Faults:

Mostly electricals causing the most problems - alternator, window regulator, HT leads, etc.

The rest was just wear and tear parts replaced over many years and miles. Keep these cars serviced and they rarely give trouble.

General Comments:

A car I had a long time and put many reliable miles on it.

Dull as hell, but the 1.6 Primera is what you want if you want no fuss motoring.

LX model is a bit basic. Seats were OK though and the interior was comfortable.

1.6 is not fast, but does you a solid 35 - 40 mpg.

Handles very well, the 2.0 GT models must be very fun to drive, if the basic suspension setup in this car is anything to go by.

Sold it to my elderly neighbor last year as he needed a cheap run about. Yes he still has it at 28 years old and approaching 160K, there is no rust on it (I looked after it well) and it still runs as sweet as when I acquired it many years ago!

Faults:

Clutch replaced at 145000km (expected and calculated into purchase price).

Window wiper spring broke.

Servo pump leakage.

Windshield not watertight (known issue with mounting plates).

Suspension parts, exhaust and handbrake maintenance.

General Comments:

Very lively, strong engine - even though it is only rated at 120hp or so.

Light car, good mileage (~7l/100km).

Excellent visibility - good old station wagon.

Pleasant no-BS exterior design.

Very cheap used car, very low insurance cost.

Good baggage space, tradeoff with miserable passenger space in the back. Steep, uncomfortable seatback. Second row only suitable for small children.

Nice, big buttons, but sometimes strangely placed.

Uncomfortable seats up front, designed for small people.

Material quality is awful and resembles a cheap 1990s stereo in the dashboard. No buttons are lit up. Carpets are bad. No effort made to stop rubber mats on the floor from moving around.

No fastening points whatsoever for the baggage. Had to bore holes myself. Generally not thought-through solutions.

Car is extremely prone to rust and has incredibly thin sheet metal. Especially if your former car was a Volvo, like mine. General feeble built quality - the whole car twists under hard acceleration.

Faults:

No breakdowns in 35,000 miles. Has had slight hesitation between 1-2,000 revs, but have not bothered to investigate it, as it's not that bad.

Ultra-reliable car that has required no work other than routine maintenance - new battery, oil & filter changes, brake pads, fuel filter.

General Comments:

Primeras have very good handling, and are easy to drive.

The 1.6 engine has enough power for this 40 year old driver. It has enough power for overtaking and general driving, but it's definitely not a performance car.

I previously had a 2.0 automatic Primera, which was OK, but had very poor fuel economy, averaging 26 mpg. My 1.6 manual averages 38, and gets around 43 mpg on the motorway at 70 mph. That's near diesel economy.

Comfort is OK, but all P11 Primeras are noisy. At 60 mph the noise is tolerable, but at 70+ the engine noise is quite obtrusive. Fitting soundproofing would probably help with this.

Overall, buy this car if you want something that will be extremely reliable and cheap to run. It'll never be a car that you love, and it's not for you if you want luxury or sportiness.