Lets be honest, its been a feature of these pages for years for people to ask about say a Golf to be told that a Civic, Corolla or a Mazda 3 will be more reliable. Most of us have seen it as amusing since we have known exactly what is coming from the usual posters.

Some of those posters probably never came back since their question was not answered.

I see no real issue offering an alternative but just to keep saying Mazda 3, Corolla, Civic time after time is pretty tedious especially when it does not answer the question.

I agree pretty much with this.

I posted a while ago about how I liked my Ibiza and how good the MPG was. One of the replies said "These mpg figures are acceptable, but you'd do better with a Honda". Didn't even say which Honda and Engine.

Just waiting for SLO to pop up and recommend a Mazda :).......

I fear you will be waiting long enough then. An understanding of what this thread is asking taken in context with the OP's previous threads would explain why.............

Just a Monday morning attempt at humour BBD.....

At SLO's expense?

Regardless of whether or not he (SLO) takes it in good humour, these occasional digs at him for only recommending cars likely to be reliable are pretty tedious.

Lets be honest, its been a feature of these pages for years for people to ask about say a Golf to be told that a Civic, Corolla or a Mazda 3 will be more reliable. Most of us have seen it as amusing since we have known exactly what is coming from the usual posters.

Some of those posters probably never came back since their question was not answered.

I see no real issue offering an alternative but just to keep saying Mazda 3, Corolla, Civic time after time is pretty tedious especially when it does not answer the question.

Simple fact is some of the people recommending certain cars have never actually owned them.

Two separate issues going on here, the first being the quip about SLO recommending a Mazda on this thread. Which was the main point, for me anyway. Some may find it amusing in context, where it fits, but it doesn't fit here. It makes no more sense in this thread than it would have in my most recent thread about poor radio reception. Not just because the OP is asking a specific question about servicing costs, but as I said, the Mazda 3 was already mentioned to the OP in a previous thread.

Lets be honest, its been a feature of these pages for years for people to ask about say a Golf to be told that a Civic, Corolla or a Mazda 3 will be more reliable. Most of us have seen it as amusing since we have known exactly what is coming from the usual posters.

Some of those posters probably never came back since their question was not answered.

As to this, I've never witnessed it myself. AFAIK SLO is happy enough to recommend a VAG product which is young enough to have belt rather than chain drive and has a manual gearbox. In the case of older VAG products (or those with DSG), he will mention the problems they are known for and suggest something likely to be more reliable. I don't see anything wrong with this myself?. As to the repetitiveness of these recommendations, you are only seeing that as a regular forum member. But these questions will be from different people, maybe on the forum for the first time and have therefore not read any previous threads from someone with similar needs and/or budget to themselves.

Simple fact is some of the people recommending certain cars have never actually owned them.

I don't see why you think a car can only be recommended by someone who has owned one?.

I posted a while ago about how I liked my Ibiza and how good the MPG was. One of the replies said "These mpg figures are acceptable, but you'd do better with a Honda". Didn't even say which Honda and Engine.

Was this comment by SLO?, if not, it isn't really relevant. It is baffling anyway because Honda's are generally lauded because of reliability, not mpg (which is usually competitive but not exceptional). Hybrid aside, the only exception to this I can think of is the 1.6 turbo diesel which, in the Civic anyway, is capable of very high mpg.

Finally, there is absolutely nothing at all to stop anyone else making suggestions, or challenging SLO's if you think you know better. Surely that would be more productive than complaining about (and certainly more mature than making digs at) SLO's suggestions?.

Thing is, a lot of the general public are not as into cars as we are. They usually want an appliance. They will give it the same sentimentality as they give their fridge and one costly repair and it will be binned. Add to that a common and ongoing misconception (briliant advertising campaign) that Golfs are super reliable cars, even 10 year old 6 figure mileage models, and it does sometimes fall to the forum to educate the poster.

If a stranger approaches you and asks what car they should buy, and they are not into cars, will you really recommend the Golf? Objectively, the Toyota equivalent stands less chance of having problems.

I do get weary of 3 and 4 pot hatchbacks in general though, but SLO and others can only make recommendations for the market we find ourselves in.