Faults:

Ancient Granadas; expect electrical faults and knackered suspension bushes.

The rear wheel arches will probably be pretty rusty, but that doesn't really matter. Basically, the car is sturdy as you like.

The fuseboxes usually become swimming pools though.

General Comments:

Comfy, fast, cheap, comical. Everything you want in a car!

Makes an amusing whirring noise when you accelerate.

Mechanicals are indestructible.

Faults:

Heater matrix went just after purchase.

Track rod ends replaced at each MOT.

Lots of tyres.

Idle control valve replaced at 100K.

Serious water loss and cylinder head troubles, solved with short motor replacement.

General Comments:

Good on the juice, but parts are expensive from the dealer.

Bags of room, superb comfort.

Starting to show its age now with rust appearing on the rear arches.

Erratic electrics, especially the 'check control' on the dash, works when it feels like it!!!

Faults:

Nothing so far.

General Comments:

Paid £900 for this in an opportunistic sale and got an absolute bargain to run about in till my insurance money comes through on trashed Omega.

An amazing interior spec for an 11 year old car. Electric windows, electric seats, heated seats, electric reclining rear seats, electric sunroof, electric and heated mirrors, front and rear heated screens, air conditioning, cruise control, full black leather interior, good quality audio, fuel computer.

The main fault is the lack of power from the 2.9i V6 EFI engine. 145 bhp is just not enough for this size of engine and the concessions you have to make on fuel economy.

Averaging about 24mpg with a good mixture of motorway and urban driving.

If I were to have another it would have to be the 2.9i 24V Cosworth engined although it's still a bit underpowered at 195 bhp. Just doesn't cut it on performance and economy with the likes of the Omega, BMW or Mercedes big engined cars.

For comfort, this car is fantastic! On the motorway at 70-80mph with Cruise Control on you could almost go to sleep. Shame it doesn't steer itself too.

But, after all for a £900 runabout I can live with the lack of performance for now!

The ideal car would have to be something with at least another 60-70 horses and this spec of interior comfort.

Faults:

Electric window switches fail to illuminate, but are easy to repair with replacement LED's. Not from Ford who want to sell you new switches at ridiculous prices.

General Comments:

This has to be the most comfortable ride going. Superb engine, easy to service and the fuel costs are about half the cost of a Vauxhall Carlton 2.0i which I used to own, and this is a V6! Go out and get yourself one.

Faults:

Head gasket blown.

Starter motor packed up.

Gearbox failure at 120,000 miles.

Door handle broke off.

General Comments:

A pretty reliable car generally, it has never failed to start in any weather. Servicing is cheap, and easy enough to do yourself.

For a car this size, I think fuel economy is very good - up to 38MPG, much better than the old pinto engine.

Performance lets it down. there is no top gear grunt at all, acceleration measurable with an hourglass.

Two points - the Ford jack is an exceptionally bad design and is best discarded. Also mine seems to have an appetite for front tyres.

Faults:

Auxiliary warning system intermittent.

Electric window switch bulbs are out (complete switches required to rectify the fault).

Dead rear seat motor.

Steering rack is worn.

Temperamental handbrake warning light.

Air conditioning condenser has had it.

General Comments:

Overall for its age, this was a pretty impressive motor. 2 litre motor was not too gutsy and could only just manage a ton, though this could be to do with the replacement gearbox, the origins of which were questionable.

Only minor niggles to spoil the occasion.

Bodywork holds up well with just a slight hint of bubbling over the rear arches appearing after 10 years of hard graft.

Generally a big, comfy cruiser with plenty of toys to play with and not at all bad on fuel, even on the school run.

Recommended.

Faults:

Brake discs seized.

Water pump failure.

Switches don't illuminate (intermittent).

Brake lights sometimes fail to work.

General Comments:

A good comfy car to drive, but a bit of a gas guzzler!

It's never failed to start yet and I've done a few thousand miles in it (touch wood).

But if anything goes wrong i.e brakes, water pump, it costs an arm and a leg to put right! I suppose if you want that amount of comfort you have to pay for it!

Faults:

Auto gearbox failure 127,000 miles.

General Comments:

Big, roomy, carries 5 and dog easily.

Slightly underpowered.

Great on long fast runs, poor on short twisty runs, handles like a barge.

Looks good for its age.