Faults:

The front suspension struts needed replacing, as did the ball joints. The water pump went. Then there were 5 dashboard switches, the radiator, the cylinder head was getting rattly. Mainly it was silly things; like the sunroof that wouldn't close one day when it started to rain, but just before I had a heart attack, it closed. Or the rear wiper that sometimes wouldn't work when I was reversing, but by the time I was about to drive forward & wasn't bothered, it wiped... Plus small trim irritations. It was in the garage at least once a month.

General Comments:

I loved this car & despite the fact that I could barely afford to run it & cycled most places to save it the short journeys, it was the only car (out of 9) that I actually loved. It was a dream to have one as a boy & even toward the end of the 2 years I had her, I would still look at her from my windows at night. She was a dream to drive, except for spongy brakes, endemic tothe SD1. On rainy nights, it felt like I was driving in the dry. All in all, a beautiful car & I want another, especially as now I can put an SD1 to reserve car duty as I already have a disposable Japanese hatchback. I highly recommend an SD1 if you can run it as a second car & pamper it.

Faults:

Nothing gone wrong with the car since I acquired it, and would definitley recommend one to anyone, as they are cheap to buy.

General Comments:

Comfortable long distance cruiser. Quite happy to cruise at 115MPH where legal. Beats most hot hatch trash away from the lights. Very quick and fast for very little money. I only paid £200 for mine.

Good specification too, electric windows, power steering, alloys, central locking, air con, sunroof and all for 200 quid.

Faults:

The car was a bit of a shed when I bought it. There was a bad engine earth so the car sometimes would only start on N and not in P and then the starter motor packed in.

I knew that the car was a bit of a rust bucket when I bought it, but these cars rarely give structural rust problems, only cosmetic (door bottoms, wheel arches, leading edge of the bonnet). Cheap prices mean that repairs/replacement of rusty panels is fairly easy.

"Green Flag" breakdowns include a burst radiator pipe (my fault), alternator pulley that ate fan belts, ignition switch failure and the headlight switch that broke apart. Other than that, perfectly reliable for an 18 year old car - and a BL car at that...

General Comments:

European Car of the Year 1977. Tow Car of the Year too.

The V8 engine is probably the reason why these cars have become classics in their own right. The straight six engines can be made to be reliable too.

There are a growing number of committed parts and garage specialists who can help you to keep these cars on the road. Run the V8 on LPG for even greater cost savings!

The interiors are (for the driver and front passenger at least) very roomy and very comfortable. Not quite armchair motoring, but not far off it. Some switches become delicate with age though. Beware of sagging headlining and temperamental electric window motors. And if the heater doesn't work, the whole dash has to come out.

There are at least two car clubs for the model so you will never be alone with your SD1.

Faults:

Well...... the master cylinder on the clutch went, the rear drivers door & hatchback locks broke, there was a little rust in the boot, doors and bonnet. And a bloody annoying squeak from the bushings..

General Comments:

A great car and one that I really enjoy using at weekends! Love the V8 and comfort..... I would really love another one (Vitesse).