Faults:

Central locking motors both failed - cost £250 to replace.

Paint peeling badly from front plastic bumper.

New brakes and a full service cost £425.

Told that head gasket was weeping and needed to be replaced.

General Comments:

I love the shape of this car and it has got well padded seats if a little cramped for someone six foot tall. It handles well with positive steering even though it does roll quite a bit. It does need revving quite hard to make the most of the little engine though and it could use more power especially on motorways. What I don't like about the car is that you cannot see the front at all from the drivers seat, and the pedals especially the brake and the accelerator are far too close together.

Faults:

Internal noise from the console. It was fixed, but still appears from time to time.

The engine seized while driving without any apparent reason. After I reignited it, the warning light turned on and stayed lit until the dealer changed in guarantee all sparking plugs and the distributor.

The hydraulic system of the steering wheel had a leakage twice at 75,000Km. At first it was just a small rubber tube, but the second time the copper pipes had to be changed and that would cost me a lot. I never changed them so I refill with hydraulic oil every 3 weeks!

The small light bulbs that indicate buttons, counter, socket etc. on the console tend to wear off very often.

General Comments:

Driving the car gives the driver a very nice feeling. It's very comfortable both within the city and on the highway. It's not as good when driving in urban areas with small blocks where you need to stop at every junction and that's because its second gear does not perform well in low speed.

The steering wheel is perfect and the shock absorbers perform very well, even on the rough Greek roads. The seats are very comfortable.

The doors are very light and give a 'cheap' impression.

The most unpleasant thing with this car is that almost everyone owns one! I bought mine in April, 1999 when people stared at it on the streets and now when it's parked on a crowded street I have to check the plates number to be sure that's the one!

Faults:

Electronic Control Unit broke after 9 months and 8000 miles.

Right wing mirror stopped working twice. Both time after visiting the dealer.

Exhaust moved clockwise over time.

Front seats not locking properly. Comes loose now and then.

General Comments:

Engine seems very rough. Sometimes it sounds more like a sement-mixer, but it runs fast though ;)

Don't understand about the good fuel economy that people talks about. I have never managed to use less that 30 mile/gallon. Even with long careful drives.

Faults:

The CD Autochanger skips on certain CD's.

The passenger seat has locked forwards when someone in the rear pulled both levers backwards; I managed to reset the seat from this state.

The automatic windscreen wipers seem very insensitive to rain - I'd have preferred intermittent wipe or at least the option.

A/C causes difficulties driving this car in town traffic. It feels like it might stall.

Several noises from the dashboard and the rear of the car.

The Central Locking failed this year - both door actuators had gone.

General Comments:

It's a nice stylish car let down by reliability and the dealers.

It's very nippy in traffic; it seriously shifts when you push it.

The A/C is great in summer when the outside is 30C.

The CD player gives me the music I want whilst driving; the on steering column control is very handy.