performance car.

I previously had a 2.0 automatic Primera, which was OK, but had very poor fuel economy, averaging 26 mpg. My 1.6 manual averages 38, and gets around 43 mpg on the motorway at 70 mph. That's near diesel economy.

Comfort is OK, but all P11 Primeras are noisy. At 60 mph the noise is tolerable, but at 70+ the engine noise is quite obtrusive. Fitting soundproofing would probably help with this.

Overall, buy this car if you want something that will be extremely reliable and cheap to run. It'll never be a car that you love, and it's not for you if you want luxury or sportiness.

Faults:

General wear and tear:

Replaced original alternator at 80k.

Replaced original radiator at 70k.

Replaced original back calliper 88k.

Parts are cheap to buy, so no bother there!

The only thing that possibly lets this car down is the image and style. But who cares for the sake of reliability

General Comments:

The car is one of the most reliable car I have driven. I have had no engine problems at all. When I first bought it and thought it may breakdown during my long trips from Halifax to London, but it has always proved me wrong.

This is a superb car and well worth buying!!

With minimum care, I love the fact it has never let me down.

It's a hidden GEM!

Faults:

Needed a couple of new exhausts, but that's nothing odd over 10 years.

Uneven tyre wear is annoying. It seemed that every other month, I was getting a new tyre as the car got older, especially on the drivers side.

Rust on the rear door sills and door handles, both sides. Quite a lot of it too.

Wiper jets blocked and clogged up.

2 new drive-shafts have been required along with an additional separate CV joint.

General Comments:

The car was very reliable, it started every time over the 8 years of ownership, except when my dad had left the lights on.

This car is for an aging family with a couple of kids; It has a massive boot which is great, I managed to get 5 people and all their camping equipment for Leeds Festival in the car. It is very comfortable, with a pull-down armrest in the back and lots of leg room. When cruising at a steady pace, fuel consumption isn't too bad, so it does well on motorway journeys.

If you are of a younger generation and intend on getting a car that you can "raz" about in, to and from work, then this is definitely not the car for you!

Because the suspension is so soft, the handling is not very precise, and due to this I have ended up in a ditch and face to face with a tree. The engine's power doesn't seem to last after a couple of months of heavy driving - I did about 8,000 miles over the period of the last 4 months of owning the car, and my driving was a lot less than reserved.