Faults:

Like most people, the rear brakes stick on when left for a period of over 24 hours. I recently had the rear pads replaced and the problems seems to have now gone.

There is an irritating noise coming from the engine, but I have had it recently serviced and they seem to think that all is well.

Couple of squeaks coming from the interior of the car, but that's what the stereo was invented for.

General Comments:

This is my second Primera GT, and after HAVING to sell my last one, as soon as I could afford another I went out and got exactly the same model, colour, spec as my last. I love them.

The acceleration for a non-turbo car is great, and the fuel economy for me, doing 70 miles each way up and down the motorway per day, returns about 33 mpg, costing about £33 for a 300 mile trip (dependant on petrol prices).

The seating for the first couple of days seemed uncomfortable, but this seems to have gone now and the seating is great. I am 6ft 7in and fit into this car very comfortably.

Faults:

Air con recharged after 5 years. Failed again shortly after and haven't bothered to get it fixed again.

Rear suspension bushes replaced after 75000 miles - no sign of problem, but main dealer said needed doing on routine service! Very expensive as involved dismantling rear suspension!

Clutch pedal clicked incessantly from new - replaced under warranty.

Both front doors now rusting in same spot - inside at the bottom where they meet the rubber strip along the sill.

Drivers window loose in runners. Fixed under warranty, but never really been tight.

Front brakes can bind on sufficiently to cause overheating after heavy application (infrequent). Usually fixed by cleaning and greasing.

General Comments:

An initially unexciting car that grew on me quickly and despite its age I have no wish to replace it.

Ultra reliable, economical and still goes well if the revs are kept up.

Seats and driving position very comfortable. I am 6ft 3in and regularly drive 2/300 miles in a single trip without suffering any problems.

My only worry is how long it will last - it's now like a family member!

Faults:

Apart from consumables like tyres, bulbs and brakes, the only thing that needed fixing between service intervals was a spring on the gearbox manifold that came off during an emergency stop. The cost of repair was a mere £10.

CV gaiters were wearing out by the time I sold the car, but as it had 106,000 miles on it by then, I can't complain!

General Comments:

I did 64,000 miles in this car over three years, and it was always a pleasure to drive. It never went wrong, started first time every time even in the depths of winter, and the economy never dropped below about 42mpg.

Performance was good for a 1.6-litre engine. The power was there if I needed to overtake quickly, and it cruised effortlessly on the motorway.

The service at the dealer was always good. A free courtesy car was available (unlike some other marques who charge you to insure it), and the work done was always right first time.

The only complaint I can think of about the car is that it was a bit prone to wheelspin on quick acceleration from standstill, even with expensive tyres and not revving it hard.

It's a pity that Primeras, especially ones of this age, have such an image problem because I feel that the car is seriously underrated. The only reason why I didn't buy another one is because Nissan don't do the spec of car I want at the price I want (leather trim, all the bells and whistles), but if the Honda Civic I have now is half as good I'll still be pleased.