The motor vehicle questions and answers thread

[Drago]

Hes daft to take it to them then. You don't have to buy another car in order to be able to use a cheaper garage - that would be a very expensive way to save money.

 

[Cavalol]

Ah, there you go. My Golf self immolated, and to be honest I did little to stop the conflagration once it had started. Why people get moist over them is beyond me.

Amen. I simply cannot believe the hype over VAG stuff, have owned a handful and they're average at best. If anyone actually believes they're better built than a Vauxhall or Ford for example, then the best of luck to them. Over-rated springs to mind.

 

[screenman]

Amen. I simply cannot believe the hype over VAG stuff, have owned a handful and they're average at best. If anyone actually believes they're better built than a Vauxhall or Ford for example, then the best of luck to them. Over-rated springs to mind.

I work on both makes and have done for many years, I own and drive a VAG group car, Vauxhalls and Fords I would not entertain, yes there is a build quailty difference.

 

[Drago]

Depends what you define as "quality". They don't perform especially well in the reliability index, which suggests the perceived quality isn't translating into anything tangible. Prior to her retirement my Mum was a senior manager at the importers, Volkswagen Group UK, and she never rated them, putting the quality image down to decades of cutting edge marketing.

 

[screenman]

Depends what you define as "quality". They don't perform especially well in the reliability index, which suggests the perceived quality isn't translating into anything tangible. Prior to her retirement my Mum was a senior manager at the importers, Volkswagen Group UK, and she never rated them, putting the quality image down to decades of cutting edge marketing.

When I take a VAG group car to bits you can feel the quality, right down to the trim clips and the trim itself. To be fair on the reliabilty bit that is across the board on all makes, including Japanese nowadays, to much technology and sensors involved to be super reliable. You get in and drive a 200,000 mile Mondeo and then do the same in 200,000 mile VAG group car and you will feel a huge diference. I am not making this up, right down to how the metal feels the VAG group cars are a class above Ford and Vauxhall, and if we talk of clever marketing Ford have it, they have spent the last 100 years selling poor quality motoring.

 

[potsy]

How vital is it to disinfect my air conditioning?

Seems to be the in thing judging by how many emails I'm being sent to remind me to have it done

 

[Drago]

When I take a VAG group car to bits you can feel the quality, right down to the trim clips and the trim itself. To be fair on the reliabilty bit that is across the board on all makes, including Japanese nowadays, to much technology and sensors involved to be super reliable. You get in and drive a 200,000 mile Mondeo and then do the same in 200,000 mile VAG group car and you will feel a huge diference. I am not making this up, right down to how the metal feels the VAG group cars are a class above Ford and Vauxhall, and if we talk of clever marketing Ford have it, they have spent the last 100 years selling poor quality motoring.

Comparisons of 200k mile cars are ridiculous, unless they've been driven bu the same driver, in the same manner, over the same distances, and maintained identically. I'd love to see you have tried to drive my old Golf at 50k miles, seeing as it had burned itself to a crisp.

What are you defining as "quality"? The average VW lasts no longer than the average Ford or Vauxhall, and covers no higher a mileage. What about the rusty MK5 Golfs you now see a lot of, but Astras of the same era arent tinworm sufferers to anywhere near that degree.

Trim clips, your impressions of the metal etc, are all lovely, but none of them translate to a more reliable or a longer lived product. There is no widespread problem with Focus door cards or Astra kick panelsmfalling off, suggesting that theirntrim clips do a perfectly serviceable job, and do so for less money.

https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/304

https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/83

So much for VW quality.

Look at BMW. My old 7 series was a semi hand built car, buffalo hide leather, hand finished paint, and I marvelled at the top quality of even the tiniest fastener. The "quality" was outstanding. None of it meant a thing when it repeatedly wouldn't start and needed a new immobiliser module, and subsequent electrical gremlins. Perceptions of "quality" contributed nothing to the reliability, longevity or effectiveness of the product. It looked good, felt nice to the touch, but was no better a car for any of that.

Quality in the consumer sense is defined as "fitness for the customers purpose", not how shiny the washers are or how nice the trim clips feel as they ping off.

And as for the quality of their diesel emissions...why do you give a company with historically such poor scruples a penny of your money?

 

[MarkF]

I can recall a few years back reading an article and a VAG executive saying that of course their cars were no better the Fords, both knew the cost of every component and what each other used. But they'd spent a lot of time and money marketing to make people perceive there was a difference. To me VAG cars mean rust, in BD9 VAG cars are the weapon of choice and I marvel at the rust on Golfs and Audis as I walk into work, there is a big money (when new) Audi convertible that has holes large enough to put your fingers through in it's front wings.

Thinking....picked up the MX5 from it's MOT today (£102 = result) and noticed my mechanics new car, he'd always said he'd never drive anything but a Honda but he'd bought a new BMW 1 series, said it's the daftest thing he's ever done.

 

[Cavalol]

VAG stuff, (especially VWs) are just cleverly marketed ordinary cars with something of a 'fan boi' following. The last two to (dis)grace Cavalol towers were a T25 (admittedly they're seriously old now) which was hilariously rubbish to drive, a Mk2/Mk3 Transit Di would have knocked it into a cocked hat any day of the week. The other was a 102,000 mile Audi TT thing with more history than the royal family. Caused me more grief than I care to remember, luckily I kept my 180,000 mile Vectra diesel which had no paperwork at all bar the V5. and was actually a far better car.
My daughter-in-law doesn't have especially fond memories of a 2010 Audi 2.0 petrol (FSI?) that started smoking it's knackers off and was diagnosed with piston ring trouble, irrc. The nice man from the RAC said it was a common problem and was just shy of £3,000 to fix, luckily it was paid for.

 

[gbb]

Good cars / quality cars / cheap motoring ?
If I think over the last 20 years..working backwards..
Astra 1.6 petrol SRI 2015, brought at 8k miles, now at 66k I think, never missed a beat. 5 years trouble free motoring.
Astra 1.6 petrol SRI 2010, brought at 53k miles, sold at 100k, never missed a beat. 5 years trouble free motoring.
Focus 1.6 petrol 2007, never had any problems barring the stupid bonnet latch but hated it. 3 years mostly trouble free motoring, but hated the car, cant explain why, just hated it.
Vectra B 1.6 petrol 2007 had it maybe 4 years, maybe 4 years trouble free motoring.
Vectra B 1.8 petrol SRI 2001, did develop an engine rattle but I suspect it was my fault. Loved that car, did suffer with management lights, new throttle body didnt solve it but generally didnt cost me that much. Genuinely liked that car. Around 4 years generally trouble free motoring.

Theres no doubt Vauxhalls paint is pretty crud IME, scratches easily , even brushing against scrub or bushes can scratch the paint but...no rust at all on any of those cars. Non have been high miles but all have been uneventful...albeit a bit dull.
Avoid diesels and turbos...but my driving is relaxed to say the least...I dont expect much from a car, just turn the key and get me A to B.


20 years of motoring, I spent £350 on a throttle body...and that's it I think (excluding tyres etc). Vauxhalls, particually petrol ones tend to fairly rock solid IME.
I'd love something like an A3 TDI but common sense takes over every time I buy a car and then I talk to my son in law, qualified garage mechanic, most german stuff is over rated in his opinion...and damn damn expensive to repair in some cases.

 

[rogerzilla]

VW Group cars are all galvanised, unless they've recently dropped that. Shouldn't rust unless repaired with pattern parts. I agree they're overpriced. Skodas are better-built, despite using most of the same parts. Conversely, Audis are rubbish. People buy them for the badge and the fancy interiors but they are woefully unreliable.

BMWs and Mazdas can be pretty rusty. In Mazda's case, it's because there is no point making a car to last 10 years for the JDM because they scrap or export them before that (the shaken test is hugely expensive once you've done all the precautionary replacements). I am a big Mazda fan but rust is their Achilles heel.

 

[MarkF]

VW Group cars are all galvanised, unless they've recently dropped that. Shouldn't rust unless repaired with pattern parts. I agree they're overpriced. Skodas are better-built, despite using most of the same parts. Conversely, Audis are rubbish. People buy them for the badge and the fancy interiors but they are woefully unreliable.

BMWs and Mazdas can be pretty rusty. In Mazda's case, it's because there is no point making a car to last 10 years for the JDM because they scrap or export them before that (the shaken test is hugely expensive once you've done all the precautionary replacements). I am a big Mazda fan but rust is their Achilles heel.

My 1992 Eunos Roadster (MX5) doesn't have any rust anywhere, some previous owner really went to town on underbody protection. I had a 1992 Audi 80 as a company car, I recall a big selling point for it was that it had a galvanised body, I liked it so when it was 3 years old I bought it from the company, at about 6/7 years old I gave it my late father and it started rusting all over.

 

[Wookee]

Like most here I've had quite a variety of cars and for my tuppence...

2 Mk5 Golfs - 1 a TDi my wife had when we met and the other a GTi I had for a few months recently have been the cars that have most impressed me handling wise and I would have no hesitation in owning one again - though that's unlikely.
I have a 2007 T5 that I bought with 160k on the clock and converted to a campervan. It does exactly what I need it to do with no fuss. Like the 2 Golfs I've never had a problem with it outside of normal wear and tear.

Having said that; a few years ago I had a top of the range Mondeo estate that I bought with 160k, mainly motorway, miles on it and that felt very well screwed together and the only thing that broke on it was a front spring. I only sold it to buy the van.

If I needed another car and was able to choose (the wife is a bit of a brand snob so very unlikely to happen!) I'd have a Vauxhall Zafira. I had one for a bit as a runaround while sorting the van and it was awesome! Little bits went wrong but they were cheap and easy to fix.... I loved that car!!

 

[Grant Fondo]

No one has mentioned Fiat yet? I had the cylinder head off my Uno more times than Nicola Sturgeon says 'progressive'

 

[rogerzilla]

I think Vauxhall and any French cars would be last on my list. The interiors on Vauxhalls smell of cheap plastic (like bin bags) and they seem years behind everything else. Must be the former US influence. French build quality...zut alors!