##daenube.jpg --Right##IN its three months on the Fleet NewsNet long term fleet the Nubira CDX estate has further helped smother Daewoo's reputation for placing engineering and driving dynamics a poor second and third respectively to value for money. Mechanically, the car has performed without fault, and we've even managed to improve on the Euro fuel consumption figure - officially it's 31mpg, but we achieved 31.8 mpg despite a mix of drivers, among them some with notoriously heavy feet.

Reliability, lack of irritating squeaks, and a gutsy 132bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit (OK, so it's a bit thrashy, and the gear lever suffers from torque-jump) mean the Nubira gets close to achieving mainstream respectability. Our drivers approved of its neat looks, too: Daewoo has come a very long way in a short time from that of its frumpy, old Cavalier-based predecessor, the Espero.

Handling may not be its best point, but it's good enough. Corner it hard and you may wish you hadn't, as the suspension is better suited to life on a motorway rather than rolling down rural lanes. No complaints on what you get for your money however. How could there be?

Along with Daewoo's three-year free servicing deal, this ú14,020 range-topper has leather upholstery, air conditioning, ABS, twin airbags, immobiliser, remote locking, power windows and electrically-operated and heated door mirrors. It's a very good package.

Unfortunately, it was out of commission for almost a month towards the end of its run with us - and it wasn't the car's fault. It got scraped by a mystery shopper's vehicle in a supermarket car park, leaving us - eventually - with a bill for ú793.01, including VAT, for a new driver's door and remedial work to the offside wing.

Through PHH Accident Management, the damage was inspected within two days of the incident and booked into a local crash repair centre on August 24. Two days later we were asked to take back the Nubira unrepaired, because, the centre said, while it had ordered the parts, Daewoo hadn't given a guaranteed delivery date.

The car was called back by the crash centre on September 15 and returned, repaired, on September 23. Daewoo has informed us the parts were delivered on September 3. At the time of going to press we were looking further into the matter.

Gervais Seymour