Car woes!

[Piemaster]

One of the only (maybe THE only) car I fell in love woth at first sight was a 156 high spec summat or other..drop dead gorgeous Iinside, like a space ship, chrome bezels and red and black trim...stunning..
Then common sense took hold....

Know what you mean. I looked at other estates (it's a Sportwagon) MPVs, Zafiras, Picassos. Did some ownership costings, then bought the Alfa anyway.
And last year, because I still haven't learned any better, bought a Spider. I can't walk away from without just a little look back over the shoulder at it.

 

[Smurfy]

Anyone ever had and can recommend a reliable car?

German or Japanese. Just don't do anything silly, like buying a car with a timing chain.

 

[Brandane]

German or Japanese. Just don't do anything silly, like buying a car with a timing chain.

Why not? The Corolla 1600 petrol model has a timing chain and I am not aware of any issues with it. Saves having to fork out the best part of £400 at 60k miles for a timing belt, as I had to do when running MK4 Golfs. That was another job which was relatively easy and a DIY on the MK2 Golf, but a nightmare on the later models.

 

[KneesUp]

156. Had intermittent engine warning light on for a couple of weeks,but never stayed on long enough to get it to the garage and plug it in (till the last time anyway). Was diagnosed as a coil pack as there was an occasional misfire too and changed but happened again a week later. Now believed to be a sticky injector. Independent is sending them off for cleaning but it is taking awhile,
He actually wants it done asap taking up one of his 2 lifts as inlet manifold has to be removed to get at injectors, but engine has to be shifted a bit to get the manifold out so he now can't free up his lift until the injectors come back from cleaning. New ones are £ He'd only just got shot of a TVR wedge that had been on the same lift for a couple of weeks too.
Very unfortunate its been a bugger to diagnose.

I had a 156 as well (pre-facelift) but mine was the 2.4 diesel because I had a long commute at the time. Sounds expensive and annoying! How have you gone on with suspension bushes? They needed replacing every 60k on the diesel (front wishbones more often) but it was a heavy engine.

 

[Piemaster]

Ford went back to timing chains with the Duratec engines after belts on the earlier Zetec engines.

Apparently Hyundai own Kia. Which helps to explain how Kia have developed.

 

[AndyRM]

If it's just a commute you're doing, I'd recommend a Fiat Panda. I think ours is from 08 and we've never had any problems.

It's perhaps a bit underpowered for long motorway trips, but it's comfy, economical and cheap to insure. Good fun to drive as well, for what it is.

 

[Smurfy]

Why not? The Corolla 1600 petrol model has a timing chain and I am not aware of any issues with it. Saves having to fork out the best part of £400 at 60k miles for a timing belt, as I had to do when running MK4 Golfs. That was another job which was relatively easy and a DIY on the MK2 Golf, but a nightmare on the later models.

I never pay anyone else. In my opinion, belts are fairly easy and inexpensive to look after.

 

[Moodyman]

A small engine petrol car from a Japanese manufacturer.

 

[Over The Hill]

Loads of Corsa's are used for driving schools and can be clocked by changing the speedo before being sold on. Best to avoid driving school type cars and go next size up if you can. We have found diesel Peugeots very good but not worth it is you do low miles.
I find that if I like the car I can forgive it a few issues but if I don't like it then I have it in for it. So get what you fancy the look of.

 

[Piemaster]

I had a 156 as well (pre-facelift) but mine was the 2.4 diesel because I had a long commute at the time. Sounds expensive and annoying! How have you gone on with suspension bushes? They needed replacing every 60k on the diesel (front wishbones more often) but it was a heavy engine.

Bushes done last year, which should see my ownership out, even with the local councils love of traffic calming measures.

Borrowed my Mothers Proton..something last week. It did not like hills, not usually a problem in the flatlands here, but in the Mendips.. And why the hell would you put heater controls behind the gearstick and so low down you have to reach forward and look down for them to adjust?

 

[MarkF]

He has never seen or worked on a Golf then. There are mechanics and there are mechanics.

He started under his uncle at 16, he's now 52 running New Line Motors, Greengates. I think in his 36 years he'll have worked on many Golfs. BTW, his actual number 1 choice was the Honda Civic but I couldn't afford one with the same low mileage

 

[screenman]

Markf, as long as you are happy that is fine, as I said there are few bad cars but there are lemons. I work on Fords a lot in fact I did my apprenticeship on them, I would not own one, unless of course it had some profit left in it.

Personal choice, I do not like the way they drive, the road noise, the handling etc. I am not a keen Golf fan either, but they are better quality in terms of materials and build.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Even an upgrade to a BMW M525 was 'meh' after a couple of hours on a motorway.

Any car is 'meh' on a motorway. B-roads and race-tracks are the places to find out what a car is like to drive.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Honda Jazz

Mine is a 1.4 on an 04 plate with 55,000 miles on the clock. Only thing i have had to replace was the battery and the AA man that came out to collect me said i was the first Honda Jazz he had ever been called out to and he had been working for the AA for 20 years.

It's just come 2nd and 3rd ( hybrid and normal ) in the Which magazine top small cars after being number 1 for the last goodness knows how many years.

I can get two bikes in the back and a lot of luggage too, ask @hopless500 as we travelled down to the New Forest earlier this year to meet up with another CC pal.

I'm retiring in 4 years and will certainly get another one when this one needs to be replaced.

Are you retiring ............. well I would never have known ..................

 

[swee'pea99]

My in laws drove VW for years, then for some unknown reason decided one time to try a Vauxhall. Within months it was a daily grumble of clicks, ticks and squeaks, and their next car was a VW. We got one of their hand-me-downs - a '96 Golf Estate - about 15 years ago, which my FiL casts envious glances at when we go down there. Its last two MOTs cost zero and £155. It's totally reliable, swallows up a family + camping gear, goes faster than I need it to (2 litre GL) and is actually enjoyable to drive too.