What is the most unreliable car you have owned?
Discussion
The Crack Fox said:
It won't help you, but mine has been fantastic despite being abused regularly and run on a shoestring with zero TLC...
It's ok I blame myself, had I researched before purchasing I would have avoided early models and gone for one with a long nose crank.It didn't put me off mazda though or mx-5s as I owned a mk2 since then.
One thing that has put me off mx-5s is rust, absolutely shocking, as is the finish on the wheels, even the mk3 and mk3.5 have peeling/bubbling on the wheels.
Granted that has nothing to do with reliability but I'd expect more from a recent car
I've had over 30 cars, many rather old and never had an unreliable car. Closest I came was a duff computer on an R5 GT Turbo and if I'm honest, that might have been something to do with me....
I think preventive maintenance largely eliminates unreliability. Even my first 12 year old car when I was extremely impecunious went on for 30,000 miles of abuse over 2 years on a battery that had trouble maintaining the power to high beam.
I think preventive maintenance largely eliminates unreliability. Even my first 12 year old car when I was extremely impecunious went on for 30,000 miles of abuse over 2 years on a battery that had trouble maintaining the power to high beam.
The wifes Mk2 clio, bought low mileage Ex-demo.
Petrol swilling about under rear seat
Rear brake locked on in the rain when parked
Rear brake froze on while driving
Drivers door almost fell off (opened it and it dropped by half a foot..)
There's more than that but all I recall of the biggies at the mo..
I won't blame the Clio on the fact a mouse must have been in the Xmas tree we transported, and then ate holes in the gear stick surround and rear seat
Petrol swilling about under rear seat
Rear brake locked on in the rain when parked
Rear brake froze on while driving
Drivers door almost fell off (opened it and it dropped by half a foot..)
There's more than that but all I recall of the biggies at the mo..
I won't blame the Clio on the fact a mouse must have been in the Xmas tree we transported, and then ate holes in the gear stick surround and rear seat
Gad-Westy said:
Rover 220 GTi. Chocolate engine, coupled to a marzipan gearbox. Wiring loom designed by Guy Fawkes.
Couldn't have described my 200BRM better!And the ZTT 260 wasn't much better, exploding radiator, various electrical faults, sensor failures, useless handbrake with difficult to get hold of replacements. I finally threw in the towel when an intermmitent misfire could not be traced by anyone!
Brand new at the time, 2002 Renaultsport Clio 172 Cup. NJ52 WJN
It was a Jonah I tell thee!
1) Delivered late due to alarm problem.
2) Delivered with front lip spoiler missing.
3) Delivered with dirty, greasy fingermarks on the inside of the instrument glass, Sacre Bleu!.
4) Stuck/intermittent fuel gauge.
5) Airbag warning light on.
6) Rear shock burst @4k miles.
7) Driver's window tried to escape out of the door when I put my window up!
8) Blown manifold @12k miles.
9) Lambda sensor.
10) Lambda sensor again.
Good job Renault never once argued against the warranty.
Despite all those faults, it never actually broke down or left me stranded, and I actually quite miss the little thing
It was a Jonah I tell thee!
1) Delivered late due to alarm problem.
2) Delivered with front lip spoiler missing.
3) Delivered with dirty, greasy fingermarks on the inside of the instrument glass, Sacre Bleu!.
4) Stuck/intermittent fuel gauge.
5) Airbag warning light on.
6) Rear shock burst @4k miles.
7) Driver's window tried to escape out of the door when I put my window up!
8) Blown manifold @12k miles.
9) Lambda sensor.
10) Lambda sensor again.
Good job Renault never once argued against the warranty.
Despite all those faults, it never actually broke down or left me stranded, and I actually quite miss the little thing
touchwood never had a breakdown..a couple of flat batteries excepted..good maintenance goes a long way, and I suppose I've always paid over the odds for pristine examples..
would probably say my first motor, a Fiat Cinquecento, but just minor electrical gremlins..electric window stuck and dash lights went off..but pretty good mechanicaly really..
so I know I'm on borrowed time as far as a major breakdown goes!..
just remembered I had an alternator go on a V8 Disco in my driveway!..so one breakdown..so there it is, the Disco (but I loved this old truck)
would probably say my first motor, a Fiat Cinquecento, but just minor electrical gremlins..electric window stuck and dash lights went off..but pretty good mechanicaly really..
so I know I'm on borrowed time as far as a major breakdown goes!..
just remembered I had an alternator go on a V8 Disco in my driveway!..so one breakdown..so there it is, the Disco (but I loved this old truck)
My old 1994 fiesta 1.6Si. In the two years I owned it:
Exhaust fell off whilst driving along - £170
Sills needed welding - £180
Brakes jammed on - New front calipers, pads and disks required and back brakes cleaning out - ~£400
Steering lock/ignition switch jammed - Much swearing and now starts with the aid of a screwdriver
Starter motor jammed - £40 for a scrappy one and some spannering required
And for its last MOT: Rear shock, two front suspension arms, various bushes etc and various other things I can't quite remember - ~£400
In the year since I sold it:
Clutch cable gone twice,
Brakes binding again
I really hope my 182 does better than the various 172s mentioned!
Exhaust fell off whilst driving along - £170
Sills needed welding - £180
Brakes jammed on - New front calipers, pads and disks required and back brakes cleaning out - ~£400
Steering lock/ignition switch jammed - Much swearing and now starts with the aid of a screwdriver
Starter motor jammed - £40 for a scrappy one and some spannering required
And for its last MOT: Rear shock, two front suspension arms, various bushes etc and various other things I can't quite remember - ~£400
In the year since I sold it:
Clutch cable gone twice,
Brakes binding again
I really hope my 182 does better than the various 172s mentioned!
My first car which was a Vauxhall Astra 1.8 Sport. Had it for 12 months, it was on the road for about 5 of them. Still loved it though as it was my first car, and looked pretty decent at the time too.
Surprisingly enough my RX-8 has not needed a thing done to it and has never let me down, despite its reputation.
Surprisingly enough my RX-8 has not needed a thing done to it and has never let me down, despite its reputation.
I know its a cliche but my Alfa 156.
Bought 18 months old with sensible miles. Broke down 7 times in a month! It had various electrical gremilins (mostly immobilser based) but more seriously it had a new gearbox and clutch under warranty and then the engine died completely one day so I got recovered to the garage I bought it from and told them I wanted out.
They ended up giving me a heavy discount on an ex hire car Astra (what was i thinking) which turned out to be the most reliable and cheap to run car I have ever owned.
Still look longingly at 156's in red with cloverleaf alloys though... :sigh:
Bought 18 months old with sensible miles. Broke down 7 times in a month! It had various electrical gremilins (mostly immobilser based) but more seriously it had a new gearbox and clutch under warranty and then the engine died completely one day so I got recovered to the garage I bought it from and told them I wanted out.
They ended up giving me a heavy discount on an ex hire car Astra (what was i thinking) which turned out to be the most reliable and cheap to run car I have ever owned.
Still look longingly at 156's in red with cloverleaf alloys though... :sigh:
sharpfocus said:
The wife's year 2000 Renault Clio.
Bit of a pattern here.
Yep.Bit of a pattern here.
Had a 2003 Clio for a year or so. Don't remember a single day when there wasn't some sort of warning light on the dashboard. Sometimes lots of them. It never actually broke down mind but it did love limp home mode.
Eventually traded it in against a Mazda MX5. The dealer actually offered us cash our way. I could have hugged him.
Edited by Gad-Westy on Tuesday 6th September 16:32
Another Renault to add to the pile.
Bought on X reg brand new, and family owned for 8 years and 60k.
Both driveshafts.
Gearbox.
Water pump.
Head gasket.
Front wishbones.
4 springs.
Dampners and struts.
2 electric window motors.
Brake caliper.
I was glad to trade it in after 3 years,
And to throw a landrover into the hat.
My current freelander.
IRD unit,
VCU unit,
2 propshafts,
Master and slave cylinder.
3 rear diff mounts.
2 Propshaft support bearings.
The vcu was 2nd hand and i feel it could do with changing again.
Bought on X reg brand new, and family owned for 8 years and 60k.
Both driveshafts.
Gearbox.
Water pump.
Head gasket.
Front wishbones.
4 springs.
Dampners and struts.
2 electric window motors.
Brake caliper.
I was glad to trade it in after 3 years,
And to throw a landrover into the hat.
My current freelander.
IRD unit,
VCU unit,
2 propshafts,
Master and slave cylinder.
3 rear diff mounts.
2 Propshaft support bearings.
The vcu was 2nd hand and i feel it could do with changing again.
My first new car - a 1993 Corsa GSi 16v.
Cambelt pulley sheared "at speed". Took two months to fit a new engine after which the throttle pedal used to stick down regularly.
Vauxhall agreed this wan't on, so swapped it - joy of joys - for another, which needed a new EGR valve every three months...
In the end I was driven to the stability and sanity of mid 1990s Alfa Romeos.
Cambelt pulley sheared "at speed". Took two months to fit a new engine after which the throttle pedal used to stick down regularly.
Vauxhall agreed this wan't on, so swapped it - joy of joys - for another, which needed a new EGR valve every three months...
In the end I was driven to the stability and sanity of mid 1990s Alfa Romeos.
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