The starter motor failed, would have cost $2000 to replace (as much as the car cost me!) so it has been fixed - badly.
The clutch is in a bad way, starting to slip and may need replacing, another expensive job.
The brakes need regular attention.
For a very cheap Euro, this car has been a dream. Small enough to fit into the tiniest parks in town; yet get it on the open road and it feels like a car twice its size.
I've taken it on road trips on New Zealand's worst back country roads, over winding dirt roads, up ski fields - and it's never missed a beat. It eats gravel for breakfast; unusual in a small car.
It's heavy in the city; lack of power steering makes it feel like a truck and the clutch makes for a gym-like workout in traffic.
The only problem is, living 12,000 miles from Europe, if you have a problem it tends to be major and expensive. Find a good mechanic who knows what to do and it won't be so bad.
You were the object of a "rip off". Five years ago I owned the same car in France and had the same problem of a starter motor failure. To replace it cost me...200 $!
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site