The most surprisingly reliable car...

TrailerBob · 16-07-2020 02:39PM #1

Ok, what car have you had that shouldn't have been reliable, but was. Everyone expects a Corolla to be reliable, nobody is shocked when a 20 year old Nissan is still ticking over, but what has surprised you?

*Based on a conversation with a chap who asked about the mileage on my Toyota, and was amazed when I told him 350,000 miles, but I said it's normal, they were built with half a million in the design breif...

Fabio · 16-07-2020 02:40PM

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Everyone told me how I'd have huge trouble with this, that, and the other.

It's been perfect.

16-07-2020 02:41PM

I know a lad called Scotty who swears by his Toyota Celica.

Smee_Again · 16-07-2020 02:43PM

Well my Insignia is reliably ****e, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.

micah537 · 16-07-2020 02:44PM

The amount of old Hyundai and Kia's on the road surprise me a little. Also I have never seen a broken down Dacia.

I have no interest in the above cars brands but they seem impressive.

I also see people on boards recommending Renault :eek::eek::eek: I thought the older models were supposed to be crap.

Pablo Escobar · 16-07-2020 02:46PM

Fabio wrote: »

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Everyone told me how I'd have huge trouble with this, that, and the other.

It's been perfect.

I had an Alfa 156 for about 5 years and I heard the same from people. It never gave me an ounce of trouble.

_Kaiser_ · 16-07-2020 02:50PM

My 3.0 TDI 2010 A6 is still running strong with 405,000km on the clock - almost 200k of which are mine. No major issues in 4 years and everything in it works perfectly

mfceiling · 16-07-2020 02:52PM

micah537 wrote: »

I also see people on boards recommending Renault :eek::eek::eek: I thought the older models were supposed to be crap.

I had 3 Renault's and everyone of them were comfortable, reliable and misers on fuel.

Oops! · 16-07-2020 02:55PM

I know of a 2013 Renault Trafic with 500,000 kms and has never broke down once! Amazed i was!

wonski · 16-07-2020 03:08PM

I drove 00 reg Scenic for 4 years without any issues at all. Apart from coils. Only got rid because had bought different car.
Very underrated car. With the amount of stuff I moved with the seats out over the years I would probably have to declare to the Revenue as a home moving business.

Renault were not that bad. The newer model and Laguna made them suffer, though.

corks finest · 16-07-2020 04:04PM

Smee_Again wrote: »

Well my Insignia is reliably ****e, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.

Are they really bad? My brother has one ( cdti) hasn't much money,I warned him ref DPF etc, but his heart was set on it, first decent looking yoke he has bought

nedkelly123 · 16-07-2020 04:06PM

Toyota carina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v-Ad-tQgcE

Wishbone Ash · 16-07-2020 05:23PM

Smee_Again wrote: »

Well my Insignia is reliably ****e, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.

corks finest wrote: »

Are they really bad? My brother has one ( cdti) hasn't much money,I warned him ref DPF etc, but his heart was set on it, first decent looking yoke he has bought

Mrs WA had one - it broke her heart.

BonnieSituation · 16-07-2020 05:25PM

nedkelly123 wrote: »

Toyota carina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v-Ad-tQgcE

Thete is nothing surprising about that surely?

ba_barabus · 16-07-2020 05:28PM

My Alfa 159 was great, I really liked it and it only started to get expensive to run after nearly 250k kms of being driven hard.

Weakest points were the suspension and gearbox.

Idleater · 16-07-2020 05:51PM

Fabio wrote: »

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Everyone told me how I'd have huge trouble with this, that, and the other.

It's been perfect.

I had the same comments when buying the Alfa mito.

*Sharp intake of breath* turbo petro blah blah.

10 years later not a bother and only traded it in because of new driving requirements, for what appears to be it's Japanese lost sibling - a Mazda 3.

RandomViewer · 16-07-2020 05:54PM

Had a Daewoo Lanos once, €350 ,got 2 years and 40 k mikes out of it without a whimper

Truckermal · 16-07-2020 07:24PM

RandomViewer wrote: »

Had a Daewoo Lanos once, €350 ,got 2 years and 40 k mikes out of it without a whimper

Sorry for your troubles...:o

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! · 16-07-2020 07:25PM

Hyundai.

Bullet proof.

punisher5112 · 16-07-2020 07:26PM

Skoda Octavia vRS near 200k miles never sat down.

Irishphotodesk · 16-07-2020 07:30PM

Got my corolla from my parents in 2010, over 310,000km on the clock now (had 50k when I got it), gets serviced twice a year and it's been grand year in year out.

punisher5112 · 16-07-2020 07:36PM

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

Hyundai.

Bullet proof.

Yeah right

dzsfah2xoynme9 · 16-07-2020 07:39PM

I had a Fiat Stilo which was absolutely bulletproof. No issues whatsoever.

F5500 · 16-07-2020 07:43PM

A cousin of mine had a 2007 Astra van for years, never gave him a moments grief.

Think it was only a 1.2 diesel so in equal parts slow and reliable, it seems.

TrailerBob · 16-07-2020 08:18PM

Yeah the Alfa responses are interesting, as the reputation precedes them. No surprises about a Carina lads in fairness.

The 1st Gen scenic was quite good I think, my mother had one back about 2002, and it was a comfortable and reliable car, unlike the 2nd gen that she replaced it with. Keep em coming..

RandomViewer · 16-07-2020 08:42PM

Truckermal wrote: »

Sorry for your troubles...:o

Needed a cheap car at the time, it was grand, old Opel 8valve OHC. 40plus mpg, no rattles or squeaks of any kind,

RandomViewer · 16-07-2020 08:44PM

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! wrote: »

Hyundai.

Bullet proof.

Older stuff, Elantra would run forever, later Czech built stuff is poor

RandomViewer · 16-07-2020 08:45PM

Irishphotodesk wrote: »

Got my corolla from my parents in 2010, over 310,000km on the clock now (had 50k when I got it), gets serviced twice a year and it's been grand year in year out.

Not surprising

BrianD3 · 16-07-2020 09:45PM

I'm never surprised if a car I own is reliable - if I didn't think it would be reliable, I wouldn't have bought it.:D

The car that I've owned that would surprise other people with its reliability would be my Laguna II. Owned from new and never let me down until I retired it at 300k miles. I did have some problems with plug coils, electric windows, rear suspension bushes and tyre pressure sensors. The biggest problem was when the gearbox started to whine after about 250k miles. This may possibly have been due to the diff getting a hard time (wheels constantly spinning and then gripping suddenly) while driving during the great freeze of 2010. My mechanic fitted a gearbox from a scrapyard which cost 250 quid for the part.

Hairy Japanese BASTARDS! · 16-07-2020 09:50PM

punisher5112 wrote: »

Yeah right

I've had my four year old Hyundai i20 for two years. I service her regularly and look after her.
She sailed through the NCT recently.

I've never even had a blown bulb.

What issues are you referring to?

Philb76 · 16-07-2020 10:53PM

Had a 96 1.1 fiesta years ago was the slowest car i ever had but it was very reliable which surprised me as Ford's from the mid 90s had a dodgy reputation

The most surprisingly reliable car...

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