Let’s talk reliability of new cars
Discussion
Max_Torque said:
I see a lot of punctures on Mways. Well not actually punctures, mostly it is the result of a tyre failing after being driven at high speed when partially inflated. It is suggested that one should check one's tyre pressure every two weeks, but i bet that the majority of motorists have actually NEVER checked. I see alot of cars driving on very soft looking tyres, due to slow leaks or minor punctures, and at low speed, other than the car handling a bit weird which most drivers dont' even notice, that's that. But get on the motorway, and that halfway flat tyre will overheat and then explode with a bang, and at that point, when you are on the rim, even the dozyist driver tends to notice and stop!
Surely most modern cars have tyre pressure warning lights that come on way before the tyre is dangerously low? My light comes on when the pressure drops below 32 psi. That said, I often get in peoples cars who have warning lights on that they just ignore. I can't remember the last time I got in an UBER that didn't have the engine management light on. Sensei Rob said:
Toyota have a reputation of reliability, so yes, it's reasonable to assume they've been engineered to last long past their warranty period.
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Does this include Toyota's that are built by Subaru?.
Sensei Rob said:
Interestingly, driving4answers on YouTube did an excellent video on this matter recently.
Basically, car manufacturers engineer cars using CAD to survive the warranty period. Plastics are used extensively to cut costs. This is done to ensure profitability.
Rewind back to the '90's, and CAD was not as advanced, so engineers used more robust thicknesses to be on the safe side. Also, there were fewer critical electrics to go wrong,
I would actually pay good money for an overbuilt car. It wouldn't be the fastest or the most efficient, due to the weight, but it would last a long time. Iron block, iron head, beefy transmission, metal components instead of plastic, non-interference valve design, etc. But alas, cars just aren't built like that and no one but myself would buy one!
Landcruiser 70/80/100 was & still is just that, along with the Lexus LS400Basically, car manufacturers engineer cars using CAD to survive the warranty period. Plastics are used extensively to cut costs. This is done to ensure profitability.
Rewind back to the '90's, and CAD was not as advanced, so engineers used more robust thicknesses to be on the safe side. Also, there were fewer critical electrics to go wrong,
I would actually pay good money for an overbuilt car. It wouldn't be the fastest or the most efficient, due to the weight, but it would last a long time. Iron block, iron head, beefy transmission, metal components instead of plastic, non-interference valve design, etc. But alas, cars just aren't built like that and no one but myself would buy one!
Burgerbob said:
Two days later the windscreen washer stopped working. Fixed under warranty but needed to take a wheel off, inner wheel arch etc just to clean a filter.
This happened on our Mini Clubman. Internet wisdom suggested it was down to the washer fluid we were using (Halfords or whatever it was) reacting with the factory fill BMW/MINI washer fluid. Apparently the recommendation to only use BMW washer fluid isn't just marketing driven....Limpet said:
Burgerbob said:
Two days later the windscreen washer stopped working. Fixed under warranty but needed to take a wheel off, inner wheel arch etc just to clean a filter.
This happened on our Mini Clubman. Internet wisdom suggested it was down to the washer fluid we were using (Halfords or whatever it was) reacting with the factory fill BMW/MINI washer fluid. Apparently the recommendation to only use BMW washer fluid isn't just marketing driven....
hyphen said:
exelero said:
Get the Lexus 
But they look so dull on the exterior. If Lexus stole some European designers they would outsell the Germans.
Hyundai stole BMW’s designer and created the i30N. But people still wouldn’t pay as much for a Hyundai as for a BMW. According to carthrottle you can’t tell the difference between that and BMW, just the badge
TameRacingDriver said:
As MX5 is the answer to everything, Mazda MX-5 is declared the nation's most reliable new car by Which?
If you're a hairdresserThere is too much to go wrong on modern cars and most of the systems are required to make the car run or at least make it stop if said system isn’t working. It’s only going to get worse with hybrid cars adding an extra propulsion system in the mix. It’ll all change for the better of reliability once electric takes over the main stream.
A sample of 1 but I had the M135i for 7 years and it only left me stranded once, that was with a puncture.
It had one real for water in the brake fluid.
Other than that it was the usual servicing and consumables.
Had a 5 year service pack so only paid for 1 service.
Even managed 45mpg on a long steady run. Truly great reliable car!
It had one real for water in the brake fluid.
Other than that it was the usual servicing and consumables.
Had a 5 year service pack so only paid for 1 service.
Even managed 45mpg on a long steady run. Truly great reliable car!
sociopath said:
Given that the cast majority of cars are pcp these days I assume average age of cars is a lot younger than it used to be so not surprising that you see more broken down.
Absolutely no evidence to back up my claim though
Data suggests your assumption does not hold. Absolutely no evidence to back up my claim though
Average age of UK cars has been rising for a number of years
8.4 years in 2021 (highest ever)
7.8 years in 2015
6.8 years in 2003
https://www.smmt.co.uk/industry-topics/sustainabil...
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/59950/average-a...
raspy said:
sociopath said:
Given that the cast majority of cars are pcp these days I assume average age of cars is a lot younger than it used to be so not surprising that you see more broken down.
Absolutely no evidence to back up my claim though
Data suggests your assumption does not hold. Absolutely no evidence to back up my claim though
Average age of UK cars has been rising for a number of years
8.4 years in 2021 (highest ever)
7.8 years in 2015
6.8 years in 2003
https://www.smmt.co.uk/industry-topics/sustainabil...
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/59950/average-a...
This would be down to the older vintage and classic vehicles getting increasingly older, of which there’s something like 500,000 or so in the UK - all over 40 years old and some even over 110. A majority of the normal every day cars probably hover around 7/8 years old on average, but roadworthy classics rarely get scrapped, if anything more of them appear as they’re found in barns and such like and brought back through restorations.
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