Faults:

This alto was purchased new as a shopping trolley for my mum, it did that for ten years then became an urgent delivery courier for my dad and then eventually they gave it to me and my family. I have used and abused it as a hunting vehicle for 6 years and now it is parked up in the yard as parts for my "new" (1985) alto GL! it was repowered with an engine from a 91 version about 20,000 ago after the old motor got a little sluggish (i have just taken the head off and both it and the bore are fine, the gasket was okay too... the bore is glazed and I will be deglazing it and putting new rings and stuff in to give it a new lease on life. these little cars rock! it has gone thru lots of tyres, lower suspension arms, clutches, a gearbox, lots of steering rack ends etc. eventually it was rust that killed it - mum and dad lived in a high sulphur area and I live next to the sea. I did spray it with oil to slow it down, but the bits the oil missed killed the car.

General Comments:

Easy to work on, REALLY EASY! for instance it is no problem to pick up the whole motor with the manifolds, carby everything attached BY URSELF! it has 'old' technology like points and plugs and resistors and cables with no modern electronic nightmares to be seen. most everything is easy to get at and there are lots of spares and they are cheap too. Near on the perfect vehicle me thinks. I hope to be driving one exactly the same in another 20 years... although I hope to have worked out how to convert an alto to electric well before then!

Faults:

It can be said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. With about 300000km on the clock I got the car for almost nothing ($NZ 350.00).

I had to completely recondition the head ($NZ450.00). The car is running like new again.

However I am afraid the motor will not last now for more than app. 40-50000 km. I think I can hear one piston clicking. But hey, we will be talking about 400000 km with this miniature motor.

OK, the thermostat is broken so the fan goes all the time.

I have changed one CV joint so far and the other will need replacement soon.

General Comments:

Reliable - starts every time.

Economic - taking less than the factory prescribes.

It is little and easy to park anywhere.

It is ideal for going to work and shopping, but does very well for a holiday as well.

It is more than a Mercedes for the cost. (I have got one of those as well)

Faults:

Little or nothing - it's been very reliable.

Clutch had been replaced once, and the ventilation unit has broken, but nothing else worthy of note.

Idiot backed into me and broke the front grill, but that isn't the car's fault...

General Comments:

Good, reliable, cheap to run car, that still looks reasonably good today.

Handles better than our other 1997 Daihatsu, with better steering and a more solid feel (even though one wouldn't want to be in an accident in one...), though has less power than the same-engined Daihatsu.

These are good cars and I would recommend them to anyone in search of a cheap first car who doesn't mind the old-lady/shopping trolley image.