Jap Cars: They're just sh!te.

Big Nasty · 02-07-2012 11:00am

Paparazzo wrote: »

In that case any luxury old car is better than any new car. I agree, and I'd rather the old car, but it's not a valid comparison to say a certain country doesn't make good cars.

I never said they make bad cars, in fact I said they've made some exceptional cars. I also said that I find most of their cars incredibly boring.

dgt · 02-07-2012 11:04am

Hmmmm... How I missed this fun argument :pac:

I absolutely hate the stuff the Japs market for over here. Most of it is dull, plain nasty and the rest are rubbish. That's not to say they're bad cars but a fair bit of the time there are competitors with better equipped, cheaper to maintain and more reliable vehicles all rolled into one.

How in the name of goodness can anyone wake up in the morning, look into their yard to see an avensis 2.0td beside a corolla 2.0dlx and be proud of that? That's what they aspired to? A cheap feeling, nasty, unreliable, dull, back breaking lump of expensive festering rubbish? How sad! :mad:

But... When you get into a JDM car, my goodness! It's a total culture shock! I used to have a JDM Subaru Impreza wagon. Apart from it being thirsty, a tad under rust proofed and eating cv joints, I loved it! So many toys as standard, so comfortable

it was the same sitting into other cars I'd never heard of before, quite alright... It's as if they saved the best for their own market. If more cars like that came over here, I wouldn't have such a dim view of whats currently here!

I guess the yokes we get here are the rubbish everyone else doesn't want (*cough nissan tiddler cough :rolleyes:)

ShadowHearth · 02-07-2012 11:21am

I just wonder of its just badge snobbery or just plain trolling by Saab ed.
I still can't see what car you you had drove? If you are compering corolla, avensis, primera, Almera, civic to 5 series, Saab, Volvo, merc, then you are doing it wrong. Very wrong.
In Ireland we never got higher class jap stuff or performance stuff, because there were no demand for it. Everyone wanted cheap reliable boxes. Those who wanted more luxury were going for for europeons brands, because that's all they knew, because jap stuff was not avelable here.
Try to drive Lexus is220, Lexus gs300, Nissan maxima etc, then compare it to europeons stuff.
When I was still a young fella my mother drove a 91 golf and it had only heater as equipment... I bought myself a 89 Mazda 626, which had all the extras possible and power steering! Electric windows were standart, wheres golf had manual windows for ages and no power steering! Even my misses old shaped 626 coupe had electric widows!

Bashing whole jap market, because you did not liked few cars is just plain "thick". Being proud of it, is even "thicker". Saab ed, you are better then that.

BUBBLE WRAP · 02-07-2012 11:24am

Oh, so the "imported" japs are accually japanise?!?! And the nissan..ect sold in ireland arnt japanise? Am I right?

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 11:25am

dgt wrote: »

How in the name of goodness can anyone wake up in the morning, look into their yard to see an avensis 2.0td beside a corolla 2.0dlx and be proud of that? That's what they aspired to? A cheap feeling, nasty, unreliable, dull, back breaking lump of expensive festering rubbish? How sad! :mad:

similar things could be said for looking out at a diesel passat and golf combo imo.

masty, unreliable, dull, back breaking, expensive festering pile of ****e. does johnos1984 still post here? he could tell you the joys of a passat.

i asume we're talking in "ten year old diesel models" here.

dgt · 02-07-2012 11:35am

andyseadog wrote: »

similar things could be said for looking out at a diesel passat and golf combo imo.

masty, unreliable, dull, back breaking, expensive festering pile of ****e. does johnos1984 still post here? he could tell you the joys of a passat.

i asume we're talking in "ten year old diesel models" here.

Yes, exactly. Ireland must be a breed of people seeking the most dull, boring and expensive lumps of shíte I have ever seen. Remember the 90s, everyone had a carina e or a corolla? 2 examples of hateful, awkward cars to work on (but the french are worse :pac:) with expensive parts to match. I can't see the appeal to that, I really can't.

As for asshats and the like... A very good friend of mine has a Passat highline and so far the DMF and crankshaft (yes, crankshaft) broke on his car. For a 2008 car with 90k miles, I'm certainly not impressed. Nearly 2 grand for an engine rebuild.

But yet to him it's still a great car because it's a VW... He's far from the only one...

BUBBLE WRAP · 02-07-2012 11:37am

andyseadog wrote: »

similar things could be said for looking out at a diesel passat and golf combo imo.

masty, unreliable, dull, back breaking, expensive festering pile of ****e. does johnos1984 still post here? he could tell you the joys of a passat.

i asume we're talking in "ten year old diesel models" here.

No, johnos1984 closed his account a while back.

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 11:39am

the carina looks a real bitch to work on alright...

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 11:40am

BUBBLE WRAP wrote: »

No, johnos1984 closed his account a while back.

viewing threads like this he may have done right, this is awful.

dgt · 02-07-2012 11:44am

andyseadog wrote: »

the carina looks a real bitch to work on alright...

Not petrol ones, diesels. Much more room in a petrol.

You'd need a childs hand to get in at that left hand lamp without taking the light out or moving the battery. That's a very clean engine bay if I may add...

A clutch change required the subframe to be removed on a corolla 2.0d for example.

Gurgle · 02-07-2012 11:46am

dgt wrote: »

How in the name of goodness can anyone wake up in the morning, look into their yard to see an avensis 2.0td beside a corolla 2.0dlx and be proud of that?

Maybe not 'proud', but its good to know you'll get in, turn the key, and drive to work.

I've dabbled in European cars a couple of times, and then dabbled right the hell back to Toyota. Yes, I am aware that it won't get from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. It takes me a whole 45 seconds longer to find someone to get stuck behind :rolleyes:

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 11:49am

Gurgle wrote: »

Maybe not 'proud', but its good to know you'll get in, turn the key, and drive to work.

I've dabbled in European cars a couple of times, and then dabbled right the hell back to Toyota. Yes, I am aware that it won't get from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. It takes me a whole 45 seconds longer to find someone to get stuck behind :rolleyes:

agree.

dgt wrote: »

Not petrol ones, diesels. Much more room in a petrol.

You'd need a childs hand to get in at that left hand lamp without taking the light out or moving the battery. That's a very clean engine bay if I may add...

A clutch change required the subframe to be removed on a corolla 2.0d for example.

sure you have to remove the headlamp or have the hand of a newborn child to change a headlight bulb in virtually any car today. i could name endless, and they are a fine mix of european and jap.

the subframe also has to be dropped in a good lot of modern diesels too to do a clutch change, that too is not an arguement.

Greyfoot · 02-07-2012 11:53am

Saab Ed=Saab dealer or just really awkward body, ie. way too long legs and/or body weight combo?

I currently own a 99 SRi primera and a 97 GSR Lancer, both with great comfort level, but cheapo interior. Nothing high end executive but of course the price tag reflects that too.
5 series beemers and other german makes should be compared to the likes of Honda Legend, Toyota Avensis etc...

dgt · 02-07-2012 12:04pm

Gurgle wrote: »

Maybe not 'proud', but its good to know you'll get in, turn the key, and drive to work.

I've dabbled in European cars a couple of times, and then dabbled right the hell back to Toyota. Yes, I am aware that it won't get from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds. It takes me a whole 45 seconds longer to find someone to get stuck behind :rolleyes:

I can think of many people I know, that had all kinds of toyotas and nissans that gave plenty of bother. A perfect example is a guy who bought a 2.0td avensis in 2000, a chap who minded his cars well. The head cracked after just 2 years. Or another chap with an almera, input shaft bearing on his car colapsed, making all sorts of horriffic noises. Or another chap with a corolla, with all sorts of weird electric problems, it locked him in his car and nearly smashed the window to get out. Or another chap with yet another corolla, where the car would randomly go into limp home mode.

I can go on and on but I don't see the point...

andyseadog wrote: »

sure you have to remove the headlamp or have the hand of a newborn child to change a headlight bulb in virtually any car today. i could name endless, and they are a fine mix of european and jap.

the subframe also has to be dropped in a good lot of modern diesels too to do a clutch change, that too is not an arguement.

Very true, a lot of cars nowadays are like that. But that was unnecessarly complicated in those days imo.

But tell me why some parts are so expensive? Like why was a bluebird tail light 200 punts new from nissan? Why?

It seems obvious to me that most of the breed are totally gutless. They want a nice, safe, reliable little yoke to go from a to b, with plenty of grey misery inbetween and no smiles per gallon... Too afraid to stand up and be different, too afraid the breed will point the out, the black sheep not in a yaris or the likes... Cowards with too much money and nowhere to go.

As I said before, I quite like a few JDM cars. Much more of an appeal to me. But anyone who tries telling me that the stuff we get marketed for here is the bees knees is a liar, simple as. I'm sure a lot of them deep down know it too

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 12:08pm

dgt wrote: »

But tell me why some parts are so expensive? Like why was a bluebird tail light 200 punts new from nissan? Why?

It seems obvious to me that most of the breed are totally gutless. They want a nice, safe, reliable little yoke to go from a to b, with plenty of grey misery inbetween and no smiles per gallon... Too afraid to stand up and be different, too afraid the breed will point the out, the black sheep not in a yaris or the likes... Cowards with too much money and nowhere to go.

As I said before, I quite like a few JDM cars. Much more of an appeal to me. But anyone who tries telling me that the stuff we get marketed for here is the bees knees is a liar, simple as. I'm sure a lot of them deep down know it too

for the same reason that today a headlamp for a 6 year old santa fe from a main dealer is 600 euro or a tail light for a peugeot 5008 is around 300 euro. main dealers are dear for parts. an imo european marques are the worst for this carry on.

what could a 1990 passat do that a 1990 carina couldn't. without bringing in the "premium feel" arguement.

dgt · 02-07-2012 12:15pm

andyseadog wrote: »

for the same reason that today a headlamp for a 6 year old santa fe from a main dealer is 600 euro or a tail light for a peugeot 5008 is around 300 euro. main dealers are dear for parts. an imo european marques are the worst for this carry on.

what could a 1990 passat do that a 1990 carina couldn't. without bringing in the "premium feel" arguement.

Not all main dealers. Ford are pretty reasonable with parts as an example. An oil filter for a 1.4 corolla a few years back from a main dealer cost a ridiculous €25... But I understand that there are other far worse dealers.

I'm not going to debate on something I don't know about, no experience with those písshats which were awful looking in the day imo. Both those are before my time.

But why did people import coronas and the like throughout the 80s and 90s? Did they not want the toys...?

dr.fuzzenstein · 02-07-2012 12:18pm

LIGHTNING wrote: »

My misses has a Mk1 Yaris and its a soul destroying place to be in every time I jumped back into my Punto I was a happy man. The Punto interior was nicer, comfier, handled better and generally felt more organic than the Yaris.Not to mention the fact that my Punto was far more reliable than the Yaris over its lifespan :eek:

Satan must be ice-skating to work these days...;)

Paparazzo · 02-07-2012 12:27pm

dgt wrote: »

How in the name of goodness can anyone wake up in the morning, look into their yard to see an avensis 2.0td beside a corolla 2.0dlx and be proud of that? That's what they aspired to? A cheap feeling, nasty, unreliable, dull, back breaking lump of expensive festering rubbish? How sad! :mad:

I don't know anyone that's "proud" of one of those. It's just a car to do your commute.
However I do know a few people who are proud of their 318D because it has one of these on the front:
BMW%20badge.50.gif

mitosis · 02-07-2012 12:40pm

We can only speak of our own experiences. I had a Honda Accord for a while - will never willingly drive one again. Admittedly I have only driven maybe 10 different cards ever, but this was a nasty, cheap undesirable place to be. Given that I have yet to be let down by a car, legendary reliability is moot.

Yakuza · 02-07-2012 12:42pm

OP, generalise much? As a previous owner of an ST-182 Celica I can wholeheartedly confirm that that is not a "sh1te" car - one of the best I've ever owned (bulletproof), followed closely by my E46 saloon.

As a current "cashcow" owner I think the interior is great (I went for the SVE spec; GPS/bluetooth/aircon etc) and it's very comfortable to drive long distances in. Yes, I won't deny it's boring, but it serves a function for me at this point in my life, taking my kids' ages into consideration) and it serves it well. Having said that, I do look forward to getting something with more oomph in a few years' time when the smallest is out of her full booster and we don't need to lug a buggy and nappy change bag everywhere

Thatnastyboy · 02-07-2012 1:07pm

Op must be basing his claims on Saabs (basing this on username only) impeccable record of reliability, dependability, lack of need of constant care and attention, economy and brilliant resale values.

I see you are saying they are boring, bland and plasticky - yes they are (in general-base model terms.. in particular "paddy spec" models), but you generally don't need to change the oil every ten minutes, or refinance the manufacturer every half hour. (no point having a nice place to sit if your crank bearings have shat themselves)

Theres good and bad in every make and model, I personally will not avoid purchasing any more 'european' cars again despite having had spectacularly bad experiences with each and every one that i have owned to date, I am yet to be let down by any japper i have ever owned,

but I remain open minded and avoid blatant generalisations. :pac:

Gurgle · 02-07-2012 1:14pm

dgt wrote: »

It seems obvious to me that most of the breed are totally gutless. They want a nice, safe, reliable little yoke to go from a to b, with plenty of grey misery inbetween and no smiles per gallon... Too afraid to stand up and be different, too afraid the breed will point the out, the black sheep not in a yaris or the likes...

If you're not worried about getting from a to b, why not go for a nice shiny garden shed with a comfy couch? (Fiat make a whole range of these)

dgt wrote:

Cowards with too much money and nowhere to go.

People with too much money buy a Yaris, while those looking for reliable efficient motoring buy... erm... a 5-series? and those who want to stand out from the crowd buy... erm... a 5-series... and those who want everyone to know they're petrol heads with distinctive individual taste buy... a 5-series with some extra plastic for whacking off speed bumps.

Chris_Heilong · 02-07-2012 1:18pm

I drove a friends 2001 Golf recently and Shock horror; it had cheap plastics inside, uncomfortable cloth seats and even didnt have electric windows or Air- Con. I was shocked. My Civic was better in every way.

I dont like German cars in general and peoples obsession with VW. Usually when a car speeds past a few of us stopping at an amber light and breaks the red they are BMW and Audi are just driven by BMW drivers wives.:P

166man · 02-07-2012 1:20pm

In my opinion it looks to me like the OP was bored some Sunday evening and decided to kick start a controversial thread. I think he went too far in saying that all Japanese cars are terrible because plainly that isn't true.

My 2 cents on the topic is that, I don't like most Japanese cars. I don't like Nissan and Toyota in general. I think they look ugly, have poor interiors and are noisy things to be in. However that doesn't mean they aren't a good car for somebody else. For the majority of people who want cheap reliable and practical transport they do the job perfectly.

Problem is people who like cars/enthusiasts will generally prefer something a bit more exciting with a nicer interior and better engines as these are the things that matter to enthusiasts.

To sum up, I think there's the classic case of a car enthusiast driving a car that wasn't made for being driven enthusiastically. I do think that the OP went a little far on the thread/thread title though.

pburns · 02-07-2012 1:27pm

To label all Jap cars with the one brush in such a way is just trolling.

I've never driven a Quasqai bit I'm fairly sure it's no worse - probably a bit better - than many Euro cars in the same price sector that are aimed at the mass market.

Speaking personally, I own a Legacy and tbh, for me, it was superior to a contempory 3-series when I test-drove them at the time. To say it was better than an A4 would be an understatement but the road is full of them - the same type of people that drive Avensis (only a bit more badge-conscious).

There are some great German cars out there that I will strongly consider next time I change - from Golf GTi to the new 3 series to the latest A6. But engineering and dynamics are more important to me than slightly better interior plastics.

dgt · 02-07-2012 1:42pm

Gurgle wrote: »

If you're not worried about getting from a to b, why not go for a nice shiny garden shed with a comfy couch? (Fiat make a whole range of these)

I practically have a dealership in my garden and am quite happy with them, thank you very much

I'd rather walk than drive a euro marketed jap car

Gurgle wrote: »

People with too much money buy a Yaris, while those looking for reliable efficient motoring buy... erm... a 5-series? and those who want to stand out from the crowd buy... erm... a 5-series... and those who want everyone to know they're petrol heads with distinctive individual taste buy... a 5-series with some extra plastic for whacking off speed bumps.

Some yaris drivers are people who haven't a choice, others are miserable mean people and the rest are sheep. It's not a car but a basic, cost minimised transportation device. A real nasty, soulless little tinbox (we had to straighten one out). There are many other cars out there far superior but because it has the sub 1.0l engine and the badge, its a great yoke that everyone must have :rolleyes:

It's the breed moving on from one thing to another. The real die hards stick with the old faithful toyotas. Moving from the toyotas in the 90s to the vag stuff in the 00s and now the 520d... Whatever is cheap to run with the most flash (or in the 90s, jap bland boxes for the euro market)

If that's how people want to be, leave em to it, their choice. But when people try telling me rubbish expecting me to believe it and come crying back complaining of rsi or rising expenses I can't do anything else but say told you so...

andyseadog · 02-07-2012 1:51pm

dgt wrote: »

Some yaris drivers are people who haven't a choice, others are miserable mean people and the rest are sheep. It's not a car but a basic, cost minimised transportation device. A real nasty, soulless little tinbox (we had to straighten one out). There are many other cars out there far superior but because it has the sub 1.0l engine and the badge, its a great yoke that everyone must have :rolleyes:

lad what the **** are you on about? i always had a great appreciation for your posts but your so wrong here its unbelievable.

i mean, in what regard is a 2000 yaris notably worse than a 2000 fiesta, 2000 punto, 2000 polo etc etc. its as good or as bad as any of them. any of them could be branded as "not a car but a basic, cost minimised transportation device. A real nasty, soulless little tinbox"...

horses for courses.

like imo that blue bravo van your always banging on about is horiffic, like borderline i wouldn't be seen dead in it. pure ****e, you've replaced everything, its in tatters and its filthy. but you love it, i understand your love of it, you love taking it apart and tinkering with it and whatever but its pure ****e.

i'd rather be in my 98 starlet any day over it, my car is statistically infinitely more reliable, equally as noisy, equally as slow, equally as "hard plastic" on the inside, equally as uncomfortable and in the matter of opinion of others equally as ugly.

how can you not see past your blinkers?

Gurgle · 02-07-2012 1:52pm

dgt wrote: »

I'd rather walk than drive a euro marketed jap car...
There are many other cars out there far superior...

I'd avoid the Yaris myself, but only because I cover quite a lot of mileage on country roads and with 4 to 5 in the car. As an urban / suburban runaround I can see nothing wrong with it.

I notice you don't name a 'better' brand. What would your recommendation be to give the optimal balance of efficiency, looks, performance, reliability, cost?

andyseadog wrote:

i mean, in what regard is a 2000 yaris notably worse than a 2000 fiesta, 2000 punto, 2000 polo etc etc. its as good or as bad as any of them. any of them could be branded as "not a car but a basic, cost minimised transportation device. A real nasty, soulless little tinbox"...

The 2000 Fiesta, Punto and Polo have been crushed to the size of a coffee table while the Yaris is still taxed, tested and on the road

Damokc · 02-07-2012 2:01pm

190E2.516 wrote: »

of course jap cars are scrap. jap cars are for people who cant afford to be fixing german cars every few months

FYP:D

MuppetCheck · 02-07-2012 2:02pm

dgt wrote: »

I can think of many people I know, that had all kinds of toyotas and nissans that gave plenty of bother. A perfect example is a guy who bought a 2.0td avensis in 2000, a chap who minded his cars well. The head cracked after just 2 years. Or another chap with an almera, input shaft bearing on his car colapsed, making all sorts of horriffic noises. Or another chap with a corolla, with all sorts of weird electric problems, it locked him in his car and nearly smashed the window to get out. Or another chap with yet another corolla, where the car would randomly go into limp home mode.

Yes and Euro cars are incredibly reliable. Statistically they would p1ss all over your FIAT. I know you say yours is well looked after and they have served you well and I truely believe that. However for every one of your well served by FIAT family there are a vast number more that have been served equally as well by a Toyota or Nissan for example.

dgt wrote: »

As I said before, I quite like a few JDM cars. Much more of an appeal to me. But anyone who tries telling me that the stuff we get marketed for here is the bees knees is a liar, simple as. I'm sure a lot of them deep down know it too

That's a generalisation, much like the trolling that opened this thread.

dgt wrote: »

I'd rather walk than drive a euro marketed jap car

More SaabEd generalisation throwing/trolling. If I were to say I wouldn't touch any Fiat/Alfa/Lancia as it will break and be a general ball ache I bet you would argue that it was an ill-informed, non-sensical rant?

I'm not pushed either way on this argument - I have had a mix of both Japs and European cars and have bought each on it's merits against other options. What entertains me no end is the bull that some people come out with and in reality just seems to show an element of snobbery/begrudgery/lack of knowledge/lack of experience.

Jap Cars: They're just sh!te.

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