Fiat Bravo 1.6

I had a Fiat Bravo 1.6 for a while and it was a very competent little car. It`s not hard to see why they are so cheap though - they are fairly ugly at the front - that was apparent when they first came out. Not as ugly as the Brava though which depreciated even faster. Basically, you get a car which is nearly as good as a focus but for a lot less. I paid a few hundred for mine and it had done low miles and had a years MoT.
The only difference between this and the Brava is the lack of doors - also the Brava has an extra bit on the back end which makes for a bigger boot.
There isn`t a great deal of space in the rear passenger area, nor in the boot department - the driver and front passenger are reasonably well catered for though.
The 1.6 engine is very peppy and the driving experience is good overall - the car handles in a typically Italian way - firm but sporty. I guess the 1.4s are a little slower but they fit into the lower tax bracket - I wouldn`t imagine the performance/economy differed that much - the 1.6 offered reasonable (35MPG) economy.
The seats have a tendency to wear a bit from what I`ve seen and I never really trusted the factory fitted radio - buttons tended to fall off although it did give a reasonable performance. The rear wiper WILL pack in at some point because they always do on Puntos/Bravos. The engine proved pretty reliable although at one point the fuel injector clogged up which meant running on 3 and an annoying "spray" light coming on on the dashboard. When I phoned a Fiat specialist for the part, he "groaned" as if to say "that again" - and yes, this can be a problem it would appear. Not only that, but for a DIY man, these are a son of a b**** to repair/replace. No other problems have manifested themselves.
It`s hard to believe this was the car of the year in 1996 or something - quite a bargain now - personally I would take the 1.4 but certainly the 1.6 offers value for money. Buy one in decent nick for a few hundred and keep a little of your street cred - if you want to look like a complete moron, then get a Brava and prepare to be celibate forever.