SEAT Marbella (1988 - 1993) GLX 3d (1989/F) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

You don't take yourself too seriously. You like something a bit different. You don't want to spend big money on a car.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They love it nearly as much as I do. Mainly for its cheeky looks, impressive interior dimensions and load space and the fact that it just seems to carry on despite what gets thrown at it. With friends we drove two of these cars from Marbella in southern Spain, to the Arctic Circle in northern Norway in less than 5 days without a single fault on eaither of them, despite a combined age of nearly 40 years.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Yes, though accidents aside, I don't envisage I'll part with it. It is currently run as occasional weekend/classic vehicle.

What are you likely to buy next?

I also drive a Mitsubishi Lancer, so my next car will be a replacement for that. Probably another Mitsubishi.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£700

When did you buy the car?

April 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

Yes. The car had covered just 17,000 miles in over 20 years and was essentially in as-new condition. £700 was therefore quite a bargain.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

The car was bought to do a charity drive from Marbella to the Arctic Circle and return to the UK.

What was the dealer like?

Friendly and helpful. Not a SEAT dealer, but a Suzuki Dealer who had taken the car in P/X

What's it like to drive?

It is genuinely fun to drive and does put a smile on your face every time you get in, particularly so on winding country roads where it lurches and bounces about at the limits of its capability all well under the national speed limit! It is capable of sustaining speeds of 80mph on the european motorway network if necessary, and will still average 50 - 60mpg. Where it really makes sense however is in the city, where it is unbeatable apart from the closely related 'classic' Fiat Panda for internal space relative to external dimensions. This makes it ideal for manouvering through heavy traffic economically. The power to weight ratio is quite high and causes a few raised eyebrows at traffic lights, as accelleration from 0 - 30mph is better than some modern family saloons and hatches.

What's it like to park?

Very very easy. Tiny exterior dimensions and large windows make parking effortless.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Absolutely nothing at all.

What's most practical about your car?

Everything. It makes a laughing stock of modern 'small cars'. It truly is small on the outside, being narrower and only a little longer than the perhaps inappropriately named 'smart' (fortwo) car, yet it can carry five people in relative comfort and enough luggage for three people for a 10 day road-trip. No modern supermini comes close to it in terms of interior space and practicality.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Not many acessories on the Marbella. It is a very basic utilitarian vehicle. Being a GLX, it comes with a carpet and a rear wash/wipe, unlike lower spec' models.