1993 Holden Barina MH review from Australia and New Zealand
"Practical, cheap, well built, great upgrade potential"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I got it the rear window wiper button didn't work, nor did the squirter squirt (still haven't fixed that yet).
Temperature gauge only seems to work about half the time.
Horn didn't work when I got it, but that was fixed with a quick fiddle.
Switch/button on inner door was dodgy (nearly having me leave the headlights on a few times), but that is now fixed.
One of the speakers is about to die, mind you it's the original speaker and is 15 years old.
These are all minor cheap easy electrical problems though, mechanically it is great.
General comments?
If you want cheap, this car ticks all the boxes. Fuel economy that would give the Toyota Prius a run for it's money. Cheap to insure. Reliable.
But it doesn't disappoint. It still has all you need. Driving it isn't painful, and the suspension keeps you comfortable while still taking corners pretty well.
Performance doesn't seem to be affected by having a full car, which is amazing considering the small engine and weight of the car.
Overall performance is respectable for the fuel economy it gives.
Gearing ratios are spot on.
Interior feels very roomy and spacious for a car that looks tiny in the car parks. Everything is in the perfect spot, no need to fiddle around with seat position for ages.
Very rattly in traffic when stopped with foot on brake, idle speed is probably too low.
Lacking rear speakers, and due to tiny front speakers in awkward place, it's gonna be a pain in the ass to upgrade.
No standard left hand mirror, makes car look unbalanced.
Otherwise, this is a great car, with awesome upgrade potential. Parts are easy to source due to it being the same as Suzuki Swift.
Recommended reviews
| Runs well for a 13 year old car |
|
| Can't pick faults with it, it's too good |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1993 |
| Year of manufacture | 1993 |
| First year of ownership | 2008 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.3 Carby petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 140000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 150000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 31st July, 2009 |