After my latest big bill £1600 to repair damage caused by cam belt tensioner nut failure (very common across VAG range on BKD engine) I'm contemplating buying a Toyota Prius ( very high reliabilty score)but dull less room and performance, I know failed batteries are a huge bill but Toyota guaratees them for 11 years and specialists will rebuid them for £800. Now this is the rub, after rebuild my 2L octavia TDI L&K Estate runs like a dream, smooth and quiet economical and fast, luxurious, but for how long? Other expensive common failures I have replaced have been a Turbo and dual mass flywheel ( both at around 100,000 miles. The car has now done 170,000 miles but these can go on for twice that.

Enjoy your car and get some value out of what you have spent on it.

 

All cars / makes have issues and when the mileage creeps up you will have to spend on repairs / servicing

Will do but next big bill and she is going to the breakers.

+1  (Enjoy your car and get some value out of what you have spent on it.)

 

​I had a gear box rebuild and clutch replacement on a MK1 due to a rivet breaking cost just over £1000.

being a low mileage 1.6 and everything else being ok I ran it for a further 3 years no problem until a Numpty T boned it and wrote it off.

Now own a 1.6 and 2 FSI and can not see me changing to another Marque.

All modern cars have big bills.

Using things like dmf's etc mean past bills of a couple hundred quid are not closer to £1000. Thats the down side of owning a modern car. I personaly went from a 98 civic vti-s to a 06 vrs tdi. The costs have been about the same (excluding fuel) even with a new clutch etc.

The prius having an 11 year guarentee on the batteries means 11 year+ ones will drop hugely in price. I wonder what makes them so special?

What make a prius so special?  I've NO idea after looking in one. Drab small & sparce interior with cheap plastic, VERY little luggage space, so different to the L&K estate's, leather heated seat, zonal climate, self tinting anti dazzle mirrors,puddle light, quality incar entertainment with bluetooth, etc etc.

It MUST only be down to it,s VERY high reliabilty record, see Honest John's review amonst others.

Fell totally in love with her heady mix of performance and economy BUT I've told her she is on her FINAL warning, next big bill and she's history.

I had a 2011 Prius T-Spirit for 3 years, it was easy to drive, lots of toys (self park, 500Gb hd, reversing camera) I carry a tool kit during the week and Labradors at the weekend, only car I've managed to get 45k to sets of tyres, 110,000 miles and never needed pads of disks. All that said, when I spent my own money I got the Skoda.