Faults:

Catalytic Converter needed replacing at 30,000 miles.

Automatic gear shift vacuum hose needed replacing at 100,000 miles.

Drive shaft needed replacing at 160,000 miles.

Car died at 190,000 (ECU) miles.

General Comments:

Served a family of six for 10 years with little serious problem.

Good acceleration for a diesel automatic and great top speed. Not tiring to drive on long journeys.

Fuel economy was excellent.

Very comfortable seating especially when in 6 seat mode.

Poor organized luggage space but amazing what we managed to hide in nooks and crannies.

Faults:

Just started making a peculiar smell when driving. It seems to be at the back of the engine. It is definitely not a need for oil or water! Any clues anyone?

Calyn.wilkin@ntlworld.com

Greatly appreciated.

General Comments:

Great apart from the usual, central locking etc.

Faults:

When I bought the car it came with a VW immobiliser/alarm, but only one remote fob. My local dealer said they manufacturer had gone bust and replacements were not available. After much research on my part I found the place in London that makes the fob. They offered to sell me the fob direct, but would not (understandably) tell me how to program it to work with the car (the cost was £25 including delivery). I then went back to my local dealer who first of all said the part wasn't avaialble, when I told them where to get it they then said it would cost £125 excluding labour! I subsequently bought it directly for £25 then took it to my dealer to be programmed. They then said it couldn't be done so I asked the supplier to FAX the procedure directly to the dealer, the procedure takes 20 minutes and for this I was charged £48 - I think I should have been charging them for the work I had done on their behalf!

Lots of broken trim - ashtray lids, speaker grills, seat belt clips.

Several routine parts required on a regular basis- I am on my third set of brake discs at the front and second at the back. Various suspension members front and back. To be fair some of these are probably just fair wear and tear for the mileage.

I average one blown bulb a month - more than any other car I have owned.

Complete new exhast sytem required after 120,000 miles - inlcuding the down pipe.

Electrical fault recently caused central locking to stop working, when this happens you can lock all doors manually, but not the back door! The footwell lights also started comming on and off on their own. I traced this fault myself to an open circuit in a wire which leads to the drivers door courtesey light. This wire was not chaffed or snapped, but had been subject either sabotage or negligence during manufacture or maintenance - the insulation had been neatly cut through as though by wire strippers, an adjacent wire had been cut similarly, but only half way around the insulation, located about an inch back from the connector between the door and the door frame bulkhead.

The air conditioning has been intermittant for some time now, even after being purged and re-filled.

The roof trim is comming away from the roof above the front window.

Water leaks into the passenger footwell regularly and also the driver's footwell, I have checked the pollen filter and this is OK so I suspect the door or window seals have gone.

General Comments:

I like the car for it's capacity and flexibility.

The fuel economy is also good for a big car, but, as my engine is only 90 PS, the overtaking ability is poor.

The dealer service has been poor and I now avoid them if at all possible.

I also own a 1991 Vauxhall Carlton 2.0GLi which is cheaper and more reliable to run!