OT: Buying Car Spares

[SteveH]

No, the Bravo family did well in a lease survey because it concentrated on stuff that actually did break. JD power results are based on people thinking it might break.

[Pete M]

Ah, my mistake. As is obvious from my sig, I don't take much notice of these survey things.

[Andy Champ]

If you know a better data source, please let us all know.

Here's an alternate - much more heavily subsetted, to avoid breaching copyright of a subscription service - Which? Magazine say of the Grande Punto (to choose a Fiat at random):

Brand Reliability: Poor Model Reliability: Breakdowns: Acceptable Faults: Very Poor Niggles: Acceptable.

Andy

[SteveH]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ahhh, got that far and knew it was going to be a crock of s**te.

I know lots of people who own, or have owned Alfas - the only person I know to have had issues is RDS.

[Maris]

I had the bad luck to sign up with some outfit calling themselves 'Firstchoice'. I didn't receive anything back from any of their claimed participants (looking for a 999cc Fiat Panda engine) but was charged £1.50 for the receipt, on my mobile, of some spurious pin number to access my 'account'. Just another scam I guess.

Maris

[Clive George]

Who could probably manage to find an unreliable corolla :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They simply collate the results of a survey of members. And also give the numbers of the model quoted.

To get perfect results you'd need to survey every owner of any model - but that's simply not possible. The Which numbers are adequate to give a trend.

I've not seriously disagreed with them about any car I've had personal experience of and I've been a member since shortly after it started. Reading just the headlines you get in the press never gives the full story

- you have to read the whole survey for that.

But when all the various surveys on a model say there are issues with its reliability you can be pretty certain it's so. Doesn't mean it's a car to be avoided at all costs if you purchase with your eyes open.

[SteveH]

One of the issues with Which? is that they blow everything out of all proportion. The other is that their 'members' tend to pick up on and complain about things most people wouldn't notice.

The thing that really gets to me is that a lot of so-called 'faults' are owner / user error. 'My Alfa needed an engine rebuilt' = you didn't check the oil, ever. Blown head gaskets on Fiats are another one (as they are with the Rover K-series) - user error, because they ignored the temp. gauge or carried on driving when the red light told them to stop.

We had an overheating Fiat - but never blew the gasket because Mrs H was sensible enough to pay attention to the warning lights (it was caused by a failed water pump because I'd been too pikey to replace it with the cambelt).

Some surveys would even persuade people not to buy a VW with the VR6 engine - because the camchain can 'let go' - they don't go into the minor detail that a camchain isn't sealed for life and does need some maintenance (new tensioners) and eventual replacement.

A lot of issues, however, are caused by manufacturers trying to appeal to fleet managers with extended service and cambelt intervals. Mostly, people I know with Alfas were fully aware that a 72k change interval was pushing things and had replaced early anyway, for example.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I think you're making the mistake of assuming all people are like yourself and have the same values. To perhaps the majority a car is simply transport and 'Alfa Romeo' values simply ain't important to them while their faults and foibles would annoy greatly. And Which isn't a mag for the enthusiast in *anything* - let alone motoring. It is a *consumer* mag. Which must be doing something right given the number of enthusiast motoring mags that have come and gone during its life.

Why do you expect the average punter to have any mechanical knowledge? Plenty makers produce cars which can run happily between services without ever checking things under the bonnet - that Alfa can't just shows why they are so unpopular in the UK. And why do Rover K series and Fiats lose that coolant causing the problems you mention - other makes don't.

Just as well Mrs H has some savvy, then.;-)

People reading this sort of report want to know what the bid bills may be. Nobody forces them to take notice.

What you're willing to put up with on a 'specialist' vehicle is really not the same as what the average punter may want or tolerate.

[Mike P]

I had two, the Punto especially was spectacularly unreliable. Well built, but unreliable. I would never have another FIAT. I suspect the OP is heading for a headgasket failure if it's "running a bit hot"..

Mike P

[Mike P]

That's true. When I lived out in Greece in the early 90s, I knew quite a few expats with old 'suds and 33s. Dead reliable. Bits fell off, but the main mechanicals were sound.

Mke P

[The Natural Philosopher]

The one qwe ad was reliable to he nth degree as far as the basics went, and never ad any major problems.

It had ultimately a new cambelt and discs, and the clock LCD went dipshit pretty quickly, but that's all. Apart from usual consumables.

[ARWadworth]

Internet breakers yards ask for the reg no as the computer database they use will show them which manufacturer made the particular pump/motor/steering rack etc used on the production line the week the car was made. My local motor spares shop also asks for the reg no for some parts on my van. Is saves the seller and you the cost of the postage/delivery for an incorrect part.

The good old days of popping down to the breakers yard and matching things up have long gone.

Adam

[jim.arnold]

if its a foreign car ain't they all - then there are several specialist importers who provide new bits eg

[Tim S]

spammer reported to [e-mail]

yes, I've had a crap day.

[Clive George]

But that wasn't spam, it was a sensible answer to the question asked.

Maybe a bit late, but not unreasonable.

clive

[Tim S]

Clive George coughed up some electrons that declared:

OH, in that case, I apologise. email retraction sent...

"Better be quiet and thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt"