Vanden Plas 1500 Reviews

Nothing mechanical, however it had a rather rusty front valance, a common fault on Allegro and VP1500. When I removed the fog light, we found a stash of nuts from a mouse or similar that had set up home there!

The time clock died and it's replacement keeps sticking, no working fog lights, cigar lighter or rear window demister.

Ignition leads were a bit worn and timing was out, both rectified.

No key to lock the boot.

It's never going to win a drag race, but will happily cruise at 50-60mph. It has some very comfy seats, and on a hot day the full length folding sun roof is a boon.

It is bright white, and has a big chrome grille and bumper that attracts children and adults alike; many people have commented on how well it looks.

Car had been through a bit before we got it. I am owner No.10! If you saw "Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver" on Channel 5 last September, this was the very car the actor Brian Blessed drove from John o Groats to Lands End.

When we got it had a few problems, such as the CO reading was off the scale, the manifold was leaking, battery was shot, water was leaking into the boot, the headlining had been replaced with brown paper and an old sheet, and the carpets looked like they had been dragged around a muddy field, to name, but a few!

Since then the carbs have been rebuilt and the engine tuned, front and rear brakes stripped and replaced, every electrical part in the engine from the distributor to plug leads has been replaced, interior stripped, cleaned and replaced along with a replacement headlining, manifold and other rust areas welded, and my son has polished it to within an inch of its life!

Now we have it tuned as it should be, it is reasonably lively, but not especially fast. It cruises quite nicely - about 50mph.

You don't want to go much faster because of the comedy brakes, they stop you, eventually! At first we thought they weren't bedded in, but it passed the MOT with no comment on them, so it must just be us used to modern brakes.

Mpg isn't exciting, we reckon 27 if we are lucky. However if you put 5 gallons in, it seems to leak from the top of the tank and run over the floor, so we could do a bit more if I got that fixed.