SPOT THE BROKEN CAR (1 Viewer)

[Big bus man]

Whilst driving my MH I do look out for broken down vehicles to mentally form an opinion on their reliability and my observations are coming up with some surprising conclusions. 80% of them are French cars, mostly Peugeots so no surprises there then!! but these days I see a lot of Mercedes, in particular newer models, no BMW's Fords or any Asian made cars of any age but it is the Mercedes bit that I find interesting. Have a look and you may be able to confirm my conclusions.

 

[frogijock]

My son is the sales director for a large car dealership and he says that French cars are well noted in the trade for breakdowns

 

[Big bus man]

I know...I owned 3 and all of them broke down at least once so now I own a Honda.

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[rangi]

We owned a V reg Zshara Estate for 13 years, it never let us down.

As long as you get them serviced regular, a car will give you years of service

 

[scotjimland]

I own a Honda.

likewise..

what is a breakdown ??

 

[Baldeagle7470]

We own a BM not new which replaced a Clio,my partner bought it as it was an Auto,she is Canadian and not driven a manual for many years.It was a top of the range model with 17,000 Kms on the clock only.
Biggest pile of rubbish I have ever driven and I have driven some,cruise cut out on its own or more frighteningly accelerated again on its own.That was the major fault until it left us completely stranded by not starting.The main dealer in Lyon couldn't fix it and someone from Paris came down and still it took 2 weeks and a lot of threats to get it fixed.
Recently bought a Skoda,secondhand and although the interior is basic as we expected,cracking little car,very solid and well finished.
very pleased with that marque.

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[jockaneezer]

But do you know what you're getting when you buy a car ? My last two Volvo's had Renault engines, previous one had 185,000 miles on it when we sold it and our present '06 model has 182,000 miles and just today sailed through it's mot, regular servicing must have something to do with it.

 

[Big bus man]

But do you know what you're getting when you buy a car ? My last two Volvo's had Renault engines, previous one had 185,000 miles on it when we sold it and our present '06 model has 182,000 miles and just today sailed through it's mot, regular servicing must have something to do with it.

Nissan use Renault engines, Mini use Peugeot engines and some Chryslers have Mercedes engines in them but yes proper servicing makes a difference but with all the common breakdowns it is often electrically based and can be a £5 sensor or a £1500 computer, just luck of the draw I guess but some manufactures just run and run.

 

[parknride]

Loved my Skoda fabia, comfy, economical easy to park.
Swapped it for BMW, very economical, tooo fast, easy to park. Not as comfy as the fabia.

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[EssexBoy]

I have a Peugeot 207, 59 plate, 80000 miles and hasn't missed a beat - not even a puncture. Damn, gonna get one tomorrow now, aren't I

 

[KeithChesterfield]

I love my Skoda Fabia Estate – coming up to 50,000 miles in four years and no problems, not even as much as a bulb to replace, and I can see many more happy miles to be put on the clo......

What letter from VW?

Oh, that letter saying there's an issue and I've got to take the car to be rectfied with a technical solution when it's developed.

Hmmmmmm!

FOR SALE

SKODA FABIA ESTATE
One Owner
Needs exterior cleaning and sweet papers removing from back seat.
Offers
PO Box - RU18

 

[Barclaybasher]

SPOT THE CAR:

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[Rob and Val]

Even a top of the market car that hasn't been looked after will eventually break down. We have our 21-year-old Talbot MH serviced regularly and it is very reliable and a pleasure to drive.

 

[Bailey58]

I have a 15 year old Renault Espace, 125k on the clock and only let me down once when the gear linkage broke. Pity they don't make them any more, at least not for the English market.

 

[Reallyretired]

I have always avoided French cars as everyone else I know who has had them has found them unreliable. My brother has had a couple of large Citroen's and they both spent a lot of time off the road. He now only buys Mitsubishi.

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[weekenders]

I gave a Peugeot 207, it's 15 years old and never let me down, just passed mot with a few minor repairs

 

[mjltigger]

I've had a Renault and a Citroen and both were great until they died.. then they were not.

I now have a Renault van and I'm frightened lol

 

[TheBig1]

have always disliked renault and citroen as they are just so damned unreliable. A few years ago my sister needed a car and I sourced her a decent looking low mileage (under 10k) clio through one of my trade friends. the first 6 months it just did what was expected but after that needed work every 2 to 3 weeks. It went to all the local specialists and the main dealers frequently. but none of them was successful at getting it starting and running as it should. in the end, the engine cut out as my sister turned right at a junction and the oncoming volvo tank sent it to the scrapyard in the sky. nobody was hurt, but what relieved us all most was the end to all the hassle keeping it working

obviously she went out and replaced it, but with a Citroen c4, but touch wood that has been faultless for the last couple of years. she did take out a warranty though and has it main dealer serviced. hate to say it, it actually drives well for a citroen

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[barsteward]

Just out of curiosity like. Who manufactures most of your MH running gear.

 

[sedge]

Since 1998, the cars we have had are a Xantia, a Xsara, a C5 and a C4. All of them bought second hand, none of them actually ever let us down ie broke down. Yes we've had to replace bits and pieces, you expect that - wear and tear.

The C4 is 9 years old and a bit battered where I've demolished the odd wall with it - but it keeps passing it's MOT and getting us where we need it to go. (well it isn't an odd wall at all really, it was quite a nice normal wall until I modified it! LOL Since then it's been a nice normal wall with a tatty bit one end but that's not even a disaster now since we can get the Moho in and out a lot easier!)

I expect the time is kind of approaching when we might have to have a look for another, but at the mo I don't think we, or it, is ready.

 

[TheBig1]

Just out of curiosity like. Who manufactures most of your MH running gear.

Mostly Fiat with an Iveco engine, and I am only driving it because of the lack of options. Mercedes, well modern mercs are unreliable rust buckets. Ford I would have but too few converters use them. Renault, not bad in its current incarnation due to the tie in with Nissan, but again too few converters using them

Obviously ignoring Peugeot and Citroen as they are the same as Fiats, built in the same plant. just pretty much badge engineering with different engine options, none of which better than the Iveco 3litre

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[Forestboy]

My last 2 Mercedes (I've had 7 new ones 6 E class 1 C class) were the worst cars I've had the misfortune too own.

E 270 cdi spent more time being repaired than driven.

C200 Kompressor brakes failed 3 times a death trap.

Any Merc built after 2005 seem to be very poor build quality. Never bought another.

 

[ambulancekidd]

Our daughters BMW 1 series has a shocking level of poor reliability. The diesel engines of recent BMWs have a major cam chain issue which I believe is present amongst all recent BMW diesel engines. Fortunately her car is still under warranty & that she'd heard an odd noise from the engine & it was detected before the chain snapped, other owners haven't been so fortunate & in many cases BMW as a company don't want to know. I think I'll stick to Mercedes & Fords in various guises but a word of caution, Peugeot, Fiat & Citroen commercial vehicles & by extension an awful lot of motorhomes have a Ford 2.2 diesel engine & these engines do not have a particularly good reliability record & I for one wouldn't have one if they came free with a box of cornflakes.

 

[Big bus man]

Just out of curiosity like. Who manufactures most of your MH running gear.

The van engines are solid and don't use all the fancy electrics as the cars which make them reliable engines that can do the miles if they are serviced annually. I may be wrong though!

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[eleanor rigby]

Bought a Citroen Picasso New in 2006 and used it for my work and managed to cover 160,000 miles in 4 years without one breakdown and without any new parts except normal consumables. Wife's c3 was bought in 2006 and is still in use by middle son and same great. reliability Noting broken down cars is highly subjective and obviously open to one's own prejudices. I prefer bmw but the last 3 were no more reliable than the Citroen although feel much more sturdier built

 

[trophychap]

Coming back to the Midlands from Dover once we saw four broken down Rolls Royce's on the hard shoulder, and one Yellow one in the middle lane going southbound throwing out so much oil smoke he was effectively creating a rolling road block. no one was able to get past him due to the lack of visibility.

So I guess that all cars have reliability issues at some point.

 

[scotjimland]

If only Honda made motorhomes.. sigh

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[Paddywack]

I need an estate with full length roof-bars (not poxy fixing points 60 - 70 cms apart) to carry sea kayaks on, over the years I have done accords, mondeos, passats and octavias. When last changing I went to the Seat garage to have a look at there re-badged old Audi - the Exeo, now the garage is also a Renault dealership and they had a Laguna GT as a ex-demonstrator, I had always stayed clear of Renaults due to "the electrics problems", the sales guy pointed out now owned 50% by Nissan and had introduced their quality control. Well 4 years on its still going strong, no breakdowns, have had it remapped to 220bhp and with 4 wheel steering its a bit of a Q car - understated but flies when you want it to, and filled to the gills with toys. Renault stopped building and importing them as they were loosing £11k on everyone sold at list price £27,500.

Its the only car I have kept for more than three years.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I believe some Mercs (C class?) are now made in Brazil.

 

[jockaneezer]

I believe some Mercs (C class?) are now made in Brazil.

They're the ones that only have carpet along the transmission tunnel

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