Whats a good reliable car

Slimbo

Hi All,

Looking for some good advice as to what the most durable cars are.

I drive all over Ireland and would ideally like a big car(2ltr), with comfort but that can handle being on the road 8/10 hours a day.

I hsve a VW Passat but they are very soft.

Any suggestions.

Slimbo

Biro

Honda Accord. I've seen people try hard and fail to break them.

Barr

With that kind of milage , Japanese is the way to go ..an Avensis or Primera would be the way to go

muletide

Mazda 6 ftw

bren2002

Focus is a cracker

Guy:Incognito

Biro wrote: »

Honda Accord. I've seen people try hard and fail to break them.

I broke 2. Well when I say "I" , I mean they broke themselves while I had them. Engine dieing type problems. Although one was a Rover 620 so maybe it sensed the badges and self destructed.

The Real B-man

muletide wrote: »

Mazda 6 ftw

Yeah its a cracking car

bazz26

If you can afford to pay the extra tax and fuel then something like a Toyota Camry 2.4 litre would be a good choice. They are very comfortable cars, ultra reliable and great for long hauls. They can be had for silly money these days, so the savings you make on the purchase price can be put towards the extra tax and fuel costs.

Depending on your budget:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Camry/2.4-WT/757842/
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Camry/2.4-VVTi/757750/

These cars cost over €35k when new.

Others:
Nissan Maxima QX:- http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Nissan/Maxima-QX/SE-FULL/812532/

unkel

New / second hand? Budget? Without these any advice is pointless imho

The one thing that one could say is that if you're in the car 8-10 hours a day, chances are you do a high mileage. You'll need a diesel so!

GERMAN ROCKS

for big milage id go something french for the comfort
1st peugeot 407
2nd citroen c5 (the new one is a stunner)
there disel engines are bullet proof:)

Biro

Stekelly wrote: »

I broke 2. Well when I say "I" , I mean they broke themselves while I had them. Engine dieing type problems. Although one was a Rover 620 so maybe it sensed the badges and self destructed.

That was probably it!
To be fair, I don't know of any car that someone never had a problem with somewhere! I've just heard of less Honda problems than any other car make. Mazda and Toyota probably joint second. Take your pick really!
The main problems these days is electrical rather than anything serious in the mechanical front, so I suppose in a way, all cars are good to a point!

coolbeans

Mazda6 is a great option if you consider the Passat too soft. The real driver's car in the class. Turbodiesel is a cracker and like all Japanese built Mazdas ultra reliable. Must say the 2.2CTDI Accord is a beautiful car but they cost a good deal more than the 6 and are about to be replaced....Mondeo???...I think they look dull as ditchwater.
Avensis; ditto, primera; ditto.

staker

i know the japs are very good reliably but if youre looking for a bit of comfort with bulletproof build would you consider an e220 merc, 98/99/00.. theyre a tank of a machine and go forever just to find a non ex taxi! that's my penny's worth

maidhc

bazz26 wrote: »

If you can afford to pay the extra tax and fuel then something like a Toyota Camry 2.4 litre would be a good choice. They are very comfortable cars, ultra reliable and great for long hauls. They can be had for silly money these days, so the savings you make on the purchase price can be put towards the extra tax and fuel costs.

Great idea. So long as you don't mind being mistaken for the special branch all the time though!

colm_mcm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

for big milage id go something french for the comfort
1st peugeot 407
2nd citroen c5 (the new one is a stunner)
there disel engines are bullet proof:)

Did you read the original post at all :eek:

I'd be looking at Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Camry, Mitsubishi Galant if you're looking for cars a few years old.

coolbeans

Hope you don't mind me pm'ing you but u seem to know your stuff. The father is gonna bring in a new euro spec hilux from the UK. He wants all the goodies even though it's for farm use so that'll mean leather etc. Reckon we can pick one up for E40k or thereabouts all taxes paid. Is the rear diff lock necessary as he'll do a lot of pulling heavy trailers in muddy fields. They're optopnal on the 3L models.

coolbeans

Bugger. thought i pm'ed colm. colm mcm that last question was for u. Apologies for asking a separate question on this thread.

coolbeans

Legacy is a beauty of a car too. Old model like this http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Subaru/Legacy/2.0-AWD/674239/ or this http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Subaru/Legacy/2.0-GL/916525/ or http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Subaru/Legacy/car/884767/. Colm mcm's options are good too.

JHMEG

What about a BMW?

groupb

I tried and failed to break two mondeos. Really durable machine.
Add in the fact that its been the best car in its class since 93' and its got to be considered.
There seem to be more old ones around than just about any other car which says a lot.

JHMEG

groupb wrote: »

Add in the fact that its been the best car in its class since 93' and its got to be considered.

According to who?

groupb

Most motoring journals. I've had a saab 900, an audiA4 , a passat, a primera and two mondeos and I can honestly say that the mondeos were leagues ahead of the others , especially where dynamics and relability were concerned.

maidhc

groupb wrote: »

Most motoring journals. I've had a saab 900, an audiA4 , a passat, a primera and two mondeos and I can honestly say that the mondeos were leagues ahead of the others , especially where dynamics and relability were concerned.

Have to agree. My 1995 mondeo is still a better car to drive than an 2007 passat.

JHMEG

groupb wrote: »

Most motoring journals.

You'll need to provide a source.

E92

The Mondeo has won the lions share of awards since it came out, it doesn't matter what car mag you look at, they all love it, Autocar even thinks the current one is better than a 3 series BMW!

The original also won the European car of the year in 1994 too.

I've gone in several Mondeos(not the Mk4 yet sadly), a treat for the passenger, and I'm led to believe, even more of a treat for the driver!

groupb

I've had both. The mondeo made its first unscheudled visit to a garage in my hands at 112,000miles to have a sensor replaced. The passat (a 07tdi) could'nt pass a garage without needing attention. As for handling , the passat did'nt.

groupb

JHMEG wrote: »

You'll need to provide a source.

Find me a journal that says the mondeo does'nt lead its class.

coolbeans

groupb wrote: »

Find me a journal that says the mondeo does'nt lead its class.

how does this help the OP?

Green Hornet

I'd go for the Accord. Bit on the pricey side and the model is changing in September but a real sturdy, comfortable car over long journeys.

JHMEG

groupb wrote: »

Find me a journal that says the mondeo does'nt lead its class.

4car prefers the Vectra.
Autozine prefers the Mazda 6.
Now back up your statement that the Mondeo is best car in it's class since '93.

maidhc

JHMEG wrote: »

4car prefers the Vectra.
Autozine prefers the Mazda 6.
Now back up your statement that the Mondeo is best car in it's class since '93.

Well the Mk1 mondeo was so far ahead of everything in 1993 it wasn't even funny (bar perhaps the Primera and 405) . It was competing with the Mk1 Vectra/Cavalier ffs and the Passat back then was hideous.

The Mk2 was a revised mk1, and was at least as good as the 406 and Mk1 Passat, it drove a lot better than the latter and was far less troublesome that both. The diesel mondeo was seriously dated by 2000 though.

The Mk3 came out in 2000, and again was lauded as being a fantastic car. Definately was a bit dull looking, but any group tests i ever read put it ahead. In fairness the Accord of the time was a good car, but then honda got notions and priced themselves out of the market.

The Mk4 is a superior car to anything else in the class, and in the class above it. This seems the consensus.