Faults:

Head gasket blew at 25k miles - fixed under warranty.

Driver's door window winder handle kept coming loose - just carry a small screwdriver in the dash pouch and fix on the move - simples!!

Other than that, just usual consumables.

General Comments:

Bestest car I ever had. Wanted a new motor to visit my girlfriend - now wife - in Bournemouth from Manchester, so bought this new because it was £500 cheaper than the equivalent mk2 Panda.

It had the older OHV engine and Roman chariot style suspension, but so what. SO cheap to run; group 1 insurance, never less than 50 MPG, and as high as 72 MPG when running it in. Back seats out, and hey presto I had a van! A company car meant I sold it, and I've bitterly regretted it ever since.

The bodywork was much more rust resistant than the Fiat equivalent.

The dealers were helpful.

It had a basic interior that I found comfortable.

I have had "better" cars in the years since, but these were loaded with things you don't really need that go wrong and cost a bomb to fix - why are we brainwashed into this?

In my view there is still a market for this sort of car - note the sales success of the Matiz, I10, Amica etc as proof.

Faults:

Exhaust silencer blowing.

Fuel gauge stuck at half a tank.

General Comments:

Small and economical, ideal vehicle when petrol prices in the UK are as high as they are.

Very nippy around the town, quite surprising for a 800cc engine.

Outdated leaf spring suspension makes for a bouncy ride, especially on speed humps.

Brakes aren't the best in the world (a parachute would stop you quicker).

Probably the most enjoyable car I have driven, and I have owned 3 Seats and 4 Volkswagens, and it's better than them all.

Faults:

Gearbox broke twice in less than a year.

Unexplainable oil leak.

Constant holes in the exhaust, which caused the car to be a lot less economical and lose a lot of power.

Back seat extremely uncomfortable.

Choke alarm fault.

Bonnet broke and wouldn't open properly (not good when you have to keep topping up the oil).

Stereo and speakers broke.

General Comments:

I owned a red 1995 Seat Marbella Fun as my first car. Fantastic body work and very low mileage.

When I first drove this car, it was great fun and very economical. However, shortly after I passed my driving test, everything went downhill. Considering the mileage of the car and the care taken with it, I would have expected a much longer life from it. All the above problems sprung up within a year!

This car seems to work when it feels like it, and today mine got taken away as scrap because the gear box broke again!

Get a good one and I imagine it would be a great vehicle to own (even though mine seemed like a brilliant example).

I would never advise anyone to buy this car, even worse than a Fiat Panda and looks horrible.