Cars for the non-petrolheads

[wherebee 5,235]

I know a lot of you are petrol heads and good with your hands, so to speak.  For those of us speccy twats who don;t know a gasket from a..... something else...... what's the DOSBODS recommendation for brands to prefer for second hand cars; i.e. those that won't break down on the motorway at 2am in a thunderstorm with your wife in it?

[One percent 21,187]

1 minute ago, wherebee said:

I know a lot of you are petrol heads and good with your hands, so to speak.  For those of us speccy twats who don;t know a gasket from a..... something else...... what's the DOSBODS recommendation for brands to prefer for second hand cars; i.e. those that won't break down on the motorway at 2am in a thunderstorm with your wife in it?

Aston Martin. 

[Cosmic Apple 921]

Toyota or Honda.

[UmBongo 866]

Toyota or Honda or Mazda.

Or any other Japanese make is fair bet. I own a British built Nissan which hasn't let me down but I think the aforementioned 3 are better bets.

[Happy Renting 4,417]

Austin Rover.

*snigger*

[Cosmic Apple 921]

1 minute ago, UmBongo said:

Mazda.

Out because of rust imho.

[Popuplights 98]

Honda jazz.

 

[swiss_democracy_for_all 6,199]

4 minutes ago, wherebee said:

I know a lot of you are petrol heads and good with your hands, so to speak.  For those of us speccy twats who don;t know a gasket from a..... something else...... what's the DOSBODS recommendation for brands to prefer for second hand cars; i.e. those that won't break down on the motorway at 2am in a thunderstorm with your wife in it?

Honda Civic. The 1.8 engine is practically bombproof. 140 horses so adequate if unexciting performance. Brilliant interior design and seats. Only fault is hardish suspension

[SNACR 4,103]

Skoda

I had half a dozen Mazda 6s about ten years ago and they all had terminally worn piston rings by the 100k mark.

Best thing is to look at what there’s still big  numbers on the road of say 7-10 years ago and try and find a good late model of before a totally new version was launched.

[dgul 5,283]

Toyota or Honda.  Ford typically cheaper to fix if it does go wrong.

[onlyme 2,952]

Got a Yaris up to 170,000 miles before selling it. Not so impressed with newer Yaris (French made rather than Japanese)). Now got a Skoda which I hope to get the same out of and last another 8-10 years.

[wherebee 5,235]

14 minutes ago, SNACR said:

Skoda

I had half a dozen Mazda 6s about ten years ago and they all had terminally worn piston rings by the 100k mark.

Best thing is to look at what there’s still big  numbers on the road of say 7-10 years ago and try and find a good late model of before a totally new version was launched.

Thank you - that's smart thinking.

 

Now, to add a bit of salt to the mix - what with it being Australia, and near the sea, we need to worry about good aircon (can get to almost 50C some days) and rust proof.  

 

I see this and think OK..... how the hell do I know if its worth that or not?

https://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/SKODA-Superb-2011/SSE-AD-5662506/?Cr=3 

Edited October 8 by wherebee

[blobloblob 1,036]

16 minutes ago, Popuplights said:

Honda jazz.

 

Sounds too much like jizz.

[longtomsilver 1,149]

Third recommendation for a Skoda from me. I've had no trouble with my CitiGo from new and 40,000 miles in. When it gives up the ghost I'll break it for parts and get another one. 

[Dipsy 1,951]

Honda, we have a CRV - very reliable so far - 6 years old. I would also add Volvo but only based on one I had a few years ago that had done 170k and apart from normally wear and tear nothing went wrong on it - I don't have very current experience of them so they may have gone to shit (they had very comfy seats as well).

[spygirl 9,383]

35 minutes ago, Cosmic Apple said:

Toyota or Honda.

Or just Honda.

Or Skida.

[Cunning Plan 10,464]

41 minutes ago, wherebee said:

I know a lot of you are petrol heads and good with your hands, so to speak.  For those of us speccy twats who don;t know a gasket from a..... something else...... what's the DOSBODS recommendation for brands to prefer for second hand cars; i.e. those that won't break down on the motorway at 2am in a thunderstorm with your wife in it?

Porsche.

Without a doubt.

[UmBongo 866]

39 minutes ago, Cosmic Apple said:

Out because of rust imho.

Today I walked past a Mazda 323 with crusty arches tbh.

[Napoleon Dynamite 240]

Japanese and Petrol

Honda, Toyota or Mazda.  Not Nissan.

Ford's a good shout too.

You'll pay a bit more for Honda, but well worth it.  Good shout on the Mazda rust issue, hopefully they've got it sorted now, but they've got themselves a reputation for it.

 

 

[Napoleon Dynamite 240]

4 minutes ago, UmBongo said:

Today I walked past a Mazda 323 with crusty arches tbh.

That model's 15/20 years old.  They got the rest of the car right.

Edited October 8 by Napoleon Dynamite

[Long time lurking 4,971]

51 minutes ago, UmBongo said:

Toyota or Honda or Mazda.

Or any other Japanese make is fair bet. I own a British built Nissan which hasn't let me down but I think the aforementioned 3 are better bets.

Mazda use a lot of ford parts /cross platform sharing in the UK EU 

Toyota or Honda are a good bet i would also say Skoda ,most UK Nissans are mostly Renault 

I say Skoda for one reason,they use second generation VAG parts generally all the niggles and faults have been well ironed out by the time Skoda gets them

Edited October 8 by Long time lurking

[Kurt Barlow 1,400]

Toyota Avensis is bomb proof. I bought one in 2005. My Dad bought it off me, and then my Brother off him. Now one of Brothers mates drives it and hasn't had any serious issues. 

[Kwyjibo 126]

Had my last Yaris for ten years, and this one for 4, never lifted the bonnet on either myself. Got all those mod cons on this new one too (power steering, CD player, aircon, electric windows)...more to go wrong I guess but touch wood....

[Cosmic Apple 921]

26 minutes ago, Kurt Barlow said:

Toyota Avensis is bomb proof. I bought one in 2005. My Dad bought it off me, and then my Brother off him. Now one of Brothers mates drives it and hasn't had any serious issues. 

The 1.8 petrol engines are a bit shit, design issue with the pistons leads to gummed up rings and oil consumption.

[Frank Hovis 14,071]

My experience and reading is that pretty much any volume production car these days will be very good and reliable.

The days of the 70s and 80s where buying the "wrong" car was a very expensive mistake is long behind us.

So your concerns shoudl be condition, age, number of onwers and mileage rather than the badge.