Faults:

The list goes; head gasket failure on both banks of the boxer, rev counter failed, rear windows wouldn't open, rear window de-fogger failed, eyeball vents would shoot out of the dash on second fan speed, hatch pull failed, speedometer cable, plus too many niggles to list. Heck, even the dipstick had to be replaced as the top came off. That should give you an idea!

General Comments:

This was the car that was like the little girl with the curl. She was horrid in summer, with issues like vapour lock in the fuel lines & no ventilation to speak of. In winter she would leak... But show her a couple of bends & she was the most wonderful creature ever built by man. The sound of the engine, especially the exhaust crackle on the over-run never failed to rouse the spirit. Despite the problems I had, I always felt the car was on my side & didn't really want to let me down. I have never tinkered with a car so much, polishing this & tightening that; these things will do that to you. I made the mistake of using it as an everyday car. If you get one, do it justice & keep it for the weekends & you'll love it. Plus if you're selling one in good condition, I'd like to know!

Faults:

New clutch required, both actuating mechanism and master cylinder.

One or two minor electrical niggles.

The rust bug is starting to bite.

General Comments:

A fantastic overall car. Good for motorway cruising or for nipping in and out of London traffic.

The car had been garaged for all it's life when I bought it. After nearly three years outside it is starting to suffer and I'm selling it to someone who can look after it a bit better.

Interior is still 100%, only mechanicals replaced are the clutch, water pump, tyres, cam belts.

Faults:

The speedometer has stopped and the fan has burnt out.

The air con is hopeless, as the car just over heats. However, living in Australia the weather can reach 40+. This probably had something to do with the electrics burning and the air con not working properly.

The engine can get noisy and the belts tend to squeak a lot. They need to be replaced more often.

General Comments:

The motor loves to be driven hard. For a 1.5 it is quite quick, however I will put in a 1.7 in the near future. The engine also has a lovely sound. The car out handles it's big brother (GTV). I would relate the handling to the characteristics of a go-kart (very fun).

My sprint has a galvanised body so rust is not so much of a problem as the earlier models.

Faults:

I've had quite a lot of trouble with the electrical systems. For example when I turn on the fan for the climate control, the interval on the wiper won't work.

The starter engine doesn't "grab" the flywheel, but I just went to the scrap-heap and bought a new one!

General Comments:

The car is so lovely on the road!

And it is fast with its small engine!

Faults:

Rust, rust, rust and more rust.

Some problems with the electrics and the front suspension.

The interior components also started to fall off or break fairly regularly, and the dashboard developed a nasty crack in it.

All in all, not to bad considering the km's on the clock.

General Comments:

A great car - I do not regret buying it nor do I regret losing several thousand dollars on the resale 2-3 years later.

Incredible fun in the wet - neutral handling characteristics - pushed to the limit produces mild understeer results. Back off on the accelerator and the nose falls back into line.

Rorty engine with a beautiful exhaust note. Great fun.