2001 Daewoo Nubira 2.0 CDX from UK and Ireland - Comments

Rattling timing belt tensioner (replaced about 10 miles before it failed completely - lucky!)

PAS rack leaked

Front suspension bushes collapsed

Gear linkage went out of adjustment

Fan blower packed up

Half the dash illumination packed up

Cupholder broke

Fuel gauge packed up

Demister never worked properly.

Took a company car allowance and bought this two year old, FSH'd Daewoo for the princely sum of £3,000. At the end of the day, I was just after a tolerable drive, reliability and something I could chuck in the bin after a couple of years while pocketing the majority chunk of my allowance each month. Using proven Vauxhall parts, I thought this would meet my criteria, and owning a Caterham 7, I didn't need to get any enjoyment out of this car, just for it to work. I screwed up!

It's a piece of junk. The engine is ace though - a good growly 2.0 16v Vauxhall lump which kicks out the best part of 140 bhp and delivers truly surprising performance. 8.something to 60 and an indicated 130 and still pulling. Trouble is the hopelessness of the chassis makes using it nothing short of terrifying. Like I said, I didn't expect fun, but it truly is horrible. The steering merits particular comment as one of the biggest pieces of evil ever to come from the engineering hand of mankind. Might as well not be connected to the front wheels for all the feel it has and the effect it has in the wet (i.e. none!)

Brakes are crap too - the ABS cuts in woefully early to the point of making the car dangerous in the wet. In the snow it simply refuses to stop at all. Rides like a skateboard, yet floats and wallows like a drunkard if you so much as point the car at a corner.

I could have lived with most of this had it been reliable. The engine never missed a beat apart from the timing belt tensioner, but the rest of the car was utter crap. After a couple of years, you can see why these cars cost so little. Despite using "proven" Vauxhall parts, Daewoo seem to strip every piece of mechanical integrity out of every part before chucking it onto the production line.

Avoid this steaming piece of junk at all costs.

It is truly unfortunate to see that when they retired the Espero for the Nubira they did not, at the very least, improve the awful steering.

I note your comments about the steering. I have been experiencing problems with my Daewoo as well. I have a 2 litre CDX (2000 model) and the steering seems to have a mind of its own- particularly when the road is wet. If there is a rut in the road the wheels tend to want to follow the rut, which can be quite scary if you are trying to steer down a narrow country lane with on-coming traffic. I have had the car for 11 months now and I'm sure the steering wasn't this bad when I first got it.

I had one as a courtesy car for 6 weeks and have to agree with your criticism of the dynamics.

You know a car really handles badly when people who wouldn't normally notice anything about a car beyond its colour, get out of it muttering that "the steering feels broken" and "it doesn't go around corners very well, does it?". These comments came from my mum who has never driven a car hard in her life, and borrowed the Nubira to go to the supermarket.

Quick car though in 2.0 form. Will see off a 1.8T Passat or 2.0 Mondeo without any problem, and even sounds half decent. Just make sure the road has nothing resembling a bend in it before you exceed about 40 mph though. Merely recalling the handling when writing this is making my flesh creep!

I must just disagree with all the above people. I bought a very sad 2000 model Nubira a few months ago, and with a bit of fixing up (due to the last owners not looking after the car) it has turned out to be a gem.

I have no idea what the story is with the steering???

Maybe Nubira in South Africa are better built? I know that with GM looking after my car, I need not worry about a thing!

I must disagree with the above comments... or maybe add an additional insight. From my own experience, it should the the lousy tires that are at fault rather than the steering. Try changing to a better after-market tyres, especially one that I s meant for wet roads and you will see the difference. I have taken 90 degree corners at 50km/hr perfectly.