quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:


Nah, your car is nicer.

I'm sure this is just a typo and you meant to say that I was much nicer than Clamato.

As a former disgruntled VW Jetta owner- sell VW's before 50,000 miles or pay through the nose. Calipers, rotors, transmission, fuel pumps (germans feel its necessary to have 2 to transfer fuel from the tank to the engine ) cv joints, exhaust, water pump, - all replaced between 50k and 100k miles.

Now a Taurus, even though it looks like a worn bar of soap- dependable transportation.

I've been lusting after the Audi Q5, until I read in Consumer Reports they have the worst reliability in it's class. The best reliability in that class is my current vehicle, the Acura RDX. It's handling is great and it very quick. The sound system is probably one of the best OEM units out there. I'm also able to fit all three pooches in the back with the seats down.

Bio, I'd take a Civic over a Taurus any day. The trans on a Taurus isn't likely to last 200,000 (though I'm sure around here, most people have moved on to a new vehicle LONG before that point). Had one a few years back, trans dropped around 130,000 I believe it was.

As for all of the complaints you listed with the VW, I've not yet owned a Ford that didn't need at LEAST half of those done in that time frame as well- not to mention the catalytic failures. The difference is that Ford's are priced better for what you get.

GESM2-This is not your father's Ford, they have really stepped up in quality. I think it was the latest JD Power survey for initial quality that had Ford second only to Toyota with intitial quality.

Back in the late 80's I drove a 25 year old VW Bug and never had a lick of problems. Okay, it didn't have heat and there was a hole in the floor board on the driver side the size of a grapefruit, but that was all minor.

Sadly, Mrs. Perplexed made me get rid of it when we got married. We were living in England and the car was a left hand drive. She has some silly fear about passing at 80 mph when you had to stick half the car into the other lane to see if it was clear.

Although the Ford Cortina was the ugliest car I ever owned and had a zero to 60 mph of about 14 seconds, once up to speed it rode very nicely at 90 mph.

This is the closest I could find, mine was robins egg blue (very manly colour).

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:
they have really stepped up in quality. I think it was the latest JD Power survey for initial quality that had Ford second only to Toyota with intitial quality.

I'm not, by any means, knocking Ford. I have honestly not owned any other make of vehicle. Of course, I'm only on my second car - that I've owned. Ford seems to be all I can afford, anyway, so it works for me. But, I know that out of everyone I know....I don't know a single Civic owner whose car hasn't outlasted their relationships (for lack of a better analogy).

Nice, perplexed! I like the Bugs....they're just not my style.

Well I do a lot of my own maintenance (did anyways, I age) my jetta, beyond what I mentioned, developed a leak at the thermostat- I went to take the housing off and discovered it was a warped plastic thingy with an O ring and had steel studs screwed into the aluminum head (very bad). WOW. studs broke off in the head of course.

I went to the dealer to get new parts and mentioned this BS and the parts guy said, Wow! the lower radiator fitting hasn't leaked? Just wait til that happens!

No more VW for me- plus the parts are a fortune.

GESM: Ford vs. Honda- pretty close in dependability and longevity in this day and age from my informal observation of friends with such cars.

But the original bug and van- brilliant F. Porsche designs though he had to do it under threat from Hitler.