Four weeks ago yesterday we took delivery of our Honda CR-V here in Austria. I haven't personally bought a brand new car since 1973 (OK, so the Honda is leased, but you know what I mean - effectively it's my money). I wasn't entirely sure what to expect but...
It all just works. No squeaks, rattles, clunks. Headlights adjusted perfectly. Wheels balanced so that there is absolutely no vibration at any speed we've yet achieved (having hit 90mph a couple of times). Nothing has fallen off. No imperfections in the paintwork. Body panel fit A1. Immaculately prepared by the local dealer. Hit the autobahn three weeks ago with 750km on the clock, now 4600km. Never missed a beat.
Made in Swindon, and an example of the British worker at his best. Thanks guys for such a painless experience.
|
>> Four weeks ago yesterday we took delivery of our Honda CR-V here in Austria. I
>> haven't personally bought a brand new car since 1973
I have to say, it shows. Did you really expect a brand new car with a shed load of issues? It just doesn't happen these days. Not since we shut down BL anyway.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 18 Nov 15 at 18:42
|
>> I have to say, it shows. Did you really expect a brand new car with
>> a shed load of issues? It just doesn't happen these days. Not since we shut
>> down BL anyway.
>>
Nope, wasn't expecting a load of problems, but for whatever reason assumed there would be the odd niggle, which isn't the case. I hadn't realised I was in such exalted company, where buying a new car was an everyday occurrence for some people ;-)
|
>> Nope, wasn't expecting a load of problems, but for whatever reason assumed there would be
>> the odd niggle, which isn't the case. I hadn't realised I was in such exalted
>> company, where buying a new car was an everyday occurrence for some people ;-)
Had a brand new car every three years from 1979 to 2010. Welcome to the world of the company car driver, still the biggest single buyer in the uk. No car came with issues after the appallingly thrown together 83 maestro which had enough to last anyone a lifetime.
Except the 85 Sierra which had a stray glue stain on the roof lining.
|
|
In that case, I'm sorry I spoke out of turn :-(
|
>> In that case, I'm sorry I spoke out of turn :-(
dont be silly.
|
>> Had a brand new car every three years from 1979 to 2010. Welcome to the
>> world of the company car driver, still the biggest single buyer in the uk.
My company car years ran from 1982 to 2005 although for quite a few years we changed every 2yrs, which was lovely.
I did become aware that the brake lights were always on a Peugeot I got once. Apart from that, I'm struggling to think of anything.
|
>> Made in Swindon, and an example of the British worker at his best.
I spent a very agreeable week with a fatherly old toolmaker in an electrical components factory in Swindon when I was about 17or 18. Learned a lot about sculpture in hard steel (toolmaking) and mechanized industrial production of small metal components... loved it.
|
Glad you like the CRV. We pretty much take it for granted that modern cars are faultless. I bought my 330 when it was 5yo, now 11yo. Just assume it will always be faultless, turbine like engine, everything works as it should, no squeaks or rattles anywhere. Not sure about 90 mph though. Cough.
If only my ex's were as reliable & cheap to run.
|
|
"Ex" you said. Are you still spinning a Spanner for her LL.
|
>>Made in Swindon, and an example of the British worker at his best. Thanks guys for such a painless experience.>>
Went round the Swindon factory when it first opened and was producing the then new Accord in the 1990s (it was the Rover 600 in the hands of Rover); only colour for the Accord was blue at the time due to production only gradually building up, but it was an excellent product and a credit to those on the shop floor (which, incidentally, was so clean you could have eaten your dinner off it!).
|
Had a few new cars, all company owned apart from the most recent which we bought with our own money (well, the finance company's at this point).
All delivered fault free, but one couldn't manage more than a matter of weeks before the faults started. And it was a BMW.
|
A very good friend of mine, with a degree in metallurgical engineering, spent several years working at the Nissan plant, Tyne & Wear. His speciality was designing seats, squabs & seat backs, quality testing the metals used, working on forthcoming models etc. He took a huge pride in his work and he got a lot of job satisfaction being part of a team working on Primeras & Micras. He has now moved on to aircraft fastenings.
Strangely, he never owned a Nissan, having a Mk2 Golf Gti which he ran for 12 years and regretted selling ever since! He lived in Ponteland where I spent lots of fun weekends, drinking in Newcastle & walking around the Cheviots.
|
My Crv is now 3 yrs old. Apart from servicing it has not seen the garage - the rear wiper blade needed replacing but I managed that issue myself!
Sorry, not quite true! I heard a skiffing noise from the brakes - my Indie took the wheels off and cleaned up the pads / calipers and applied some grease.
As far as I know car service requirements seem to dismiss the need for brakes to receive any attention as part of the service. My previous car, an Xtrail, also required the same after it was 2 years old
|
>> As far as I know car service requirements seem to dismiss the need for brakes
>> to receive any attention as part of the service. My previous car, an Xtrail, also
>> required the same after it was 2 years old
Its essential on mine to whip the pads out annually and clean them and the callipers up.
|
>> Its essential on mine to whip the pads out annually and clean them and the
>> callipers up.
>>
Our Saab needed the rear calipers removed and cleaned for the MOT last year because they'd stuck. They told me it's a common problem here, with the extended winters and salt on the wet roads. To be fair, this was the first time ours had need such attention in the six plus years we've been here.
|
>>Its essential on mine to whip the pads out annually and clean them and the callipers up.
This was included in the 2nd year service of my old Forester, but seems to be a "your brakes are binding a bit and need stripped'n'cleaned at £50 an axle" malarkey for many other garages.
|
>> As far as I know car service requirements seem to dismiss the need for brakes
>> to receive any attention as part of the service. My previous car, an Xtrail, also
>> required the same after it was 2 years old
I don't think I have ever given brakes any attention beyond friction material changes and the odd handbrake adjustment.
Motorcycle brakes on the other hand - very different kettle of fish. Japanese caliper pistons rot and seize if you don't clean them at least twice a year.
|
How many people today will be told that the caliper(s) were not releasing fully and as such the brakepad on 1 side had worn / cut a groove in the disk?
The only solution is new pads (& disks) costing £XXX +VAT when 5p of grease and 10 minutes time on disks/calipers & pads could have avoided the issue - Preventative Maintenance is nearly always cheaper than a repair
|
>> How many people today will be told that the caliper(s) were not releasing fully and
>> as such the brakepad on 1 side had worn / cut a groove in the
>> disk?
I wonder how much this happens with modern brakes though. I agree at one time it was quite common. The front calipers on my old mk2 Cavalier used to need the slides dismantling, cleaning and re-greasing annually. In fact, the brakes on that car were quite maintenance intensive as the handbrake self-adjuster never worked either.
But on more modern stuff I've had, it doesn't really seem to be a problem. I recently bought an old Ford Puma as a project and despite 15 years of British winters, 138k and a less than complete maintenance history, the caliper pistons are nice and free, and the pads evenly worn. The sills and rear arches unfortunately haven't aged quite so gracefully :-)
|
I always used to strip and clean the brakes but I when tried to get the dealer to "service" the brakes on my Merc (which isn't used much) they refused - all they would do is change the pads and discs.
So I tried an indie - he said the same! In the time the indie spent going back on forth on the price for disks and pads all round he probably could have done what I asked and earned himself an hours labour.
|
|
A few MOTs ago the Octavia failed on uneven brake effectiveness. Garage default answer was to suggest replacing calliper, but I suggested cleaning it first and that sorted the problem, at much lower cost to me. Hasn't given any trouble since.
|
British workers still cut the mustard - Zero
