Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Johnny English on 18 December 2013, 09:50:18

Title: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Johnny English on 18 December 2013, 09:50:18
Just was thinking which one is rather existing reliable car or reliable owner who cares for car. I've heard about "reliable brands" a lot not sure though of theirs existance as irregular oil change or cambelt change strongly influenced the condition of car be it even so called "reliable brand". It is said though that cars from the Far-East are reliable indeed...Miggy is not my first one as I had a lot of different cars, low quality post communist cars included and after a certain period of time every one went to be reliable.
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 18 December 2013, 10:38:53
Unreliable owners are a bigger problem than unreliable cars I think!  :)
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 18 December 2013, 10:55:35
Some cars don't help themselves though :-\

Generally speaking, the advances in fuelling and ignition over the last twenty years or so mean that engines have become more reliable... Also even if the body work is neglected from new, a car should last at least ten years without dissolving :-\

A new car left unserviced will only mange 30-40k before going bang, so basically, if you look after the car it should last indefinitely :y
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: TheBoy on 18 December 2013, 18:11:34
Some cars just go on, even when abused.

Most cars I've had have let me down at least once. Striking areas of reliability were my old Rover 25 (fuel pump failure and the "service item" HGF), and my old wedgy Rover 216 (ignitor unit failed). The 216 in particular was quite abused, moreso when I gave it to my brother, as he never serviced it or did anything, and used it as a workhorse/truck when he built his house. Stunning car.

Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 2boxerdogs on 18 December 2013, 18:34:24
Recently had a conversation at work , being a child in the late fifties you always saw cars  broken down with bonnets up being "fixed " at the roadside , don't see many now, so yes more reliable now but I still have a soft spot for the old ones especially Zephyrs/Zodiacs
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 19 December 2013, 11:49:17
Recently had a conversation at work , being a child in the late fifties you always saw cars  broken down with bonnets up being "fixed " at the roadside , don't see many now, so yes more reliable now but I still have a soft spot for the old ones especially Zephyrs/Zodiacs

You see quite a lot of BMW / VAG cars on low loaders, though. ;) I guess it's not worth opening the bonnet when one of those breaks, as it's normally not fixable without some obscure part, and it's normally being driven by someone who doesn't know one end of the engine from another. Or someone who has just discovered that run-flat tyres don't. ;D
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 19 December 2013, 21:59:28
honda accords.. never seen one left on the road , never heard any problem..
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: albitz on 19 December 2013, 22:03:58
Japanese _ Toyota or Honda in particular. Usually boring and characterless,but superbly engineered and built.
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 December 2013, 22:08:05
Japanese _ Toyota or Honda in particular. Usually boring and characterless,but superbly engineered and built.
And where's the fun in that ::)
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 19 December 2013, 22:33:11
Japanese used to live with minimal requirements..

however if they want they can do ..

niisan 350 z , honda s2000,subaru ,evo  are accessible examples




Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 December 2013, 22:35:11
Mechanically interesting, aesthetically beige :-\
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: chrisgixer on 20 December 2013, 00:16:21
Recently had a conversation at work , being a child in the late fifties you always saw cars  broken down with bonnets up being "fixed " at the roadside , don't see many now, so yes more reliable now but I still have a soft spot for the old ones especially Zephyrs/Zodiacs

You see quite a lot of BMW / VAG cars on low loaders, though. ;) I guess it's not worth opening the bonnet when one of those breaks, as it's normally not fixable without some obscure part, and it's normally being driven by someone who doesn't know one end of the engine from another. Or someone who has just discovered that run-flat tyres don't. ;D

Ah yes, the average BMW owner...."but it's got tyre pressure sensors...doesn't the car inflate the tyres automatically?" ;D

So... Is the omega reliable?

I'd say yes. Ignoring the appropriate cam and crank sensors for a minute, and possibly the hbv .... and leaking scuttle and cam covers causing missfires, 2.6 Mafs, TD auto boxes, central locking motors, rusty arches, wishbone bu....

...no its not reliable at all is it. ;D

Apart from crank sensor fault on my cdx, I've never been let down by an omega. Oh, failed alternator x2. And the heated seat fault causing fuse 14(?) to blow and the car to refuse to start. ...apart from those. ;D

Of course, the real difference with the omega is OOF. :y
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 2boxerdogs on 20 December 2013, 08:54:31
I bought a new Mazda 626 in 2001 ran it for almost 10 years never had 1 problem with it , very reliable but boring as f**k to drive,px'd it for the 2.6.
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 20 December 2013, 11:54:16
I bought a new Mazda 626 in 2001 ran it for almost 10 years never had 1 problem with it , very reliable but boring as f**k to drive,px'd it for the 2.6.

Mrs. KW's MX 5 has only had a coil pack replaced in 135k miles and 13 years. Quite a nice car to drive, as well.
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: 05omegav6 on 20 December 2013, 13:29:32
A good car for all the right reasons :y enough of a drivers car to ignore the interior, such as there is, to boot 8)

The Japanese do imitation retro rather well...
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 20 December 2013, 13:55:58
To get reliable, you have to simplify adn reduce component stresses.

This means compromise, so no gadgets and small and light (or lazy and dull).

Trouble is that Joe public demands tight handling and gizmos....

Think of VW of old, lates 80's, early 90's, reliable cars but oh so bog basic, it wasn't until 91 that the Polo had a brake servo as standard.
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Andy H on 20 December 2013, 14:17:36
Of course, the real difference with the omega is OOF. :y
:y
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Johnny English on 20 December 2013, 19:45:05
Of course, the real difference with the omega is OOF. :y
:y

+1
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Johnny English on 20 December 2013, 20:02:43
My mechanic often says that after 2002 the cars are over controlled by various electronic units plus the high pressurised diesels are not able to run more than 100k km (63k miles) without having serious issue. He swears the eternity of simple sucking diesels as best cars. Timing chain swap on every 250 000 km is fairly tempting indeed...
Title: Re: Reliable car - urban legend?
Post by: Vamps on 21 December 2013, 01:28:40
My mechanic often says that after 2002 the cars are over controlled by various electronic units plus the high pressurised diesels are not able to run more than 100k km (63k miles) without having serious issue. He swears the eternity of simple sucking diesels as best cars. Timing chain swap on every 250 000 km is fairly tempting indeed...

I would tend to agree with that.......... :y :y