(around 2012 on) Honda Civic 1.8. Bulletproof reliability, decent performance from its 140bhp motor, huge boot and spacious cabin.

Didn't the 2012 version of the 1.8 Civic have major oil burning issues?

It’s a bit of a novice view, but you immediately associate VW (and other German manufacturers), with solid reliability, but that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case? Reliability/running costs are important to me.

VW have traded on their reputation (self-promoted in their advertising for years!) for reliability, despite regular independent statistics demonstrating that their vehicles are actually less reliable than most Japanese and Korean models.

Remember the children's story of the Emperor's new clothes - it took one child to spell out the truth that no-one wanted to acknowledge.

(I've bought 3 VWs over the years - they spent almost as long with mechanics as on the road!)

We had a 2012 Civic 1.8 from 2013 (at 13k) to 2019 (75k) it needed pads at 30k and pads/discs all round at 70k. I think Hondas are heavy on brakes. In 25 years of company cars that ran to 50k plus only my Accord need any brake work. I got rid of the Civic when it went from using negligible oil to a litre every 5k. Not excessive as such but I was concerned if it was going to be a trend. I believe it’s due to a piston ring issue on 2012 cars and it’s expensive to fix.

We currently have a 2012 1.6 Mazda 3, on 78k miles, that’s been in the family for four years. It too has need brake work this year with a seized front calliper and new rear discs and pads. The pads and discs were measured by our indie so weren’t a fast fit try-on. It also needed bushes last year. A rusty rear sub frame has just been treated.

So Japanese cars of this age, just like any car, can need work. I am not rubbishing them by any means but you need to be realistic. As for comparison between the Civic and Mazda 3. The Civic has a lot more space and performance. The Mazda 3 puffs on hills that the Civic took with ease (if you rev it). The Mazda is also less economical and, at that age, only has a 5 speed box. Having said that my wife, who owns the Mazda, never liked the Civic and loves the Mazda. It’s a lighter feeling car to drive

Could any Japanese brand beat that in 39 and 400,000 miles, I don't think so.

2021.

Yes, of course they could do. Could even be lucky and have done it in a single Rover car. One persons fortune or misfortune can't be used to make out how reliable or not a brand is.

Of course anyone's real life experience in worth something Skidpan and imo worth more than those who trot out the same old Japanese/Korean is best. But I'm not sure your experience would necessarily translate to the OP's situation where he is potentially looking at a 10 year old car with perhaps something between 50-100k miles on it. Running a car from new or nearly new to 100k is a different prospect to running it from that mileage for several years.

FWIW, my son bought a 10 year old Ibiza 1.4 5 years ago with around 85k miles on the clock. Bought as a stop gap. Still has it. Now on around 115k. Broken spring and a couple of suspension mounts. Been 100% reliable. Paid £1,000 for it plus £100 for a rear brake rebuild. Still looks very tidy after it's annual wash.

Edited by Chris M on 30/10/2021 at 12:27

So basically you are telling me that my personal experience means nothing. That experience is FACT and not simple prejudice for or against certain brands.

When the usual Honda, Toyota Mazda fanboys come on, some of which don't currently own and in some cases have never owned do you tell them their "fortune" is not valid since its personal?

I am just telling the OP that some of us have had good (actually very good) experience with VAG brand which have been little different to those Japanese brands much loved on here.

My post was worth far more to the OP than your usual load of carp.

And you wonder why I stopped posting.

Accept some have views different to yours and move on.

Seems an unnecessarily harsh and rude response to alan1302's perfectly valid point?.

Could any Japanese brand beat that in 39 and 400,000 miles, I don't think so.

2021.

Yes, of course they could do. Could even be lucky and have done it in a single Rover car. One persons fortune or misfortune can't be used to make out how reliable or not a brand is.

So basically you are telling me that my personal experience means nothing. That experience is FACT and not simple prejudice for or against certain brands.

When the usual Honda, Toyota Mazda fanboys come on, some of which don't currently own and in some cases have never owned do you tell them their "fortune" is not valid since its personal?

I am just telling the OP that some of us have had good (actually very good) experience with VAG brand which have been little different to those Japanese brands much loved on here.

My post was worth far more to the OP than your usual load of carp.

And you wonder why I stopped posting.

Accept some have views different to yours and move on.

No, I'm not saying your personal experience means nothing. Not sure how you can get that from what I said? I'm saying that you experience does not mean that you brand is more or less reliable overall just based on your experience. You said your self that a Japanese car could not have done what your cars had done - that's just nonsense. That is what I was calling out.

I never said that your post did not have any relevance for the op just that you can't extrapolate your experience and make out that all the cars from that brand will be the same.

I thought you had stopped posting as you'd been banned for a while and didn't come back as you don't like anyone to disagreeing with you...maybe you should take your own advice and accept people have different views and move on as well?