Thread: Why are new(er) cars more unreliable?

Been doing some research on cars lately, and it seems the newer models all have some kind of major faults, or faults which cost an arm and a leg to repair if out of warranty!

Not really sure what to do. For example, my current B5 Passat TDI is on 180k miles, and it's been faultless almost, nothing a couple of sensors couldn't fix! But with the newer VAG 2.0 diesel lump, there's horror stories of worn balancer shafts/oil pumps, which lead to engine failure. It's the same story if you look over to the darkside with the BMW 2.0 diesel lump also.

I've been looking at B7 A4's and B6 Passats, and even had a sneaky look at BMW 3 series Tourings, but the above are putting me off!

Really don't fancy a Range Rover, but they fall into my price range and what I need from the car!

New(ish) cars suck!!

I think the problem is everything is pulling in different directions so the manufacturers need to be more inventive & push boundries - we want more MPG, more power, better crash protection, more toys, better trim quality etc but we dont want to pay extra for all this. Its a bad combination LOL

Well, some come with 7 year warranties, and Vauxhall do a lifetime warranty, so that would get round your concerns.

i agree about new er cars being iffy the thing about modern cars is there is way too many computers and sensors running cars bring back the old days my old rs had a few problems but was a hell of alot cheaper to fix than my a3 thats for dam sure , at the mo ive got a kinds of lights on my dash board but cant afford to fix them yet lol

Yes, fully agree, way too much cheap computing power needed to run a modern car, one poxy 20p chip fails and you're in limp mode. Digital syndrome - all or nothing -which has no place in a vehicle. They used to have the balance right late 90's to 2004, but now every process is monitored and tweaked electronically so is subject to the reliability of the silicon. The sensors monitoring the machine are not as reliable as the machinery, they can't be given the extreme conditions an engine has to work under. Plus of course the car manufacturers don't actually want their vehicles lasting 15-20 years and happily doing galactic mileage, or is that too cynical?

totally agree with you on this one modern cars are good safety wise with there airbags etc... but its just more thing that WILL go wrong lol

Originally Posted by StateOfPlay

Well, some come with 7 year warranties, and Vauxhall do a lifetime warranty, so that would get round your concerns.

Yeah but you'll have to keep up the warranty with the dealer witch means you'll pay over the odds in servicing...The full warranty does not mean jack !

Originally Posted by StateOfPlay

Well, some come with 7 year warranties, and Vauxhall do a lifetime warranty, so that would get round your concerns.

The cars that comes with these are cars I generally wouldn't buy. I have to admit the Vauxhall Insignia is quite a nice looking machine, but I would never ever purchase one.

My plan is to stick with VAG, as I have the basic knowledge, and VCDS to hand. I'm even looking at Skoda Yeti's, but they are still fetching silly money since TG gave it the thumbs up.

Might even just stick my my B5 Passat, I've recently renewed front and rear brakes, front and rear springs and shocks, just needs a complete front suspension arms rebuild, and it will last another 10 years, so long as the engine keeps going!

You said that a Range Rover is what you want from a car, but you don't fancy it, what is it that you are looking for in a car?

Originally Posted by StateOfPlay

You said that a Range Rover is what you want from a car, but you don't fancy it, what is it that you are looking for in a car?

I'm after a TDI of sort that will last me between 5years+, I won't buy new, so it's going to be a used car, I need to carry 200kgs of stock twice a week, and I'd like 4wd if it's possible.

I've been looking at A4 Quattro's and Passat Estates, but the engine thing is putting me off, as the cars I'm looking at are all approaching the mileage where things start to go wrong! My current B5 Passat has been with me for 10 years and over 100k miles, and looking very difficult to replace.

The 4WD thing is not so important, but 4WD literally saved my business over the snowy period! The missus is using a 1995 Toyota Rav4 for the school run, and this car enabled me to make deliveries and buy stock. A Rangy is a bit too bulky though, and fuel economy isn't too great, even in tdi form.... decisions decisions.

Why change the passat?

Keep it maintained and even if you do have to spend money renewing suspension arms etc, its still far less than the amount you'd lose on a newer car anyway.

People have this illusion that older cars start costing loads of money, and so buy a newer car. But in reality, while yes older cars can and do have components wear out (such as suspension bushings) which are rarely an issue on a newer motor, they're typically already depreciated as much as they're going to, whereas your newer car is losing you money as soon as you buy it, and losing it at a faster rate than you'd be spending it repairing the old motor.

I'm not so sure that modern cars are less reliable than their predecessors. Generally speaking, they are far better made, need a tiny fraction of the maintenance, and will last far longer and cover substantially higher mileages that was the case with cars made in the 1970s and 1980s.

When I changed my car last year, the car I sold was an eight-year old B6 with 85,000 miles on it. It was in near perfect condition, with no obvious signs of its age, whether mechanical or cosmetic.

Contrast that with the first car I bought, a 1976 Opel Ascona, that was also eight years old, but with fewer (recorded) miles on it. That car was just about ready to die; the engine was shot to pieces, the gearbox was worn to a frazzle and the bodywork was in terminal disrepair. And this was the norm with all cars of that era. If anything, the Opel was better than average.

Andymac makes the point, though, that when a modern car does have a problem, it tends to be all-or-nothing, because a computer-controlled system has stopped functioning, and the repair bill is huge. The other point is, that whilst it is a good thing that service intervals have been hugely extended (that Opel needed a major service every three months or 3,000 miles!). it does also mean that cars now go a lot longer without being inspected, so there is a greater opportunity for faults to develop undetected.

A disco would be better than a range rover for what you need it for. I would only ever buy a Range Rover when I was seriously well off, they cost a fortune to run and maintain.

I do reckon the ford mondeo is the best estate car out there. I am ready for people to laugh at me, but it shifts! Is also cheap to run and maintain. Looks good too!

Originally Posted by aragorn

Why change the passat?

It's getting on a bit, and I fancy a change, no other reason really, it runs great and does it's job. Why does anyone buy cars?

keep the car until it dies.... just give it a re-spray..

Originally Posted by jojo

It's getting on a bit, and I fancy a change, no other reason really, it runs great and does it's job. Why does anyone buy cars?

Yep, we all do it! I would still like to have kept my Omega, but hey, I wanted a newer car.

I drive near brand new cars every day with work and all have various milage on - ranging from 0miles to 40k miles and anything as old as 58 plate onwards (which slowly move out of the fleet as time passes).

Being brutally honest too many cars are over designed and engineered - too many electronics and pure stupidity of design, whether aesthetically, mechanically or electonically.

Personal opinion but new cars actually wind me up at teh best of times. Some are nice to drive but others are just ****e.

Originally Posted by StateOfPlay

A disco would be better than a range rover for what you need it for. I would only ever buy a Range Rover when I was seriously well off, they cost a fortune to run and maintain.

I do reckon the ford mondeo is the best estate car out there. I am ready for people to laugh at me, but it shifts! Is also cheap to run and maintain. Looks good too!

4/5 years at JLR has taught me the ford Lion 3.0 TDV6 is a really good engine. Put it in the Disco that has loads of room, cheap to maintain/run, sensible prices, and a good bit of poke too, and your on to a winner. Its also in:

Jaguar S-Type
Jaguar XF
Jaguar XJ
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Peugeot 607
Peugeot 407 coupé
Peugeot 407
Citroën C6
Citroën C5
Ford Territory

The TDv8 is a good fast lump too but poor MPG.