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yeah, didn't see anything locally. Have seen something interesting not far, will hopefully take a look this weekend.
yeah, didn't see anything locally. Have seen something interesting not far, will hopefully take a look this weekend.
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Skoda, VW, Audi and SEAT all share the same engines and many parts so any faults that apply to one affects them all.
Expect Skoda to be a bit cheaper.
Only personally, I find SEAT to be about the best for price and quality, possibly Skoda worst for paintwork.
Don’t discount Kia / Hyundai - class leaders in there own way.
John
Expect Skoda to be a bit cheaper.
Only personally, I find SEAT to be about the best for price and quality, possibly Skoda worst for paintwork.
Don’t discount Kia / Hyundai - class leaders in there own way.
John
Generally Skoda's are owned by elder people and tend to be well looked after, this is shown in the breakdown surveys between manufacturers, bearing in mind the vag group mainstream brands (VW, seat, Skoda and Audi) share engines and most chassis the Skoda brand consistently shows up better than the others, and this is mostly put down to the way in which the target audience looks after them and how they use them.
The vw TSI engines although powerful are horribly unreliable.
Personally I would never own a VW group vehicle again, I currently have an Audi and have had it a number of years, it does little mileage and has had no expense spared on its upkeep with servicing done every 6 months regardless of mileage (usually works out at every 3k miles) and tbh, it's been the least reliable car I've ever owned, mostly to do with the suspension arms, I've never had a car do so little miles and been in the garage so often.
My Nissan Almera on the other hand gets serviced when I remember and is abused constantly and it's cost me an exhaust system and lambda sensor, oh and a crank sensor. Each time I've fixed it myself on the drive within an hour and it's never cost me more than £50 for the parts.
T
teaboyjim
Would this be the first major engine that the VAG group have produced that's unreliable as I thought mainly they'd had high quality and reliable engines - think the VAG 1.9 TDI which was common in the mid 2000's - this has become a legendary engine.
Don't know too much about Audis but you say they're all sharing the similar components and engines now anyway
Nissan seem to generally be well regarded for reliability as do of course Toyota but the Toyotas seem to hold their value so perhaps less likely to get a bargain deal
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I've had my 2013 2.0 diesel Golf for 5 nearly years, I've put 60K on the clock, changed the oil once a year and the cambelt once and
Had a front lightbulb go, I've never been defeated by a lightbulb before but I just could not do it myself so paid the bloke in Halfords, fair play it took him about 45mins and turns out the previous person misaligned the bulb holder.
The heater in the winter doesn't get very hot anymore, I believe this a Golf Mk7 common issue and expensive to solve.
The NSF door mirror glass did fly off and I think didn't manage to seat the replacement quite as well so the 'mirror dipper feature' has never worked as well since (shame because that was without a doubt my favourite clever trick the car does).
One or two errors have shown up on the dash, the auto handbrake about twice but that disappeared almost instantly and the anti crash sensor thing showed an error for a week or so before I had a fiddle and it righted itself but I have a feeling someone backed in to the front and slightly misaligned the sensor.
Once the mileage starts creeping up no doubt suspension bushes etc will need changing etc but so far pretty good, I'm more worried about the electronics going awry rather than anything else.
Had a front lightbulb go, I've never been defeated by a lightbulb before but I just could not do it myself so paid the bloke in Halfords, fair play it took him about 45mins and turns out the previous person misaligned the bulb holder.
The heater in the winter doesn't get very hot anymore, I believe this a Golf Mk7 common issue and expensive to solve.
The NSF door mirror glass did fly off and I think didn't manage to seat the replacement quite as well so the 'mirror dipper feature' has never worked as well since (shame because that was without a doubt my favourite clever trick the car does).
One or two errors have shown up on the dash, the auto handbrake about twice but that disappeared almost instantly and the anti crash sensor thing showed an error for a week or so before I had a fiddle and it righted itself but I have a feeling someone backed in to the front and slightly misaligned the sensor.
Once the mileage starts creeping up no doubt suspension bushes etc will need changing etc but so far pretty good, I'm more worried about the electronics going awry rather than anything else.
T
teaboyjim
So overall would you buy another VW? I agree about electronics going wrong. The French cars apparently are plagued with this issue especially Renault - I don't know if they've improved over the last few years
Yes at the moment I would, I've not had any unreliability issues or anything that's left me weary, the issues have been pretty minor I think apart from the heater but I can forget about that for another 6 months now. I'd like to keep it for another 5 years or something.
I had a Megane before this Golf and a Golf before the Megane. I always regret buying the Megane, that was a lemon, I should have written about that one really, lived for 6 years with a 'Check injection' error on the dashboard and nothing beats the drivers window going down in the middle of a downpour and then refusing to go back up again on the goddamn motorway! The first few years Renault were replacing the window regulators FOC but then their extended warranty for the issue ran out so the front windows never worked again after that. And lets not forget the door pockets on both front door pockets full of water all the time except in times of drought, it got to the point that I just lined the pockets with a good wadge of kitchen towel every single day and if it had been raining I would be able to lift out the soaking towels and throw it away and then re-line the pocket with fresh towel, naturally it was like a sauna inside the car too. So no I'll never buy French again.
I had a Megane before this Golf and a Golf before the Megane. I always regret buying the Megane, that was a lemon, I should have written about that one really, lived for 6 years with a 'Check injection' error on the dashboard and nothing beats the drivers window going down in the middle of a downpour and then refusing to go back up again on the goddamn motorway! The first few years Renault were replacing the window regulators FOC but then their extended warranty for the issue ran out so the front windows never worked again after that. And lets not forget the door pockets on both front door pockets full of water all the time except in times of drought, it got to the point that I just lined the pockets with a good wadge of kitchen towel every single day and if it had been raining I would be able to lift out the soaking towels and throw it away and then re-line the pocket with fresh towel, naturally it was like a sauna inside the car too.
So no I'll never buy French again.
My very worst was an Austin A40 Farina. Absolutely everything was wrong with it - it was a rust bucket and completely worn out and my first car. I did better later, with a series of Ford Mk1 Cortinas, but even they had rust issues - the inner wings parted from the outers, due to stress a reinforement strut helped over the top of the engine bay.
Celica had a worn out engine.
A new VW had the engine ECU die, in L3 of the M62.
Celica had a worn out engine.
A new VW had the engine ECU die, in L3 of the M62.
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Worst car - VW Golf MK1 with 1100 engine. Front N/S wishbone came loose when driving car, luckily had tools with me, didn't loose the bolt so tighten up on side of road, it never came loose again. Oil pump external to block on end of crank , started to leak oil at 6,300 miles from the block gasket, could never solve the problem and as the car was out of warranty (at the time 6000miles) had to live with it. Worst was the rate at which the car destroyed batteries 3 new ones in 18 months.
Only prob's I ever had with a BMC/BL car was on a MG metro - had a Ducellier Distributer, would never stay in tune, used to visit the dealers about every 500 miles to sort it; in the end I bought a Lucas one for Mini Cooper, never had another problem. Sold that with 150000 miles on the clock and it was still going strong. Gather car was still on the road 3 after I'd sold it.
Presently have a golf MK6 diesel - heat screen and mirrors won't switch off... Indication that they are on isn't illuminated but screen and mirrors clear.
Only prob's I ever had with a BMC/BL car was on a MG metro - had a Ducellier Distributer, would never stay in tune, used to visit the dealers about every 500 miles to sort it; in the end I bought a Lucas one for Mini Cooper, never had another problem. Sold that with 150000 miles on the clock and it was still going strong. Gather car was still on the road 3 after I'd sold it.
Presently have a golf MK6 diesel - heat screen and mirrors won't switch off... Indication that they are on isn't illuminated but screen and mirrors clear.
The 1.9tdi was legendary
Unfortunately since then the engines have gone down hill.
Audi's only share some engines, the small A1 and A3 share chassis with polo and golf respectively, the A4 onwards are Audi own design in terms of components and chassis. Engines upto 2.0 litre are shared across VW group.
Much of the issues come from excessively large service interims.
I think the JD power surveys provide good data as to what is reliable, I think there is warranty companies that also produce well informed lists for reliability.
Nissan is Renault with a different badge, they share architecture against much of the range, the pick up trucks and skylines are seperate.
Yes Toyota hold their values very well,
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[QUOTE="teaboyjim]Would this be the first major engine that the VAG group have produced that's unreliable...[/QUOTE]
Er...no.
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]...as I thought mainly they'd had high quality and reliable engines...[/QUOTE]
And it is this that seems to be the problem. The general public, at least in the UK, appear to hold VAG (for whatever reason) in high regard. Perhaps this had something to do with an effective PR department and the erstwhile bullshɨt slogan," If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen ..." Yet there has been considerable evidence of malfunctioning engines: breaking cambelt tensioners, defective piston rings, excessive oil consumption probably over the last twenty years and sx’s Audi experience of suspension components is hardly rare if my S5 owning pal’s claims are anything to go by.
Have a browse of this thread (it is from 2015) from a Skoda owners’ website. The Radio 4 You & Yours item starts at 9m 50s into the link if you are interested.
Overall, the idea that some manufacturers will never ever have problems with any mechanical components is ludicrous in the extreme. They always have done and they will continue to do so. But surely the true quality of any corporation is for them to raise their hand when they get it wrong, accept liability and cover the cost for the customer’s repair/replacement. Surely showing such common decency ultimately is better for business in the long run?
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]- think the VAG 1.9 TDI which was common in the mid 2000's - this has become a legendary engine.[/QUOTE]
You are probably right. This engine is mostly held in high regard; S5 pal had one and speaks glowingly of its dependability. The problem here, though, is that diesel is hardly going to be the fuel of the future and its eventual demise will surely have been hastened by VAG’s entirely deplorable fitment of defeat devices to cheat the US government’s emission tests.
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]Nissan seem to generally be well regarded for reliable as do of course Toyota but the Toyotas seem to hold their value so perhaps less likely to get a bargain deal[/QUOTE]
Well if you are an armchair student of Professor Kilmer at the Institute of YouTube you will be aware Nissan to have been tagged the rather worrying soubriquet “endless money pit”. It would appear that everything went mammaries-skywards when they partnered-up with Renault in the early noughties. Prof Kilmer maintains that Toyota/Lexus and Honda are the best automotive manufacturers and Ford pretty decent (though probably starting to decline) too. Take some of the Kilmerthology with a hefty whack of salt, though, for his contributions to the automotive ignorami do consist of a lot of repetitious clickbait. Also the comments are not always analogous to us folk in the UK as quite a few ‘european’ models are made stateside or even Mexico (target of some high-octane invective).
@sxturbo: So would your son's Almera be pre Renault by any chance?
Er...no.
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]...as I thought mainly they'd had high quality and reliable engines...[/QUOTE]
And it is this that seems to be the problem. The general public, at least in the UK, appear to hold VAG (for whatever reason) in high regard. Perhaps this had something to do with an effective PR department and the erstwhile bullshɨt slogan," If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen ..." Yet there has been considerable evidence of malfunctioning engines: breaking cambelt tensioners, defective piston rings, excessive oil consumption probably over the last twenty years and sx’s Audi experience of suspension components is hardly rare if my S5 owning pal’s claims are anything to go by.
Have a browse of this thread (it is from 2015) from a Skoda owners’ website. The Radio 4 You & Yours item starts at 9m 50s into the link if you are interested.
Overall, the idea that some manufacturers will never ever have problems with any mechanical components is ludicrous in the extreme. They always have done and they will continue to do so. But surely the true quality of any corporation is for them to raise their hand when they get it wrong, accept liability and cover the cost for the customer’s repair/replacement. Surely showing such common decency ultimately is better for business in the long run?
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]- think the VAG 1.9 TDI which was common in the mid 2000's - this has become a legendary engine.[/QUOTE]
You are probably right. This engine is mostly held in high regard; S5 pal had one and speaks glowingly of its dependability. The problem here, though, is that diesel is hardly going to be the fuel of the future and its eventual demise will surely have been hastened by VAG’s entirely deplorable fitment of defeat devices to cheat the US government’s emission tests.
[QUOTE="teaboyjim]Nissan seem to generally be well regarded for reliable as do of course Toyota but the Toyotas seem to hold their value so perhaps less likely to get a bargain deal[/QUOTE]
Well if you are an armchair student of Professor Kilmer at the Institute of YouTube you will be aware Nissan to have been tagged the rather worrying soubriquet “endless money pit”. It would appear that everything went mammaries-skywards when they partnered-up with Renault in the early noughties. Prof Kilmer maintains that Toyota/Lexus and Honda are the best automotive manufacturers and Ford pretty decent (though probably starting to decline) too. Take some of the Kilmerthology with a hefty whack of salt, though, for his contributions to the automotive ignorami do consist of a lot of repetitious clickbait. Also the comments are not always analogous to us folk in the UK as quite a few ‘european’ models are made stateside or even Mexico (target of some high-octane invective).
@sxturbo: So would your son's Almera be pre Renault by any chance?
Get an audi a4 or a6 pre pdf if going for diesel (up to 2008).
The 2.7L and 3.0L tdi engines are the ones who have proved reliable in my experience.
The petrol 1.8T is one of the best under 2.0L ever built and easily maintained.
Or get a VW Passat.
I had 3 and all bullet proof.
I still have a 23 year old 1.8T 150bhp as second car and still going strong.
It's all about maintenance.
I service my own cars every 6 months and costs me peanuts.
I use good quality oil (quantum) and Mann filters.
This seems to prevent all sorts of problems.
I have tried all brands and then settled for vag because I had lots of problems with the rest.
However, the boss had a little toyota Aygo for 3 years and it was a very good runaround, although the seats were harder than garden benches.
The 2.7L and 3.0L tdi engines are the ones who have proved reliable in my experience.
The petrol 1.8T is one of the best under 2.0L ever built and easily maintained.
Or get a VW Passat.
I had 3 and all bullet proof.
I still have a 23 year old 1.8T 150bhp as second car and still going strong.
It's all about maintenance.
I service my own cars every 6 months and costs me peanuts.
I use good quality oil (quantum) and Mann filters.
This seems to prevent all sorts of problems.
I have tried all brands and then settled for vag because I had lots of problems with the rest.
However, the boss had a little toyota Aygo for 3 years and it was a very good runaround, although the seats were harder than garden benches.
The almera is my car to get to and from work and is the "skip" for taking stuff to the tip and was bought mostly for this purpose so as to keep the Audi as a nice family car.
the almera is actually the first car built with renault partnership, however the engine is all nissan, and a lot of the parts were taken from the older primera model.
i believe the suspension and chassis is megane related
Never again!
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