Anything French based upon how many French cars I see on the hard shoulder

I see a suprising number of Mercedes on the hard shoulder. Therefore they must all be crap, stand to reason doesnt it. Surely there are no other factors involved.

I think the “based on how many I see on the hard shoulder” factor should be quoted on all car ads. It could be calculated by questioning 100 anonymous sales reps. Because they have more experience of “how many I see on the hard shoulder” than most people.

Have owned Ford, Vauxhall, Subaru, Peugot, VW, Nissan and Renault in the past and havent been so impressed as with my current car.

My new car is the best I have ever owned, Could it be because its my (the) newest car and is a reflection of changing technology as well as the embodiment of everything that the manufacturer knows about building cars as of today?

Its got one of those coffee things that lights up on the dash, That alone must make it the best car.

Not really that fussed, but never a
Skoda (that badge)
Kia
Hyundai
Daewoo (or whatever Yank badge they’ve stuck on them these days)
Fiat
Renault

No particular reason for any of them (apart from the Skoda), there’s just a lot of other preferable makes to choose from.

Can’t remember a bad car I’ve had (or run as a company one) in nearly 30 years, and even those that were ‘poor’ it was more due to age/miles.

Not one has let me down, although maybe it’s because I look after vehicles with decent and timely servicing?
Renault 4, 5, 20, 5, Metro, Sierra 1.6, Sierra 1.8, AX, 309 GTI, BX 16v, Mondeo 2.0, Frontera 2.4, Xantia TD, Primera 2.0, Mondeo 2.0, Vectra 2.0, 406 Mi16, Omega 3.0, Vectra 2.2, BMW 535i – plus OH cars: 106, Micra, Saxo, Freelander

Most have been run passed 100k – such as the Xantia, 160k in 4 years!

Not sure what I’ll go for next, depends on my current Beemer (now on 120k).

And always had motorbikes too, with the last poor one probably an RD250 whose electrics had had enough, but we are talking back into the early 80’s.

BMW, Audi – Driven by dickheads
Vauxhall, Ford – Rust buckets
Peugeot, Citroen, and any other french rubbish
Mini – Stupid little cars
Alfa – Unreliable and quite ugly

Alfa – Unreliable and quite ugly

😯

*whispers* he’s just bought a Skoda 😉

whispers* he’s just bought a Skoda

Yep – didn’t buy it for looks (obviously) 😉

But I really don’t find Alfa’s attractive. And the ones my mates have had have given them nothing but problems.

I have had two bad Fords in recently so they are a no go area for me.
From my days as a fleet manager Renault are out of the question.
Audi generally but the A4 S-line will ruin your back.
I swore after owning a Fiat that I wouldn’t buy another but I have mellowed lately and would consider a small one.

On the other end of the scale I still miss my 99 Saab 9-3, it didn’t handle well but I loved it.
My wife has a Honda which is a dream to own apart from fuel consumption but it costs nothing in repairs.
My current car is a mark 6 Golf and it is the most complete car I have ever had, I am a very happy bunny. It is miles better than my old mark 5.

BMW, Audi – Driven by dickheads
Vauxhall, Ford – Rust buckets
Peugeot, Citroen, and any other french rubbish
Mini – Stupid little cars
Alfa – Unreliable and quite ugly

That is the biggest load of BS I have read this morning.

Caterham 7, no room for bikes/windsurfing gear.

RANGE ROVER SPORT

Daft, daft, daft.

And mingin.

That is the biggest load of BS I have read this morning.

Mini – Stupid little cars

Better? 🙂

No Fords again, no GM family, nothing American again.

OOPS WRONG THREAD

My comments on Audi, BMW have nothing to do with jealousy. There are lots of other expensive cars which normally seem to be driven much more sensibly. I can’t remember seeing many Mercs/Jags tail gating on motorways.

My comments on Audi, BMW have nothing to do with jealousy. There are lots of other expensive cars which normally seem to be driven much more sensibly.

Agree completely. I actually like the Audi and BMW styling – but the sheer number of dickhead drivers who own make make me not to want to be associated with those brands.

Plus I’m not sure I could afford the cost of ‘indicators’ and ‘speedometers’ for them. They seem to be very pricey extras, as so few of their drivers use them.

My comments on Audi, BMW have nothing to do with jealousy. There are lots of other expensive cars which normally seem to be driven much more sensibly. I can’t remember seeing many Mercs/Jags tail gating on motorways.

I have an Audi and don’t drive it like a cock. I like driving it, its a nice place to be, comfortable etc. I don’t care what people think of me either, lifes too short.

Never felt old enough to seriously consider a Merc
Never driver a vauxhall that was nice
Dont like mid range cars (eg l, cl, lx, sport, etc)
Had loads of Golf GTIs’/Corrados – loved them
Dont like modern Ferraris’ since the 288GTO/F40 (nice engines though)
Not keen on owning a French car (but find the Clio fun to drive)
Had an Alfa and found it was just style over any substance & dull drive
Would like a BMW E46 coupe, but can’t fit the bikes in
Hates BMW 4WD usless off roaders and idiotic GT coupe off roader thing
Likes fast fords & Jags

Had loads of Golf GTIs’/Corrados – loved them

Same here, still have a Corrado VR6, excellent car.

I love nailing Audi’s on Community Speed Watch 🙂

Judge Dread of Neighbourhood Watch or Judge Judy more like :lol:.

Community Speed Watch

Is that where a group of people with nothing better to do stand there with a board telling people to slow down, even though they can do nothing about it if they don’t?

RE: Audi’s

I do find it’s the modern ones which all the reps and their crazy driving antics which are the offenders. All the older ones seem fine.

I have an Audi and don’t drive it like a cock.

Is that where a group of people with nothing better to do stand there with a board telling people to slow down, even though they can do nothing about it if they don’t?

Sure sound like a typical Audi driver 🙄

Well on build quality and quality of materials you would be thinking along the lines of peugeot,citroen or renault.

My first choice wouldnt be to go for a car thats known for great reliability. I choose the drive first. Buy a car for the reasons that will make you happy with the purchase because of the way it will meet your needs. Theres no point in buying a mondeo if people consider it as being great value and reliable if you drive around in it feeling suicidal with how boring it is to you.

You might be looking for that,though.Nothing special.Just a good functional car to get you around.

I`m the opposite.I drive a french piece of crap thats rusty,it leaks on wet and windy days,its always got a wee rattle here and there.Its not great on fuel like my diesel but its the drive that makes me keep a hold of it.

So to answer the question.. the brands of cars that are considered boring and are super reliable.

Sure sound like a typical Audi driver

Because I stated a fact instead of talking shite like you?

Ok, I can live with that.

@flow.

Wanna bet. They all get a letter, if caught again…. busted.

It’s amazing just how many ignore the speed limit. In the local village where we did a speed watch with the cops [speed limit 30]. 55 cars in one hour over the limit and the cap was 36mph. Of these most were over 40 and a couple in the 50’s.

Because I stated a fact instead of talking shite like you?

Wanna bet. They all get a letter, if caught again…. busted.

So they have to be caught twice? Or do you mean if the police catch them?

The is not a make i would avoid but plenty of individual cars that i don’t like for one reason or another.

I wouldn’t buy a VW, BMW, Merc or Audi unless it was a reasonably spec’d one and someone else was paying the fuel/servicing, or it was a specific model I wanted for a particular reason. Their lower-end cars (and all VWs in general) don’t really offer anything that can’t be bought cheaper elsewhere.

I wouldn’t buy a French car or an Italian car. Not even an Alfa, despite secretly really coveting one.

I would buy another Ford for the drive, despite my old Focus having not great electrics.

Wouldn’t touch a Range Rover Sport (oxymoron of a car), but would get a Range Rover. Rather have a Defender though.

It’s amazing just how many ignore the speed limit. In the local village where we did a speed watch with the cops [speed limit 30]. 55 cars in one hour over the limit and the cap was 36mph. Of these most were over 40 and a couple in the 50’s.

Do you think this is because the younger drivers are less lassez-faire with their driving?

Vauxhall – they’re damned uncomfortable and plasticy inside/over styled outside.

Peugeot – just seem to be a nightmare,

New Mondeo – tosh, 67k on mine, 95% motorway miles and so far, new clutch, flywheel, slave cylinder, turbo assembly, 2 bonnet catches, 2 bonnet cables. My dad’s made it to 85k before similar faults and a bizzare electrical fault that would throw random fault codes for no apparent reason.

An Optommate of mine has one of those bonkers C-Class AMG 3.2 ltr thingies… Now I’ve owned some fast cars in my time (M3 Conv etc.) but this machine is brutal. I went over Exmoor in it over the fast A roads and it has a ride like the Bed off Bedknobs and Broomsticks with a hint of mental’ist machine gun acceleration, combining the fuel economy and delivery of a dDe Havilland Mosquito and noise like a tortured freight train coming to a stop.
It has so many gizmos on it that I drove it for the first 5miles in 1st and didn’t even realise I’d done it until she said “when are you going to put it in Sport Drive mode?!!!?”

Lovely car, looks mighty fine with roof bars on it, stupid with a bike rack on it, looks better dirty (it’s white…(urgh)) the stereo system is totally amazing and the satnav command thingy is just lovely to use.
No idea what it does to the gallon/litre no do I care TBH, but it’s one lovely place to sit inside. I gave it back with one kerbed alloy.. ooop’s.

She drives to Taunton and back everyday and drives it like she stole it.

I wouldn’t buy one though.

Would have said a Peugeot, but we then went and bought one a few years back as it ticked all the right boxes. Have to say the 307 estate we have is very good and just does things really well. Does feel like selling your soul a bit though. I would struggle to buy a Ford or Vauxhall as you might as well then more to the suburbs and hide behind the net curtains 😉 Yes I know that they are generally very good cars!

Anything French is top of my list as a no-go area having had experience of both Renault and Citroen.

Are BMW, Merc and Audi really a premium brands these days? All seem to have budget offerings, and suspect they don’t hold their value that well either. Also see far too many of them parked up round dodgy housing estates for me to really consider them a premium brand (or is the appeal to chavs the mark of a premium brand these days!)

i have had quite a few cars well over 50.

i have decided whilst working at a car parts shop i will never get a new diesel, after seeing how much they are when they break and how often, ridiculous money.

i will stick to older petrol stuff now. would like another scirocco or similar

and have had 3 alfas, not one ever failed, and they are great cars.

Are BMW, Merc and Audi really a premium brands these days?

Not sure, really. I know all the lower-end BMWs and Mercs I’ve sat in have been particularly uninspiring.

Anything made in Britain or by the British.