If I didn't have a Skoda I'd want a....

[TeflonTom]

Volvo for me I think. Something t5 powered.

[WeirdKerr]

I replaced my skoda with a Kia Cee'd... BIG MISTAKE!!!! car was dull as dishwater once the newy newness went away but that's gone bye bye and I now have a..... Seat Leon!!!

[mdon]

VW Golf or failing that, a Seat Leon (don't like the Ibiza) unless you couldn't have VAG cars as replacements.

Definitely nothing French, I've had my bad experiences with Peugeot and owning one of them for 7 months was too long, by about 6 and a half months.

Or a Ford because they're unreliable, or a Valxhall because of their gearboxes going bang, or a Mini or Nissan micra/Juke because face it, who wants to drive around in something that looks like that? Wouldn't touch Toyota after all those serious recalls they've been having for steering, and brakes ext.

So I'd probably have to go with a Suzuki Swift or a Honda Civic.

Christ! There's not many cars you would have! I'd discount VAG cars too, they rust and break down a lot too! I think a push bike is the safest bet

[Outofthi5world]

Christ! There's not many cars you would have!

Only going by what other people have had, bosses son had an Astra a couple of years ago, as did his brother (brother is CID so got £3000 off new) and his gearbox went, and the bosses sons was making noises so he sold it. Also they know of about 3 others that went too, one of them went so they took it to the dealers in 2nd gear and sold it Something to do with a plastic 5th gear or something?.

Fords are well known as scrap anyway, but in 07 there was a brand new one that wouldn't start in a nearby car park, can't even stay running for 6 months, ended up blocking a road completely, also the radios have issues.

My 51 reg Peugeot, well I bought it for £700 and spent over £500 on it in 7 months, £285 just to get through the test. It developed a misfire on the A1 and wouldn't keep speed so I nursed it to the next exit to get to somewhere quieter, turned off the first exit on the roundabout and drove down a road a bit where I happened to find an AA van parked in a lay-by, he was having his lunch. Said it was the coil pack and it was such a common fault that he always carried one in his van. Didn't have to pay labour as I was a member but it still came to £109

And would you want to buy a car from a company that has had to recall cars for faulty steering and brakes? Me neither.

Some VAG 2.0 TDI engines have oil pump issues as well, because of where they had to put the balancer shafts they had to put the oil pump on the end of one of the balancer shafts because they couldn't do it the other way round and the shaft that goes between them is a hexagon shape like an allen key, however the hole in the pump is like a ring spanner so there isn't much contact so what happens is the shaft wears away and drive to the oil pump fails and so nothing gets lubricated, by the time the oil warning light comes on unless you stop straight away then the damage is irreversible, this is the car the bosses son got after the Astra, it needed a new turbo and a new shaft.

 

Do not read unless you want a long story on why not to go to Carcraft.

 

On another point, NEVER buy a car from Carcraft! We got a voucher for that place years ago and it was for £300 off any car. We took it to Carcraft and looked round, saw a Misibishi charisma that we fancied however when we got round to negotiations the guy said the voucher voucher wouldn't be applicable to that car, he said he'd show us some cars it would go with and we saw a VW Passat, lovely car and everything, CD changer, brand new tyres, 3 years old. Had a bit over 70,000 miles on it but for a VW that's nothing, we said we'd take it. They asked if we wanted it valeting, we said no. Later on we asked where the car was, they said in the workshop getting valeted. Got in it and you could hardly grip the steering wheel. Went away, it had no tax. Got home, there was something, but I can't remember, that dad called them about and as he was on the phone noticed the tyres were bald. they'd changed the tyres from what it had on the forecourt to old bald ones. Then after a bit it developed faults, when you lifted off it would speed up and we were going somewhere so put £20 in and thought that would last the week, as it would normally but it didn't even last the day, and when you stopped at traffic lights you had to keep your foot on the accelerator or it would cut out. So in the end we took it to Massingbirds, told them to give it a good check, see what it wanted and what was under warranty but do nothing, it wanted well over £3000 spending but the warranty would cover only about £1000 so we tried to get Carcraft to sort it, "We're not taking that effing car back, I'm going to through you off the premises" we ended up getting trading standards involved, we also contacted the previous owner and it had a CD changer which Carcraft also took out. We bought a cheap banger to run about and ended up with the car sat at Massingbirds for 14 months rotting away, in the end we got them with a Dictaphone, Mum just randomly bought it so we tested it out on them, recorded the phone call, the guy said it came with a 100% parts and labour guarantee, dad said sorry, what was that, he repeated, took the tape to trading standards and won the case. so Massingbirds, who by that time also hated carcrafts guts, charged them for storage. the car was completely undeliverable by this time. They sent a bill for £1400, 2 weeks later they sent a guy with a flat-bed and a check, they said no, that was 2 weeks ago, now it's £1600. he said fine I'll take the car and get the check, they said no, get the check and then take the car. What a farce. Also they've been on whatchdog numerous times since then for cut and shut, sawdust in gearboxes, al the tricks really.

 

Sorry for the long post, but once halfway...

[RedSooty]

wow ... and I thought I did long posts ... respect.

If I didn't have a Skoda I would have more sex appeal...

[mdon]

Only going by what other people have had, bosses son had an Astra a couple of years ago, as did his brother (brother is CID so got £3000 off new) and his gearbox went, and the bosses sons was making noises so he sold it. Also they know of about 3 others that went too, one of them went so they took it to the dealers in 2nd gear and sold it Something to do with a plastic 5th gear or something?.

Fords are well known as scrap anyway, but in 07 there was a brand new one that wouldn't start in a nearby car park, can't even stay running for 6 months, ended up blocking a road completely, also the radios have issues.

My 51 reg Peugeot, well I bought it for £700 and spent over £500 on it in 7 months, £285 just to get through the test. It developed a misfire on the A1 and wouldn't keep speed so I nursed it to the next exit to get to somewhere quieter, turned off the first exit on the roundabout and drove down a road a bit where I happened to find an AA van parked in a lay-by, he was having his lunch. Said it was the coil pack and it was such a common fault that he always carried one in his van. Didn't have to pay labour as I was a member but it still came to £109

And would you want to buy a car from a company that has had to recall cars for faulty steering and brakes? Me neither.

Some VAG 2.0 TDI engines have oil pump issues as well, because of where they had to put the balancer shafts they had to put the oil pump on the end of one of the balancer shafts because they couldn't do it the other way round and the shaft that goes between them is a hexagon shape like an allen key, however the hole in the pump is like a ring spanner so there isn't much contact so what happens is the shaft wears away and drive to the oil pump fails and so nothing gets lubricated, by the time the oil warning light comes on unless you stop straight away then the damage is irreversible, this is the car the bosses son got after the Astra, it needed a new turbo and a new shaft.

Do not read unless you want a long story on why not to go to Carcraft.

On another point, NEVER buy a car from Carcraft! We got a voucher for that place years ago and it was for £300 off any car. We took it to Carcraft and looked round, saw a Misibishi charisma that we fancied however when we got round to negotiations the guy said the voucher voucher wouldn't be applicable to that car, he said he'd show us some cars it would go with and we saw a VW Passat, lovely car and everything, CD changer, brand new tyres, 3 years old. Had a bit over 70,000 miles on it but for a VW that's nothing, we said we'd take it. They asked if we wanted it valeting, we said no. Later on we asked where the car was, they said in the workshop getting valeted. Got in it and you could hardly grip the steering wheel. Went away, it had no tax. Got home, there was something, but I can't remember, that dad called them about and as he was on the phone noticed the tyres were bald. they'd changed the tyres from what it had on the forecourt to old bald ones. Then after a bit it developed faults, when you lifted off it would speed up and we were going somewhere so put £20 in and thought that would last the week, as it would normally but it didn't even last the day, and when you stopped at traffic lights you had to keep your foot on the accelerator or it would cut out. So in the end we took it to Massingbirds, told them to give it a good check, see what it wanted and what was under warranty but do nothing, it wanted well over £3000 spending but the warranty would cover only about £1000 so we tried to get Carcraft to sort it, "We're not taking that effing car back, I'm going to through you off the premises" we ended up getting trading standards involved, we also contacted the previous owner and it had a CD changer which Carcraft also took out. We bought a cheap banger to run about and ended up with the car sat at Massingbirds for 14 months rotting away, in the end we got them with a Dictaphone, Mum just randomly bought it so we tested it out on them, recorded the phone call, the guy said it came with a 100% parts and labour guarantee, dad said sorry, what was that, he repeated, took the tape to trading standards and won the case. so Massingbirds, who by that time also hated carcrafts guts, charged them for storage. the car was completely undeliverable by this time. They sent a bill for £1400, 2 weeks later they sent a guy with a flat-bed and a check, they said no, that was 2 weeks ago, now it's £1600. he said fine I'll take the car and get the check, they said no, get the check and then take the car. What a farce. Also they've been on whatchdog numerous times since then for cut and shut, sawdust in gearboxes, al the tricks really.

Sorry for the long post, but once halfway...

Tbh I didn't read the full post because I'm on my phone but slagging off all French cars because you had trouble with one you've bought for £700 isn't really fair is it!? What do you expect for £700? If it lasted 6 months then it owes you nothing.

As for fords, I've used them since 2006 focus/mondeo/transit/transit connect and now S Max's and every one has been ultra reliable as police vehicles. Never broke down yet (touch wood!). So I would have no issue having one. Can't comment on vauxhall a but I'm incline to agree with you going by stories from my mates.

[drw8]

Alfa Romeo 159. Followed one a few weks ago and fell in love.

[Aspman]

I have an urge for a Jag.

 

Would love an old man XJ but the XF is very nice too.

 

Probably will end up with an Accord, I quite like the style and it doesn't take as much bravery as a Jag.

 

Love the Alfa 159 too. But I wou;dn't buy with my own money.

Saying that my mate had an older 156 and then a Brera and he had no real problems with either of them.

He since had an A4 Avand and now a 325d Estate.

[Guest]

If I didn't have a Skoda I would have more sex appeal...

My favourite answer so far!

 

Seems like Jags and Volvos are popular choices outside VAG cars. I'd add my vote for an XF, 'cept they cost too much for me atm. Interesting to see which brands Briskoda members seem to view with skepticism - I wonder if Vauxhall owners think Skodas are unreliable piles of junk, or is this just one-way traffic. 

[Blackline Stu]

I'd have a Mercedes C63 AMG Edition 507 estate. Fast, practical and the noise it makes is unreal. Plus it looks like it will be the last AMG to use the N/A 6.2 V8. They're all going to be 5.5 V8 turbos from now on :(

[Outofthi5world]

Tbh I didn't read the full post because I'm on my phone but slagging off all French cars because you had trouble with one you've bought for £700 isn't really fair is it!? What do you expect for £700? If it lasted 6 months then it owes you nothing.

We were on the way back from work one day and had to push one back into someone's driveway one morning after it only got about 50 foot and the receptionist at my old school couldn't get home one day, both Peugeot hatchbacks, fairly new. A neighbour has a Citroen berlingo thing and that's had bother even though he barely uses it, ended up giving it away to his daughter and getting a new one. Guy at the top of our road has a 58 reg Bipper van and has just had to spend £800 on new wiring looms after it kept cutting out on him and then wouldn't start all together, had to tow it to the dealers and took a couple of weeks to get the parts, not like France is that far away though hey.

[mdon]

We were on the way back from work one day and had to push one back into someone's driveway one morning after it only got about 50 foot and the receptionist at my old school couldn't get home one day, both Peugeot hatchbacks, fairly new. A neighbour has a Citroen berlingo thing and that's had bother even though he barely uses it, ended up giving it away to his daughter and getting a new one. Guy at the top of our road has a 58 reg Bipper van and has just had to spend £800 on new wiring looms after it kept cutting out on him and then wouldn't start all together, had to tow it to the dealers and took a couple of weeks to get the parts, not like France is that far away though hey.

You must live in a really poor area for French relations!

Neither me or anyone I know have had real problems with French cars, intact they've been the most reliable I've had, most unreliable have been hyundai elantra, then skoda Octavia, then ford escort then a nissan Primera. That said I'd have a skoda ford or nissan again tomorrow if I found them right one as they were all good cars. I doubt I'll touch a hyundai again in a hurry.

[Lady Elanore]

I'd have a Mercedes C63 AMG Edition 507 estate. Fast, practical and the noise it makes is unreal. Plus it looks like it will be the last AMG to use the N/A 6.2 V8. They're all going to be 5.5 V8 turbos from now on :(

Some are only going to be 4.0 V8s :(

 

If I didn't have a MB, which will be the case when my current PCP is up in 2015, I may well go back to Skoda. So as a reverse answer to the original question, I'd quite possibly go to a Yeti

[jollylee]

E320 CDI if the irish tax system was a reality. In reality I'd love an E200 CDI. Love them!

[Blackline Stu]

Some are only going to be 4.0 V8s :(

Only a 4.0 V8. How am I going to live with myself. I mean the A45 AMG only has a 2.0 4 pot :( They need manly engines for men

[DavidIF]

I may look at a mk3 Leon 2.0TDI FR next in 184bhp flavour( I used to have a 170bhp PD mk2) i drove a 150bhp Diesel FR earlier in the year and was very impressed, much more so than the mk7 Golf I had on extended test(also a 150bhp TDI)

I understand that the 150bhp Leon has the torsion beam rear suspension whereas the higher powered models get the IRS and so I am planning on trying one in the new year.

[Lady Elanore]

Only a 4.0 V8. How am I going to live with myself. I mean the A45 AMG only has a 2.0 4 pot :( They need manly engines for men

 

 

......and women    I think it has a couple of really big turbots or something like that,          so it will still accelerate like a Marlin

[Aspman]

There is no replacement for displacement!

 

[Lady Elanore]

There is no replacement for displacement!

 

Sixe does matter......................sometimes

[Blackline Stu]

......and women I think it has a couple of really big turbots or something like that, so it will still accelerate like a Marlin

I think it's the most powerful 2.0 4 pot currently in production. It's got about 355 bhp or something silly like that

[stevenStefano]

I got a Fabia last week but was looking for cars on and off for about 6 months. I used to have an 07 Fiesta Zetec Climate. The only other car I saw that really got me excited was a Honda Civic. The interior of them look amazing and they seem to be very well equipped. They were out of my budget really though. I'd be looking at 8 grand for a 2010 whereas my Fabia is 2011 and cost £7500

[Tomote]

The bus if I was on same budget as car cost or a Maserati Quattroporte last generation if I wasn't.

[JungleJames]

If budget is being taken into account, and the Octy wasnt available, id have stayed with my last car. An '06 Focus Saloon.

If budget isnt a consideration. Well thats easy. The only other car worth getting bar the Octy- A Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 diesel. :love:

 

A nicer interior I have not found (well, barring a Rolls Royce or Bentley).

[littleade]

If I didn't have a Skoda for the same quality and performance mix I'd have less money in the bank

[keystonedriving]

I suppose it depends on your priorities.  I am looking for a mix of reliability, practicality, economy and comfort.  Skoda tend to have about the right balance for me.

 

On the reliability front, one thing which is absolutely essential is the ability to carry a full sized spare.  Outside of VAG very few manufacturers do that these days.  If I get a puncture at 8pm when I'm still 100 miles from home, a spare which is good for 50 miles at 50mph is pointless and a can of whipped cream isn't a lot of good, either.

 

It certainly wouldn't be French (we had a Renault - a mistake I will not repeat) and PSA vehicles are not great, either.  The French thing rules out Nissan as well, because they are made from Renault bits these days.

 

I suspect it might have to be a Morris Minor Traveller.......