Faults:

Central locking only now works from passenger side to lock, but still unlocks all doors from drivers side! Very strange!

Seat belts are rather worn - as is the gear lever cover, but hardly surprising considering it's age and use!

Only had to have new battery and starter motor about 3 months ago - both were originals!

Bodywork just starting to deteriorate, but I've had no touching up done so I think it's done remarkably well.

General Comments:

I've loved having this car. Had it as a brand new Company car, then took it over when I left the company.

Is is sporty looking - a responds well too.

The boot is HUGE - great for camping trips!

I have found it totally reliable and until 3 months ago it had the original battery & starter motor!

It is a seriously speedy car and it's pickup is still terrific.

I've probably driven 120,000 of the 140,000+ it has completed and have to say it's been wonderful!

Everyone comments on how good it still is. It'll be a wrench to get rid of her... but needs must and all that!

Faults:

The car had the following faults upon purchase:

1. rev counter not working

2. remote central locking not working

3. Boot doesn't operate properly (open or shut)

4. Trip computer doesn't work

5. Lumbar support knob broken.

It would be interesting to know if any of them are common?

General Comments:

Performance and Handing

The car pulls well, with minimal turbo lag and, compared to my previous car, (’95 Peugeot 306) the engine pulls stronger from lower revs. It has also got taller gearing giving quiet and relaxed cruising on the motorway.

The ride is rather hard, more so than I expected, but it does handle remarkably well round corners. It is fine for motorway use, but can be uncomfortable over a pitted B-road.

Comfort and Equipment

Along with the suspension, the seats are also hard and provide little support. You also sit rather high, even with the adjustment at its lowest position.

The car seems to take ages to warm up according to the gauge, possibly a defective thermostat? However, it does seem to blow warm after the same driving time as my previous car. The centre vents seem to blow stronger than the side ones too but it does eventually get very warm.

The car seems well equipped for the price, and I am sure a VW or similar spec would have cost at least a grand more, even though it is basically the same car. You get, air-conditioning, trip-computer, electric windows/sunroof/mirrors (heated), rear head-rests, front fog-lights, remote central-locking and a six-speaker radio-cassette.

The radio is not the best and comes with a telescopic aerial (that is just asking to be snapped off). I would have liked to have seen a small rubber stump on the roof, which I will be fitting.

Costs

Figures state an average of 55 mpg, which I have easily been managing and beats the 306. If you are a really good boy, it is possible to get over 60 mpg, resulting in over 600 miles from a single tank. The baffles in the fuel tank are not the best, and the fuel gauge often swings about a few degrees over the course of a journey.

Parts are cheap and all the standard filters are easily serviceable by myself, and I am not a competent mechanic! However, the 306 was easier still.

At group 9, the insurance is 3 groups higher than the 306, which is disappointing.

Miscellaneous

The boot is huge, although it has difficulty opening and closing, due to misalignment.