Faults:

6500 miles - timing belt tensioner broke up causing timing belt to jump several teeth and valves to hit pistons. Engine declared a write off and replaced under warranty.

7200 miles - Power steering pump bearings started groaning. Told it was "normal" by dealer. Seized 500 miles later and left me stranded.

8400 miles - ECU light came on and went off a few seconds later.

8500 - 10,000 miles - ECU light came on more and more often. Engine started to "race" of its own accord at idle, and would lose power intermittently when accelerating. ECU deemed faulty by dealer. Two types of ECU fitted to these cars. One type is common, one type is rare. Guess which mine was. ECU ordered from Opel in Germany.

10,400 miles - First service. Also asked for a "peeling" rear spoiler, intermittent refusal to unlock and a non-functioning rear light unit to be looked at.

14,000 miles - After the wrong ECU arriving three times, replacement is finally fitted. Makes no difference - car still races, misfires and stalls, and blinks the ECU light. Dealer openly admits defeat as no codes show on the system. Water is now leaking into the passenger footwell, and there's sometimes a smell of burning after unlocking the car.

18,000 miles - Dealer has the car for a day to look at the ECU problems again. Car comes back much better - still blinks its light occasionally, but now driving OK.

19,000 miles - Stranded after the car locks itself 20 miles from home, with the keys inside it. Girlfriend brings spare key from home, but it still won't unlock. Car towed in by the AA.

20-27,000 miles - fuel pump relay fails on the M40 at 3am. Locks playing up again, boot leaking water, battery starts going flat overnight, drivers seat won't tilt, PAS pump groaning, radio stops working.

31,000 miles - fails its first MOT on anti-roll bar bushes, CO emissions, a power steering pump leak, a split steering rack gaiter and a partially seized brake caliper.

32,000 miles - part-ex the heap for an Escort RS2000 which I've still got and which has never let me down.

General Comments:

Read the above and draw your own conclusions. Quite good fun with nippy performance, but too unreliable and dealers too shocking to even contemplate buying another Vauxhall.

Faults:

New rear brake cylinders and drums at 36,000 miles.

New front discs and pads at 48,000 miles.

Alternator at 75,000 miles.

Front wheel bearing at 95,000 miles.

Gearbox getting noisy at 104,000 miles.

General Comments:

Brilliant little car, very quick and economical. Cannot get less than 49 miles per gallon even thrashing it.

Will do 60 miles per gallon if driven steady.

First tyres at 48,000 miles.

No clutch replaced!!

Faults:

The timing belt snapped at 24,000 miles.

The seats wore extremely badly.

The alternator stopped alternating at 30,000 miles.

The starter motor failed at 28,000 miles.

The battery needed replacing at 23,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car is overated and seriously misjudged. The handling is nothing like on a par with cars in the same class (ie 205, Punto, Fiesta). The whole ownership experience has been one of disappointment and anguish.

I would not advise anyone who appreciates real performance driving to buy this model.