When did you last brake down, or how often do you?

cyclonebri1

As above.

I'd like to know when you last had a roadside failure, ie, the car failed on route, but excluding limping home and not starting from home.

Nothing sinester, just trying to establish just how reliable todays cars are compared to the rubbish I used to drive,

Edited to say "make that break down",

Gordon_Hose

Break down.

2007 ish, the pistons in my Astra Coupe Turbo decided to disintegrate.

marlot

1987 - conrod through engine block (1976 Vauxhall Victor FE)
1988 - electical failure in heavy rain - distributer cap seal (1980 mini)
1991 - dropped a valve, so needed new head (from nearby scrapyard) - 1980 Cortina Mk5
1996 - mysterious fault on 1988 Orion (which I later worked out to be failed servo on the cold/hot air intake selector so carb was icing up).
2007 - turbo failure (2004 Mondeo)

THat's it, in something like 800,000 miles.

Though the cars were always well maintained.

(Edited to add the Cortina which I'd forgotten)

epninety

Last time I started a journey but couldn't complete it due to mechanical problems...about 100k miles back, total gearbox failure.

But then I drive a 20yo Land Rover, so I'm hardly in your target group.:D

Trebor16

Crikey, now that has got me thinking! Current car is a Golf Plus registered in September 2010 which I have owned since January 2011. No break downs for that one.

Vauxhall Meriva 1.7CDTi bought in October 2007, sold January 2011. No break downs.

Rover 45 diesel, bought November 2001, sold October 2007. No break downs but did have a leaking power steering pump that had to be replaced, but it didn't cause the car to break down.

Nissan Primera 2.0 litre, bought July 1996, sold in November 2001. No break downs.

Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6 hatchback bought November 1992, sold June 1996. Water pump failed but didn't cause a break down.

w211

I drive a W211 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W211

Bought it at 95,000 miles, it's now done 174,000 miles.

Only one breakdown, poly v-belt snapped, possibly due to a slightly leaking coolant hose running above it, which may have caused it to slip off the pulleys.

cyclonebri1

marlot wrote: »

1987 - conrod through engine block (1976 Vauxhall Victor)
1988 - mini electical failure in heavy rain - distributer cap seal (1980 mini)
1996 - mysterious fault on Orion (which I later worked out to be failed servo on the cold/hot air intake selector so carb was icing up).
2007 - turbo failure (2004 Mondeo)

THat's it, in something like 800,000 miles.

Though the cars were always well maintained.

Jueeess did any VX victor last that long, . (sory chap,;))

Look, what I'm tying to say, is that I can't remember the last time I had a car fail terminally.
Well not in the last 20 years.
Please ask about the 1989 VX cav sri that did its best, although over that age, ,

CrazyRatLady_2

Never broken down!
Ok I've only had a driving licence for just under 3 years, but my car did belong to my mum and she gave it to me as she emigrated 10 days before I passed my test.
It's a 1994 Volkswagen Golf CL and has never broken down.

antenna

The last time my breaks failed.

Lum

2004 - Catastrophic engine failure of 1999 Subaru Legacy
2008 - Catastrophic engine failure of that same bloody Subaru Legacy
2009 - Brick dropped through windscreen whilst driving 1993 Nissan Cefiro. No other breakdowns for that car.
2010 - Brake failure on 2010 Ford Mondeo. No other breakdowns for that car.

From this statistically insignificant sample, the oldest car is the safest and most reliable.

Weird_Nev

Only break down was 8 years ago - 1993 Audi 80 snapped it's Aux belt in Wales requiring a tow home. Design fault in the tension arm design.

1997 BMW 328i, 1997 Nissan 200SX, Two 1988 MR2's and 2006 Fabia have all been totally reliable, along with a 2010 Mazda 2 but you'd expect that.