1991 Nissan Bluebird SGS review from Australia and New Zealand

Braking system master cylinder replaced at 190,000kms.

Fuel Pump replaced at 200,000kms.

Alternator reconditioned at 205,000kms.

Burst fuel system hose at 210,000kms.

When I originally purchased this year, I was looking for a cheap runabout which would also be comfortable and economical for the odd out of town trip. Because the odometer reading was quite high when I purchased it, this car has needed a reasonable amount of maintenance over the four years that I have owned it, but I still feel that I have got good value out of it.

If you're looking for a performance car, then this one will disappoint, but it has more than enough grunt to satisfy most drivers. The handling is acceptable considering that I have cheap tyres on it, though the steering is not as precise as some cars and seems to become a bit heavy for slow manoeuvres (I suspect that the power steering is not engine speed sensitive).

It lacks a tachometer, and some aspects of the interior fittings feel a bit cheap, but I am grateful of the fact that it has air conditioning and central locking. I should also point out that the air conditioning has not required any maintenance during my ownership.

It's a very practical car with plenty of room in the cabin, and also very generous luggage space. The rear seats fold down to allow long items to be loaded into the vehicle, although the usefulness of this is somewhat limited by the small width of the hole between the boot and the cabin.