Modern cars,eh?

[Bane]

Is it just me,or are new cars becoming a false economy?
I bought my Golf Edition30 in 2009,when it was 2 years old.
Since then,I've had the service schedule (so thats two,including a brake fluid change) kept up to date and had the timing belt service done.It also got the coilpacks renewed under warranty.
The car is now 5 years old and it has just cost me £350 for a general yearly service and I got a rear wheel bearing replaced at the same time.Now,I would not have expected to replace a wheel bearing at five years...seven or eight maybe,but five?
It just went thru the MOT test this week and failed on the high level brake light not working,but the tester said that this was minor and the only thing to fail and gave me the ticket anyway but that will still need to be replaced.(and I have read the horror stories on this)
Oh yeah, and it owes me for a new secodary fan unit as the first one got taken out by an erratic stone.Add to that what it costs now for decent brand tyres to fit 18" wheels,well,costs soon mount up just to keep the thing on the road and legal.
So,in the three years I've owned this car,I reckon,for what I've spent on it,I could have had my old 1991 MK2 GTI 8v stripped down and rebuilt to as new and still have change.And it would probably be more reliable,with having less to go wrong!

[Kregiel]

sign of times! interiors get nicer but reliability is falling apart!

my missues 2008 had water pump replaced at 30k miles! something unheard of in old cars..... my old mazda 3 with 130k miles and 14 years old never broke down at all

unbelievable these days

Paul   

[sub39h]

Someone on another forum had an interesting view on this: back in the day parts were designed by a guy with a slide rule, who worked out the strength required and then multiplied it by two or three just to make sure it wluldn't break.

Nowadays, things are built to within tiny tolerances as estimated by a computer to cut down costs. Resultantly they break down more easily.

I dunno how much truth there is to the above but it's interesting nonetheless

[MC71]

^^^^ agree with that.

Just simple, things in general are not made to last and that includes cars. We all have stories of cars falling apart after 5+ years. Christ, I've owned an Alfa 156!  

 It's wrong but why on earth would a manufacturer build anything to last for 10-20 years, you would never need to buy another one, thus doing that company out of repeat business.

Go to a classic car show and look at those 1930's cars made from sheet steel, wood and nuts and bolts (not an ECU in sight) and they will be going when 100 years old. Not a fair comparison to today's cars with all their technology and electronic systems but cars are disposable items nowadays, just expensive ones.


EDT: Added this for you Bane

And as to your high level brake light...

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3122.45.html

And a how to.....

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=121067.0

Hope that helps. Never changed mine but it does get water in it so it's on the list

 

[Edition30]

In 2008 my brand new 4 months old Edition 30 had numerous problems.

New engine
Wheel bearing
Fan unit stripped and rebuilt
Centre caps replaced

Would I have one again? Yep 

Must have got a bad apple. Golf R for me too if and when I can afford one.

[TrickGTI]

I'm a MOT tester and I'm pretty sure the high level brake light isn't part of the test anyway ill have to check on Monday for my reference!! Pretty sure it's not though just the outside ones that are.

[Andy]

Cars of today are to complicated for there own good--when i trained as a mechanic there wasn't much why a car wouldn't start ie fuel timing or the points are not right but now it can be a number of things to do with ecu that can cost a fortune to fix

[bakili]

I had 19 cars in past 9 years and all were modern cars. Touch wood most reliable car i had/have its my mk5 golf. In 14 month of ownership only spend money for servicing.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[MC71]

I'm a MOT tester and I'm pretty sure the high level brake light isn't part of the test anyway ill have to check on Monday for my reference!! Pretty sure it's not though just the outside ones that are.

I thought that if you had one it has to work but if you removed it completely then that's ok?

[stealthwolf]

I think if it's disconnected, then it doesn't have to be tested but if it's connected, it needs to work.

[TrickGTI]

I shall check tomorrow. It's not the case of if it's there it has to work coz some cars have more than one side light on each corner of the car so may have 4 on the front and as long as at least one on each corner is working then it's still a pass.

[TrickGTI]

Any additional brake lights to the obligatory two required for test have to be tested if you think they are connected and working! So they are part of it for anyone who wants to know!!