(09-04-2024, 02:31 PM)Raptured Wrote: regarding that "worst SUVs of 2024" video, they should have added a a BMW X1 to that list. We had one as a rental for a week this summer (2024 model) and you couldn't pay me to drive one daily. Talk about crappy user experience. The instrumentation was all digital and I'm guessing they had some hack-shop in Bangalor do the design and programming. Words do not even begin to describe how distracting doing simple things like changing the AC temperature was. No knobs means you're staring at a screen that is not uniform in dialogs in any way. Driver preferences that get set do not get retained on the next session so simple things like "stopped-motion engine shutoff" need to be set each time you drive. My VW has a biutton to accomplish this.
Connecting a phone to the system? About a 4 minute process. Android Aiuto? You have to dig through about 3 screens to find it. Again, no 2 screens use the same layout.
I can't believe people pay what they pay to drive these cars.
They're pretty much all like this now, from what I have seen. My newer car with the tablet dash does all the same shit. Most annoying things:
- If you enter a GPS route to somewhere, it uses a separate speaker in the center of the dash and for some reason, it ALWAYS turns this thing down to 2 bars so it can't be heard and has to be turned up every.single.time.you.use.it.
- Lots of the features on the touch screen are not only pointless, but buried in menus to the point of distraction. Oh, and certain things like turning up the GPS lady - oh yeah, can't do that unless you completely park the car. Spend 10 minutes flipping through Sirius-XM stations while driving? Perfectly ok.
- Console totally freaks out whenever my partner's phone is connected via Bluetooth. Just completely random button presses and whatnot. Only ever does it when that phone is in the car and connected to bluetooth, even if nobody is touching it. Works fine with my phone, although I rarely connect it.
Recently had a main battery on the way out. Instead of giving a battery light or service indicator like any normal vehicle, the computer on this thing totally freaks out and throws loads of completely random and seemingly unrelated failure messages. Telling me brakes and power steering aren't working when they obviously are, etc etc.
Also, if you use the driving assist features, this vehicle HATES crosswalks. You can be going 55 on a multi-lane highway with lights on it and as soon as you speed towards a crosswalk on a green this thing will NAIL the brakes.
I was just at the dealer last week and told them what a lemon I think this car is. I want them to take it back.
(09-04-2024, 06:47 PM)CCoburn Wrote: The 'new' brand. I only buy used cars with maybe a 100k miles or so. I have like a handful of preferences – mainly performance and aesthetics.
I recall the last time I was shopping and thinking that those pointed Camaro front ends are ugly, so I likely wouldn't buy one of those. I was leaning towards a 400HP BMW at one point but was hearing a little that maintenance was a bitch, and that particular car would've needed a little work, plus the guy selling it acted like he was hiding something because he kept dancing around inquiries. I didn't really care much for that brownish interior either.
I think with me, it's more about what I will buy(with requirements satisfied), than "what I won't buy".
BMWs are wonderful to drive when fully working. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they are a maintenance nightmare - actually fairly reliable compared to other luxury vehicles - but put it this way... "it's a labor of love" to own one.
(09-04-2024, 06:59 PM)argentus Wrote: I have seen so many Fords down here die prematurely. It ain't right. American made should shine. I hope for it to again shine in the future.
Two anachronisms I've heard here in the states:
"Found On Road Dead"
"Fix Or Repair Daily"
I would agree, American cars are high maintenance after ~120K Miles. I've known more than one person with a bought from new Ford that died under 100K. I won't vouch for their maintenance history, though.
(09-06-2024, 08:02 AM)FlyingClayDisk Wrote: I don't know if it's necessarily a "brand" I would never buy again, but one vehicle I will never, ever, ever, EVAR, own again is an Audi "A" series with the air suspension!! NEVER...EVER!!
We have an Audi A8-L and we've had nothing but issues with the air suspension on this car. Worse, when the air suspension goes out, you absolutely can NOT drive the car (AT ALL)! It basically sits the entire vehicle all the way down on the frame, and it's so low a wrecker can't even get underneath it to tow it. It is the biggest, royal, PITA I can even imagine on a car. If you get stranded, you can't even get rescued. If the damn thing didn't cost so much money...I'd probably blow it up!
GRRRRRRRR!!!
It's been parked for over a year now because of this. Every time I've sent it in to be repaired (3 times so far) it has cost anywhere from $3k to $6k to get it fixed!
NEVER AGAIN!!
Dig under it and jack it up. I just had to do this with the new lemon that blew another factory tire out the sidewall at 60MPH.
Air suspension is a problem on every vehicle its installed on. I had a Lincoln Mark VII with the fluoroscope lights and air suspension and while the car was extremely quite, comfortable, and a pleasure to drive, the air suspension was always a problem.
I fixed that with an aftermarket suspension kit. Ripped out all the air bags and put a normal suspension back in. Is it "sporty-er" than with an air-ride? You bet. Its not too bad, though. Suspension is still pretty soft and handles better.
Cars I would avoid at all costs:
- Anything English
- Anything Italian
- Anything French
I would avoid most American CARS. Americans make decent TRUCKS, but not cars. We make nice looking cars, though.
If you want to buy an American truck... Chevy/GM is more reliable than Ford.
Ford builds a solid and possibly tougher chassis than GM, but the engines do not last as long, in general. Expect to be changing the engine before the vehicle is actually "done."
For American cars, at least in the US, parts are CHEAP.
I would avoid a Kia or Hyundai unless had very cheaply. They are not necessarily "bad" cars, but they are built to a price-point and lifespan of roughly 100K Mi and then they're scrap. Kias are known for piston ring wear and burning lots of oil in old age. Hyundais are known for blowing transmissions before 60K and lately, motors too.
Chrysler doesn't have a good track record in general. Neither does Cadillac and Pontiac. All owned by GM but all original Chrysler brands. I've seen lots of these run to 200K miles, but literally everything else on the car will break after 100K and I mean _everything_.
But really... if you don't want to drive yourself crazy... NO Iso-Rivolta, NO Alfa-Romeo, NO Fiat, NO Lambo, NO Maserati... and also NO MGs and NO pre-BMW Minis!(and even the post BMW minis aren't that great!) Edit, thought about it... also NO Citroen, NO Renault.... Peugeot.. maybe a diesel.
