Bad advice

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Wed 12 Jan 2022 23:01
Bad advice - Metropolis.
If only they came to the back room rather than asking VAG, sorry, HeyCar.

- What small, automatic crossover would you recommend?
We're looking to replace my wife's 2009 Nisan Qashqai with a more modern, nearly-new, small SUV automatic and would like to spend up to £15K. My wife only does around 3000 miles per annum. We quite like the Fiat 500X. What would you recommend?


- The Fiat 500X is a good choice. It was updated in 2018 with a new 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine and dual-clutch automatic gearbox which would suit your requirements well. We'd recommend taking a look at the SEAT Arona, too. It's a stylish little crossover SUV available with a punchy 1.0 TSI petrol engine and slick DSG auto gearbox. Also consider a Honda HR-V with its very reliable CVT transmission.

(That was Andrew Brady, on Ask HJ)

Edited by Metropolis. on 12/01/2022 at 23:02

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 09:15
Bad advice - SLO76
As written by someone with zero motor trade experience. Most likely “knowledge” gathered from new car “testing” or reading other such. Views which are of absolutely zero use to used car buyers.
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Thu 13 Jan 2022 09:27
Bad advice - pd

It depends I think.

A DSG equipped car in my view is an excellent choice if you're buying new or nearly new with a good warranty and don't intend to take it to high miles under your ownership or own for very long with no support.

It's a much higher risk and poorer choice if you're buying at 5 years old and 70k with a 3 month paper warranty and intend to keep it 4 years.

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:28
Bad advice - thunderbird

Never owned an auto of any kind but our next car will be one. There is a fair chance it will be a DSG since cars on our short list are VAG plus cars made by many other manufacturers use DSG type boxes as well.

Some years ago there were posts concerning failed VAG DSG boxes especially the 7 speed dry clutch one but now we see very few, when was the last one on a car that had not done a million miles or was over 10 years old and been through dozens of abusive owners who did not carry out any maintenance.

VAG have made literally millions of these boxes and now approx 100% more VAG cars sold are fitted with DSG's than were 10 years ago. But do we see double the failures, simple answer is no, in truth there are far fewer posts on here about the topic.

But its clear some posters still have a strong dislike when there seems to be no current need to worry.

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:33
Bad advice - Metropolis.
Got any statistics on failure rates? (Genuine question, not trying to antagonise despite how things can come across on the internet).

Even if VAG have sorted their dual clutches, would you have the same faith in the Fiat iteration as recommended by HeyCar?
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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:30
Bad advice - Metropolis.
My impression has been that dual clutch automatics are actually happier on long runs, when they can sit in one gear for long duration, rather than exercising the hydraulics and burning out clutch packs in slow speed traffic and parking, which sounds like what the questioner will use it for. Even the advice on Hondas CVT is out of kilter. Gearboxes are literally the only thing Honda have a bad reputation for, particularly in the USA but then automatics in small cars are much less common here so maybe the problem doesnt seem so prevalent. Better than Nissan but still a weak point of the brand.

Judging by the fact the questioner has a 2009 Qashqai, I would imagine they intend to keep whichever car they buy for the long haul.

One plus, they are at least pushing cars other than VAG.
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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:46
Bad advice - thunderbird

Got any statistics on failure rates? (Genuine question, not trying to antagonise despite how things can come across on the internet).

No I have not. As I said "But do we see double the failures, simple answer is no, in truth there are far fewer posts on here about the topic" which is a simple observation based on what i see here and other sites.

Even if VAG have sorted their dual clutches, would you have the same faith in the Fiat iteration as recommended by HeyCar?

Would never buy a Fiat thus irrelevant to me personally.

Our neighbour at the old house always ran auto's, new cars. Had Peugeots, Vauxhalls and others with no issues, then he bought a Mazda. Within 3 years it had 2 total failures which the dealer argued were not covered under warranty, cost about £1000 each time. And remember Mazda is a highly rated brand on here. He went to Fords after that with no issues (and they were Powershift Mondeo's).

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:59
Bad advice - Alby Back
Interesting about the powershift equipped cars.

We have a small fleet of cars issued out to our sales reps, usual suspects, Mondeos, Passats Insignias etc.
Never had a single problem reported with the Powershift boxes but had several failures of VAG DSGs over the years.

We keep the cars for 200,000 miles or five years, whichever comes first, so it’s a reasonable straw poll I suppose.
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Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:54
Bad advice - Terry W

All cars are happier on a long run at fairly steady speeds whether auto or manual.

Reputations (good and bad) persist long after they are won - objective data is better than possibly outdated perceptions.

Honda have a reputation for engineering quality. If their gearboxes had a problem I would expect them to have addressed it. No manufacturer wants warranty claims.

Conversely a manufacturer with a poor reputation + new product may be a risk.

BTW - my only connection with Honda is a lawnmower - also excellent!

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 11:13
Bad advice - thunderbird

BTW - my only connection with Honda is a lawnmower - also excellent!

We had a 3.5 hp Briggs and Stratton mower for about 15 years, always started easily, coped with a fairly steep garden and never let us down. But eventually the grass bag rotted and new ones were not available so I sold it to a chap who was happy not having grass collection and bought a Honda. From day one it was a pig to start and despite having the same power 3.5 hp rating as the Briggs and Stratton it struggled with the slope of the garden. After about 10 years the power drive failed so bought a new mower, a Honda again but with a 5 hp rating. Still a pig to start but it coped with the slopes batter. Then after about 5 years the power drive failed but luckily I had kept the previous Honda mower and was able to make one working mower from the 2, used it for about another 5 years. Still got that mower, its in the shed and its never used.

Use a Tecumseh now which I inherited from dad. Its over 30 years old and still starts first pull after a winter lay off and cuts beautifully. The power rating is 3.5 hp, same as the Briggs and Statton/first Honda but it has no issues at all. Even the grass bag is still intact.

No more Hondas for us, expensive and over rated.

PS Only using E5 petrol in the Tecumseh because of its age. Doubt its E10 compatible.

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 11:23
Bad advice - Steveieb

Gearboxes on Honda mowers are a common failure but being Honda they offer generous replacement terms especially if the mower has been serviced by a franchised dealer.

They also suffer from a wax stat starting problem introduced for environmental reasons which causes restating problems.

Yet I have seen a 30 year old Honda which hadn’t been started for two years start second pull.

Japanese stuff is still regarded as the best for garden machinery except Stiyl for small stuff.

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 11:34
Bad advice - thunderbird

Gearboxes on Honda mowers are a common failure but being Honda they offer generous replacement terms especially if the mower has been serviced by a franchised dealer.

None of my mowers have ever been serviced other than me changing the oil, cleaning filters, sharpening blade etc.

Dad had the Tecumseh serviced once and the cost was horrifying. Cheaper to replace it than have 2 services.

About 3 years ago the drive cable snapped on it so went to local garden machinery place. Chap was less than helpful, wanted me to buy a new mower at over £1000, left it at that. When I got home with the help of a couple of electrical connector blocks (less the insulation) and a piece of cycle brake cable I temporarily sorted it and that is how it still is now.

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Thu 13 Jan 2022 14:37
Bad advice - Engineer Andy

It depends I think.

A DSG equipped car in my view is an excellent choice if you're buying new or nearly new with a good warranty and don't intend to take it to high miles under your ownership or own for very long with no support.

It's a much higher risk and poorer choice if you're buying at 5 years old and 70k with a 3 month paper warranty and intend to keep it 4 years.

The problem in this case is that it sounds to me like the questioner's wife is likely to be doing lots of short trips - the school run maybe or as a shopping car, which means lots of low speed gear changes in heavy traffic, which is certainly conducive to dual clutch gearboces, especially those with (IMHO) a history of below-par reliability such as those from VAG, even the 'wet' clutch type.

Far better for them to choose either one with a much better reliability record on that score (like Hyundai or KIA), or, better still, makes than use traditional TC auto boxes or reliable CVTs, such as Toyota.

Note that a warranty will not cover a dual clutch box if it wears through normal usage just more rapidly - most, apart from (I think) Hyundai or KIA only come with 6 month warranties when new, and even then documented abuse will likely be taken into account when trying to settle any claim.

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