Faults:

Hole in the exhaust, which needs to be welded, and the window wiper linkage came loose, which is an easy fix. Other than that, the car has been great.

General Comments:

In 4 months, I've put on over 20k kms, and it never once let me down.

Nice driving position with room for 3 adults in the back no problem.

The engine is quite rev happy, especially when it gets over 4500rpm and the second set of cams kick in. I've seen off maybe bigger cars in this little baby.

For a 91 car, it has more mod cons than most newer cars like air con, electric windows front and rear, electric mirrors, electronic climate control and power steering.

Fuel economy is pretty good with 40+ mpg motorway driving and 30+ mpg around town; not bad for a carb engine?

All in all, I like this car and will only sell it to get a newer model Lancer/Colt/Mirage with an efi engine.

Faults:

The tappets started to make an terrible racket when the car was first started, but once I drove it for a few minutes the noise went away, had the same problem on my last 1.5 Lancer/Mirage.

When I bought the car it had 74000 miles on it, and hadn't had a good service in a long time, but still ran like a dream. I finally got it serviced at 78000 miles when one of the plug leads gave in, I also replaced the plugs and timing belt as they were never ever changed, which was very noticeable when being changed, although in saying that, it never seemed as if it was going to break down, it just kept on going.

I changed the oil and filter regularly to keep it running smoothly, as I drove the car very hard but it never ever let me down.

General Comments:

It was a nice car to drive with plenty of leg room and plenty of space in the back for 3 people. Also the boot has lots of space.

It had excellent fuel consumption for a DOHC engine, I could get 100 miles for 10 euro of petrol, with petrol being on average 115 cent per liter.

The handling is very good, even though it only had crappy little 13" wheels on it.

The engine is very responsive, even though it only has 115 hp, I could keep with most 1.6 DOHC cars easy enough; 0-60 time was 8.5 seconds and could do the clock in 4th gear (185kms) with 2000 rpm left over and a whole other gear.

I would most likely still have this car if someone hadn't crashed into the back of me and wrecked it.

Faults:

None so far. Expecting very little due to Japans legendary reliability which may I add is the most reliable of all countries. Stats prove that.

General Comments:

Being only 19 I haven't had much experience with cars. However I have driven about 13 different cars and so I believe I have enough scope to get a good idea of comparison.

This car is seriously underated. It is reliable extremly well equipped and in the GLX model it has the sporty look side skirts and spoiler which is great for you boy racers.

The car is nicely equipped with electric mirrors, electric sunroof, alarm immobilizer, ABS, power steering, spotlights alloy wheels (they look rubbish though) and in the top mirage models it even has heated seats.

The cars performance is generally very good. It's a very willing car give it the chance and puts a smile on your face when it hits over 5,000 rpm. However I have read someone stated in a review they took out a Toyota Celica.. sum how I don't think so.. my mum owns a 1991 Toyota Celica GTI-16V ST182-R which I have driven and it would floor the mirage so easy it wouldn't even be funny.

For the boy racers 0-60mph (100kph) takes under 9.4 seconds from stand still and a top speed of apparently 118 mph, but I haven't fully set it out to its limits and factory settings lie. example my Honda Civic was quoted to do 105mph so its all kinda useless when I was doing 117mph in it! :| (there always too slow).

Insurance as well is amazing issue here for a 1.6i 16v I was expecting to get a number more longer than the digits I used to phone the insurance company, but however this car is far more cheap £250+ less than the 1.3 Honda Civic DX.

Changes to better this car would be a more aggressive DOHC sport version of it to put up a fight against the JDM honda civic type R. Also disc brakes all round would be good! and a much better set of alloys sorry, but they remind me of cheesy Corsa three spokes which belong on the wheels of a pair of skates in an 80's roller disco!

I don't regret them minor issues because lets face it this car is so much better than a Saxo VTR! I'm not upset that I didn't get my burberry cap as standard to be honest!

Overall for the money and the quality of its car its more or less impossible to beat!!

Faults:

Car stolen by joyriding scumbags, other than that no problems, and I give that car some abuse.

General Comments:

A wolf in sheeps clothing, would beat most cars off the lights, the look on these idiots faces in their supposed sports cars, when I accelerate into the distance leaving them eating my dust.

I've been in better handling cars, but you can get by if you know what you are doing. Great car.

Faults:

Nothing so far ;)

General Comments:

This is a good economical car that provides a lot of style for not a lot of money. It is also cheap to insure.

In it's 1.3 guise it lacks hard acceleration when over 60mph however there are bigger engines available.

The car is well specified with electric windows and mirrors, keyless entry, air-con, ABS etc. The only complaint is a high level of wind and road noise and the fact that it is only available as an import from Japan.