This car reminds me of the R5 GTT. Its a realible car, Theres nothing wrogn with it, But its stereotyped as unreliable as people dont tune them properly, Too much boost on standard internals is why most go, Its all too easy to up the boost. Standard they arent unreliable, As stated, They have the SR20 DET lump, Awesome engine.
In standard form, They have a poor gearbox and clutch, A Restrictive top mount interwarmer, And shoddy brakes.
Even the newer ones will be approaching 15 years old, And they look wnak, But thats the appeal. No one expects a Nissan Sunny to be pulling 12 sec 1/4s.
For the price of a 182, You will get a molly coddled, No expense spared 350bhp+ Weapon that will put perform alot of things. My mate recently purchased one witha very recently rebuilt Norris Designs 360bhp lump, Coilovers, 17s, 4 Pots, Carbon Fibre Buckets, Good tyres and Quiffe Box for £4,500.
The engine can probably handle another 50bhp before it becomes unrelaible. Its an absolute weapon.
It costs as much as an Impreza to run and insure mind.
They are stereotyped (Mainly on this forum) as unrelaible and crap, In standard form, They are faster than a 182, Obviously not in the twisties, But its a 2.0 Turbo 4wd Car after all.
They dont have to be unrealiable, Same fate as the R5 as said, That is thought to be unreliable, But as a few people know (Those who know what they are talking about) A decent, Well looked after R5 is no less relaible than a 182, Same applies with the Pulsar.
Advantage of the Pulsar is, You wont find many for sale, that dont have a Front Mount, 4 Pots and a Decent clutch as a minimum, Most will be proven, reliable 270-300bhp ones too.
Problem is people buy a £2k one and expect it to be relaible, The 4-5k examples are as relaible as any newer car, Adn a damn site faster.
They are ugly and hate to be insured though