Why don't we all buy the most reliable cars?

[Jeffmaniac]

Volvo's
Honda's
Toyota's
Mazda's

To me, any car has to be reliable as I want to get from A to B whenever I want with no fear of breakdown.

I want to service the car once a year at a reasonable price and only pay for consumables like tyres at reasonable time periods.

The idea of buying a car that is known for being unreliable makes no sense. Obviously if you need a specific type of car for social or work purposes that may not be as reliable I can understand e.g. a Defender as you live at the top of a hill.

So, why do we not all buy CTR's, S2000's and MX5's???

[mybrainhurts]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... when did the rot set in.&mid=21451

[Jeffmaniac]

Sciroccology said:

It happens oh-too frequently these days.

But whatever you do, never pick someone on PH up on their misuse, as you will be branded a snob/geek/grammar Nazi.

[mybrainhurts]

[varsas]

Do you really have to ask?

Basically, I have more then one car so can afford to trade reliability for other factors. This lets me get a supercharged, 370bhp V8 for the cost of an MX-5, (partly because) it's expensive to run and so impracticle for most people. I'm lucky enough to have a couple of garages, so can use something else to get me to work, so cost per mile isn't really important to me. Same with the Stag, I don't need it to be reliable as I have the BMW...so I can trade that to buy something which looks great, has some history and is fun to cruise round in.

I probably couldn't live without something that was cheap to run and reliable though, driving the Jaguar to work every day would bankrupt me and driving the Stag that kind of mileage and leaving it outside during the day would ruin it.

[900T-R]

Because I've rarely been stranded by any car (of literally hundreds I've driven), and if I did it was largely my own fault. The way it drives for the 99.999999% of the time that it's not broken down is far more important to me.

[Jeffmaniac]

Can understand the situation if you have a weekend car and weekday car... I am not so lucky and can only just afford the one I have.

[snuffle]

Jeffmaniac said:

Volvo's
Honda's
Toyota's
Mazda's

To me, any car has to be reliable as I want to get from A to B whenever I want with no fear of breakdown.

I want to service the car once a year at a reasonable price and only pay for consumables like tyres at reasonable time periods.

The idea of buying a car that is known for being unreliable makes no sense. Obviously if you need a specific type of car for social or work purposes that may not be as reliable I can understand e.g. a Defender as you live at the top of a hill.

So, why do we not all buy CTR's, S2000's and MX5's???

are you absolutely sure that you are on the correct forum?

[thinfourth2]

Jeffmaniac said:

So, why do we not all buy CTR's, S2000's and MX5's???

They're dull?

[900T-R]

Jeffmaniac said:

Can understand the situation if you have a weekend car and weekday car... I am not so lucky and can only just afford the one I have.

Looking at statistics and the fact that in our part of the world breaking down is an inconvenience that costs a couple of hours at worst (and happens with the car not at fault most of the time, e.g. a flat tyre, driving over sometihng dropped from a truck etc.) rather than ruining your life, how rational is your 'fear of breaking down' in any well-maintained car?

[ewenm]

Jeffmaniac said:

Can understand the situation if you have a weekend car and weekday car... I am not so lucky and can only just afford the one I have.

Depends how unreliable you think a standard car is. Most cars are very reliable nowadays and not worth worrying about.

Of course, most cars are also very dull...

Edited by ewenm on Monday 9th November 17:49

[fido]

Same reason we don't all go for reliable women (or men, depending) .. though I suppose having a 'weekend toy' isn't quite as acceptable in the same way.

Edited by fido on Monday 9th November 17:50

[Forbes82]

Because those cars are boring?

We don't all buy the most reliable cars because car reliability is not the most important factor for all of us.

[Targarama]

They do on some countries. In the Middle East for example you see mostly Toyotas, some Hondas and in recent years Kias and Hyundais. Anything else is 'eccentric' to the average punter out there.

Mind you, 20 years ago in the UK if you bought something other than a Vauxhall or a Ford then you were the odd one out.

[MGJohn]

Jeffmaniac said:

So, why do we not all buy CTR's, S2000's and MX5's???

Bcause we prefer other things from our means of getting about ~ plus, not all those you list are 100% reliable ~ and that information did not come from some geezah dahn the pub!
.

[DrTre]

Am not saying reliable = dull but I defy anyone to spend any amount of time in an integrale and not walk away wanting one.

ETA and I'm not saying integrales are unreliable...er...OK...I am...

Edited by DrTre on Monday 9th November 18:29

[Jazoli]

I have always steered away from the most reliable cars as I percieved them as boring, I have now bought a Honda Accord and I love it, not for the driving pleasure, just for the knowledge that it is not likely to let me down, at all.

Its not a bad steer either (for a boring bland jap reliamobile

[The Curn]

900T-R said:

Jeffmaniac said:

Can understand the situation if you have a weekend car and weekday car... I am not so lucky and can only just afford the one I have.

Looking at statistics and the fact that in our part of the world breaking down is an inconvenience that costs a couple of hours at worst (and happens with the car not at fault most of the time, e.g. a flat tyre, driving over sometihng dropped from a truck etc.) rather than ruining your life, how rational is your 'fear of breaking down' in any well-maintained car?

I agree...

I live and breath Land Rovers and have owned most of their models at one time or another. I wouldn't consider another 4x4 in the UK.

However if I were stuck in the middle of the Australian outback and wanted to know I'd come out alive - a Toyota Land Cruiser it would have to be...

Edited by The Curn on Monday 9th November 18:29

[g3org3y]

Unreliability = character (if it's an English car apparently)

[eldar]

g3org3y said:

Unreliability = character (if it's an English car apparently)

Or Italian....