If only everything in life was as unreliable as a

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Wed 13 Jan 2021 18:51
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Trilogy.

www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/updated-7...e

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Wed 13 Jan 2021 19:52
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Oli rag
I wonder how the new ID 3 is doing for software glitches?
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Wed 13 Jan 2021 20:58
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Miniman777
VW - the car which keeps on giving. Problems.
They are not learning lessons from past mistakes, but still seem to retain a loyal following. Beats me why.
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Thu 14 Jan 2021 00:20
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Avant

As you've asked about the ID-3, Olirag, it might be helpful if I re-post my report of a test-drive a few months ago. You'll see below that there were two software glitches: it isn't unreasonable to hope that when test-driving a new car there won't be anything wrong with it.

"I had a good hour-long run in a VW ID-3 today. Very much as expected. Certainly good to drive, with plenty of oomph and safe, neutral handling. Not a huge amount of difference between the driving modes Eco, Comfort and Sport. Unlike most reviewers, I didn't find the interior cheap-looking: it seemed fine to me, although I think someone had tried a bit too hard to be minimalist. Seat comfort not bad, although the 1st edition demonstrator didn't have lumbar support which was needed. Generally, as some testers have said, it's a good car which perhaps doesn't break as much new ground as VW would like us to believe.

Two big antis for me, though. Firstly it failed the keyboard test. I need a flat or nearly flat floor with rear seats folded down, to push my music keyboard in with its wheeled case. VW don't offer a variable boot floor - no idea why not - and there's a big step from boot floor to folded seatbacks.

Secondly, I did (honestly) try to get on with the touchscreen. But sadly I wasn't convinced that it was any sort of improvement. (a) Things didn't always happen at the first prod. (b) You have to look at the screen for too long if you're driving for it to be safe. (c) If the sun shone on to the screen, visibility was much reduced but not the fingermarks. (d) Halfway through the hour's drive, the system decided that it was night, although the sun was shining brightly. Headlights went on with no means of turning them off, and the map background went black. I may be showing my age, but I have a rooted objection to an IT system that does what it wants and not what I want. I'm not a control freak, but I do think that when driving a car one needs to be in control.

There was no HUD on this model, but it wasn't needed as one's speed and the speed limit both appear clearly on the screen in front of the driver. Excellent - but the effect was spoilt because it kept saying 'speed limit exceeded' with every press of the accelerator, even when I was nowhere near the limit. If there was a link to the satnav, there was no obvious means of establishing it.

I've enjoyed a succession of VAG cars as they've all been good to drive, and just as importantly there's been nothing that consistently annoys. Controls fall to hand and do what you expect them to. But with the ID-3 VW is like a cow that's given a good pail of milk - and then kicked it over.

I've ordered a Kia E-Niro for delivery next spring."

(Update - I believe that the ID-3 is supposed to have a false floor in the boot, level with rear seats when folded down. Clearly they'd forgotten to put it into this car; the metal supports for it were there.)

Edited by Avant on 14/01/2021 at 00:24

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Thu 14 Jan 2021 08:04
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - daveyjp

You may not have noticed on the test, but VW have also decided it is too much expensive to fit RHD wipers on the ID3.

LHD wipers on a RHD car is not the ideal solution, they are swapped round for good reasons,

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Fri 15 Jan 2021 19:05
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Oli rag

Thanks for the information Avant. Although I knew that the launch of the ID3 had been delayed because of software trouble and a lack of engineers, I wasn't aware that the cars still were suffering from glitches.

I would say it was worth avoiding being an early adopter and hopefully benefitting from a fully developed car some time in the future.

I'm sure the E Niro will turn out to have been a good choice, a friend has one and loves for both its surprising performance and low running costs.

Edited by Oli rag on 15/01/2021 at 19:14

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 10:15
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Theophilus

VW - the car which keeps on giving. Problems.
They are not learning lessons from past mistakes, but still seem to retain a loyal following. Beats me why.

Why?

I attribute it to the Jeremy Clarkson effect. Writing a weekly column in a Sunday paper he continues to assert that "the only car you need" is a VW Golf (GTI of course), "unless you want to do farming during the day and then go to the opera at night, in which case the only car you need is a Range Rover" !!

Edited by Theophilus on 16/01/2021 at 10:16

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 11:26
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - badbusdriver

VW - the car which keeps on giving. Problems.
They are not learning lessons from past mistakes, but still seem to retain a loyal following. Beats me why.

Why?

I attribute it to the Jeremy Clarkson effect. Writing a weekly column in a Sunday paper he continues to assert that "the only car you need" is a VW Golf (GTI of course), "unless you want to do farming during the day and then go to the opera at night, in which case the only car you need is a Range Rover" !!

As someone who reads a lot of motoring magazines, the car I most frequently read as being 'the only car you need' is the BMW 3 Series estate. But most magazines also wax lyrical about anything Land Rover or Range Rover with no mention of reliability anywhere other than, on occasion, the letters page.

I haven't read anything written by Clarkson since being fired by the Beeb (he used to do a column in Top Gear magazine).

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 11:49
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Steveieb

The most interesting statistic if ever available would be the number of new cars that are bought back by the manufacturers because they are unable to rectify faults. So the customer is less likely to raise a complaint.
in the case of Range Rover that must be a fairly high number . I heard of a case this week in which after repeated attempts by the dealer to cancel warning lights, the car was returned to JLR who sent it back to the customer. The light returned within 30 minutes so the car was replaced.

Similarly I heard that my Audi dealer has yet to fail resolving any serious fault on customers cars and has not needed to call on the manufacturer to replace a vehicle which has not been the case of a certain French dealership I heard of. So is it a case of a better product or better technicians with more technical support from the manufacturer?

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 11:53
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - skidpan

As someone who reads a lot of motoring magazines, the car I most frequently read as being 'the only car you need' is the BMW 3 Series estate.

Many magazines regard the Skoda Superb as the "only car you ever need" and being on our 2nd I totally agree.

We had looked at the 3 Series estate in September and booked a test drive mid October in a 320i saloon to get a feel for the engine transmission and a 320D estate to get a feel for the estate variant, (they did not have a petrol estate). The day before the salesman rang to say that he would be on leave the next day and had handed the test over to a colleague. Arrived on time did the paperwork to be presented with a 320D saloon. Asked where the cars we had booked were and was told the original salesman had gone away in the 320i saloon and that they had no estate on site. We simply walked away, it was a 65 mile round trip, not happy. Never had a courtesy call from the original salesman but the muppet who we met did ring us 2 weeks later to say he had actually obtained a 320i estate for us to drive. When I told him I had ordered the Superb iV he hung up the phone.

Based on that a BMW 3 series estate is the last car you would want. And that is from a previously happy BMW owner.

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 12:32
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Alby Back
Glad you like your car Skidpan. I know many people are very pleased with their Superbs. For me, on a more general point, the best solution to my needs and wants is indeed a large estate car. Pretty much every car I've had in recent decades has been some form of one.

Currently running my second E class estate. Love it. Just does everything I want it to really well. A succession of Mondeo estates that preceded those were also really good.

I like the look of the Skodas but I'm still, perhaps irrationally, a bit nervous of the VAG automatic gearboxes and I don't really want a manual. If I could convince myself that my worries were unfounded, I'd certainly consider a Superb in the future.

Edited by Alby Back on 16/01/2021 at 12:33

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 12:41
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - skidpan
Glad you like your car Skidpan. I know many people are very pleased with their Superbs. For me, on a more general point, the best solution to my needs and wants is indeed a large estate car.

For us its a medium estate/mpv or a large hatch. The Mondeo Mk2 hatch did a brilliant job for us as did the Ceed estate. No need to spend the extra on the Superb estate, the hatch is plenty big.


I like the look of the Skodas but I'm still, perhaps irrationally, a bit nervous of the VAG automatic gearboxes and I don't really want a manual. If I could convince myself that my worries were unfounded, I'd certainly consider a Superb in the future.

I have driven approx 5 1.4/1.5 TSi's with the 7 speed dry clutch DSG and to be honest its never been my cup of tea. The worst was without doubt a brand new Superb 1.5 TSi estate we drove last October, the gearbox was clueless. A 3000 mile old passat 1.5 TSi DSG was far better but drive it in D and it insisted on changing up far to early, drive it in sport and it was reluctant to change up. I resulted in us changing from D to sport depending on where we were, the b***** thing was supposed to be an auto.

Driven 2 6 speed DSG's in diesels and whilst better both were very lethargic at initial getaway, seeing a C1 pulling away is not great. With 150 PS they should be better.

The DSG in the iV is brilliant. No doubt the electric motor fills in the gaps but no hesitation, no jerkyness, its just works in B mode (regen) all the time.

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 12:57
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Alby Back
Ok, that's interesting and indeed encouraging. A good friend and neighbour has had a number of Superb estates ( I also really need and fully use an estate ) and he has been very pleased with them. But, he has admitted that he's not a big fan of the gearboxes especially with regard to hesitation from rest.

I'm kind of inclined to do the "home run" to 2030 (or whenever ICE engines actually become difficult to own) in the car I've got, or something like it anyway. Can't fault it, so maybe I'm better just going with what works for me I suppose.

It's been a long time since I've had a BMW. Early 90s come to think, so I've not driven a modern one. I'd think a 5 series touring might be a nice thing though.

But, my E Class is a bit like my wife, it has been good to me and even though it'd maybe be occasionally tempting to try a younger prettier model, I suspect it wouldn't be as good and it could turn out to be an expensive mistake...

;-)
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Sat 16 Jan 2021 13:07
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - skidpan

We tried a Geartronic auto in a Volvo. Way better than the VAG DSG's most of the time but it still suffered the old torque converter trait of screaming the revs far too high when you needed to overtake and then change back up immediately.

Also tried a Toyota RAV4 which supposedly has the better CVT instead of the old rubbish one. Pleasantly surprised by it. Revs were kept decent at all times and very smooth. Shame about the passenger seat lacking height adjust on even the top spec and the mirrors were so huge it wold only just (1/2" either side) fit in the garage. Also hated the lane change thingy, thought the steering had broken first time it happened.

The iV is superior to both, best auto I have ever tried.

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 13:16
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Alby Back
Oh dear, that is awkward, it seems I may have to revise and review my prejudices. Which is of course not normal practice on an Internet forum is it? Quite the dilemma really.

;-))
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Sat 16 Jan 2021 14:33
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Andrew-T

<< I haven't read anything written by Clarkson since being fired by the Beeb (he used to do a column in Top Gear magazine). >>

Were you fired by the Beeb, BBD ? I never realised .... :-)

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 18:06
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Avant

BBD doesn't give as many UCAS points as BBC.

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Sat 16 Jan 2021 23:05
If only everything in life was as unreliable as a - Metropolis.

BBD doesn't give as many UCAS points as BBC.

ROFL, underrated comment

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