Au revoir '53 plate 1.6VVT Dynamique...

[__spc__]

...you have caused me too much financial stress.

Enter stage right, a Vauxhall Astra GTC turbo, with 170 horses and a lifetime manufacturer's warranty.

(The most recent electrical issues - and a £2k trade-in valuation from Vauxhall - were too much temptation, not to rid myself of the Meggy...)

Au revoir, and adieu...

[Phil and Liz]

err frying pan into fire ???

you don't say what year, Vauxhall do not have the best reputation, I used to work for a GM dealer and my last 2 cars have been Renault Meganes

enough said ?

[__spc__]

I owned the Megane from new, did just under 60K miles, fully serviced.

I have spent many hundreds on new front suspension components (and am on my 3rd steering rack - which needs replacing) - and was still not satisfied with the suspension when I let it go.

It needed a new driver window regulator - £200 + VAT

My *third* cambelt dephaser pulley is on its way out - £450+

The two front seatbelt pre-tensioners need replacing - the belts hand slack - £240+

The sunroof is whistling away at 70mph - £?

I just spent £85 on an auto electrician to trace some system faults.

The keyless sensors work intermittently - having all been replaced at least once under warranty - £loads

The coils all failed - £forget what-I-paid

My second keycard failed - £200

Wonderful car, superb spec, bodywork rust-free and engine fantastic -d never once broke down. All the auxilliaries are just SOOO unreliable though, I'll never buy French again.

Bought new, cherished it, and was dumped-on!

And I'm fairly sure most companies are as bad as each other in some way or other, but Reanult burned me, so it's time for a change; parents swear by Vauxhalls, and with a standard life-time warranty, I'll give them a punt...

[Phil and Liz]

my last dci an 05 with70k at 09 had 2 new front windo regs/electrics (wty), 3 sets of steering rac end rods (and lots of tyres !)

my present 08 dci is falling apart, o/s window wiring, which then failed and they wanted an arm and a leg for contribution - fixed it myself
first mot make up new wiring and connections for number plate lights
bought it 1 year old and a hole was already starting to appear where the seat belt buckle drags across
had to break a tail light fixing to change a break light
remove bumper to change headlight bulbs and break 3 fixing bolts for the undertray

i too hate meganes's but I think if i bought a gm product i would need the lifetime warranty

mind you the asrra was the most reliable, well for a vauxhall anyway, wot do you expect scousers, romanian gypsies and poles build em

hyundai I30 with 5 year warranty or kia ceed with 7 years warranty look like next option

the only reason i bought a megane is


IT WAS CHEAP - BUT WE ALL KNOW WHY

the new one is so much more expensive 2nd hand, probably just as bad

[AlexB]

Switching to Vx or Kia makes no sense. See this:
https://www.adac.de/infotestrat/unfall-s ... X3xLE4HeN_

They also have a "certain" class stigma attached to them and don't drive well.

[Phil and Liz]

alex are you using Google Chrome ? mine came up in English but I get the gist

way I always work it is buy nearly new keep it 5 years, if it lasts that long !!! then use the remains as the deposit for the next on

thing is, 1st Megane 1.5 dci 2005 at 1 year old was £9000 with 14k 4 dr dynamic, this one was a 2008 1.5 dci dynamique 9000 miles 3 dr and cost £7995, looking at local stealers a 1 year old new shape will be about £11K

image has never been my thing, hence why i run a renault, price and reliability are the biggies

only car I ever had for image was a 1982 Audi coupe 2000cc, like the one in ashes to ashes, now that car quickly earned a nickname of 'the Bitch', as in looking for it in a car park and the wife would say 'where's the bitch' so don't believe all you read about German infallability especially when they've done 100k , it didn't get that nickname for it's good looks !!!!!

[AlexB]

Hi Phil,

No, I am using Firefox.

It looks like that you are yet to find a car that will not fall under you. Good luck!

[davelowe]

Amen to that. This is why I buy Doc Martens 'For Life' boots - free repair until I die.

Any car manufacturers offer this?!