1989 Nissan Bluebird LS review from UK and Ireland

The alternator failed at 117,000 miles. Exchange cost £38.00 and took 30 minutes to fit.

The driver's door electric window mechanism failed at 119,000 miles. £15 from scrapyard, dead easy to fit.

Radiator became blocked last summer, resulting in overheating. Full function restored after removing and flushing out with a hosepipe.

Rear seatbelt buckles wore out. I replaced these with the items from my Volvo 340 before it went to the scrapyard.

A surprising number of gadgets for a late 80's car (electric windows all round, electric aerial, rev counter, adjustable steering column, five gears, map reading lights, four speaker Blaupunkt stereo, tilt & slide glass sunroof), but why didn't they give it remote control mirrors and power steering? You have to open the window and poke the glass with your finger and after 10,000 miles I've now got forearms like Popeye.

The reliability is amazing. In 2000, it cost £5 to get through the MOT (just a clip on the driveshaft gaiter). This year, it was laid up in the driveway for 6 months (I also have a company car) to the point where a nice crop of mushrooms had grown inside and the tyres were covered in moss. After a good hose down, it still only needed three bulbs to pass the MOT again. As a result, we now call it "Christine" after the Stephen King film about the self-repairing car.

Although it's not the fastest car around, the performance is perfectly adequate, especially when towing. Last year we towed two motorcycles on a trailer to Scotland and it averaged 29 mpg.

Home servicing is a cinch with a Haynes manual. The simple 8 valve carburettor engine and cable operated clutch hold no surprises and the engine bay is so spacious there is almost room for a spare engine.