Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckeye Native 001
/\ My mother had the same problem with her 2007 Volkswagen. Any time we get a car that's not from an Asian manufacturer, it ends up being a piece of shit (Chevy Malibu, Volkswagen New Beetle, I guess Renault counts but that was a corporate car), and we're not a family that buys or leases new cars every few years...
|
Decades ago my mom had a Volkswagen and it was a total lemon. This was in the late 1970s. My parents bought their first Toyota in 1981 and they've been with that brand ever since.
And aren't Porsches and Audis really just expensive Volkswagens? They are pieces of shit too. I had a co-worker who had a Porsche and even though he bought it new, it was constantly in the shop. And the Audi owners I knew had issues with them as well; one of them ended up getting rid of it after a few years and he got an Acura.
Quote:
Originally Posted by homebucket
That's because they're really BMWs. After 3 years, most German cars start to develop issues. In the first 3 years, they're awesome though.
|
Yeah, BMWs are expensive to maintain and are not reliable at all. The same goes for Mercedes. I heard good things about the older ones (pre-1990s), but a friend of mine some years ago got a new Mercedes and within 6 months, it was in the shop because the driver's power adjustable seat needed to be repaired.
It's funny, because even though I drove a MINI and I knew it's owned by BMW, I still didn't consider it to be a German car, I guess because I knew of its British heritage. The window sticker even said that it was manufactured in Oxford, England. But I guess basically a MINI is a lower-end BMW but with very BMW problems.
Quote:
Originally Posted by homebucket
Speaking of EVs and Mini Coopers, there is going to be a new electric Mini Cooper so that'll be cool to see. Honda also made a similar car called the E but unfortunately it won't be sold in the US bc Americans hate small cars. Such a shame because this would be a fun little city car to zip around in.
|
I read about that Honda E last year or the year before, and yeah, it's a shame they aren't gonna bring it to the US. They should at least bring them to California. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, BMW i3s seem to be very popular, so I would think that the Honda E would catch on here too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chris08876
German cars if taken care of will not cause issues after 3 years. Problem is, folks like Bill and his wife Marianne don't do preventative maintenance, and so... if you let the noises one hears in the cars become louder, than... than... German cars become really expensive to fix.
Treat the German car with respect, and it will treat you right.
|
See my replies above.
Thinking about it now, when my MINI was new, the second year I had it, it had ignition coil problems. It was fixed under warranty, but then after the warranty expired, I had 2 more ignition coil problems. And then I had 2 or 3 leaking water pumps. The last straw was when oil somehow started leaking into a cylinder, and I was told that the engine head would need to be reshaped or redone, and it also needed other repairs, all totaling over $8,000. I said oh HELLZ no and got rid of the car.
And like I said before, it wasn't like I wasn't maintaining the car. I was doing everything I was supposed to... regular oil changes with the required full synthetic oil, regular brake flushes (the only car I ever had that required a brake flush ever 2 years!)... and still the car crapped out on me. Oh, and by the 3rd of 4th year I had it, it became a big oil burner. That was probably when the oil started leaking into the cylinder, and then the problem just grew from there. Apart from me having to put a quart or oil in it every 1000 mies (!), it never leaked oil onto the ground.
And just little things that you wouldn't expect to go wrong with a car, went wrong with it. The quality of the hardware seemed really cheap, too; the vanity mirror covers had hinges that broke, the windshield washer hoses had to be replaced because they cracked... it was just a frustrating piece of shit. While I had it, two different co-workers asked me about it because they were thinking of getting one. I told them about the problems and that they shouldn't get one; I said "It's fun to drive, WHEN IT'S WORKING, handles really well, it's distinctive-looking, but do yourself a favor and DON'T GET ONE."
I've had Hondas and a Subaru before, and they never gave me any of the problems I had with the MINI. And I tend to hang on to cars long; the MINI I had from 2012-2019---about 7.5 years. My first Honda I had for 9 years; my 2nd Honda I had for 10 years. My Subie---hehe, I only had for 2 years... it was an impulse buy when I got it, and I grew sick of it really fast, I guess.
I drive a Toyota now, which I got new last December, and I am LOVING it.
Prev
Linear Mode
