1987 Renault 21 Nevada review from France

Radiator split at 200000km.

Radiator split again at 285000km.

Glow plugs have broken up regularly from 150000km onward.

Small fires behind the dashboard caused by poor wiring. As a result, most of the dashboard instrumentation (OK, all except for the speedometer) no longer works.

Rear light clusters keep on falling out toward the interior.

Boot support broken and jammed since 250000km.

Windscreen lamination in poor condition.

Gearbox problems - not yet terminal - first gear jumps out regularly, third gear making worn out noises. Reverse often impossible to find.

Bearing in mind that this car is now seventeen years old and has done so many kilometers, the (many) faults are acceptable.

The problem is that the faults are becoming more expensive to fix; once the gearbox finally dies it will be time for the car to retire.

The interior has stood the test of time very well, with no holes in the seats or carpets.

All of the "extra" electrical equipment (windows, radio) still works, even if the standard stuff (dashboard, lights) doesn't always.

The turbo lag has to be experienced to be believed. The process of accelerating goes something like this: first, floor the throttle; second, wait one second for the diesel engine to catch up; third, wait another two seconds for the turbo to kick in. Not a problem if you can anticipate when you will need to accelerate.

The car has done Paris-Prague return three times since it passed 230000km, and the fuel consumption is amazingly low at 140kmh in fifth.