Faults:

Brake pipes rusted - had difficulty getting replacements.

Clutch master cylinder failed - cheap to fix but inconvenient.

Handbrake poor - fitted new cables, brake shoes, wheel cylinders & brake drums, handbrake now OK.

Road wheels (2 No.) rusted out dangerously under wheel covers - only discovered when the tyre started deflating. Second hand replacement wheels bought very cheaply from scrapyard solved this problem.

Head gasket failed on return trip from French holiday. Cost £600 to get home by train without car. Cost £950 to get car fixed in France because french garage insisted on replacing water pump, thermostat, cylinder head and cambelt. Cost another £250 to pick up car & drive it back, since when the exhaust fell apart on trip to Cheshire - only cost £55 to fix this.

The latest problem is difficult cold starting - hoping this is water temp sensor.

Body is rusting badly. Had to fix door bottoms due to perforation & tops of doors also perforated. Cleaned these up & sprayed cavities with Waxoyl. Also sealed junction of window rubbers & window frames. Had to have one flitch plate welded where bonnet closes. Now noticed that sill flanges rusting & rear axle beam rusty, also rust creeping under rear bumper and one rear light. Intend to have these areas cleaned up treated or welded before winter.

General Comments:

Car is really economical on fuel - did 180 miles at 70 MPH on half tank of fuel both ways to Cheshire. Not much acceleration, and slow on hills, but otherwise drives like a much larger car.

Handling reasonably good, but not so good with 4 on board.

The way the seats fold back is brilliant and it's easy to get a bicycle loaded in. Pity the car was not built to last.

I love this car and am hoping to solve its many problems, but I'm worried by how rapidly it is becoming a scarce sight on the roads. Also understanding why this is happening.

So much better looking than the Punto.

Faults:

Fuel pump had to be replaced at 97,000 miles.

Brushes in the alternator had to be replaced at 103,000 miles.

Wiring loom shorted and melted at 112,000 miles.

The cog on the window winder passenger side is worn away, and window falls down as I drive or can be opened by pulling the glass downward. Started at 119,000 miles.

Small rust spots appearing on the car in various places. 123,000 miles.

General Comments:

The handbrake is rubbish. It constantly gets stretched and has to be tightened.

The car is one hell of a nippy little thing.

It will do about 90 mph before it judders.

I wouldn't like to hit the brakes at that speed.

I don't know what its top speed is, only ever took it to 97mph then remembered the brakes.!

It always starts for me first go, even in the wet. Thanks to silicone spray on the distributor cap.

The boot is brilliant. Lots of space, and when you put the back seats down, push the drivers seat and passenger seat up to the front and fold the back seat in behind them, well transformers eat your heart out, you now have a van.

People like the amount of space in it.

Faults:

Brake pipe rusty.

Play in steering rack.

Starter motor noisy.

Starting problems.

Would occasionally run on 3 cylinders.

Clutch required at 36000.

Head gasket blew at 36000.

Gearbox whines.

Brake master cylinder x3.

Engine whines.

Speedo noisy.

Camshaft cover leaks oil.

Suspension knock.

Rust.

Plus everything else what I can’t remember.

General Comments:

I brought this car for £365 with a full service history and all old MOT's, so I know the mileage is genuine.

This was my first car and I wish that I had waited and got a Rover Metro instead.

Every few days something else would go wrong with it.

The interior is cheap and the seats gave me foot and back ache.

The car doesn’t handle well, as you have to slow down a lot for corners.

The handbrake is rubbish like all small Fiats I eventually gave up using the handbrake and just left it in gear.

Gutless above 30mph.

Bolts are of poor quality.

Ran poor when cold.

At one point I worked out my mpg and it was 28, I get 35 out of the metro I replaced this with, which has a bigger engine.