Faults:

Air conditioning has packed up at 63,000 miles. It would appear that it is something electrical as the fuses and "on" switch are OK, but the magnetic grip on the fan belt does not activate when it is switched on.

Fan belt broke 1500 miles after its 60,000 mile service.

General Comments:

It is a cheap runner and is still fun to drive.

The driving position is excellent, but the use of plastic trim lets down the dashboard.

Faults:

Nothing has needed replacing though the clutch seems to become very stiff when in traffic.

Power steering has also put in a few pounds, though the geometry and pump are fine.

General Comments:

Very quick once the revs have climbed above 3500rpm with great engine noise.

The ride quality is great at low and high speeds, but the turning circle is terrible.

Clutch is quite hard work in traffic.

Faults:

Air bag light decides to sit there flashing on occasions - common fault with the sensor, nothing really to worry about - just annoying having a orange light on your dash flashing away...

Poor interior build quality.

Condensation in the fog lamps.

General Comments:

Very nice GTi alternative - looks basically the same...

Sounds like a bus when you start it up - but once going you hardly notice it's a diesel...

Sports seats are a nice touch.

The general performance is good, when the turbo kicks in you can feel the acceleration - fun car to drive...

Handling is excellent.

Fuel economy isn't as good as I expected (usually get around 35 - 40mpg), but if you use the turbo sparingly then it gets a little higher...

Insurance is low.

Faults:

Electric roof playing up once or twice.

Leaking fuel pipe clip.

General Comments:

To describe this car in only a few words would be "excellent fun and a real head turner".

Apart from the roof refusing to co-operate a couple of times and a pain in the bum dealer I have had no problems whatsoever with this car.

The hard top is a very fiddly beast and weighs a tonne (thankfully you only have to wrestle with it once a year).

If you think this one is cheap to run forget it, the fuel figures say about 24 - 42 mpg, no way! especially with the hard top on.

To put it an easy way, for £10 around town I get between 55 - 65 miles, on a run it's pretty good though.

Handling OK, performance is nippy enough, build quality surprisingly good with virtually no rattles at all so very good for a convertible.

It looks the business with the roof on or off and turns heads none stop with the hard top on!

So all in all if you`ve got about £12000 or so to play with then go and buy one, get the updated looking car, (it's miles better).

The cost of petrol is no reason to be put off, trust me, these cars are fantastic especially in roadster form.

Try to spend the extra to get the roadster over the normal convertible, you'll be so glad you did when winter comes, besides you get a coupe (with hard top on) and a convertible for summer. So two cars for the price of one!! Yippeee!!!