Older cars vs Newer cars?

You think you're unlucky - our Renault Megane is the epitome of unreliable...

Henry: "Ah Bebe, le Renault Megane - what's ze French for le m£rd?"

Renault: "I do not know, but eh, we give it a biiiiig backside and everyone gets le picture? Non?"

Sounds to me like you Pug is destined for that giant scrap-heap in the sky R.I.P. 206

A major advantage if say you get a 2 year old car is that it is still under warrantry until it's 3 years old, but just because it is newer does not mean the insurance will go up as often parts for repair can be found cheaper buy insurance companys as opposed to that on older cars.

French cars aren't known for reliability.  My girlfriend had an old golf mk3 with 140 000 miles, which was fine until she rolled it.  She didn't spend much on repairs either.  It was a basic model so there was alot less to go wrong on it, but I think most old German cars are pretty reliable and resist rust pretty well.  Just don't buy Italian.

Older cars all the way for me TBH.

I have: Hondat Integra DC5 (2001) and a Honda EG6 SiR-S (1992), both JDM imports and both have covered less than 40k miles.


My other half has a BMW 130i MSport and it has been back to BMW 3 times since she got it last August for suspension and exhaust issues!


Fair enough i've done a fair bit of work to my Honda's (aftermarket mods like suspension, exhaust (manifold back), engine internals, alloys, brakes etc...) Theyve never had issues and had to go back to Honda or the garage where i get ther work done.


Everyone knows that Honda are reknowned for their bullet proof engines and reliability but these days you'd expect new cars to have the same outlook!

Yes I object to new cars. My Saab cost me £6.5k and worked a damn sight better than the new cars I've had (apart from the dying bit). So the next car will be second hand as well, having had the depreciation paid for by somebody else.

Thats what im doing with my EG6 SiR-S


Its a 1.6 but it still bloody shifts and compared to modern day cars; its years ahead (LSD/Electric everthing/sports interior and chassis etc...)


Its just covered 38k miles (still reads on KPH though) and came from Japan last May and the body work is mint!


I wont bother selling it; its my workhorse although it is always very clean and shiney! It'll get used until its done a few hundered thousand miles

In my opinion it not really the brands but the design and the dealers, all cars go wrong so it's more important how you're treated by your dealers. I've owned a wide variety of cars, from Fiat's, Volkswagen's, Renualts and Honda's to BMW's, Mercedes, Alfa's, Audi's and Lexusÿ

In my experience I found Mercedes, Fiat, Alfa and Renault offered the worst service in term's of cost and willingness to help and provide an efficient service, but as I say might be those particular dealers.

BMW and Mini offered the best service and gave someone with a Mini the same attention and care as someone with an X5 or 7 series, and the cost was no more than for a Ford.

Mercedes were most snobby and inefficient, if you've got a A class, don't make mistake of thinking you'll get same treatment as someone with an S class and that's saying something because even they don't get a good deal.

VAG dealers are efficient but are too expensive.

Lexus too expensive.

Honda too expensive but you won't be making many trips there.

One last point is on design costs of servicing can be greatly reduced by designing cars with a mind that at some point things are going to need changing one example of this is a comparison in changing a headlight bulb between a new Golf and a Renault Megane, simple you think, according to Renault. Took under 5mins for the Golf but it took 45mins + with the Renualt imagine the dealer cost to do that within a service? and I'm sure there are many examples of this with all brands, I just happened to see this one on Fifth Gear.ÿ

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AC Milan:

One last point is on design costs of servicing can be greatly reduced by designing cars with a mind that at some point things are going to need changing one example of this is a comparison in changing a headlight bulb between a new Golf and a Renault Megane, simple you think, according to Renault. Took under 5mins for the Golf but it took 45mins + with the Renualt imagine the dealer cost to do that within a service? and I'm sure there are many examples of this with all brands, I just happened to see this one on Fifth Gear. 

 

I'm not actually joking when I say this: I, myself, changed the bulb on a Renault Megane when my father asked me to do it - I thought it would have taken 5 minutes tops...then I found out you had to go under the wheel arch to access it. 30 minutes I then estimated. Then I realised I had to take the wheel off. An hour. Then the access is so hampered by the battery, you need a third arm to be able to pull the wires out the way......It took 2 hours in total to change ONE dipped-beam light bulb! Absolutly ridiculous! And then I found out that if you need to change the drivers side one, you need to REMOVE THE BUMPER! How ridiculous is that????!!!!

Regarding dealers, from my family's experience, Lexus are by far the best - efficient, polite, friendly and not that expensive considering. Jeep are the worst: Our Jeep has broken down 17 times and they claim "there's nothing wrong with it"! Renault, in our experience, are absolutly fine but on the pricey side - they are quick and do a good job though (then again, because of our Megane, we send Christmas cards to each other! ) Cumnor Hill Jaguar (ex-TWRacing) however are probably the best dealer I have ever been too - they are just excellent in every regard. North Oxford BMW are also very good and really do treat the customer well. That said, most car dealers treat you worse than a person any hi-fi dealer I have been too.

Funny story 1) When we had an M3, we went to an Audi garage to look at the new S4 and the Audi dealer said "what car do you have now", "M3", "Oh don't bother with an Audi, keep that!"

Funny story 2) When we also had an M3, we went to a Ferrari/Maserati garage (not because we could afford one, but because we could actually step foot in one when we had such a nice car!) and at the same time a guy pulled up in a Range Rover. The dealer and his assistants came running over to us, eager for us to check out the latest models, test drive them and buy them, but the Range Rover guy was actually ignored to the point he went up to the dealer and said "could I ask a question" and he said "No!"

Anyway...

Got a c-max diesel and has cost me £6.00 (rear number plate bulb) £70 for rear pads in the last 5years (excluding service and tyres). Local Ford dealer cant be faulted either. When needed 4 new tyres last year they even under-cut Blackcircles and Tyre shopper by £20!!. Got new rear pads last month and were £50 cheaper than all the local independant garages. Couple of days later got a puncture and they fixed it for free and even washed and hoovered the car. Talking about the Megan my brothers got one and has had the same problem with the headlight bulbs, renault give you a access panel inside the front wheel arch to change the bulb but unless you are a 5 year old you cant get your arm in!! Every time it goes you need to take the front bumper off. Every time he goes through a puddle the tyre sensors tell him he has a flat tyre!! So I think I'll stick with the old girl for now.

Do you not have a Lancia, Felicia?

Or a Skoda?

Do you prefer the New York cop or the english bobby, Charlton?

Clicky.

Headlamp bulb nearside on a Focus is a nightmare.You cannot see the blasted thing and get your hand on it at the same time.

People who design these things seem to be on a different planet.