General Comments:
General
This is my first car after owning two motorcycles its is quite slow, but ones you get over that you can appreciate just how good this car is as a cheap commuter. I still own a motorcycle (Honda mtx125 reviewed on this site) and that's much quicker than the car at low speeds, but I wouldn't even consider loading all my work tools on that or going shopping.
The good bits
I'm very pleased with it it's the mark 1 version which in my opinion looks better that the mk2 from the front and worse from the back.
My mates took the Mick when I brought a diesel, but its very reliable and quicker that the 1.1L variant and its not to noisy ones on the move. I've heard of some doing over 250k miles and the economy is good (see below). There are loads of them in breakers yards so parts shouldn't be an expensive problem.
The bad bits
Well the driving position is awkward, but not un comfortable, there much too much body roll especially after driving a Saxo VTS, the body panels are flimsy, but none of mine are damaged and the front disk rear drum brake set-up is weak.
Fuel economy
I drive mostly through town and rural roads that brings the mpg down a bit plus I drive with a heavy foot that brings the economy down even further, but these are the mpg I have recorded since I've brought the car.
48.4 miles per gallon (mpg) 10.5 miles per litre (mpl) and 320 miles between fill ups (mbf)
47.4 mpg, 10.4 mpl, 288 mbf
51.6 mpg, 11.6 mpl, 206 mbf
48.6 mpg, 10.6 mpl, 320 mbf
44.1 mpg, 9.7 mpl, 273 mbf
44.5 mpg, 9.8 mpl, 296 mbf.
Cmw.
9th Nov 2005, 18:01
This reviewer's experience with the 106 diesel seems to be very similar to my own - with the exception of the fuel consumption. No matter how hard or how badly I drive mine I can't get it to do worse than 55mpg. The best I have ever managed to get out of it is 75mpg driving mainly at night on empty A and B roads. I wonder whether something is wrong with the car belonging to the reviewer if it is using this much fuel?