1981 Trabant 601 de-luxe review from UK and Ireland
"Cheap, cheerful, reliable and robust"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The nearside rear wheel came loose whilst towing and fell off, but this did very little damage.
One of the cylinder head gaskets blew which took about 10 minutes to repair.
The inside of the front nearside door started to show signs of rust after 20 years.
General comments?
This is the most fun car I have ever owned, it is easily repairable if it does go wrong.
The Trabant is capable of towing a small caravan which is ideal for me as I don't like camping at rallies.
The fuel consumption is excellent and does not, contrary to popular belief, pollute as much as was reported by the motoring press in 1989 when Trabants first came to the attention of westerners.
Spare parts for this car are very cheap and easily obtainable.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 595cc two-stroke Manual |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 16500 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 87670 kilometres |
| Previous car | Bond 875 MKII |
| Date of Entry | 25th January, 2004 |