2001 Daewoo Nubira 2.0 CDX review from UK and Ireland

Rattling timing belt tensioner (replaced about 10 miles before it failed completely - lucky!)

PAS rack leaked

Front suspension bushes collapsed

Gear linkage went out of adjustment

Fan blower packed up

Half the dash illumination packed up

Cupholder broke

Fuel gauge packed up

Demister never worked properly.

Took a company car allowance and bought this two year old, FSH'd Daewoo for the princely sum of £3,000. At the end of the day, I was just after a tolerable drive, reliability and something I could chuck in the bin after a couple of years while pocketing the majority chunk of my allowance each month. Using proven Vauxhall parts, I thought this would meet my criteria, and owning a Caterham 7, I didn't need to get any enjoyment out of this car, just for it to work. I screwed up!

It's a piece of junk. The engine is ace though - a good growly 2.0 16v Vauxhall lump which kicks out the best part of 140 bhp and delivers truly surprising performance. 8.something to 60 and an indicated 130 and still pulling. Trouble is the hopelessness of the chassis makes using it nothing short of terrifying. Like I said, I didn't expect fun, but it truly is horrible. The steering merits particular comment as one of the biggest pieces of evil ever to come from the engineering hand of mankind. Might as well not be connected to the front wheels for all the feel it has and the effect it has in the wet (i.e. none!)

Brakes are crap too - the ABS cuts in woefully early to the point of making the car dangerous in the wet. In the snow it simply refuses to stop at all. Rides like a skateboard, yet floats and wallows like a drunkard if you so much as point the car at a corner.

I could have lived with most of this had it been reliable. The engine never missed a beat apart from the timing belt tensioner, but the rest of the car was utter crap. After a couple of years, you can see why these cars cost so little. Despite using "proven" Vauxhall parts, Daewoo seem to strip every piece of mechanical integrity out of every part before chucking it onto the production line.

Avoid this steaming piece of junk at all costs.