Poll, From Your Exp, What Is The Most Reliable Car?

prospect

ciarsd wrote:

This thread should be renamed, so whats your favourite Marque (usually your current mode of transport). Gotta love the allegiance being shown

Yeah, LOL...

I could only afford X car,
or
I bought X car cause it looks nice,

And therefore it is now the most reliable, and best car ever built.


Personally, based on experience of our company fleet, and reliability index results, I would guess that the top three most reliable are:

1. Skoda (not the VW group, Just Skoda)
2. Honda
3. Mazda

How anyone can say Nissans are ultra reliable and Renaults are not completely escapes me :rolleyes:

ambro25

ciarsd wrote:

This thread should be renamed, so whats your favourite Marque (usually your current mode of transport). Gotta love the allegiance being shown

Well, if that was obliquely directed at me - not really, as even if I didn't own one, I'd have voted and posted exactly the same. Trawl yourself over to Top Gear or JDD websites, and check the results year-on-year if you feel like it, witness brands going up and down over the years: there aren't that many which consistently inhabit the top 10.

It was a big factor in tipping me over 3 years ago, and (at the time) for a 7 year old car (2L impreza) with 59k, 5 previous owners and a not-as-complete history as I'd have liked (but a rock bottom price and the OK from Mr RAC and HPI), and (at the time still) expecting it last a bout a year max (before big bills and/or back on my feet to buy something 'nicer'), I've only just changed it a couple of month ago, aged 10 and 84k, after 3 years of twice-a-year bog standard servicing (oil/filters) and just-put-petrol in it, never even needed new tyres or pads.

To me, that's entirely and absolutely lived up to the hype, and I'd still have more faith doing the Dublin-Holyhead-South Yorkshire trip in that at age 10 (and pedal to the metal all the way, btw) than in a 2 year old Fiat or VW. So it gets my vote, can't be fairer can it?

I could have put mazda at the top, because the MX-5 has given us nothing but peace-of-minf motoring for... Christ on a bike! 7 years now! Same story as the Scoob, bog-standard servicing twice a year, just-put petrol-in-it, and I've been worriedly asking the mechanic every service to check the bloody pads (never changed since 2000!), and every time same answer: they're grand, no need to change them. Changing tyres this year for the 1st time, even though there's still a good few millimeters to go before the used-up mark. But then we've only done about 30k in it over the period, so to me it hasn't demonstrated reliability to the same extent as the Scoob.

redman

Where's Alfa?

ciarsd

ambro25 wrote:

Well, if that was obliquely directed at me - not really, as even if I didn't own one, I'd have voted and posted exactly the same.

Not at all ambro :cool: I would've quoted you otherwise - just making an observation when reading this thread in it's entirety

ambro25

Fair do's

galwaytt

ambro........I was just wondering the same thing.........our '5 hasn't been fixed since.............well, actually, ever !! 9 years now, iirc..........

And Mazda always score well, so why no Mazda on the list?? Enquiring minds want to know !!

fits

The lever to open fuel tank on parent's VW has stopped working today and they're low on diesel. Added to central locking failing, indicators working when they feel like it, and other niggly stoopid problems.
Its really annoying, I would not recommend an older VW to anyone (its a 98).

Mc-BigE

The car that you know is the most reliable car isn't always the car you'll end up buying/driving.

Reliable cars are a bit like going to bed with a Nun, yah shes a women, but would ya? :eek:

Give me the good looker, high maintenance, "run away with your friend" type any day! a bit like Alfa's

Tabnabs

We had a 93 Opel Corsa in the family for 12 years and never had a days problem with it. Only thing ever needed work on was one rusty windcreen wiper...

Great little car.

copacetic

Mc-BigE wrote:

The car that you know is the most reliable car isn't always the car you'll end up buying/driving.

Reliable cars are a bit like going to bed with a Nun, yah shes a women, but would ya? :eek:

Give me the good looker, high maintenance, "run away with your friend" type any day! a bit like Alfa's

not at all true, surely the car you buy must be attractive but reliable.

you don't want a stunner than is only up for it every now and again as she is always in getting fixed and out of action. you want one that is ready to go for you every day: morning, noon and night..

junkyard

I've never had any major problems with BMW and I'm on my 10th one as my own car at this stage, I'd say Honda should be good too from the ones I've sold and never had any come backs with them and Toyota are o.k. The same can't be said for VW, Mercedes, Renault or Opel's as far as I'm concerned.

OldmanMondeo

Mc-BigE wrote:

Reliable cars are a bit like going to bed with a Nun, yah shes a women, but would ya? :eek:

Young nun or Mother Thresa?

I have had 2 opels, 84 and 89 Kaddetts, both 1.2. No problems, 84 had 125k on clock, 89 had 80k, but clutch was worn.
1 Honda, Jap impt civic 92 1.5vti, 1.5 vtec, 30k-70k, I burn the clutch out, ohh those V-tec days....
1 Renault, Megane 98 1.4 (no not injected), Never ever ever again. Would start on a wet day. Sent to main dealer to fix problem, they couldn't find said problem.
3 Fords, 1 2000 Focus 1.6i Ghia, excellent car, some minor problems that were covered under warrenty, 2 Mondeos 01 and 02 1.8i Zetec, Some minor problems covered under warrenty with 01, well apart from the water pump going at 24k, Current one, touch wood, has yet to give trouble.
Basically, if you want to buy European, don't buy French, To many problems.

neacy69

Alfa Romeo!!

layke

redman wrote:

Where's Alfa?

From my personal experience, Jap cars are hard to beat. I can't say which one is the most reliable out of the lot because i'd have to see the stats but they beat the **** out of the Euro competition.

what_car

colm_mcm wrote:

I fear this poll won't be an accurate reflection on the reality.
Nobody has had every brand of car (with the possible exception of Junkyard!) It'd be a bit like asking people what brand of car they drive at the moment, it wouldn't be proportional to the amounts of each car on the road.

japanese for a start..

1.. Honda built in japan better build quaility than number 2 - the difference in build quality is noticeable

2.. toyota ( had a fair few new toyotas over the years they dont have the same build quality since they started building them in uk) but reliable all the same..

omega man

You really should have Skoda on its own. Vag as a group option is unfair to Skoda!
See JD power survey 2007.

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=225557&EL=3196982

Biro

what_car wrote:

japanese for a start..

1.. Honda built in japan better build quaility than number 2 - the difference in build quality is noticeable

2.. toyota ( had a fair few new toyotas over the years they dont have the same build quality since they started building them in uk) but reliable all the same..

I would agree with this.
Going by experience on my family and friends and there has been a LOT of cars through the years VW used be reliable, but not anymore. Plenty of 98 upwards Passat and Golf and Polo problems. (However the old diesel jetta... maybe it was just too simple and boring to break down!!). Toyota were fantastic, but not in the last 7 or 8 years. More so in the last 5. Not unreliable now, but definately gone off the top. Skoda are good, but have some electrical faults, nothing major. Audi - unreal poor.. only one I know of that gave no problems yet, a 3 litre A6 diesel. Fiat - good few in the family through the years dating back to the 70's, overall quite good, few screws falling off, buttons not working, but nothing major. A fuse or two, but thats it. Peugeot - 405 good except for that coolant problem causing overheating, and a 106 that wasn't the best. Honda - zero problems. Mazda - zero problems. BMW, couple of problems.
I'd rate Honda no. 1 and Mazda no. 2. I'd consider it tight between Skoda and Toyota for 3rd. (I own a Toyota). I would also be willing to bet that any Honda problems that people have had would be with non-jap built ones!

Marcus.Aurelius

1. Lexus
2. Mazda
3. Honda
4. Toyota (not the british built ones)
5. Nissan

If it ain't built in Japan, forget it. Skoda are good, but not in the same league, they do have a lot of electrical niggles (Our Fleet)

8,353,874. Ford, Renault, Alfa, Citroen, Rover (joint)
8,353,875. Fiat!

.Longshanks.

I voted Honda as i had two 3 door Civics - a '94 and and '03. Put up about 65k miles between the two of them and never a single problem - not even a punchure! The first flew through 2 NCT's but i've a Opel now cos Honda don't do a diesel civic:(

JHMEG

Longshanks100 wrote:

i've a Opel now cos Honda don't do a diesel civic:(

Yes they do/did, just not in Ireland. You'd have to go up north or to the UK:
96-00: 5-dr hatchback with Rover 2 litre (avoid)
01-06: 3 and 5 door with Isuzu 1.7 TD, as also used by Opel. Nice engine as diesels go.
Current model: Honda's own 2.2 TD, available here.

.Longshanks.

Fair enough - bit of a broad statment from me but i should have said 'that i like sold in Ireland'.
We're in the wrong tread to discuss the merits of each but the 2.2 is suppose only one worth looking at of those three...

commited

Most reliable car for me was my 1992 1.3 Mini. 10000 miles in 6months with no breakdowns. Stunner.

I've had 2 Toyota Landcruisers - 04 and 06, both have broken down.

CJhaughey

I have had good few Toyotas dating back to the 1200cc 3 dr Estate
My present is a landcruiser with 205k miles on it , all I have done was a radiator, a pair of rear shocks and a starter motor. not bad I say, I had a 1986 Golf Mk11 1600 and that was great after the pierburg was dumped and a weber fitted.
I think that half the problems with new cars is that they have far more complex electronic systems than the older models, and if like me you subscribe to the KISS principle than it can only get worse.
You rarely had a problem with electric windows when there was only a handle!

omega man

maoleary wrote:

1. Lexus
2. Mazda
3. Honda
4. Toyota (not the british built ones)
5. Nissan

If it ain't built in Japan, forget it. Skoda are good, but not in the same league, they do have a lot of electrical niggles (Our Fleet)

Skoda got joint 2nd in the JD power survey so i disagree with your statement that they are 'not in the same league'. Im not discounting your personal experience but your general statement.

Marcus.Aurelius

3 Octavias, few breakdowns, but many electrical faults. These would not be classed as breakdowns per se, but are extremely expensive and time-wasting.

From this point of view, the JD Power survey would remain unaffected, as they are not breakdowns or even mechanical faults. There just bloody annoying.