The fear factor - cars

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 14:02
The fear factor - cars - oldroverboy.

Because of the costs involved in repairing a modern car outside of warranty, are my friends right in getting rid of their astra diesel?

Gearbox failure, needs clutch, exhaust dpf and a major service required plus brakes and tyres. Car is 5 years old due mot, they can get a good deal on a nearly new car .

I said don't waste any more on that astra .

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 14:25
The fear factor - cars - hillman

old roverboy - Yeah ! Go for something Japanese or Korean. I don't know where Astras are made nowadays so I risk being unpatriotic, but I believe that Japanese cars are assembled in the UK now.

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 14:29
The fear factor - cars - RT

Most of the Hyundai/Kia ranges are built in Europe now - just like Astra's and Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Notional nationality means nothing these days.

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 17:34
The fear factor - cars - drd63

I'm not entirely convinced although my comments are probably out of date and not sufficiently widely based to stand up to much scrutiny. However I had a Japanese built Toyota MR2 and Honda Accord followed by a UK built Honda Civic. Nothing ever went wrong with the MR2 or Accord, the Civic I'm sorry to say was a disaster. My wife's Korean built Hyundai Couple has behaved perfectly but then so has my French built Citroën DS5, I've no idea where my previous Ford Kuga was built or my sons Ford Fiesta but they're both fine too. I think I’ve come full circle and would have to conclude new cars are actually all pretty good with the odd exception. I'm still suspicious of German built cars though and think owners make too many excuses on their behalf!

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Fri 13 Feb 2015 00:18
The fear factor - cars - balleballe

I'm not entirely convinced although my comments are probably out of date and not sufficiently widely based to stand up to much scrutiny. However I had a Japanese built Toyota MR2 and Honda Accord followed by a UK built Honda Civic. Nothing ever went wrong with the MR2 or Accord, the Civic I'm sorry to say was a disaster.

That's the difference between a UK workforce and a Japanese workforce. The UK workforce will not have the same attention to detail and it is clear to see when you look at the Japanese models from Honda and Toyota made in their native country to those that are assembled here.

I work not far from the massive Nissan factory in Sunderland and a lot of workers there I wouldn't even trust to fix my kettle....yet some of them are on quality control

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 20:45
The fear factor - cars - alan1302

old roverboy - Yeah ! Go for something Japanese or Korean. I don't know where Astras are made nowadays so I risk being unpatriotic, but I believe that Japanese cars are assembled in the UK now.

The Astra is assembled in the UK as well...

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 20:53
The fear factor - cars - RT

old roverboy - Yeah ! Go for something Japanese or Korean. I don't know where Astras are made nowadays so I risk being unpatriotic, but I believe that Japanese cars are assembled in the UK now.

The Astra is assembled in the UK as well...

Vauxhall Ellesmere Port is GM's lead plant for Astra and way more productive than any Opel plant - producing more vehicles from 2 shifts than the others do from 3.

But not all body variants are built at Ellesmere Port.

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Mon 9 Feb 2015 21:05
The fear factor - cars - oldroverboy.

My friends are going for kia too but they don't want the 1.2 petrol.

Now here in sunny Colchester I,m awfully glad I have a bus pass.

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Tue 10 Feb 2015 14:24
The fear factor - cars - meldrew

Every time i read HJ's section in the Saturday DT it puts me off buying and owning any car at all! Engines, Clutches, Brakes, Dealers.... it just does not seem worth it! Having said that both our cars are past the HJ use by date so I think it is a matter of luck and good basic maintenace.

Perhaps those 1960s 3000 mile service intervals (£3/10/6d too) had a purpose!

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Tue 10 Feb 2015 16:36
The fear factor - cars - gordonbennet

Perhaps those 1960s 3000 mile service intervals (£3/10/6d too) had a purpose!

Some of us only upped that 3000 mile to 5000 max Meldrew (and have no intention of taking a blind bit of notice of 20k service recommendations), i for one am more than happy with 90's design vehicles which as you rightly say when looked after last for many years.

Not in the least impressed by nor interested in the electronic laden new car designs, and the same goes for lorries, but i have no choice but to accept a new leased lorry @ 5 year intervals.

And yes each new lorry incarnation has more junk to go wrong than the one it replaces, new ones now coming through with electric parking brakes and active cruise control which will brake the vehicle for you if you get too close apparently, can't wait till that little lot has a wobbly and decides to chuck the anchors on to a full panic stop for no good reason on a wet motorway.

Thank goodness i've only got 6 years to go, assuming the retirement age goal posts don't sprout legs.

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Tue 10 Feb 2015 21:55
The fear factor - cars - Wackyracer

My friends are going for kia too but they don't want the 1.2 petrol.

Now here in sunny Colchester I,m awfully glad I have a bus pass.

Lucky you! The last bus I used in Colchester, I thought I was paying for a share in the bus company.

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Wed 11 Feb 2015 12:54
The fear factor - cars - davecooper
Maybe I have been lucky but it never ceases to amaze me how reliable modern cars can be considering the amount of technology packed into them. I have not had a car miss a beat since I started buying new about 12 years ago. However, I will add that I don't keep the cars outside of the warranty period and it is probably after this period that faults start to appear. However, it is still surprising how reliable cars are, even in the first three years.

Edited by davecooper on 11/02/2015 at 13:00

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Wed 11 Feb 2015 17:08
The fear factor - cars - oldroverboy.

The cruze did 3 years and 8 months but then again it was always serviced and maintained, but it was a GM product, so it lived a bit past the warranty period, and the partsmay not have been covered by warranty. It did its job on that time, but don't,t miss it.

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Wed 11 Feb 2015 23:07
The fear factor - cars - drd63

I'm with you davecooper and am amazed who reliable new things are especially cars, can't see why people get scared by new tech when it just works. As for increased service intervals, fine by me and beats trekking to and from the garage on a regular basis. I'm in my 50's and really can't get nostalgic about the past, most of it and not just cars was pretty rubbish.

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Fri 13 Feb 2015 01:49
The fear factor - cars - John F

I am the opposite to davecooper - our cars only do a four figure mileage per annum so financially foolish to buy new. If you research engines and gearboxes it is now easy, thanks to the internet, to see which are reliable and which have problems at higher mileages. No marque is immune to failures, from Vauxhall camshafts through VW/Audi multitronic to Porsche intermediate shaft bearings. Pick the right model at 4 - 5 yes old with 50 -100k and you won't go far wrong

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Fri 13 Feb 2015 12:14
The fear factor - cars - oldroverboy.

My friends are going for kia too but they don't want the 1.2 petrol.

Now here in sunny Colchester I,m awfully glad I have a bus pass.

Lucky you! The last bus I used in Colchester, I thought I was paying for a share in the bus company.

£3 for a return into town from the hospital is acceptable for swmbo as i go for free with the bus pass.

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 12:46
The fear factor - cars - V4 Heaven

Blimey:

"Gearbox failure, needs clutch, exhaust dpf and a major service required plus brakes and tyres. Car is 5 years old due mot, they can get a good deal on a nearly new car".

5 years old? What have they been doing to it?

Mine rolls past 200,000 miles in about two weeks and is on original clutch and gearbox.

Is theirs a WRC rally car or something?

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 15:48
The fear factor - cars - Avant

It's a diesel Vauxhall. Enough said?

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 15:53
The fear factor - cars - Wackyracer

Blimey:

"Gearbox failure, needs clutch, exhaust dpf and a major service required plus brakes and tyres. Car is 5 years old due mot, they can get a good deal on a nearly new car".

5 years old? What have they been doing to it?

Mine rolls past 200,000 miles in about two weeks and is on original clutch and gearbox.

Is theirs a WRC rally car or something?

That is what irritates me when people just value a car by it's age and mileage. A well maintained car that is driven correctly and with sympathy can remain in good service for many years.

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 20:35
The fear factor - cars - oldroverboy.

My cruze was well maintained but a bit shabby and the warning light for perhaps oxy sensor/catalyst or plug leads made me think that perhaps I wouldn't,t get any more for it as I was looking for another car anyway. And that had only done 50000 with regular Chevrolet service except the last one and started "hesitating" a couple of days before but warning light only came on as I drove into dealers and they reset it, no charge.

The cruze is definitely built down to a price.

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 20:49
The fear factor - cars - RT

That is what irritates me when people just value a car by it's age and mileage. A well maintained car that is driven correctly and with sympathy can remain in good service for many years.

It's all you can check when you buy used - it's not difficult to make a car "look" well cared for - not difficult privately so therefore not difficult for any dealer - and it's all the dealer can check when making a p/x offer.

Edited by RT on 12/02/2015 at 20:50

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 21:52
The fear factor - cars - Happy Blue!

I have looked at two cars today.

A 2012, 16,000 mile Mazda CX7. Clearly abused by the owner; a sagging drivers seat, shabby interior and dirty boot carpet. Car was cheap (very cheap), but do I want to take the chance - No. Who knows what abuse the owner gave it that you can't see.

2010 Mercedes E350 petrol. Only 10,000 miles, but immaculate and barely driven in the last three or four years. Not that cheap. If it was £3,000 cheaper I would have had a go, but too many items that could seize up after lack of use, would make it expensive.

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 22:43
The fear factor - cars - Alby Back
Friend of mine recently sold his Merc C63 estate. Said it scared the fertiliser out of him !

;-)
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Fri 13 Feb 2015 12:44
The fear factor - cars - drd63

The thought of an abused drivers seat would be off putting, I'm trying not to think about that!

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Thu 12 Feb 2015 23:39
The fear factor - cars - ulysses

I was surprised to hear recently that there's a Vauxhall factory in Luton.

Your mate's motor sounds like a dis-astra. :(

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Fri 13 Feb 2015 07:31
The fear factor - cars - RT

I was surprised to hear recently that there's a Vauxhall factory in Luton.

Your mate's motor sounds like a dis-astra. :(

Luton was the main Vauxhall plant and it continued that way for a while after Vauxhalls became re-badged Opels - car production ended there but van and truck production continued.

Ellesmere Port, Cheshire is Vauxhall's only UK car plant, making Astra's for which it's GM's lead plant. They only make certain body variants with other European Opel plants building the other variants.

Most Ellesmere Port production are Opel Astras, both LHD for Europe and RHD for Ireland and Malta - most Vauxhall Astras are built by Opel in Europe - the two-way traffic is substantial.

The Astra is built in the US as the Buick Verano and donates it's platform/powertrain/body systems to the Chevrolet Cruze.

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