Frank
Member
The title is slightly misleading, etc.
I was reading this - http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/32951/ford-s-baby-cat-getting-ready-pounce which is a dull article about something that never happened, but what caught my eye was the poll on the right.
What do you want most from your next car?
Poll Status: 2017-01-24 17:00
47% Reliability
11% Build Quality
7% Running Costs
13% Performance
5% Road Handling
5% Ride Quality
3% Ease of Driving
3% Seat Comfort
2% Practicality
3% In-Car Tech
Now, even allowing for the fact that some readers of 'Auto Express' (whatever that is) may well be driving some pretty dull cars, that desire for reliability at 47% is pretty high and unexpected!
Thinking about it, it dawned on me that my Puma is actually the most reliable car I've had. In the 3½ years I've had it, here's the total list of what I've had go wrong with it (list doesn't include normal service items (inc. cambelt) or underbody sealers, cavity waxes, rust inhibitors, etc) -
#1. Nearside window not lowering - Fix: sprayed window seals with silicon spray. Cost: £2.50
#2. Rear wiper and rear screen heater not working. - Fix: sprayed boot hinges with GT85 to rectify poor earth. Cost: £2.50
#4. Tailgate hit me on the back of the head. - Fix: replaced gas boot struts. Cost: £23.00
#5. Hesitation on acceleration around 3,000 rpm. - Fix: sprayed MAF sensor wire with Contact Cleaner. (this was after OBDII diagnosis.) Sprayed throttle body with carb. cleaner Cost: £11.00
#6. Intermittent 'just click' starter problem. - Fix: problem isolated via diagnosis to inhibit starter relay. Replaced with s/hand one. Cost: £3.50
#7. Flat battery after standing problem. - Fix: Diagnosis revealed parasitic drain caused by rear camera screen draining even when not in use (this one is more my fault than a Puma one) Re-routed screen power to 'ignition on' path. Cost: £1.00
I grant you the cost would have been a fair bit more if I had taken it into a garage instead of diagnosing the faults myself, but even so, that's a pretty reliable car if that's all it can throw at me in all that time!
I was reading this - http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/32951/ford-s-baby-cat-getting-ready-pounce which is a dull article about something that never happened, but what caught my eye was the poll on the right.
What do you want most from your next car?
Poll Status: 2017-01-24 17:00
47% Reliability
11% Build Quality
7% Running Costs
13% Performance
5% Road Handling
5% Ride Quality
3% Ease of Driving
3% Seat Comfort
2% Practicality
3% In-Car Tech
Now, even allowing for the fact that some readers of 'Auto Express' (whatever that is) may well be driving some pretty dull cars, that desire for reliability at 47% is pretty high and unexpected!
Thinking about it, it dawned on me that my Puma is actually the most reliable car I've had. In the 3½ years I've had it, here's the total list of what I've had go wrong with it (list doesn't include normal service items (inc. cambelt) or underbody sealers, cavity waxes, rust inhibitors, etc) -
#1. Nearside window not lowering - Fix: sprayed window seals with silicon spray. Cost: £2.50
#2. Rear wiper and rear screen heater not working. - Fix: sprayed boot hinges with GT85 to rectify poor earth. Cost: £2.50
#4. Tailgate hit me on the back of the head. - Fix: replaced gas boot struts. Cost: £23.00
#5. Hesitation on acceleration around 3,000 rpm. - Fix: sprayed MAF sensor wire with Contact Cleaner. (this was after OBDII diagnosis.) Sprayed throttle body with carb. cleaner Cost: £11.00
#6. Intermittent 'just click' starter problem. - Fix: problem isolated via diagnosis to inhibit starter relay. Replaced with s/hand one. Cost: £3.50
#7. Flat battery after standing problem. - Fix: Diagnosis revealed parasitic drain caused by rear camera screen draining even when not in use (this one is more my fault than a Puma one) Re-routed screen power to 'ignition on' path. Cost: £1.00
I grant you the cost would have been a fair bit more if I had taken it into a garage instead of diagnosing the faults myself, but even so, that's a pretty reliable car if that's all it can throw at me in all that time!