Top Car! (Austin/MG Maestro)

Member Name: themoomin

Product:	Austin/MG Maestro
Date:	10/01/01 (179 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Roomy, Cheap, Cheerful

Disadvantages: Grows moss in the indicators!

We bought a second-hand E-reg (1988)Maestro about 4 years ago, for the vast sum of £1200. It has served us so well I just had to tell you about it!

For reliability it just can't be beaten. We bought it on about 86,000 miles, and it is now around the 110,000 and still going strong. Okay, so the mileometer broke when it got to 100,000, but that was soon sorted . . . !

Since we had it it has had a new battery, alternater, exhaust and rear wheel bearings - all except the exhaust we replaced ourselves. It has never failed us on a long journey - in fact on one hot Summer's day returning from Cornwall and stuck in traffic and with everyone else overheating around us, we were rock solid and cool.

We do a lot of fairly long journeys - old Eric (the car) has taken us to the very tip of Scotland and the Western Isles, all over Wales, and to Lands End, without so much as a grumble. All it takes is a bit of looking after, and fresh oil now and again.

Stylish? Well a lot of people laughed when we first got it, but increasingly I see Maestros out and about, which is weird as they are not made anymore. I think they went up to about J, then that was it. Of course, there is the younger brother the MG Maestro, which I am told goes like sh*t off a stick (to coin a phrase) but I haven't yet had the pleasure of driving that one . . .yet!

If you want a cheap runabout, and are prepared to look after it, then this might just be the car for you. Like all old cars it has its problems, but spares are relatively easy to get hold of, and you'll learn to live with the rust (all Maestros rust in the same place - under the sills and round the rear wheels). It won't be environmentally friendly though - maybe the later ones are unleaded or diesel - but check first.

The seats are comfortable and roomy, it has a proper glove box and spacious boot, and is a good drive - capable of doing 0-70 in about 5 minutes and overtaking any
Eddie Stobart Lorry on an uphill straight!! No 5th gear - but who needs it?

Eric has given us many years of service, and I would recommend a Maestro to anyone!

Summary: