Reliability and 33 Years of Experience, Not looking good. Options

[billh1963]

Planned obsolescence was decried as a bad thing. Now, it's just a fact of life. Very few of the current cars being manufactured will be economically viable to fix in 10 years.

Look at this thread on the troubles a simple coolant level sensor causes on the latest 911's (991's). Imagine the issues ten years down the road as these sensors and electronics age....

Weird Coolant Issue

[JoeDees]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Well, I can't speak to the wife claim, but my Lexus GX470 was 10+ years old and 160K miles with just oil changes and new 02 sensors. And it saved my life. I'd still have it if I didn't total it in my driveway. Yep, I might be the only guy to ever do that. Went into a 4 wheel slide on black ice rolling down my hill. Broke through a fence and rolled into a ravine. Landed on its side. Side bags deployed. My son and I walked away. Loved that car.

I was talking about this thread's subject with a buddy who is a Lexus Certified Master Mechanic and he said the quality and reliability of Lexus has gone down in his 15 years working for them. He has customers with 90s-early 2000s come in just for oil changes with over 500k and no issues but newer ones have "crazy stupid" problems you would never think of. A 90s LS400 is one of the most solid, reliable cars ever built.

[Tom_T]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Well, I can't speak to the wife claim, but my Lexus GX470 was 10+ years old and 160K miles with just oil changes and new 02 sensors. And it saved my life. I'd still have it if I didn't total it in my driveway. Yep, I might be the only guy to ever do that. Went into a 4 wheel slide on black ice rolling down my hill. Broke through a fence and rolled into a ravine. Landed on its side. Side bags deployed. My son and I walked away. Loved that car.

I was talking about this thread's subject with a buddy who is a Lexus Certified Master Mechanic and he said the quality and reliability of Lexus has gone down in his 15 years working for them. He has customers with 90s-early 2000s come in just for oil changes with over 500k and no issues but newer ones have "crazy stupid" problems you would never think of. A 90s LS400 is one of the most solid, reliable cars ever built.

Wow - both of these posts above are right on point for me, since the T/L mid-size V8 SUV options which would even fit into our needs, are the 4Runner V8 (`03-09 only), GX470/460 or Land Cruiser & LX470/570 - & I don't seen many of the mid-2000's & earlier ones at <60K miles.

So the Lexus Tech is saying that the newer GX460 & LX570 are having stooopid problems now too, & presumably the 4Runner-V8 & Land Cruiser cousin are the same - then there may be no benefit over a `08-12 Cayenne S!?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

However, there would still be the issues of Porsche parts 2x the T/L ones, & the Porsche propensity of making stuff 2x-3x as difficult to get to & diagnose, resulting in 2x-3x the labor costs - as my guy Hans says. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Good info guys!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
Tom
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[Chris914n6]

Of all the work I've done on an 08 335i in the last 10k not a single failure was actually a BMW fault. It was all outside suppliers... Bosch, VDO, Mitsubishi. But I find the car to be pretty easy to work on compared to the E36. Sometimes a few extra steps, like removing the bumper cover to replace ballasts, but straight forward and simple. Parts prices have been from reasonable to ridiculous.

The thing that peeves me the most is a $180 trans filter because it's built into the oil pan. Combining makes it cheaper to build a car but isn't in the owners best interest.

It's not BMWs fault buyers want all the sensors and warning lights so they don't have to know enough about their car to check fluids or open the hood. It is however their, and others, fault that the knowledge of how these new systems work and what triggers codes is so hard to get. Even the BMW dealer is wrong with diagnostics sometimes. It's just going to get worse as control systems get more resistance based and away from voltage changes.

A huge amount of new electronics are safety or emissions related, both mandated by our elected officials.

What surprises me though is the number of mechanical failures given all the technology and decades of experience in mechanical engineering.

[rhodyguy]

Clutch packages with the pressure plate assem permanently fixed to the fw. So a clutch job means a new flywheel everytime. Endemic in the big scheme of things. Dishwashers with cheap plastic discharge valves for example. Metal hose ends that screw on to plastic threaded valves. The cheaply manufactured valve runs about $50. The service call? Prob $200+. Clothes dryer elements that fail right after the warrantee expires. Average homeowners will just replace the appliance.

[jmalone]

1) 1962 Bug wife's family car since new. Great shape, thanks to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . Runs great but don't expect an experience more sophisticated than a mo-ped with a body. ( This car has not caught on fire lately).

2)1968 911. Slow. Complex. Worth more than it used to be. Price of admission exceeds the driving experience. Has not spun out lately (the last 30 yrs)

3) 1976 914. Fun

3)1984 Rabbit GTI. Worth every penny (pd $500). A keeper.

4)2010 TDI Jetta. 220k mi. Great car EXCEPT the high pressure fuel pump just failed catastrophically for the 2nd time. Really the car would be great but.........(waiting for VW to buy it back.

(etc: 1997 MB E 420 great car. 1996 Ford F250 7.3 reliable as a brick but 2x more funner to drive, 1984 MB 300D killed by a 16y old. 1999 Subaru outback, killed by a 17y old.)

Saw a 55 Chevy gasser yesterday, looks fun low profile with 2x 4 barrels and a 6-71 blower gonna get me one of those

[JoeDees]

Most problems I've had with newer cars are electronic/sensors.

[jack20]

Great posts on a sore subject.
In over 50 years of driving the worst cars I ever owned were a '10 Mercedes C350 coupe and an '08 530i BMW. They were my wife's drivers. Couldn't keep them out of the shop.
She now has a Subaru. Couldn't be happier. Never again will I own either brand.

[Series9]

Just came back and read all the comments.


The only thing I have to say is if I could find a VW Fox Wagon in reasonable condition, I would buy it, restore it and keep it forever..

[JOEPROPER]

Yes. VW Fox! Hard to kill. A friend had one a while back and he tried and tried.

[iwanta914-6]

She now has a Subaru. Couldn't be happier. Never again will I own either brand.

I will say that my wife and I are quite pleased with our Subarus. I drive an '08 Forester (165k miles) and she has a '06 Tribeca (115K miles). Neither are "fun" to drive (unless there's 6+ inches of snow, hehe) but they have been reliable. Pretty much just standard wear items.

I've been thinking about what my next DD will be, and I've always wanted a BMW but the potential repair costs scare the bejesus out of me. In the end, when it is time to get something else, it will probably be another Subaru. I just need to make it a priority to add a 914 for some fun driving!

[Dion]

The VW Fox! hahah I loved mine! It was a '89 Wolfsburg edition 4 door.
I found out all about under steer at autocrosses with it. Though the Pirelli tyres
were excellent. Never needed a repair in the 5 years I owned it. Traded it in for the
'92 GTi I still have.

[Curbandgutter]

I bought a 2004 VW Touareg V8 fully loaded. It turned out to be a heaping pile of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) . I ended up selling it for $2,500 just to get rid of it. I will never but a VW or Audi that's for sure. In contrast I have a 2001 1500 suburban. It is 200 miles short of 300,000 and all I have done is changed the starter, water pump and alternator ONCE! It still has smooth power and you can not tell that it is on when idling. Incredible car! VW Touareg on the other hand.....major (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif)

[Chris H.]

Planned obsolescence was decried as a bad thing. Now, it's just a fact of life. Very few of the current cars being manufactured will be economically viable to fix in 10 years.

Look at this thread on the troubles a simple coolant level sensor causes on the latest 911's (991's). Imagine the issues ten years down the road as these sensors and electronics age....

Weird Coolant Issue

Holy crap! The temp shoots immediately to 250 and pegs the gauge??? That can't be good for the internals @ less than 2k miles.

[Amphicar770]

http://dougdemuro.kinja.com/german-reliabi...amer-1572026115

[carr914]

Just came back and read all the comments.


The only thing I have to say is if I could find a VW Fox Wagon in reasonable condition, I would buy it, restore it and keep it forever..

Joe, that is what I've done with my Civic Hatch! Big inside and gets 40mpg anywhere I go and I dive hard. I've had 3, one I bought new and sold too early, the next went over 400,000 Miles with the least amount of maintenance thinkable. I DD this one that I found last year with under 70,000, perfect inside. Cheap! I've done the regular stuff (Timing Belt, Water Pump, Motor & Tranny Mounts, Oil Changes), this can possibly go the rest of my life (don't drive 40k miles a year anymore). I'm going to & from the Glen in a couple of weeks and I won't bat an eye

[mepstein]

Yes. VW Fox! Hard to kill. A friend had one a while back and he tried and tried.

My wife had one when I met her. Always needed something repaired. Got rid of it after a while.

Her current Honda has 230K with just gas, oil ant tires. Next car for her? Honda , big surprise (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[carr914]

http://dougdemuro.kinja.com/german-reliabi...amer-1572026115

That was pretty good! I was a Test Driver for VW-Audi in the mid 90s. I blew up so many cars they called me the "Bug Killer" during the New Beetle prototype years The Audis when new were amazing, in 20,000 miles they were toast.

Me in AutoWeek (on the same page as Michael Schumacher)

[Amphicar770]

My sister bought a 2005 Corolla new. While it is as boring as they come, with 150k Miles currently it has basically been brakes, tires, normal hose. items. Recently it needed a new power steering hose.

[r_towle]

I am looking at a used tesla.....