Datsun 1200 Reviews from Australia and New Zealand

Wear and tear and the odd ding.

I worked for a local newspaper outfit selling ads. There was a team of lads like me, all in our early twenties.

We soon discovered that these unbreakable little Japanese masterpieces babies could spin, slide and drift, all while revving their heads off. To say they were highly chuckable and hugely thrashable would be an understatement.

They felt like dodgem cars. We hit things from time to time, and the company mechanic used to give us grief, but we were soon back on the road - yippee!

I gave mine back when I left the company in the mid 70's. I know the plate prefixes, and I still see them around. Unbelievable. They must have a million miles on them by now.

This car had nothing but problems from the time I bought it.

First the engine karked it after about 58000k. I think this is one of the quickest engines I have ever gone through.

Then the wiring went haywire, and nothing worked except the headlights.

I then had to have the suspension re-done after that karked it.

This car was the worst I have ever owned. It drives like a blind monkey and handles like a dizzy elephant. I sold it after 7000k as I had had enough of the bloody thing.

I had driving my dad's 79 Hilux a year before I bought this lump of junk, and I regret every second of not buying it off my dad for the same price.

It took three secondhand gear boxes before I got a good one.

I also had to replace the differential around 40000 miles.

Radiator started leaking, needed replacing at 45000 miles.

Door hinges are also a problem.

The greatest cheapest car I have ever owned, unbeatable value for your thrashing dollar.

Very reliable economical runabout.

Dirt demon for sure and just eats up asphalt.

Underestimated! Was my first car and has outseen a few others, clearly my favourite.

Only stuff that was of my own fault. It was rebuilt with new pistons/rings/bearings etc and freshened head with new valves the week I purchased it. I managed to bend a push rod through over revving of the engine :)

The best car I have ever owned, full stop. Never let me down, I drove it 200+ k's each way nearly every weekend for almost a year, to see my girlfriend and it never once let me down.

It had the power after some modifications to be safe and be able to really turn on the heat when haste was of necessity.

Rust on the front quarters and in the engine bay above the firewall.

The engine is a little smokey, probably has never had its head off since new.

Original shocks are worn.

Fantastic reliability and low running costs.

Great handling and extreme chuck-ability.

Excellent control under all driving conditions, especially dirt.

An under-estimated driver's car.