Faults:

Had a gear leakage.

General Comments:

The car is very nippy in town, also no problem parking in small spaces.

I think that the radio feature should have a CD player. The stereo is good.

Also the rear boot should be a bit bigger, for the family shopping trip.

Faults:

My easytronic gearbox is in need of a new clutch. A repair bill of £600 is estimated.

General Comments:

The car is 3 years old in September 2004,it has only covered 29,000 miles.

I have asked is this a common problem, no it is not.

I have asked whether 29,000 miles from a normal clutch is acceptable,no comment.

I have asked for some explanation about this premature failure. It is because I do a lot of town driving. I was not asked about my driving, just a guess.

Vauxhall have agreed to pay 30% towards the cost, as a good will gesture.

Has anyone else had this problem??

Faults:

So far, nothing has gone wrong with the car.

The only minor problems I've had are cabin rattles on poor road surfaces and slightly disappointing fuel consumption on long journeys.

General Comments:

I read a review saying that the Corsa was for people who didn't really like driving. Having owned one for a year, I can say I enjoy driving a bit more now! The Corsa is easy to drive and own.

Considering all my previous cars have been 1.6 - 2.5 litres, the Corsa's 1200 c.c. engine has impressed me with its refinement at most speeds. It feels like a much bigger car when it's cruising along A roads, a feeling that fades on faster highways.

The gearbox is smooth and I particularly like the reverse gear selection collar that prevents accidental engagement of reverse.

The Corsa negotiates twisty country roads very well and irons out bumps and potholes surprisingly well.

I've driven long distances with no ill effects, the car cruising comfortably at anything up to 85 mph.

I've found the Corsa Club to average 35-40 mpg (but no better on long motorway journeys).

I've found the Corsa to be a generally quiet and economical performer unless being pushed hard, when both noise and fuel consumption rise fairly sharply.

The cabin, though cramped for rear passengers, is quite pleasant, if bland, and for a small hatchback the boot space is reasonable.

The standard radio-cassette and speakers are excellent.

The seats are very supportive, and better for long journeys than my previous car (Rover 600) which had far larger, but softer, seats.

The real advantage is running costs. I spend half as much on fuel and insurance as I did for my previous car.

I can also park the Corsa anywhere, even in busy town centres and cramped car parks.

Compared to previous cars I've owned, this car feels solid, safe and well built - despite its small size.

Faults:

We had a replacement clutch fitted at the first service - we were told that one factory-worker had been "over-greasing" the mechanism & many had gone back, although we hadn't had any re-call.

From the outset, the petrol consumption has been appalling - urban drive, 28mpg, average for a mixed drive 32mpg & maximum ever (200 miles at 50mph) has been 43mpg. We raised this at the first service, when my driving was checked, & at the second. No mechanical fault can be found & despite accurate records of fuel consumption from scratch, both the dealership & Vauxhall have washed their hands of it. Apparently, fuel consumption of over 25% extra to published guidelines isn't considered considerable. To add insult to injury, I've just been charged £34 for the check that the garage suggested. If there had been a fault, the guarantee would have covered it - but "there isn't one".

We loved our last Corsa - it was comfortable, reliable & economic. This one is costing us a fortune. I've checked the web and found other write-ups saying the same thing about the 1.6X.

General Comments:

How far off guidelines can fuel consumption figures vary, before the trade descriptions act comes in?