T & P
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Range Rover wants a word with you outside.
Buying a small, reliable car
- Thread starter Maggot
- Start date
T & P
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It used to be Renault that had a bad reputation for dodgy electrics back in the day. You’d like to think nowadays they’ve all sorted it out wouldn’t you?
I’m sure they’ve improved considerably in that respect. Occasionally you can still spot nowadays a late 90s/ early 00s French car on the road which reversing tail light comes on when the driver brakes, or rear night lights blink on and off if the indicator is on.
I haven’t seen that in newly-built cars. But then, with so many electronics built into modern cars, I guess malfunctioning lights would be the least of anyone’s problems. I own a 2019 Peugeot three-wheel bike, which pretty much is the most expensive and best equipped there-wheeler you can buy AFAIAC. And whereas it indeed has a very impressive array of equipment and safety features, and mechanically is said to be far, far more reliable than the equivalent Piaggio models, the electrics have failed me twice already.
Once it was the engine management unit computer, which failed unexpectedly whilst I was riding and caused the engine to cut off (thank fuck I was in the city rather than at 60 mph on a motorway), and cost a few hundred quid and several weeks in the dry dock to correct; the other was the electronic parking brake, which started activating on its own whenever I was manoeuvring at walking pace speeds, whether reversing to park it, or starting up at a tilted angle.
Both sorted now, but I’d really like to think there’s a safeguard built in to prevent the parking brake to activate at higher speeds, because needless to say, if it ever activated randomly whilst travelling at speed on the open road, I’d be as dead as fucking fried chicken, to paraphrase Jules Winnfield.
T & P
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I always like to think that the prevailing car brands chosen by taxi drivers in not-so-wealthy European nations is probably an excellent indicator of reliable brands. Skodas have long been one of the most popular cars of choice for taxi drivers in Europe. Hell, I’ve never actually kept count, but whenever I go back to Spain, the official white taxis seem to consist mostly of Skodas plus the inevitable Japanese makes.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
having had the puddymobile brought home by the RAC for a second time this year, i'm starting to think about options.
again, looking for small to medium hatchback sort of thing, i don't really do a lot of mileage now, but reliability is high on the list.
something that's not going to be too difficult for 80+ mum-tat to get in and out the passenger seat would be good (that was one selling point for the current citroen c3 which is a bit higher than most cars the same sort of size)
but that's going to cope with motorway journeys (work is 60-70 miles away via M25 and M1 or A1 - i only go there once or twice a month, mum-tat is similar distance round the M25 in SE london and generally only drive there if i'm staying a night or three so again not all that often.)
also needs to be able to cope with occasional days for work where i'm doing a lot of stop-start stuff.
again, looking for small to medium hatchback sort of thing, i don't really do a lot of mileage now, but reliability is high on the list.
something that's not going to be too difficult for 80+ mum-tat to get in and out the passenger seat would be good (that was one selling point for the current citroen c3 which is a bit higher than most cars the same sort of size)
but that's going to cope with motorway journeys (work is 60-70 miles away via M25 and M1 or A1 - i only go there once or twice a month, mum-tat is similar distance round the M25 in SE london and generally only drive there if i'm staying a night or three so again not all that often.)
also needs to be able to cope with occasional days for work where i'm doing a lot of stop-start stuff.
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
Mercedes A class is a bit higher than most, and often favoured by the elderly. Not sure how it fares on the reliability front.
Elpenor
a clown’s heart and a mandolin
Probably the older A class, the lower ones seem more like a golf, I have a B class which is also fairly high but which is now discontinued.
I’d look at a Yaris tbh, my Nanna used to manage to get in mine and she basically couldn’t walk
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
I am not looking for another car ATM as my old car (a Mercedes A class) has come back from the dead.
The brakes were only just working and it needed fixing. My usual mechanic was very busy so I took it somewhere else. The examined it and said the the brake pipes needed replacing along with some other stuff and it would cost almost £900. As I only paid about £1000 for it, I thought it's not worth it. Hence me starting this thread.
After a couple of car-less weeks I decided to get a second opinion and took the car to my regular mechanic. He managed to fix the brakes without replacing the pipes and it was only £150.
The brakes were only just working and it needed fixing. My usual mechanic was very busy so I took it somewhere else. The examined it and said the the brake pipes needed replacing along with some other stuff and it would cost almost £900. As I only paid about £1000 for it, I thought it's not worth it. Hence me starting this thread.
After a couple of car-less weeks I decided to get a second opinion and took the car to my regular mechanic. He managed to fix the brakes without replacing the pipes and it was only £150.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
why are so many cars grey now?
just MEH
and thanks for the suggestions above. depends of course what the verdict on current car is (i've had quite a bit done this last year, so reluctant to give up on it, but also aware of sunk cost and so on)
hadn't really thought about skoda - they are pretty much volkswagen remoulds now, aren't they?
just MEH
and thanks for the suggestions above. depends of course what the verdict on current car is (i've had quite a bit done this last year, so reluctant to give up on it, but also aware of sunk cost and so on)
hadn't really thought about skoda - they are pretty much volkswagen remoulds now, aren't they?
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
Ok so my Mercedes has finally died. I got another 10 months out of it so can't complain.
One of my colleagues is selling a Fiat 500 that belongs to his niece who doesn't need it any more. It's a 2013 model and only £2000. I know I will need to spend some money on new tyres and a timing belt. The only thing putting me off is the high milelage it's about 110,000. He says that cos she lived in Lincolnshire it's mostly driven at higher speeds not stop/start, so much less wear and tear than a London car with the same mileage. I've spoken to a couple of people with Fiat 500s and they are pretty happy with them. Any thoughts?
One of my colleagues is selling a Fiat 500 that belongs to his niece who doesn't need it any more. It's a 2013 model and only £2000. I know I will need to spend some money on new tyres and a timing belt. The only thing putting me off is the high milelage it's about 110,000. He says that cos she lived in Lincolnshire it's mostly driven at higher speeds not stop/start, so much less wear and tear than a London car with the same mileage. I've spoken to a couple of people with Fiat 500s and they are pretty happy with them. Any thoughts?
Leafster
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No idea about their reliability but there's very little space behind the front seats so if you ever carry more than one passenger, I'd look elsewhere. Similarly, there isn't much boot space either.
hash tag
Books, not bombs
mrs tag has had one for a year or two and no problems but it is a very little used car.
I think its the multi air engines that are supposed to be the best.
£2000 I would suggest is high for a car of that mileage needing £500+ spending on it.
As a big bloke I don't find it comfortable over a longer drive.
Seems expensive for an old and high milage Fiat 500. Very much a city car too. I would look at a Toyota or Skoda
Something like this?
www.autotrader.co.uk
Something like this?
Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale
Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!
www.autotrader.co.uk
Maggot
The Cake of Liberty
I live in London, of course it needs to be compliant.
