I am looking to change my 10 year old very reliable Volvo 740 for a similar sized car but am really put off by the cost of even simple repairs to the electrics on modern cars.
For example, my wife recently bought a Mondeo privately and, as we were only given one key, she was told she had to have the whole thing re-coded at at a cost of £75 including two new keys.
Having re-coded chips in a former life at the Electricity Board meter test station, I wondered why the main dealer told me it would take between 1 1/2 and 4 hours!!!!!!!!!
I used to do it in minutes. Excuse to justify the £75 perhaps?
Which car would the experts recommend that could be fixed by my wizard mechanic friend and not have to resort to main dealers because it needed special diagnostic equipment.
I'm thinking 95/96 BMW 520, Volvo 850 ( not sure about the front wheel drive and the alleged leaky oil seal problem.
Vauxhall Omega unreliable? Scorpio?
Any thoughts folks?
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When we bought our last Saxo, the salesman warned us not to lose the plastic card which contained the immobiliser code for the key as a replacement would cost £800. Has no one ever tried to do anything about such blatant profiteering?
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There's one simple way. DON'T BUY THE CAR!
Andy
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Toyota Camry,Nissan Maxima,both very underated cars,so very good value,and both offer way above average reliability with several engine options always easy enough to repair and if your looking for real life endorsements of a brands ruggedness/reliability,look at the vehicles they show on the news in Pakistan and Afganistan,i dont suppose they have got to many 'factory trained technicians with full diagnostics'on every street corner.How long would a Renault Espace or a Freelander last out there?
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Thanks for that. Nissan? Mmmm.
I bought a Laurel from a chum a few years ago and it was so good that I have only just let it go for scrap. It was parked in my field for 4 years (Oh dear)
You know how it is: you walk past something a few times and it becomes background.
Only problem was rust and a croooked MOT chappie who lashed me £70 per side for cahnging the lower arms. I believe he did not do anything to it apart from putting a few marks on the bolts. He said he had to get the parts from a scrap yard...........
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Alwyn,
Two ways of looking at this...Can you avoid the el;ectronics issue or can you buy the make most likely to fault in this expensive area.
I would avoid it by looking at early 1990s diesels but you obviously are wanting to move past that sort of car. In that case you will just have to buy the car with tha best reputation and cross your fingers.
Problem is this electronics thing will strike any make at random. I would say the ones to avoid for this issue are Fiat and Renault.
We're not going to get you into a nice simple Xantia TD Estate are we!
David
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I should have said..
"Two ways of looking at this...Can you avoid the electronics issue or can you at least buy a make that's not likely to fault in this expensive area."
That looks better, something strange in the red wine tonight.
David
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Interesting comments David, you've named Fiat and Renault as to be avoided, but what about your opinion of actual make of 'car with the best reputation, to buy and then cross your fingers'????
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Paul,
I can't exactly frame it in those terms. I only mentioned Fiat and Renault because both those give me some trouble on the electrical/electronic side.
But take cars like Toyota, Honda, Mercedes etc that have a good reputation for build and less problems than normal.
They may not go wrong much but when they do the parts prices can make the wallet bleed. Also it is often harder for the smaller guys (who may be able to shave the labour a bit) to get all the latest info on such cars.
David
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BMW 520 is grossly underpowered and methinks the Dunlop tyres are horrendously expensive if alloys r fitted.
How's about an Audi 90 TDI or an early A4? Maybe too small.
Could go early A6 pre face-lift?
If, as you say, you want a simple car w/o too fancy electronics I would say the tail end of the above models would suffice just prior to the new models. That way all the bugs are out of the system but the motor isn't overcomplicated.
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Scorpio,
Cheap to buy, reliable, cheap to service. Can you live with the looks though ?
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pugugly wrote:
>
> Scorpio,
> Cheap to buy, reliable, cheap to service. Can you live with
> the looks though ?
And for how long - I couldn't drive any Ford for more than a year without getting bored with it.
/john
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Omegas came out better than DB in Germany for reliability,I ran one to 100000km with no problem.But the BMW is the better buy with cheap parts available through eurocarparts.
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According to Which magazine, old Hondas are the most reliable, followed by Toyota. My father has had Hondas and one Toyota over the past eighteen years and has never had a problem with any of them.
Andy
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The Audi 80 TDI gets my vote, but it has that electronically controlled fuel injection pump. Doh!
David
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