Main problem with them regarding reliability is the previous owners. They used to be so cheap and the young lads loved them, unfortunately they never get looked after and get thrashed about.

I've had 5 and never had any problems. I had one as a daily for 2 years and it was perfect, but then I always service my cars religiously and do preventative maintenance rather than letting something get bad enough to let you down.

They are a bit nose heavy and do under steer when pushing on the twisty bits.

I can still remember the day I bought my first one, was like a revelation coming from the sapphire cossie. I was always with one eye on the temp gauge with the cossie and topping it up with oil all the time. I soon lost that worry feel with the Nissan, it was my first Jap performance car and having come from a line of Fast Fords it changed my car future to Jap. Was very odd never having to top it up with oil between servicing and it running perfectly all the time.

There was a sweeping bend near me where my cossie would (theatrically) get up to 100mph but if you dared to let off it would feel like it could kill you. The pulsar at the same speed could be toyed with and felt so planted.

I did go back to a 4x4 saph after, but hated it and bought another pulsar. Had that one 2 years then started on the Impreza route. The Impreza is a step up in the handling dept compared to the pulsar but still retains the every day reliability feel.