Car
I'm a bit of a car lover (no, not in that way), and for my 20th birthday (last year) I thought I'd treat myself to a new car as my Clio was getting to be a bit of an eyesore. Plus, I wanted to impress the laydees with a swish new car that looked better than an oversized bubble with a massive scratch on the passenger door. I'd always wanted an MG ZR (don't judge me), as it's nippy, looks fairly decent and is really quite fun to drive. For a 20 year old, anyway.

So, I bought one. A 54 reg in Silver. I was delighted, and couldn't wait to drive it after my much needed 2 week holiday. Fast forward 2 weeks and I was ready for the maiden voyage to work. It was great, I could actually overtake people without rocking backwards and forwards for that extra motion, I didn't have to slam it down 2 gears to overtake, and it took corners like a beaut.

This was, until, it decided it didn't want to change gears. Yep, not at all. And it was in the best place ever to decide this - half way up a cocking hill, in the middle of the cocking road. Brilliant. I always enjoy sitting on my arse in the middle of the road, with a queue of angry motorists behind me. I eventually called the AA out who diagnosed it with 'clutch cable broken'. He fixed it temporarily and I was away. I took it to the garage the following day and got it replaced. Sorted!

Or so I thought.

The next day I couldn't actually reverse off my drive. Brilliant. Cue another call to the AA (definitely making the most of my monthly fee) to take another inspection. This time, however, it turns out the clutch arm (don't know the exact name) was actually broken. Yep, the massive thick, metal arm was practically bent 90 degrees. Off to the garage it went.

£400 later (gulp) it was fixed. Not happy seeing as I had already shelled out £2800 to pay for the damn car.

6 months in advance and I was just driving back from York with a friend, and noticed a bit of steam from coming out of my hood. I pulled over straight away and did a typical man thing and pop the hood and make it look like I knew what I was doing. I didn't have a fudging clue, but noticed the anti-freeze was all gone and the cap was not to be seen. Wonderful. Eventually I had to pay £150 to get my car back home as I was in Sheffield and the AA man didn't have an anti-freeze cap on him (that fitted my car). I was very fotunate in this case as all I needed was a cap, if I didn't pull over as quick as I did, my head gasket may have blown = more money to fix it.

Few months ago, my spark plugs went. 2 of them, to be exact. Luckily, lots of driving at high revs & speed fixed this over a day or so. Still, I replaced them to be sure.

The other week, my exhaust started blowing. Had to pay for that to get it fixed.

Praying that nothing else goes wrong before I buy another car (quite swiftly) after new year.

Soz for length etc. etc.
(Young Blood wasting 30 seconds of your time on, Thu 30 Sep 2010, 16:56, 15 replies)

One word: Rover
That should have given you a clue. They were thrown together, in-between strikes, by Brummie communists. (According to Jeremy Clarkson)
Either way, anyone I've known who's ever owned a Rover has had cause to regret it.
( Snappyuk gets BIGGER with free sample., Thu 30 Sep 2010, 17:24, closed)

Princess Grace of Monaco
Is a famous case in point.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Thu 30 Sep 2010, 17:34, closed)

,
Yeah, I know :( Poorly built + it feels every bump in the road = lots of rattling and shaking. I can handle it for a few more months. Dad keeps on telling me to get a new car as well.

207 GTi? Oh, go on then. I hope I don't get shocked by the typical poor French electrics though.
(Young Blood wasting 30 seconds of your time on, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 9:31, closed)

when it comes to buying cars
buy german or japanese. don't buy french fluff
(phe, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 14:12, closed)

Seconded.
French cars == cancer.

I've only had a couple, but they've been right lemons. The Peugeot (sp?) I had failed disastrously and expensively on the A1(m). I've heard more people moaning about Renault Meganes than any other car - including the fucking Ford Focus.

Can't go wrong with Asian cars. Nicely built, very well equipped for the price and pretty economical to fix. German stuff has better build quality, but can be expensive to repair and seems a bit thirstier, overall.
(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_ =o.o=, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 19:42, closed)

One word: Bonnet

( Richard Shitheels, Thu 30 Sep 2010, 18:38, closed)

He could have meant the place that he and his Rover-owning homies hang out

( Snappyuk gets BIGGER with free sample., Thu 30 Sep 2010, 20:31, closed)

Cars, all cars are money pits
However, in my opinion, Jap cars are by far the most reliable.

I had a toyota corolla 1.3 with 140,000 miles that had been neglected by its previous owner. i serviced the engine and removed less than 200ml engine oil.

Still it ran perfect until i was showing off by drifting in snow and went sideways into a kerb
(Frample Tromwibbler climbs an obstacle like old people fuck, Thu 30 Sep 2010, 21:48, closed)

Considering buying
a brand new car when I get back home [~3 years]

Just because it has warranty.

I'm not taking a loan out to buy one either. You lose money on interest AND devaluation. However, working in I.T. I could claim this...if theres multiple customers/branches I drive out to
(lemonadegame, Thu 30 Sep 2010, 23:29, closed)

The hugely higher price
will be far more than you'd ever spend during your warranty period - buying cars new is a total and utter waste of money.

Get a two/three year old ex business fleet or mobility scheme car, they're all very well serviced, survived the "die if it's a lemon" period, and they're half the price of a new one.

Don't touch ex-hire cars, mind.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 0:12, closed)

I had an 827Sli V6
Cracking car and fast as fuck! (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3XOU7UW5zU)

It was a Honda engine under the hood so that probably explains the reliability...
(Kip, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 8:13, closed)

I had a 2 litre Vitesse
the 800 size one with a Rover 'T' series turbocharged engine. It's almost the fastest thing I've ever been in that wasn't leaving a runway. I had somewhere over 140 from it one night coming back from watching a Newcastle match. Thirsty fucker though...

Best car I ever had was a Renault, worst car I ever had was a Renault. and the car I owned for the shortest time ever (wrote it off in less than 40 minutes) was a Renault.
( His Popiness the Hole Invaded Poland on, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 23:32, closed)

Get rid of it...
...sharpish.

Anything that came out of MG Rover is a heap of shit.

One colleague has an MG TF, head gasket went on it after 30,000 miles. His missus has a Rover 25, head gasket just went on that. Another colleague has a TF, head gasket went.

My wife has a Rover Streetwise, keep having to top the coolant up, been advised the head gasket is on the way out, only 48,000 on the clock.

You're looking at £600 if that goes, and really it's unheard of on pretty much all modern engines. Buy German or Japanese, they know how to build things.
( Draconacticus Reject shampoo. Demand real poo!, Fri 1 Oct 2010, 16:44, closed)

I had a Nissan Patrol (1893 Petrol) when I was in Oz. It looked like a total heap and sounded like one too. Never broke down and I even took it to Fraser Island for a dam good thrashing! It was the sort of truck you could fix with a hammer and a screwdriver!

picasaweb.google.com.au/richard.weaver777/OzPics#5424640645345286914

I now have a Ford Maverick (which is like a UK version of the Partol).
(RJWEcology is just sharpening his axe on, Sun 3 Oct 2010, 7:41, closed)

I guess you've now figured out
Why MG ZR owners are liable to be judged?

Flog it in Birmingham, they still seem to love 'em there. Source: 18 months multi-drop driving in Brum, MG Rovers everywhere.

Then buy something German or Japanese and be amazed at its continued keeps-going-and-doesn't-fall-to-bits-ness.
(WillI'mNot logs in twice a year, every year, Sun 3 Oct 2010, 23:50, closed)