Daft modern cars

Citroen Xsara, not the Picasso, the flat one.

 

My brother would argue. He went from a Peugeot main dealer to a Bee Em main dealer and was appalled at the quality and reliability of the latter!

Don't really require them to the degree that they are used, and certainly don't need things like steering racks and headlights that need to be programmed to the car if they're replaced!

The upshot of all this is my list of cars that I've sent for scrap over the last six months;
2004 Golf tdi auto
2005 Beetle auto
2004 Volvo XC90
2003 Renault Megane scenic (383000 miles)
2003 Chrysler Voyager
2002 Lexus is200

All because they were beyond economically justifiable repair!

 

I'm on my fourth Renault.......no complaints apart from the fact that not one of the handbrakes held/holds properly on hills.

 

now THAT would be fun!

 

The Golf was just under 100000, Beetle 125000'ish, the Volvo about the same, Lexus 80000 and can't remember as far as the Chrysler went.

 

Cambelt failure plus a lack of MOT.

Tell me about it! Over a few years conversations with a few friends went like this;

"What's a good car to buy, any recommendations?"

(me) "You can't go far wrong with a VW diesel."

Four of them took my advice and two have needed new heads (PD engines with enlarged, oval, injector ports in the heads), two turbos, one gearbox rebuild (diff bearings), numerous window regulators, battery drain, alarm issues, suspension bushes by the crate load, injector harnesses, coolant leaks from the placcy housings and so on!

 

That list was for all four between them!!!

Thankfully yes..................... If they ask now I just say that I drive either a Pug 306 turbo diesel or a Merc C class diesel. The Pug is the best car we've ever had, and still great fun to drive. The Merc is ok, best of a bad lot for the era (2003) and a great motorway muncher.

The scrappage scheme has a lot to answer for - if you want a good 306td now they're fetching round abouts a grand for a good 'un around here now.

 

Cars from 08 onwards are still 5 year old or less, so (to me at least) they are brand new cars. I'd fully expect them to be ok even if the build quality is poor. Granted, some cars show their problems much earlier than 5 years in (as my Citroen did), but I think in general, time will tell if these newer cars are of better build.