Faults:

Rear calipers needed replacement at 155,000 miles (not bad).

Cam belt snapped due to incompetent mechanics damaging a pulley (not the car's fault).

Intermittent setting on wipers stopped at 103K, but a replacement motor only cost £10 from Thema Consortium (www.lancia-tdc.co.uk).

Nothing else other than wear and tear on suspension bushes, but after 166K miles, you would expect that!!!

General Comments:

I've done 100,000 miles in my car, and it still looks as if it could be less than 3 years old. I love this car and have no desire to sell it. The car is great to drive at 95mph on motorways, and can still be hustled along country roads at similar speeds. The steering is perfectly weighted for my tastes, but drivers of Japanese executive cars may prefer something more assisted.

The interior style is one of the car's strongest points, with the Grey Alcantara and Dark Rosewood creating a really luxurious cabin that's always a pleasure to sit in. Be sure to put a cover on the driver's seat though, as the Alcantara can wear out otherwise.

Throttle response is crisp, steering precise, ride smooth, and the exhaust note makes you roll down the windows every time you are driving down a lane with brick walls. This car has character and charm, which is so often lacking in other cars these days.

People have for too long ignored Lancias because of "some bloke down the pub" who told them that they're unreliable and rusty. My advice is try to drive one, or speak to someone who has actually owned one. And as for the criticisms of unreliability, can I suggest you look at the Carsurvey comments for the VW Polo!!!

Faults:

Electronic suspension failed; changed to standard struts due to high cost of parts.

Minor electrical faults, mainly caused by poor earthing in the engine bay area.

Electric windows sluggish.

Rust around rear window pillars and rear wheel arches.

Alloy wheel finish very poor and prone to severe corrosion.

General Comments:

Excellent performance for little money compared to similar cars.

Heavy on fuel and front tyres if used hard, but fun to drive.

Anonymous car that surprises all passengers with its performance, comfort and level of equipment for such a low second hand price.