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We own two of them...Numbers 1 & 2
Last edited by: madf on Wed 21 Nov 12 at 09:26
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Ah but dog and I own the Number 1!
Even tho they used the wrong picture of car...
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Interesting the facelift W211 06 on MB E class comes in at 4 (even if the pic's of a W212), our mate The Swiss Tony has oft mentioned how good the later 211's are.
The Volvo S40 is an interesting one i always liked these, can be bought for peanuts...isn't it basically a Mitsi Carisma, could arguably be another Japanese car.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Wed 21 Nov 12 at 09:32
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Another Warranty Direct advert based on a small sample and skewed ownership profiles.
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I wonder why Monsieur Snail doesn't buy French cars?
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Ou est Monsieur L'escargot?
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To be fair there were not many of those lancers sold, it had a short UK sales span so it will be a small sample.
On the other hand, having racked up 65k miles on the clock, serviced it myself, I can quite easily see how it would be classed as Über reliable. It screams old school, simple, reliable.
I will, however need to get it up on a hoist and get underneath next spring, with the underseal and dinitrol.
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It screams>> old school, simple, reliable.
Careful, down this sensible road lies Luddite Land...you might find yourself in good company..:-)
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Ah but it has electronic fuel injection, electronic ignition...
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You'll be tellin' us next, its got cup holders.
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>> Ah but it has electronic fuel injection, electronic ignition...
>>
Yep and quite right, nothing wrong with well proved necessary progress, it the not needed/uselss/unreliable faff that Luddites don't want.
Welcome Brother Z, pull a comfy chair up....Chesterfield..;)
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Wed 21 Nov 12 at 10:40
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>> I will, however need to get it up on a hoist and get underneath next
>> spring, with the underseal and dinitrol.
>>
Careful, you're beginning to sound like gb :)
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Bit of a debate about Waxoyl & Dinitrol here - The Pope reckons Waxoyl is pretty good:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=10266
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>> Bit of a debate about Waxoyl & Dinitrol here - The Pope reckons Waxoyl is
>> pretty good:
>>
>> www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=10266
>>
Crikey! That takes me back!
A post from THe Growler. Happy days!
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A post from The Growler. Happy days!
Before my time, evidently, but isn't that a term for, ahem, ladyparts? Something from HJ's Thai connections, perhaps?
Curious, considering how prudishly moderated that site was.
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>> A post from The Growler. Happy days!
>>
>> Before my time, evidently, but isn't that a term for, ahem, ladyparts? Something from HJ's
>> Thai connections, perhaps?
>>
>> Curious, considering how prudishly moderated that site was.
>>
Dunno about the lady parts bit.
THe Growler (be careful with the capitalisation) used to post fascinating essays from the Phillipines. Sadly, he died 2 or 3 years ago.
Surely I can't be the the only person to remember him?
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>> Surely I can't be the the only person to remember him?
>>
HJ and a few of us met him at the Ace cafe.
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>> Another Warranty Direct advert based on a small sample and skewed ownership profiles.
>>
I agree. 5 out those listed are likely to be driven by little old people as shopping trolleys covering only 5k miles a year and I doubt they are driven enough miles to wear them out and have a warrantly claim made against them.
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"are likely to be driven by little old people as shopping trolleys "
The Lancer?
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>>are likely to be driven by little old people as shopping trolleys covering only 5k miles a year<<
That many miles? Strewth!
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Most of them round and round the car park at Asda looking for two spaces Mrs LOP will let him park across.
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The lancer has 66K miles on it! - 47K of them mine!
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>> The lancer has 66K miles on it! - 47K of them mine!
You must drive down the Co-Op a lot.
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>> >> The lancer has 66K miles on it! - 47K of them mine!
>>
>> You must drive down the Co-Op a lot.
Waitrose, this is Surrey.
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"are likely to be driven by little old people as shopping trolleys "
>>
>> The Lancer?
>>
No, ya daft pfd
I meant the Jazz, Alto, Aygo, Agila. They're typical low mileage granny mobiles.
;-)
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 22 Nov 12 at 12:51
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...Swiss Tony has oft mentioned how good the later 211's are.
ST was very encouraging when I declared an interest in the post-2006 E, and it does seem to have a good record. It's noticeable, though, that the closely related CLS tends to do less well.
The likely explanation is that Es are mostly bought in the four-cylinder, 5G auto airport taxi edition that I have; there are no four-cylinder CLSs, and most have the V6 diesel and 7G combination that seems to have more reliability problems. I remind myself of this when I occasionally find the LEC a little slow off the mark.
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Wed 21 Nov 12 at 20:20
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>> ST was very encouraging when I declared an interest in the post-2006 E, and it
>> does seem to have a good record. It's noticeable, though, that the closely related CLS
>> tends to do less well.
Isn't the CLS more S based than E?...air suspenders and other stuff likely to cost an arm and an expensive leg to put right, IIRC ST said air sprung susp legs on MB's up to about £1200 a side and if the same as W230, bottom swivels integral part of the leg!!!
You definately have the right gearbox, i hear heaped praise on the 7G but at some cost in time and regular updates to keep it sweet and it appears to not last forever like the others, its one of those things i couldn't risk, i'm fairly sure its nigh on impossible to find a 6 pot facelift without the 7G...one thing you haven't got and i'm sure you wouldn't have wanted is the SBC system (ended when facelifted) which is now completely failing in small numbers and MB are no longer replacing for free unlike in the USA.
Just out of interest to you, there's a long established and incredibly old fashioned small private hire company not far from here, i used to work part time for them when my nippers were small for extra dosh, they've been running a pair of MB E's since they bought 2 x W210s, same 4 pot as yours but all with manual boxes, their W211's covered just over 400k miles regularly serviced by my MB indy and proved remarkably reliable, now replaced by W212s.
To be fair you can see Baldry's cars approaching from miles away on the road whatever the make, white and spotlessly clean, driven professionally defensively courteously and using good signalling they stand out like a sore thumb, i expect that skilled driving helps the cars to last so well.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Wed 21 Nov 12 at 20:42
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I was going to mention the absence of Nissan in that line up, and their French Connection but,
Look at this beaut: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1971_Datsun_240-Z_coupe_-_green_-_fvl.jpg
I had one in that very colour back in the 70's, cracking looking car IMO.
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Basic, older-tech models are more reliable than complex, leading-edge.
Who'da thunk it?
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There is no doubt Renaults of the 1980-1998 period were substantially more reliable than those of the next decade.
The much vaunted re-engineering of Renault by Carlos Ghosen effectively killed the brand's prior reputation for tough and reliable cars.
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I wonder how the French twins of the Aygo faired?. Considering they are exactly the same mechanically and are built in the same factory by the same workers, they should have come equal with the Aygo, which just proves how shaky these 'surveys' are.
And as for driving a Suzuki Alto or a Vauxhall Agila? I think I would rather hitch.
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Although the three cars are built in the same joint venture plant, the approach to issues are sometimes quite different.
About a year ago, a possible recall of the 107/C1 was highlighted on the Toyota Owners Club forum. There was an issue identified at the plant with a batch of right front cross members which were the incorrect thickness.
Toyota rectified any Aygos affected at the plant.
PSA issued a service bulletin, and relied on the dealer network to identify and correct any problem 107's/C1's.
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I also think durability is important, where german and swedish cars have the edge.
You guessed it, i own a VW.
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Agree about the Lancer regarding reliability one of the best according to the mechanic who looked after my Mitsubishi Space Star.One of those cars I should have kept.
Je Hollands schrijven was goed over het varkentje plus 1 >:) (Just for you Dog)
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Didn't some Mitsu exec in Japan fall on his sword (metaphorically I think) 10 or 15 years ago after hiding 50,000 or so breakdown/failure reports?
(Or maybe the top brass scapegoated him?)
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Het varkentje would like me Dutchie, as I don't eat meat.
Tonight we had (what I call) Polynesian Wimpeys = 2 Hovis wholemeal buns (each) with raw red onions, Tesco vegetarian burgers, lettuce, and a pineapple ring, served with my home-made chips ... we know how to live down ere ;)
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>> There is no doubt Renaults of the 1980-1998 period were substantially more reliable than those
>> of the next decade.
I know of a 1996 Espace 1.9dT with 350,000 miles on it. Old shape (pre curvy-grille and digi dash interior) Original engine and gearbox, second clutch just about on its way out. Still as reliable as the tides. Used as a daily commuter, tip wagon and general crap lugger.
Hard to reconcile really with the utter junk Renault put out in the Noughties.
Last edited by: DP on Thu 22 Nov 12 at 09:32
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Those Espaces weren't built by Renault, though, but by Matra. Who went bust because it cost so much to tool up for production and source the materials to build the cars.
Renault then took production in-house, went low-tech and minimum quality on materials and build, and the rest is history...
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Good ol' Jap cars eh?
On that spurious basis I once recommend a friend to buy a brand new Corolla Verso in 2006. I thought that not only would they be safe with that choice, but also my reputation as a car buff and go to man on all matters automotive would be equally safe. I knew they intended to keep it for at least 10 years, so it had to be a good'un.
In 6 years and around 90k miles it's had a new ECU, new injectors, new head gasket and most recently a whole new short engine. Thankfully, Toyota coughed up for all of it, which is something, I suppose.
However such is the power of belief in Japanese cars (and of losing face), that they still declare it to be reliable! Maybe they're just saving my feelings?
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My ole brother (77) has owned a Corolla 2.0 diesel for the last 20 years, he's from the 'old school' see, started out driving Morris vans for the then British Relay Co.
He sez to me - as long as it starts every time he gets in it, it's enough for him.
:-))
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>> However such is the power of belief in Japanese cars (and of losing face), that
>> they still declare it to be reliable! Maybe they're just saving my feelings?
''Toyota coughed up for all of it, which is something, I suppose''. is the most important phrase there, it speaks volumes.
It proves Toyota philosophy, hence your friends correct trust in the *marque* as being reliable.
The car in question hasn't been faultless, but the maker has stood behind their product and the owner has not been left or ignored almost ridiculed like the vast majority of other makers would do, except Honda, the second warranty expired.
Once again Toyota with their customer service ethic further add to that rock solid reputation...no they don't always get it right, but when they get it wrong they blinkin well sort it out for years after their responsibility officially expires.
You recommended well.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Thu 22 Nov 12 at 10:23
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The car in question hasn't been faultless, but the maker has stood behind their product...
That was our experience too. Our 2008 Verso needed new injectors at a year old and the dealer couldn't have made it easier. I have no quibble with Toyota as a marque; just wish they made something more appealing, which is why the Verso went.
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One of the most unreliable cars I have ever known was a Toyota. A 2001 Celica 190 VVTLi to be precise. A friend bought it as an ex demo from a Toyota dealership. It had a load of problems, mostly related to being an early production model (i.e. fixed with updated software or modified parts). Catalytic converters (many of) caused by a bug in the fuelling software, a gearbox failure (modified box fitted), uneven tyre wear (revised geometry recommendations provided by Toyota after a set of P-Zeros were wrecked inside of 6000 miles....the list goes on.
He lost patience at 2 years and sold it on. Never ran right for more than a fortnight, literally. I have also never known such a rattly, squeaky interior on a car with 40,000 miles on the clock.
Dealer was excellent, Toyota less so in his experience.
Buying Japanese guarantees nothing. Improves the odds perhaps, but that's it.
Last edited by: DP on Thu 22 Nov 12 at 11:24
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My daughter has what I think is one of the earliest 1.3 manual Japanese made Yaris.
It has done about 120K .
Failures to date.
An intermittent fault - turn the lights on and it screws radio / cd sound.
This is important in the noisy world generation :-(
Otherwise:-
Both the bolts connecting the anti roll bar to the steering snapped at different times and an oxygen sensor failed. Nowt else except consumables including battery.
I think I might have changed one bulb at some time.
It is treated as white goods and would not even get serviced unless dad gets angry.
It still hums along and I enjoy using it.
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>> He lost patience at 2 years and sold it on. Never ran right for more
>> than a fortnight, literally. I have also never known such a rattly, squeaky interior on
>> a car with 40,000 miles on the clock.
>>
His frustration would have mounted if he'd kept it longer. Those engines were infamous for burning oil in _serious_ volumes after the 40k mile mark.
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>> It proves Toyota philosophy, hence your friends correct trust in the *marque* as being reliable.
>>
I agree that Toyota should be commended on their excellent customer service. It sounds even better when you learn the car was very near to 5 years old and 100k miles at the time the engine blew. My friends hadn't even been using Toyota dealers for their servicing.
So yes, other makers would have just shrugged their shoulders and turned away, Toyota should be lauded for not doing so.
But I still can't get over the fact that the *car* has been such a liability. It certainly put me off buying a Toyota of any kind. It's interesting how they're moving to BMW sourced diesel engines now.
And of course, there will always come a point in age or miles when even Toyota will turn you away... I'd rather have a car that didn't break in the first place. Which used to be the prime reason for buying a Toyota...
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Done 1500 miles in the Mazda6 in 3 weeks... Apart from the 5 tankfuls of petrol, not had to spend anything on it so far. Which is more than I can say for many* of my previous cars...
*most
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I told y'all about those Japanese cars - madf
