Your Bangernomics successes

colino

The reliability thing is a bit of a red herring unless you add in a weighting to the scores. If I bought my first split new car under scrappage, say a C1 I would be as proud as punch (and buying a car in that class, probably a low user). If on the other hand I chopped my new car every couple of years and not only used it, but it was a business tool, I'd be a lot fussier on how my expensive steed was looking/performing and make full use of the warranty to keep things perfect. Hence I think a large pinch of salt has to be dropped into those tables.
On the other hand, up until the most modern generations of the brand, Land Rovers were truly appalling in terms of reliability and the cost of fixing them! Fantastic, capable beasts that really let themselves down.

colino

pgilc1, please don't go telling everyone how unloved and cheap S Types are in the trade, they have replaced C Classes as my favourite and profitable middle class seller.

Rolandtheroadie

Wouldnt mind a diesel s type, see how it likes veg oil.

andygb

scotsman4th wrote: »

Wouldnt mind a diesel s type, see how it likes veg oil.

My neighbours have a 2.7 diesel S class in dark, dark, dark metallic blue (did I say it was dar metallic blue?;))
It has the obligatory beige leather and looks superb, and it does around 50MPG.
Did I mention that I am trying to persuade them to name me as sole benficiary in ther will, and that an Eastern European gentleman has already agreed to accelerate their funeral arrangements:eek:

andygb

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

In a recent survey by WHICH magazine, they interviewed over 47,000 car owners and discovered BMW's were top of the table for unreliability (1st and 3rd). I wouldn't touch one with a bargepole, not to mention when you drive one you you are automatically labelled by all the other motorists as a pretentious !!!!!!.......

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186421/Which-Car-Survey-Most-unreliable-car-named-BMW-3-series-convertible-spending-average-3-5-days-year-garage-repairs.html

Oh deary, deary me, another person who listens to the media/comedians.
I bought my first BMW in 1985 from an auction. It was a 1972 BMW 2002, and all it needed was a front screen and brake servo. It cost me £175.
I sold it five years later after having a lot of fun with it, and having it admired by lots of people for - £1200.
I never had a bad word said about that car.

jase1

andygb wrote: »

Oh deary, deary me, another person who listens to the media/comedians.
I bought my first BMW in 1985 from an auction. It was a 1972 BMW 2002, and all it needed was a front screen and brake servo. It cost me £175.
I sold it five years later after having a lot of fun with it, and having it admired by lots of people for - £1200.
I never had a bad word said about that car.

By the same token I'm not entirely convinced about BMW's 'peerless' reliability.

I've known a few people who have bought old Beemers that have given lots of expensive grief.

No more than any other car, I'm sure, but the badge isn't a guarantee of anything.

LincolnshireYokel

andygb wrote: »

Oh deary, deary me, another person who listens to the media/comedians.
I bought my first BMW in 1985 from an auction. It was a 1972 BMW 2002, and all it needed was a front screen and brake servo. It cost me £175.
I sold it five years later after having a lot of fun with it, and having it admired by lots of people for - £1200.
I never had a bad word said about that car.

You may well have had a good one, but your poll size is 1 car, whereas WHICH's poll; size was 47,000. Statistically you sample isnt reliable, you can always find exceptions to the median.. Ill stick with the poll with a 47,000 population sample.

uncle-buck_2

My best buy car wise, was an old Ford Orion, 1,4gl.

bought it in 1996, cost me £100 with 11 months MOT and no tax, owner had just started using it as a mini cab around Chester, ran it for 2 weeks and didn't bother checking the oil...usual result...big ends knocking like a ****.

Rebuilt engine by a mate made up from 4 escort engines lying around in his garage, £150 fitted.

Ran it for 5 years and the only thing it ever failed the MOT with was the rear wheel arches, which i'd gaffer taped up for the last 3 MOT's...

Offered it for sale on the side of the road 'any reasonable offer accepted'....some git came along and kicked all the doors in, so i dropped it off at the scrap yard next day and got £85 back on it.

My latest beastie is a £230, 1996 skoda felicia that has hardly cost anything except 2 front tyres and a new battery in the 18 months i've had it.

Motoring on the cheap. you can't beat the feeling (because your car cost less than some cars headlight units...)

andygb

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

You may well have had a good one, but your poll size is 1 car, whereas WHICH's poll; size was 47,000. Statistically you sample isnt reliable, you can always find exceptions to the median.. Ill stick with the poll with a 47,000 population sample.

I have owned four BMWs in all, and they were no less reliable than any other car, but then I could say that about the five Alfas which I have owned. The thing is, I tend to be proactive with my cars, and keep an eye on them, so that little problems get fixed before they become major headaches.
We are also talking "bangernomics" here, so reliability issues will be present in all makes and models.

timbotambo

Bought a 2001 Renault Clio for the other half to learn to drive in, 48k on the clock with one years MOT and service. Paid £750. Sold 8 months later for £1050 and only got new wheel trims and new wipers for it in that time and saved a fortune on driving lessons!