Steve Gray, drives an Avenger 1300...
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When this feature was planned, this particular car had led a reasonably trouble-free life. It had required rather a lot of spare parts, most of which came under the preventive maintenance category. Then, two weeks ago, a couple of valves burnt out with the mileage at 50,000.
HOY 465N came on the strength in May 1 975 and it soon contracted what is evidently an Avenger malady -reports of a wheel wobble eventually cured by accurate balancing.
Brake linings were required all round at 14,000 miles and, again, up front at 34,000 miles. At that latter mileage, the slave cylinder on one wheel was replaced after signs of a fluid leak. The rear linings carried on until 38,000 miles before the next replacements were necessary.
The oil consumption has been something of a puzzle It has never been particularly satisfactory at around 400 miles to the pint, but at one stage (around 30,000 miles) worsened rapidly to around pint per 200 miles. This last for the next 5.000 miles whE again for no obvious reason, t il consumption reverted to its revious figures.
Apart from the items already lentioned, the spare parts aquired have been limited to il filters, points, plugs, fan elts and one rear hub seal. The fuel consumption has 31lied with the other Avenger n the CM strength at around :2 mpg on three-star petrol.
:omment
Overall, the Avenger 1300, vhich I have been using for the ast year, has been very satisactory. Despite the recent apairs needed to the engine, it as been pretty reliable, never atting me down on the road or ailing to start.
I inherited the Avenger when : had about 30,000 miles on he clock and, since then, I have overed another 20,000. When first took it over, oil consumpion rose dramatically but setled down to a reasonable level fter a couple of months.
The Avenger is particularly ileasant to drive with light but 'ery positive steering and !xcellent road holding. In fact, I vould rate the ride and handing amongst the best availible on a small car. This is irobably due to the fitment of :oil springs all round with AcPherson Struts up front and ihort trailing links on the rear ixle. There is little body roil \then cornering quickly and the 3assengers aren't thrown iround in their seats.
Although the driving position s good, I found the positioning )f some of the minor controls rritating. The heater blower umbler switch and the heated ear window switch are mountid on the underside of the dash Ind are difficult to see, let alone each when belted into the iriver's seat.
All other controls are quite
vell placed with twist switches m either side of the steering :olumn for lights and wipers. A ;hort gear lever on the floor :ontrols the all synchromesh 3earbox, which has well chosen .atios and is easy to use. The irakes need a fair amount of pedal pressure but are effective Ind able to pull the car up quickly, even when fully laden.
A particularly annoying feaure of the car is the static seat pelts. These are forever tying ,hemselves into a knot around he base of the front seats.
Other than this, the only yther complaint concerns the 3xcessive wind noise at speed
and the design of the tilt 'orward front seats ,:vhich have peen responsible for more addered tights among women antering the rear seats