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Hi John, You had me with the o-light headlight, I bought one and yes it's bright, the battery lasts a roolly long time it's functional and if you are walking in the opposite direction a welding screen / visor is advisable. One frustration I have is that as I move in close proximity to the underside or the interior of a vehicle the light brightness continually changes from quite dim to OMG, to rectify this I then have to wave my hand in front of the light to get the right brightness back. Sometimes in the location I am in this is quite difficult and inconvenient, first world problem I know. Great vid, Got a Kia and a Land Cruiser, phew, dodged that bullet..........
boo hoo to you..John. my darling dad had 4 VW they were his pride and joy.. Mum's shopping went into the back, so did the grand kids. The last one he sold for more money than he paid for... Keep in mind these were the retro VW beetles..the pride of the Germans. 🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
@@castaway720 they're falling sales, looking increasingly likely they will pull out of Aus, and then good luck with servicing + repairs and warranties. still reliable cars I agree but if you spend $30K and something breaks after a year you want the security of the dealer network.
I drive a Citroen and I am not worried for 3 reasons. 1. I bought it used limiting the loss if it goes poopy. 2. I have a readily available independent Citroen mechanic 3. I also have a Corolla.
I don't know much about Volvo these days but thinking back to the Platform sharing days of the Mazda 3/Ford Focus and the V50/S40 Volvos unless you need the so called Prestige of Sweden Buy the Mazda at half the price.I was going through the receipt of the 3 Maxx Sport BK I have now.it's depreciated 30% since new 2008 model.Basically the same car take away the styling and the badges and the fact mine is a hatch as opposed to the Estates Volvo did at the time.Hardly much goes wrong.I know the BL model series is the same as well.so why would you buy a Swedish Money pit.
Let me warm your hearts with a good customer service story. I recently acquired an MY22 GLS Triton. Has been great and given me no issues. That is until one fateful day my shitbox dying mobile phone had its battery crap out while it was connected to Android auto by the USB cable. This unfortunately shorted the head unit resulting in the circuit controlling the reverse camera being fried. So no more reverse camera. I took it to my local dealership who, despite the problem technically being my fault, organised a replacement head unit under warranty without hesitation.
My Dad had a fleet of tritons for a few years one of them was in for a service, they where test driving it after, Felt a slight crunch on thrid gear (that the usual driver hadn't noticed) and they put a new gearbox in under warentee no questions asked.
I think customer service has less to do with the brand and more to do with the general lack of customer service in Australia. Whether you are buying a coffee or a house, you are always barely tolerated by the person taking your money.
That would be due to the manager showing them Customers are just bodies with money. Mine at a staff meeting in a corporation would say" just charge them , call centre will sort it out IF they ring up" . The whole company is now seen worst than car salesman
I find the average customer service interaction to be very good on average. We just lack the boot licking fake adoration you find in places like the USA.
@@EddyTeetree I'd say you were lucky, unless you have owned older ones from back when they Could make a decent car. Owned several 300D and the like. VERY slow, very heavy but EXTREMELY reliable. Only down side (apart from speed) was absolute nightmare to work on.
I agree! I own a 1989 LS400 Lexus (Its actually a JDM Celsior, but its the same thing just with the Toyota badge). I've owned it for about 5 years, still runs like a dream. I had to replace the battery, the alternator and the plugs but nothing else under the bonnet. I've also replaced the front tie rod ends and tyres and other than fluid changes, that the sum total of all the work/maintenance I have had to do to it in the 5 years I've owned it. It has never left me stranded, it does not leak any fluids and other than paintwork (clear coat pealing off) that's it! It seriously still runs like a new one. Still extremely smooth running with good smooth gear changes. No noticeable drop in power and its it still feels tight on the road. I didn't really know much about Lexus before I purchased this car, but for a daily driver from now on, I will always have a Lexus. At 33 years old, it now qualifies as a Classic Car and I'm about to register it as such, put it up on blocks and keep it as an investment. No need to ask what car I will be replacing it with. I'm looking for an 2013 LS460. Hello from Australia, where we seem to pay a premium on everything :(
My VW turbo lost oodles of power during year 2 of ownership, VW said "nothing wrong with it"... after three visits to the dealer. At the end of the 3rd year Warranty I took it to an independent, who said the waste-gate had fallen off the turbo. I went back to VW and told them the problem, they said, "it's out of Warranty, go away". I paid the independent to put another turbo on. And that is what you can expect from Germany. I would sooner lower my testes into a blender than buy another car from VW.
My sister's 2015 Golf (with the worst clutch on earth) just had its turbo replaced ($3700 all-in). I warned her to not get VW, as I've had my go with their awful cars. I will not own a car outside of full warranty unless I absolutely must. In '95, bought a new Honda Accord & after 7 yrs & 220,000 kms in a harsh, stored-outdoors Canadian life, it didn't have ONE SINGLE PROBLEM. Not a single thing other than routine maintenance. If I can get that kind of reliability from a car built almost 30yrs ago, what's the excuse car makers are using these days? Reliability is why I'm welcoming the EV market with open arms. I'm well aware of the cosmetic issues that Tesla et al have been dealing with, but getting rid of the myriad moving, grinding, wearing parts of the internal combustion engine & transmissions is such a glorious revolution. The thousands & thousands I (and all of you?) have poured down the throat of some horrible vehicles over the years, the things denied due to being fleeced by creative excuses, "what's that light mean?" excursions & substandard build quality - I want to tell each & every brand to kiss my tailpipe. I'll never lower myself to buy a GM, Dodge or Ford vehicle again but that doesn't mean I don't know that Germany's been defecating some of the worst vehicles since the Plymouth Sundance, yet they somehow think we'll be impressed somehow that a car is German..
I;ve had my GMW Ute Cannon X for nearly a year now and while isn't any guide to long term reliability in any way, it has been excellent in that time. We've been to up and down the coast, central Queensland and to the shops pulling a 1 tonne soft floor camper (not the biggest trailer in the world!) and it hasn't skipped a beat. The gearbox is excellent and the comfort makes all the difference on long journeys. My interactions with the dealer have been positive and proactive, for example they called me to ask if I wanted to delay my second service as parts were close to landing for the 5 star ANCAP upgrade. It's nice being looked after like that!
@@christopherholden2704I owned a Ford for over a year, but my first year was filled with putrid service, lazy customer service and continuous issues. 8 times back to the dealer and still no fix. In 12 months. So YES, even ONE DAY is a review worthy if a customer has reached other areas of the customer experience process based on individual circumstances
@@macfin4862 Really good - I drove from Cairns to Fraser Island with a camper trailer and it got through Inskip, the road to Lake McKenzie and the up to Champagne Rocks no worries. Oh and it made it all the way back home too :) The only things I wish it had was a lower angled foot rest, a longer seat cushion, and ventilated seats as I'm quite tall. Most cars suffer these issues though.
As a former Peugeot owner I will second that comment about low volume brands and terrible parts inventory and the multi franchised dealer service having no clue or interest to fix basic faults. The car spent a total of 6 months off the road waiting for parts from France, after I found a specialist (who knew what to do, but couldn't do it under warranty, but still cheaper than multiple dealer misdiagnoses).
Should've gone to the specialist immediately if you don't have a local standalone/2-brand dealership which is quite common in the case of Renault, which also provides extra support to their own in-dealership technicians. There are dedicated independent French car specialists in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
@@rossgarner58 A friend of mine found out the hard way that the windscreen on the Ford Ranger costs $3500!!! any car with rain sensing wipers or forward collision prevention cameras will cost well north of $1000, that Peugeot windscreen price is pretty reasonable if it had rain sensing wipers (my my2008 Citroen does)
As a current Citroen owner, parts and after sales service from the dealership is terrible, 100% agree, my cars never went near the dealership after the 1000km service and, I have 2 Citroens (my2008 and my2015 both from new) both are diesel and have been the most reliable cars i've owned (more reliable than Toyota, Daihatsu or Mazda) so the ownership experience is actually very good if you know a good french car mechanic and avoid the dealership (which I'll admit is not for the average car owner, but something I'd recommend for any brand and something that should be promoted).
I'm one of those VW owners in the first category. Though in my defence, I bought mine prior to Dieselgate and the first thing I say to anyone asking me about which car they should buy is "do as I say, not as I do".
That's a bit harsh, my new Grand Cherokee has only blown the engine once. And the excellent service put a new engine in over 2 months. I was lucky with the excellent service supplied me with a heap of shit to limp round in.
I'm an independent mechanic specialising in European but I still repair and service all makes and models. In the last 4 years, I've seen more and more new car buyers completely abandoning their dealer for servicing/wear and tear parts replacement. They only return to the dealer for warranty issues. I'm not complaining, it's been good for my business. Surely, manufacturers and dealers are aware of this and they really don't seem to care.
Sounds familiar. I've done 50,000 ks in my Mazda CX-5 and it has not been back to the dealer once. I have a reliable, trustworthy, independent mechanic who I trust and know my services are performed properly and with care.
I purchased a 2017 Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic SDV8. I ordered it from the dealership and picked it up 3 months later when it arrived from England. It came with a Three Year warranty and 5 years free servicing. The dealership, Duncan & Ebbett Hamilton NZ have looked after me every step of the way. When there was an oil leak in the twin turbos they drove two and a half hours from Hamilton to Whitianga where I live with a replacement vehicle on a truck and took my vehicle away where it was repaired, 2 new turbo chargers and then they dropped it back off to me. A couple of other minor matters like the soft door close not working on the drivers door were also fixed with no issues. Best service I have ever had so I will be replacing this vehicle later this year with the New Model RR Sport. A real shame they no longer have the SDV8 as an option. On a trip I get over a 1000k's to a tank of diesel. When I take it for it's annual service they provide me with real coffee and a loan car if I need it. The coffees can be continuous. I would find it difficult to change after getting this excellent service. I have driven it to Wellington twice. This is a six hourish journey and I felt as good when I got there as when I left home. Stunning to drive with immense power and cornering ability even in the wet.
To be fair, when you are able to afford a high end luxury vehicle like that, you will receive a far better and higher level of service (like you have) than someone that can afford a vehicle at the lower end of the market. After all, the dealer has a far better chance of you returning as a customer when you are ready to drop some more serious coin.
2 turbochargers Already! Lol, geez the only part that’s failed on my Toyota Land Cruiser was one front wheel bearing at 360,000 K’s that we’ve had since new, now that’s Reliability!
@@jamesgovett2501 That must make you feel good. I test drove the Landcruiser 200VX Ltd before I decided to purchase the Rangie. It wasn't as good as my 3.2l Pajero Exceed that at that stage had done 190k trouble free miles.I couldn't justify upgrading. The point I was making is that when something went wrong the dealer didn't quibble. Just fixed it with a flourish.
@@petermacgregor2004 Toyota's are built for endurance Peter,under powered,dated design ,technology borrowed from 1972(Range Rover),their owners endure driving their tractors,while you enjoy your Range Rover,yet another Toynota recall today,still living on that 1980s,90s reputation🤣
Just out of interest where do you drive a 1000 kms in NZ? Surely it has to be there and back again for most journeys. I guess if you do both Islands from tip to tip it’s about 1500km but that ferry trip looks daunting if you get a storm. I’m going to have to go to NZ and do a road trip I think.
I was at a VW dealer recently, where the lovely young flame haired hottie was explaining the cost of diagnosis to a VW owner. The exorbitant hourly rate was mentioned and it was made clear that even if only half an hour was required, a full hour would still be charged.
My local VW/Audi dealer charges NZ$20 an hour more to work on a VAG vehicle than their other brands (Hyundai, Kia, and what remains of Holden), despite it being the same mechanics doing the work in the same workshop with the same resources. Go figure.
@@onecookieboy Labor rates in multi franchise dealers are different between the brands to reflect the different cost's associated with each make. The diagnostic equipment for a start may be 20k a year for one brand and 15k for another not to mention the plethora of mandatory special tools that must be purchased with every new product release. It all needs to be paid for.
After watching your videos for the last 4 years I have learnt purchasing a car is a long term investment and you want a brand that looks after you, after the point of sale. We are lucky in Australia we have a high level of consumer protections, and it is unfortunate some brands refuse to follow this.
I was bemused in the early 2010's when my wife's new Audi A4 Quattro was delivered with a complimentary litre of engine oil sitting in a tailored container in the boot. With "prestige" brands you normally only get a branded umbrella and maybe a cooler bag, but oil? We soon found out why, each fuel refuel also required a litre of oil top up. My wife complained at a number of services, but was fobbed off with "It's still bedding in.", "High performance engines........", etc. Finally, I took the car in, called their bull**** for what it was and found out it was a known fault and there was a manufacturer's fix for the problem. That involved installing new piston rings, so it was a substantial cost to them and apparently only given to those customers who complained loudly enough.
Had similar with the wife’s Jetta new rings before first service,the car still has issues,but just have to live with it and hopefully one of the local rats will steal it
I think it also helps that we have the internet and forums and people all around the world will describe the same fault. that's how you know it's not just you and your imagination and the dealer's gaslighting.
maybe executives re-directed R&D money from ICE to electric power train department, and we should expect new electric models competing with Tesla Model 3?
@@ireneuszpyc6684 Legacy companies have been wrong-footed by the speed of change and are going to get eaten by new players, unless they adapt right now. Given the price of fuel, it hurts to see a Tesla paying f-all in comparison driving past, quickly!
@@fknid Agreed. All cars look the same these days. When I was a kid I could name models from hundreds of metres away just from a tail light or a head light, or a profile, or the shape of a wheel arch. Now I can’t tell you until I am close enough to see the badge.
My first car was voted RACQ lemon of the year, and it was! I broke every nail I had replacing the starter motor and alternator every other month, had to replace the diff and rewire it entirely! These were the days when electronics weren’t a concern.
I love my old Mercedes 1998 AMG. M113 engine with the 5 speed auto. No air suspension too. E55 W210 prefacelift. It's not as fast as the new ones of course, but no crabbing and other such issues. Back when they were bulletproofish.
I bought a Ford Ranger from a country dealer, 100km away from where I live. In order to get it serviced, they drop off a car (free of charge) to my place, pick up the Ranger and repeat the process. I organised this prior to purchase. They have honoured the arrangement
GradeSix Rapidsonly, im reading your comment and thinking 'wow, thats better support then they gave us at Mazda with the BT-50'. They legit gave us the bare minimum of a workshop manual.... Its easier to pull stuff apart for the sake of it then using that manual. Though cant complain, their 2.2L with an Auto gives us plenty of work. When it comes on on a tow truck its either the transmission is dead, flex plate has sheered off torque converter bolts or the engine has died.
Spot on! All of the issues above leads back to one root cause - People. I was in manufacture for long time in Australia and lucky enough to work in Southeast Asian in manufacturing on/off production line first hand. Managing people to do the right thing towards goals are the hardest thing to do. Good luck to us all. Great informations always, keep it up.
I once told a Skoda (not dealer) after service survey followup by phone, that ludicrous service cost was the reason I wouldn't buy another Skoda. Don't get me wrong, it's been a brilliant car, but service is part of ownership. This particular instance was tailgate strut replacement. It was 5 years, so not unreasonable and I'd have been happy to pay some reasonable price padding but the quote was over $400. I declined in favour of DIY and a week shipping and 5 minutes work later replacements from the UK were in for $85 incl shipping. They lasted 6 years so I didn't even bother asking Skoda this time. But back to the phone call, the fellow was polite and empathetic but basically the facts just made him uncomfortable. There's no doubt that the manufacturer is only interested up to the point of sale.
Except for Honda which have double acting seals..the seals on most struts are to keep the gas in...and over time the gas leaks out. Therefore they can be recharged with nitrogen...just place them in a sealed steel tube with a nitrogen inlet and a pressure gauge. Fill the tube up to X pressure (depending on the application) and the gas goes past the seals and into the strut. Release the pressure from the steel capped tube and take the strut out...fully regassed to spec. Job done for another 5 years....
@@jonathansimmons5353 Yep, it all goes thru Volkswagen Australia Head Office, so unfortunately no matter how good the cars are (forgetting the crap 7-spd DSGs of the 2008-2015 era) Skoda in this country is tainted by it's parent company, so for every happy owner out there (and I'm one of them) there's going to be others who will write the brand off.
@@aHumanCookiee oh I follow several, dude. He just seems like the kinda guy that cranky, middle-aged talk-back radio listeners like. He may have had legitimate points to make, but it’s buried in manufactured, arrogant schtick that’s obnoxious.
All these people out to save a buck on these LDV and Sangyong 's etc , loaded with all the bells and whistles think they are a step ahead in smartness over other people until the bells stop ringing and the whistles turn into the big bang theory. You just have to shake your head and laugh. And let's not talk about safety, which includes you Jeep Wranger .
I shake my head at every customer that brings in a Chinese made Ute for a service or repairs What’s wrong with a secondhand hand hilux or a new triton? Just off the resale alone the decision couldn’t be more clear
yep they're cheap for a reason. It will be interesting how good MG are with their 7 year warranty. No guarantee they will even be around then. Would never, ever buy a Chinese car because the money ultimately goes to the CCP. If budget is the reason for buying a Chinese car- don't do it, Buy anything else used and you will be better off.
@@allomony4010 I really wish MG hadn’t sold the name rights to China You’ll be surprised how many people think it’s the same British brand just built in China
If you’re really silly enough to fall for one of these S-t heaps … You should be prepared for total loss.. When it eventually goes poopy in its dacks Walk away no more to pay 💰
Maybe you are assuming every other brand is reliable. Expensive mistake that is. Also people have lost interest in legacy auto makers and want something different. Resale after 5 or 7 years is only 1 part of the equation. Do the emerging brands also LOOK better. ???????
Suzuki is a very reliable brand according to numerous uk surveys and is a favourite brand of the great James May formerly of topgear . Surprised to see it on this list.
A work colleague has had the local ford dealer/ford head office agree to replace his ranger so there is at least one dealer who knows what customer service is. Also surprised toyota did not get their consumer penalty mentioned again when it was mentioned in an earlier video.
To be fair, John, the current SsangYong Musso, has been proven not to be a "lemon," despite the uncertainties surrounding the company. Encouraged by your favourable review of the Rexton (later recanted due to the corporate troubles), I've been a satisfied owner of a Musso for the past year, and I'm looking forward to many more...
Great video, as per usual. You should consider doing a good car company video. In Germany the car company who has the most satisfied customers/owners, in all facets of dealing, for the past 6 years is Hyundai, according to ADAC (RACV /NNRMA equivalent). That is not a bad effort considering that the Germans are totally patriotic to their brands.
Hope the part about torches was tongue in cheek Paul, was it the first 3 mins of the video or the second section 5 mins later on his torch promo you found enlightening.
I have only bought Subaru's (Forester) and Hyundai's (Santa Fe) over the last 20 years and can say the service on both has been fantastic. Both have completed warranty work regardless of the reason for the issue, Hyundai even after the warranty had expired because it was a known issue.
Overall very happy with my purchase of a 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid SL. The car is extremely smooth and quiet to drive and dealer experience was good. Bank vault Japanese built quality (better than the ones that used to built in Vic) Getting 4-5l per 100km and it has plenty of torque.
I had a 1999 V6 Camry for a while. Very pleasant to drive with a potent 3.0L V6. Power to weight ratio very good with quite light body weight. Plenty of get up and go.
A recurring theme here seems to be as much the standard of customer service in Australia, and the size of the Oz market, alongside the problems of any particular brand. Sadly as the Australian market becomes less and less attractive to smaller volume ( in Oz) carmakers, those brands that remain will heve less and less incentive to up their game on the customer service front. I get the impression australian importers mostly take the view that an occasional court case is cheaper than keeping all the people happy all the time.
You are right. It is not just cars. The Oz market is just too small to bother the multinationals much. The deal is that if you are willing to pay crazy prices and put up with shit service then we will deign to send our product to you suckers in Treasure Island. But the minute it becomes difficult (like now) we will pull the plug and leave you high and dry.
You are spot on with LDV. I bought a G10plus from a local Port Macquarie dealer. Within 7 weeks was back to dealer 3 times on 3rd time Gearbox warning light came on car wouldnt start and was unable to put it into neutral to move it out of a driveway. Dealer and LDV wont supply me with a loan vehicle and so had to hire a vehicle. My advice, dont buy and LDV and stay away from the Port Macquarie dealership as they wont look at it for 4 weeks and dont stock parts.
Bought a Ssangyong Musso top of the range 12 months ago, 16000km. Haven't had one issue, drives like a dream. Amazing off road ability for the price. Wouldn't touch the Chinese brands and they were very ordinary compared to the Musso. Looking at a Hyundai N next for some fun performance.
I always imagine the engineering meetings at Fiat Chrysler just involves a man smoking a cigar, looking at the technical briefs and going "too reliable, make it more prone to catching fire or something exciting"
@@glennkeppel9836 I was looking at one and was this close around the time just after I got the call from the insurance company the 2017 Holden Spark I had thanks to some truck ramming into me on my way to work it's a write off and total loss to call macquarie leasing to getting a new deal for a Bambino Fiat,I went to look at one initially in an accident replacement vehicle Astra R.Solitaire Eastwood had one coming and I was keen but I decided with insurance payout money opted for a second hand BK series 2 2008 3 Mazda Maxx Sport Automatic and Alarm for 30% of the price as I needed a car urgently.As much as I would have loved Fiat I dodged a Bullet.
I have been happy with my Skoda Octavia RS Wagon that I've had since 2016. At the time this particular model accounted for HALF of all the vehicles that Skoda sold in Aus. The sweet spot of price to performance and features was unmatched in the market at the time. Problem is that now I'm looking around for a new car to suit an expanded family and the inflation on the price at Skoda has shifted the sweet spot. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as always, but the features on the top model Koreans are equal, price is better, maintenance is more reasonable (98RON and 225/35/R19s are a killer in 2022). Even if you can get past the VW elephant in the room, the plucky younger sibling that had raided the VW spare parts bin and bolted it together with some bold styling compared to the conservative older brothers just doesn't exist anymore. I'm not shocked at all to see their sales fall off a cliff recently, and my dollarydoos will be going elsewhere.
I've had my RS wagon since 2010 and it's been faultless (yes, it's a DSG) and I'd happily buy another one if they weren't now $60k plus! But the whole market has shifted, look around and you just can't buy a quality car with the space and performance of the Octavia RS for under $50k anymore, those days are gone. Every brand will have lemons leave the factory, cars are complicated, but it's definitely how the customer is treated when faults emerge that can make or break a brand's reputation.
I love it when John rips in to VeeDubs and 3 prong. Its hard to disagree when my i30n is mildly less touched with bells than a CLA200.. But i get a shit load more car for my money.
People who want a CLA200 typically don't cross shop with Hyundais. i30n is for people who want a pocket rocket, whereas CLA buyers want to flex on their neighbour or colleague
Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, BMW, Lexus. Choose these brands, and you won't need to watch the video. All jokes aside... Great article, John. PS. I've have 4 Jeeps and they have been great. However, my next will be a Sorrento/ Santa Fe
Gee we must be very, very lucky, over the years we have owned 7 Volkswagen Group cars, currently a Polo and Skoda Superb. No problems with any of them, love VW and the service we get at the dealer at Botany. In between owned a Hyundai Santa Fe, after 3 years the entire drivetrain packed it in fortunately under warranty, back to VW for me. If VW are lemons they taste very sweet!
Next door neighbours daughter had a vw golf. Was logbook serviced by vw its entire life, spun a bearing less than 100,000km on the clock and vw wouldn't come to the party. Everyone's mileage varies.
Local Caltex messed up and put diesel in their petrol tanks. I put what I thought was 98 in the 5 year old Polo GTI I bought from them. It died, VW dealership repaired it under warranty. Great customer service. Would buy another GTI tomorrow if I could.
Abarth is the brand to beat. My 2011 model has been super reliable and makes much music when spanked. It has all the modern tech like wheels & windows, showing it can satisfy on many levels like a lift in a brothel.
You're right John. There are far too many low volume makers in Australia. I have no idea how most of them survive. Many will need to exit the country in the next 5-10 years.
Lots of LDV commercial vehicles here in Shitsville East. People seem to love them, possibly because they don't drive them through the surf like our western cousins.
Agree. I’d add Nissan to that list too. Make great reliable cars, albeit they have been maybe a little sleepy over the past 10 years. Look at the GTR, the Leaf, most sold EV in the world.. aswell as the bulletproof Navara, Patrol.. with some great new cars coming. I will agree their customer service is garbage.
..we have a 2000 Suzuki jimny ,2007 grand vitara and a 2016 sx4 …built in Japan …with nil problems over their life..while our friends have had numerous “ better cars”, with numerous problems,bad dealer shit and several luxury vehicles that bit them on the arse …if you don’t know,you don’t know
VW Owners or anyone considering purchasing a VW, I encourage you to read my comment: I bought a 2022 Tiguan last year. It's been nothing short of an awful experience. My car did a 360 spin on the freeway a few months back. The brakes aren't functioning correctly. The transmission continually downshifts. The infotainment system doesn't work nearly fifty percent of the time. The car tends to over correct itself and pull to the right. My car only has 3,000 miles on it. The dealership has been nothing short of awful. They've laughed at me, called me names, put the wrong gas into my tank, broke my gas tank door, put a gash in my passenger seat, told me they "couldn't duplicate the issue", allowed sales members to take my car home or on joy rides while it's in the shop waiting to be deemed a lemon. Last week they allowed a sales team member to drive me car home after I was ensured my car wouldn't leave the lot. I was worried about the safety of anyone driving this car. After reading notifications via the myVW app, I realized my car was being driven at excessive speeds, and it was on its way to a location far from the dealership. I traced my vehicle, and contacted the dealership (nobody answered because this was around 8pm). I went with the police over to the location that I traced in the myVW app. Used my spare key, and got into the car and brought it back to my property. When I got inside my car, I saw service records on the seat. One of those records was a work order which showed a mechanic had driven the vehicle and recognized the rotors are warped, and the brakes are not working correctly. The GM at VW called the next morning to request I return the vehicle. I questioned them to ask if they discovered anything wrong with my rotors. They claimed they found nothing wrong. Then I snapped a screenshot of the work order (which showed the defect) and emailed it to the GM. Suddenly, his tone changed. "Oh, we must've missed that paper. Yes, there seems to be a small issue with the rotors". I don't know if they see a young woman and think they can take advantage, or what. I have about ten days left before VWOA will let me know if they're going to official lemon my car or not. If they deem the vehicle "safe" I will need to seek legal advice. Over my dead body would I ever resell this vehicle to another individual, and risk injury to them. Please, if anyone is considering purchasing this vehicle, I urge you to reconsider. I'm incredibly concerned this vehicle is going to injure someone.
It would be very interesting to see how the ‘post sale service’ experience aligns with the dealer groups rather than the brands. No brand is going to have a good reputation if it’s Australian importer is a rogue
Very true on the VW I'm at 165k spent $1k on an injector so far. In Germany that would be end of life already at 10+ years old and VW mark it off as job done, they don't know that the benchmark set by toyota here is 300k and 20 years.. Guy at work with same era golf spent aprox $3k getting the key lock on the steering wheel fixed. He sold it to his friend who has spent another $6k on various bits that got broken.
I bought a Jeep Gladiator and absolutely love it. The only problem I have had in 5 months and 13k is the service department. The local dealer is usless. Poor dealer performance is where most brands fall over unfortunately.
@@brendan_13 just general incompetence and disinterest from the front counter. At my 1k inspection I was told there was a service campaign for loose lower ball joints but as they didn't have stock of split pins they could not carry out the job which is absolutely ridiculous. They could have used a generic part and done the job but this was all to hard for their service advisors/warranty clerk to work around I assume. I went home and did the job myself in 5 minutes. At the 12k service there was no mention of the ball joints eventhough the report they print out for every job would have flagged this as not being done. I asked them if there may be a software update for the infotainment unit as I was at times having trouble with phone pairing. I told them my phone was old and may be the issue but still asked for them to check for any available software updates, something that is easily done while running the diagnostic software as part of the service. I was told the tech's phone paired fine and was working as it should. They didn't bother to check for updates. I asked them what oil they used and this required the service manager to come out and explain the lubricants they use comply with the FCA specs. I said that's all good and well but what oil is it? After a while he said it wasn't in a bottle but a big drum and was Castrol again I asked what it was as Castrol have a few different oils that comply with the specs to which I was told the fixed operations manager would have to be contacted to find out which is absolute crap as any service manager would know what lubricants they have at hand. It all just makes me think they are not using the correct specified lubricants and are trying to hide something.
@@matthewrafferty4117 yeah definitely all reasonable questions that should have been answered and resolved. It seems to be the common issue that the dealers are careless or inexperienced, that unfortunately let the brand down. It’s a shame because they are great cars. Touch wood, I haven’t had any major issues with mine or with my dealer in the 4 years of ownership.
Honda too. I'm surprised more brands haven't bailed here in Canada. It's amazing the choice we get considering we aren't that much bigger in population and you guys are closer to the asian plants. Honda has a large share of cars due to the civic but the price just recently went up putting them above others like Toyota and Nissan, a lot of speculation they may have priced themselves out.
RHD vs LHD. Canadian market is capable of taking vehicles that are primary for the US market just with a dual range speedo to compensate for kmh/mph. Honda sales have nosedived off a cliff since they moved to the fixed price model.
I just had a look at the prices.You could get an Accord way back in the days when Honda was the BMW of Japan for close to Civic prices today.To put this into perspective,Mazda 3 Evolve or Pure sells for thousands less than that with auto,alarm and sedan or hatch.A mate of mine has just ordered a Corolla not all that long ago getting it close to Christmas and way less than any Civic.top line model I believe.This is closer to say a180/a200 or 1 series BMW MONEY.
Great vid as usual John - thankyou. ALSO, have to say VERY, VERY, VERY impressed with your new friend . . . LemonLady and her talents employed in the making of your vid. I'd like to see 'more' of her. Make it so #1!
@@kenoliver8913 Could be, Ken, however our stunning LemonLady looks to be at least a cut-above the average makeup-heavy Ming Moll. Very much hoping to see 'more' of her. . . . :-))
Good video as always john. I'm always fascinated at how such a small country like Australia has so many retail vehicle offerings - the spares and maintenance elements is a clear example.
Yes and here in New Zealand we have a way bigger choice due to a open free market with possibly the worlds biggest choices of vehicles and machinery of any market.
@@conmanumber1 yet also the 4th oldest car fleet at number 27 of 30 countries ranked last year, and the only “developed” country in the final 7 places 😂 (Australia is 13, so still not great, but only one place behind Germany, surprisingly)
@@sjb2471 Yeah I know but I was saying we have the biggest choices of new vehicle brands available from a vast amount of nations. Australia has a very closed market compared to N.Z as they have to have a percentage of Australian made parts content when we do require that, in fact we are even more open than the U.S too ...if you are a boy or girl racer then N.Z is anything u want.
Very surprised to see Suzuki on the list, I had a brand new 2008 base model, sold it 10 years later and never had any issues. I think the Lemon List is more regarding company reputation and financial stability, as opposed to seeing a list of cars that are renowned for costing bucket loads of money, have large scale problems and are therefore “lemons”.
For some daft reason I've not tuned in to you for some weeks. Did with this vid and so darn happy I did. I've always loved Lemons. After this I really love lemons. Really love them! Glad you're still on the top JC! Quality, reliability, support!
I was expecting you to mention MG and I wasn't disappointed, though on this occasion it amounted to not much more than throwing another shrimp on the barbie. I would describe MG as borderline thanks to MG's continued success in Australia and their 7 year warranty. Only time will tell regarding how that 7 year warranty pans out for its customers. The fact that there are no big and scary headlines regarding MG (yet) is definitely working in their favour compared to the others on this list. Basing their cars on older (proven) tech might be working better for MG rather than jumping headlong into the latest tech. Though they are also ploughing into the electric car market more confidently than a lot of more well established brands which now definitely have targets on their backs because of their lacklustre approach to electrification.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chinese brands are what Kia and Hyundai were in the 90s - they’ll be the new mid-range cars soon enough. Toyota, Kia and Hyundai seem to be already heading into premium territory.
Our ZS Turbo has been fairly good for what we outlayed. Taken on Drives to the Victorian Alps, Adelaide and North Tassie and on those trips nothing really to remark. The Infotainment is apple locked which is annoying. Most the Holden dealers went to MG in our part of the world so its fairly easy to service. Would of liked an electric car but economics at the time dictated it was petrol but at 999cc turbo...
Some of the MG models use the same dry clutch DCT gearbox from Getrag that was the PowerShift. Maybe MG have programmed the box differently… and it now may be more reliable… I’m just too chicken shit to find out.
Not likely to be many horror stories getting to most of the motoring press given MG's monster advertising spend. People I know who work on them think they're hot garbage tho - and in my humble opinion sending one cent more to China than you absolutely have to is pretty morally bankrupt
So basically your choice is: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia if you want a reliable mainstream vehicle with good customer service. Love your work John👍
@@landrover1155 5 years of asthmatic diesels,injector failures,absolute minimum performance for longevity,well once upon a time for sure. When Toynota start flooding your TV with "ooh what a feeling"theyve been found out again😉
Great content as always John. Don't get me wrong I love the entertainment factor but wouldn't it be easier to list the better brands. Anyhow Keep up the great vids.
The local Lincoln dealer does all the routine stuff on my 2013 Focus ST here in Illinois. 97K miles and the little garage queen - stage 2 tuned and modified - has needed just fluids, plugs, brakes, battery and tires. They did the mods too and it’s all worked right the first time and stayed that way. The only down side is the cashier is a drip.
He’s right. I bought an “approved used” from Skoda. Car has 25k on it, I honestly drive slow and only go out twice a week. The gearbox died. They refused to replace and sent it to be repaired, the car drives but makes awful noise and I’m waiting for it to completely fail again. They dispute there’s any issue, it has full dealer service history and also 8 months remaining on extended warranty. Main dealer customer service absolutely crap. I’ve had way better service and cars from non main dealer
With only 8 months left remaining on warranty, l would be driving your car everyday and fast if you think the gearbox is about to fail again. For added peace of mind l would load it to maximum GVM for the remainder of 8 months too just to be sure the gearbox doesn't shit itself straight after the warranty expires
John, I don’t disagree with most things you’ve said in the vid, but honestly my experience with my VW dealer in Bris has been fantastic. Yes my ROK has had minor issues, but so has other makes I’ve owned in the past. The service I’ve received has been courteous, professional and resolved the issue. I think it’s unfair to generalise that all dealers are the same. I always research the issue I’m having with my vehicle so I’m well informed and can explain it clearly and concisely.
There is a camp Nr. 3 :There owners who are persuaded to think that other brands will be worse and therefore their car brand is the shining beacon of the automotive industry.
Hyundai and Kia are shit brands! I know 12 people including myself that own those brands and all have had issues within 4 to 5 years of ownership and company refuses to own up.
@@fabricioaguilar3745 If you have a pre 2010 you definitely have a point. Between 2010 and 2016 they could be a bit hit and miss. Post 2016 your comment is not valid, especially in relation to warrantable claims. If you think Hyundai and Kia are bad in supporting customers, you haven't tried dealing with Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, GM, Renault-Nissan, Jaguar-Rover or Mercedes Benz!
I work in aged care. One of my clients got a brand new Jeep Wrangler. Within 8 months the chassis had rusted out and the vehicle had to be replaced. Customer service was pretty good though and it was promptly replaced under warranty.
Well mate I generally like your sarcastic entertainment, and some of your videos are rather well researched displaying a keen interest in the industry, so thanks for that. Even this slice of entertainment seems ok until you lump GWM and low sales figures into the mix, they sold over 18k in Aust in 2021, a 351% increase from 2020, and there is a good reason for this. Admittedly I’ve only owned one for 17k but so far no problems at all, 5 star ⭐️ wont kill you rating with a great interior and massively comfortable for a bigger bloke, so far a great vehicle and at 42k on the road! Goes real well off road too, no not as good as my old 80 series but not much does. GWM have been in Aust for a couple of decades at least, you don’t think they have figured something out by now! Try one you just might understand, still if you are the sort to pay for a badge, go forth and purchase your branded weapon, the Black Edition, The Crusher or XR variant and say good buy to more than 30k of your banks easy to lend money in a wink of a young advertising girls eye. It’s only money 💰 and who cares when you get that “Oh” what a feeling…feeling!
I have a 2019 Dmax, the one with the turbo issues at 60 thousand k’s and I’m onto my fourth turbo all due to someones wisdom at isuzu to change the turbo on the ever reliable 4jj1 from a ihi turbo to a mhi faulty unit ,I will say the two dealerships I have dealt with have been nothing but helpful
I owned a 2011 Tiguan for 11 years. Sold it a few months ago. "Poisoning the world" topic aside, I actually liked the car. Customer service however - even in Europe - is below average. Not quite throwing under a bus bad, but bad enough for me to avoid VAG cars for the foreseeable future. Strangely enough Skoda customer service here is miles ahead of VWs by measurable parameters such as customer satisfaction. Not sure why that is...
Maybe they (Skoda) are aware that only good customer service will bring them closer to VW sales. And for those who don't know: While they are different cars in some ways, Skoda and VW have all the same components (or at least 90%), including (and especially) engine, gearboxes and suspension.
I have listened and watched this week or so ago. I have also heard you say similar things on other videos. So, this leaves us with: Mazda (there have been problems there recently and I personally have had problems), Hyundai, Toyota, (never had either of these) and Kia (probably have left another brand out?). My current problem with my Kia Cerato SLi GDi auto is that the engine idles quite roughly. Drives well and seems to be smooth enough in gear. Independent mechanic (one I have known and found trustworthy over a number of years) has commented on this. Kia responded to my email ........ "your message is important to us ..... we will get back to you". No, it has not happened! Follow up email ignored. The car has been serviced according to the book by Kia except for the 6th year, (so it is still under warranty), when I took it to the mechanic mentioned above. Couldn't travel to the Kia dealer any way due to Covid restrctions. I am disappointed am considering my next purchase soon and it's Toyota or Hyundai (and since Hyundai is Kia!) doesn't leave much choice! Thanks mate
Some of this is probably very accurate, but it feels quite selective in parts too; why for example does John continue not to call out (and in fact glorify endlessly) Hyundai/Kia when for example ABC in the USA ran a story as recently as last week about the ongoing massive spontaneous combustion issues with several of their models that the manufacturer allegedly continues to duck and weave from? Almost all the major brands can be portrayed in this way for some reason or other (apart from VW who were just universally and unabashedly evil, and which nobody could defend). Selective.
That would be because those models are built in the US and the problems there are unique to them, it has nothing to do with Australia who source their vehicles direct from Korea. The problem of self immolation in the US is not confined to Kia & Hyundai, it’s a local problem caused by third party suppliers in the US. Ford America has just recalled about 400k cars with more to come fir exactly the same problem.
It's remarkable how much we share opinion on these things, a brother from another!! Recently I had a customer come to me desiring a new Ford Puma. I balked at a 3cylinder Romanian for them, CX-3 time! Some people actually push back very hard on BT-50 vs DMAX. I can't fathom why they would rather deal with Izuzu Ute than Mazda main dealers.
From my personal experiences.... Mazda Dealer - Story 1 - New 2020 CX5 and 1000km peace of mind service story. ..... Dropped the car off and mentioned a HARD plastic rattle somewhere to the left of the driver (pass. door, dash ???). Not a big issue, just something needed tweaking up (like my 2003 new Subaru back then... quickly fixed by dealer at next service) The Mazda professional trained mechanics opinion was that the cause was traced to the passengers seatbelt buckle rubbing on the SOFT vinyl seat covers (leather seats are very slippery). Professional Solution - plug the seat belt buckle in , and listen again. Or come back tomorrow and talk to the senior technician for further investigation. Overnight I recalled that I had placed some sunglasses into the overhead pod ..... and these proved to be the source of the hard plastic rattle. My bad, but their absolute total failure to diagnose and respect the customers opinion. Story 2 - Recall notice for rear hatch power switch thingy -....... Car dropped off squeaky clean inside and out. Car returned with dirt completely covering the drivers floor mat. Yes, there were building works on site, but my car went in clean, and I expected it to come back in similar condition. That CX5 now goes to our independent mechanic who we have been using for 37yrs. Ford Dealer horror story - As an aside (new 2010 Mondeo XR5), my local dealer, across two service sites, failed to detect a faulty brake master cylinder (seal bleed-by when under pressure at traffic lights, pedal dropping). Was told - That Happens by Component Design (BS very loud ...). Resolved after 5 complaint visits, and finally formal complaint to Ford Australia triggering a visit by their roving master technician from Melb authorising a new master cylinder. One stop away from Consumer Affairs involvement. From my own experiences, I have little faith in Dealer Trained Qualified Mechanics. p.s. I'm not a motor mechanic by trade, but have spent 40+yrs restoring with my classic cars.
Hi John, you are softening up, no mention of the high quality Italian vehicles in the Stellantis stable! Buying a vehicle is truly a leap of faith in my view, I wonder if any of them are well built these days.
As a recent first time Audi owner (S5) I can heartily agree with your sentiments about their attitude to customers, and quality of their product. After repeatedly returning my car to the dealer for a vibration at highway speeds I was told (in writing) that "all of the A5 series have the same vibration" so there was nothing to fix. Really. Same thing later confirmed in an email from Head Office. Wow. Their service costs are also the highest I have ever experienced, with their hourly charge rate for the teenager changing the oil being $275!
Here in the US, the service at the Jeep dealer is marginal at best (like their safety rating), so I do the routine maintenance myself. I have an older JK Wrangler, which is only slightly less complex than the JL, but is manageable. I’ve been lucky with reliability, avoiding the pitfalls (and raging fires) associated with the auto transmission, by choosing the manual 6.
I discovered that VW is promoting illegal parking. I noticed that an Audi electric car was illegally parked next to a kerbside recharge station. While they have moved the steering wheel and driver controls to the right side, they have left the charge point on what is our offside. This forces owners to drive onto the wrong side of the road and park facing oncoming traffic so they can access kerbside charging stations.
Volvo, Honda and Merc having no Dealer Network creates a kind of Schrodingers Cat scenario. No way of looking into it to see if it may be satisfying/horrific.
I am in Adelaide and the Networks of all three brands is almost non existent.there might be about two or three in the metro area.It's the same for MG OR FIAT or any niche brand don't do it.I have looked at Peugeots and Renaults way back in the day for me but always stuck with Japanese Brands all along with the exception of a Korean Made Holden I had for three years bought used.(two mazdas new and one used,two nissans).I saw the problems my late father had with his Alfas,Fiats and Lancias in the past he saw the light and bought Japanese(89 RX7 SERIES 5 Mazda,94 Honda Accord VTI,96 Nissan 200sx and 03 Nissan 350z).
Peugeot rank very highly in Euro reliability/quality surveys...second to Porsche in one German survey. It's not 2000 any more. We have had 3 and they have been faultless with a fit and finish better than much more expensive German and Italian cars that I have had. The 3008 is the only SUV to have won the European Car of the Year. We have one and that will be our next car.
Ford did sell JLR to the Indians; but they sold Aston Martin, such as it is, to a bunch of nameless investors who are presumably British but nobody really knows. Now it's owned by a Canadian. As an American; it's sad to see what Honda has become down there. It's still doing exceptionally well here. Selling more units in the United States then the entire market sells in Australia. BMWs are shitboxes. Maybe they support them well there but that hardly seems like a justification to get one. I wonder what we can do to get Ford to leave our market as well
Ahh you couldn't resist it, could you John? Slagging off VW/Audi Group for poor customer service (legitimately), then slagging them off for their ethics displayed in "dieselgate". John,if you are going to do that then you also (ethically!) need to warn off potential purchasers of Porsche, another brand of the same group. But, maybe you are too much of a boy-racer at heart to face up to the need to criticize the maker of your favourite sports wagon. On a separate matter, this sort of episode is all very amusing, but it is of little value to the majority of motorists: those of us who can't afford new cars and have to buy second-hand. What about an episode where you look at, say, the cars that sold well when they were new four or five years ago, and tell us which ones have exhibited unhealthy (ie expensive) type faults. eg Nissan X-Trails which have (reputedly) unreliable gearboxes, or at least one Mazda model that has had (reputedly) nasty engine problems. I appreciate that it will take a lot more effort to actually talk to repair shops and get some information, but if you want to be a respected motor journalist (possibly the _only_ respected motor journalist) then you need to buckle down and do the hard yards
I have had buyer regret after every car I have ever purchased until now. I purchased a Pajero sport and had it for a year and love this bloody thing. Service has been good from my local Mitsubishi dealer as well!
I remember how my father years ago, maybe 50, used to say. Son, never buy car which name begins with letter F, Ford, Fiat and all french. That was the best advice he ever gave me.
Hi John. I missed you Lemon list video four months ago but just finished watching. How true your comments. I was bent over by Ford with warranty issues in the late 90's on a dud Friday built Fairlane. I know a " Fairlane" but I had a weak moment because of my dad and Customlines and Tank Fairlanes. Over that issue Ford lost my money forever. I have had a good run since then with Toyota, and BMW and my wife fell on love with a Porsche Boxter S 2003. It has been perfect and still in the family today. Since my wife passing away last year and my self retiring i started to think of enjoying a final motoring fling so i walked in to the Porsche Dealership and enquired about purchasing a new 911. It was a Friday morning and I could see the sales group having what I thought was a 10 minute "G" up in the glass office. Well 40 minutes later I was still waiting to talk to a sales person. The best i could do was a gentleman from used cars. He scoffed and said "you are kidding the books on any new 911 are closed untill well into 2023 and unless you already own a 911, ( A Boxter doesn't rate) you won't even get your name on the bottom of the list. He suggested I purchase one or two second hand 911's over a few years to show my sincerity and that may be enough to get my foot in the door. I had the same laughing fit from Rolex when I decided to treat myself with retirement Submariner watch. It Appears VW /Porsche are playing the exclusivity game and even if you can afford their product that's not enough. Your analogy of the three pronged star also made me laugh. It appears that there are currently too many millionaires in the world at the moment all buying investment items. So I have removed VW / Porsche from my birthday invite list. Keep up the great work. Cheers. Regards Frank. G.
Good list and thanks for the research! But the problem is, the list covers most premium brands and many popular brands even including Ford, VW, Honda and Nissan. If I were to "avoid them at all cost" I don't have many options left and I really don't want to buy boring Toyota and Lexus.What am I supposed to do?
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John, where do you get your T-shirts …..I need, no must have some of those Schrödinger’s cat shirts …..
John, you sold me on the olights, but only for Australia? Hardly the ANZAC spirit is it?
Hi John, You had me with the o-light headlight, I bought one and yes it's bright, the battery lasts a roolly long time it's functional and if you are walking in the opposite direction a welding screen / visor is advisable. One frustration I have is that as I move in close proximity to the underside or the interior of a vehicle the light brightness continually changes from quite dim to OMG, to rectify this I then have to wave my hand in front of the light to get the right brightness back. Sometimes in the location I am in this is quite difficult and inconvenient, first world problem I know. Great vid, Got a Kia and a Land Cruiser, phew, dodged that bullet..........
boo hoo to you..John.
my darling dad had 4 VW they were
his pride and joy..
Mum's shopping went into the back, so did the grand kids.
The last one he sold for more money than he paid for...
Keep in mind these were the retro VW beetles..the pride of the Germans.
🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗
@@peteholliday1927 .......Ya me too😉
3:54 AUDI, VW, SKODA
5:57 FORD
6:54 MERCEDES-BENZ
11:27 JEEP
12:37 HONDA
14:44 ISUZU
15:23 POLESTAR, VOLVO, LAND ROVER, JAGUAR
17:35 SUZUKI, NISSAN
18:19 MG LDV GWM SSANGYONG RENAULT CITREON PEUGEOT
Not sure why Honda made the Lemon list - just a spray from you because your not getting commission.
What French car is any good. None .
@@castaway720 they're falling sales, looking increasingly likely they will pull out of Aus, and then good luck with servicing + repairs and warranties. still reliable cars I agree but if you spend $30K and something breaks after a year you want the security of the dealer network.
Whew thanks
Thanks
I drive a Citroen and I am not worried for 3 reasons. 1. I bought it used limiting the loss if it goes poopy. 2. I have a readily available independent Citroen mechanic 3. I also have a Corolla.
I don't know much about Volvo these days but thinking back to the Platform sharing days of the Mazda 3/Ford Focus and the V50/S40 Volvos unless you need the so called Prestige of Sweden Buy the Mazda at half the price.I was going through the receipt of the 3 Maxx Sport BK I have now.it's depreciated 30% since new 2008 model.Basically the same car take away the styling and the badges and the fact mine is a hatch as opposed to the Estates Volvo did at the time.Hardly much goes wrong.I know the BL model series is the same as well.so why would you buy a Swedish Money pit.
Let me warm your hearts with a good customer service story.
I recently acquired an MY22 GLS Triton. Has been great and given me no issues. That is until one fateful day my shitbox dying mobile phone had its battery crap out while it was connected to Android auto by the USB cable. This unfortunately shorted the head unit resulting in the circuit controlling the reverse camera being fried. So no more reverse camera.
I took it to my local dealership who, despite the problem technically being my fault, organised a replacement head unit under warranty without hesitation.
My Dad had a fleet of tritons for a few years one of them was in for a service, they where test driving it after, Felt a slight crunch on thrid gear (that the usual driver hadn't noticed) and they put a new gearbox in under warentee no questions asked.
@victoria For now, Let's see what nissen do to thar
@@mcduck5 shit... I recently got a Triton and I feel a crunch on 3rd gear too...
I think customer service has less to do with the brand and more to do with the general lack of customer service in Australia. Whether you are buying a coffee or a house, you are always barely tolerated by the person taking your money.
You should try service in Europe, France especially. Absolutely shocking compared to Oz.
I disagree . I generally find customer service pretty good
@@captainmzungu2505 agree France was a totally different level, and I dont consider myself an entitled customer
That would be due to the manager showing them Customers are just bodies with money. Mine at a staff meeting in a corporation would say" just charge them , call centre will sort it out IF they ring up" . The whole company is now seen worst than car salesman
I find the average customer service interaction to be very good on average. We just lack the boot licking fake adoration you find in places like the USA.
A friend once told me the best part of owning a Lexus is driving past all the broken-down Mercs.
Lol.
Lexus is my next purchase.
5 Mercs not one broke down ever.
@@EddyTeetree I'd say you were lucky, unless you have owned older ones from back when they Could make a decent car. Owned several 300D and the like. VERY slow, very heavy but EXTREMELY reliable. Only down side (apart from speed) was absolute nightmare to work on.
I agree! I own a 1989 LS400 Lexus (Its actually a JDM Celsior, but its the same thing just with the Toyota badge). I've owned it for about 5 years, still runs like a dream. I had to replace the battery, the alternator and the plugs but nothing else under the bonnet. I've also replaced the front tie rod ends and tyres and other than fluid changes, that the sum total of all the work/maintenance I have had to do to it in the 5 years I've owned it. It has never left me stranded, it does not leak any fluids and other than paintwork (clear coat pealing off) that's it! It seriously still runs like a new one. Still extremely smooth running with good smooth gear changes. No noticeable drop in power and its it still feels tight on the road. I didn't really know much about Lexus before I purchased this car, but for a daily driver from now on, I will always have a Lexus. At 33 years old, it now qualifies as a Classic Car and I'm about to register it as such, put it up on blocks and keep it as an investment. No need to ask what car I will be replacing it with. I'm looking for an 2013 LS460.
Hello from Australia, where we seem to pay a premium on everything :(
My VW turbo lost oodles of power during year 2 of ownership, VW said "nothing wrong with it"... after three visits to the dealer. At the end of the 3rd year Warranty I took it to an independent, who said the waste-gate had fallen off the turbo. I went back to VW and told them the problem, they said, "it's out of Warranty, go away". I paid the independent to put another turbo on. And that is what you can expect from Germany. I would sooner lower my testes into a blender than buy another car from VW.
Was it a Golf Gti? :)
Is it the dealer not caring. sometimes are they the basic problem?
you need to call consumer affairs bud !!!
My sister's 2015 Golf (with the worst clutch on earth) just had its turbo replaced ($3700 all-in). I warned her to not get VW, as I've had my go with their awful cars. I will not own a car outside of full warranty unless I absolutely must. In '95, bought a new Honda Accord & after 7 yrs & 220,000 kms in a harsh, stored-outdoors Canadian life, it didn't have ONE SINGLE PROBLEM. Not a single thing other than routine maintenance. If I can get that kind of reliability from a car built almost 30yrs ago, what's the excuse car makers are using these days?
Reliability is why I'm welcoming the EV market with open arms. I'm well aware of the cosmetic issues that Tesla et al have been dealing with, but getting rid of the myriad moving, grinding, wearing parts of the internal combustion engine & transmissions is such a glorious revolution. The thousands & thousands I (and all of you?) have poured down the throat of some horrible vehicles over the years, the things denied due to being fleeced by creative excuses, "what's that light mean?" excursions & substandard build quality - I want to tell each & every brand to kiss my tailpipe.
I'll never lower myself to buy a GM, Dodge or Ford vehicle again but that doesn't mean I don't know that Germany's been defecating some of the worst vehicles since the Plymouth Sundance, yet they somehow think we'll be impressed somehow that a car is German..
Your 'testes' comment certainly puts things into perspective.
I;ve had my GMW Ute Cannon X for nearly a year now and while isn't any guide to long term reliability in any way, it has been excellent in that time. We've been to up and down the coast, central Queensland and to the shops pulling a 1 tonne soft floor camper (not the biggest trailer in the world!) and it hasn't skipped a beat. The gearbox is excellent and the comfort makes all the difference on long journeys.
My interactions with the dealer have been positive and proactive, for example they called me to ask if I wanted to delay my second service as parts were close to landing for the 5 star ANCAP upgrade. It's nice being looked after like that!
@ChristopherH Thanks for repeating what I said.
@Broken Robot Which is exactly what I said too.
@@christopherholden2704I owned a Ford for over a year, but my first year was filled with putrid service, lazy customer service and continuous issues. 8 times back to the dealer and still no fix. In 12 months. So YES, even ONE DAY is a review worthy if a customer has reached other areas of the customer experience process based on individual circumstances
How's it been going?
@@macfin4862 Really good - I drove from Cairns to Fraser Island with a camper trailer and it got through Inskip, the road to Lake McKenzie and the up to Champagne Rocks no worries. Oh and it made it all the way back home too :) The only things I wish it had was a lower angled foot rest, a longer seat cushion, and ventilated seats as I'm quite tall. Most cars suffer these issues though.
As a former Peugeot owner I will second that comment about low volume brands and terrible parts inventory and the multi franchised dealer service having no clue or interest to fix basic faults. The car spent a total of 6 months off the road waiting for parts from France, after I found a specialist (who knew what to do, but couldn't do it under warranty, but still cheaper than multiple dealer misdiagnoses).
Should've gone to the specialist immediately if you don't have a local standalone/2-brand dealership which is quite common in the case of Renault, which also provides extra support to their own in-dealership technicians. There are dedicated independent French car specialists in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
My daughter had a Peugeot and the windscreen replacement was $1200.
@@rossgarner58 woopty do, did you take it to Inchcape or some scammer, or an independent mechanic who knows their stuff?
@@rossgarner58 A friend of mine found out the hard way that the windscreen on the Ford Ranger costs $3500!!! any car with rain sensing wipers or forward collision prevention cameras will cost well north of $1000, that Peugeot windscreen price is pretty reasonable if it had rain sensing wipers (my my2008 Citroen does)
As a current Citroen owner, parts and after sales service from the dealership is terrible, 100% agree, my cars never went near the dealership after the 1000km service and, I have 2 Citroens (my2008 and my2015 both from new) both are diesel and have been the most reliable cars i've owned (more reliable than Toyota, Daihatsu or Mazda) so the ownership experience is actually very good if you know a good french car mechanic and avoid the dealership (which I'll admit is not for the average car owner, but something I'd recommend for any brand and something that should be promoted).
I'm one of those VW owners in the first category. Though in my defence, I bought mine prior to Dieselgate and the first thing I say to anyone asking me about which car they should buy is "do as I say, not as I do".
That's a bit harsh, my new Grand Cherokee has only blown the engine once. And the excellent service put a new engine in over 2 months. I was lucky with the excellent service supplied me with a heap of shit to limp round in.
you were indeed blessed....
Let me guess, the 3.0 diesel?
I'm an independent mechanic specialising in European but I still repair and service all makes and models. In the last 4 years, I've seen more and more new car buyers completely abandoning their dealer for servicing/wear and tear parts replacement. They only return to the dealer for warranty issues. I'm not complaining, it's been good for my business.
Surely, manufacturers and dealers are aware of this and they really don't seem to care.
Sounds familiar. I've done 50,000 ks in my Mazda CX-5 and it has not been back to the dealer once. I have a reliable, trustworthy, independent mechanic who I trust and know my services are performed properly and with care.
I purchased a 2017 Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic SDV8. I ordered it from the dealership and picked it up 3 months later when it arrived from England. It came with a Three Year warranty and 5 years free servicing. The dealership, Duncan & Ebbett Hamilton NZ have looked after me every step of the way. When there was an oil leak in the twin turbos they drove two and a half hours from Hamilton to Whitianga where I live with a replacement vehicle on a truck and took my vehicle away where it was repaired, 2 new turbo chargers and then they dropped it back off to me. A couple of other minor matters like the soft door close not working on the drivers door were also fixed with no issues. Best service I have ever had so I will be replacing this vehicle later this year with the New Model RR Sport. A real shame they no longer have the SDV8 as an option. On a trip I get over a 1000k's to a tank of diesel. When I take it for it's annual service they provide me with real coffee and a loan car if I need it. The coffees can be continuous. I would find it difficult to change after getting this excellent service. I have driven it to Wellington twice. This is a six hourish journey and I felt as good when I got there as when I left home. Stunning to drive with immense power and cornering ability even in the wet.
To be fair, when you are able to afford a high end luxury vehicle like that, you will receive a far better and higher level of service (like you have) than someone that can afford a vehicle at the lower end of the market. After all, the dealer has a far better chance of you returning as a customer when you are ready to drop some more serious coin.
2 turbochargers Already! Lol, geez the only part that’s failed on my Toyota Land Cruiser was one front wheel bearing at 360,000 K’s that we’ve had since new, now that’s Reliability!
@@jamesgovett2501 That must make you feel good. I test drove the Landcruiser 200VX Ltd before I decided to purchase the Rangie. It wasn't as good as my 3.2l Pajero Exceed that at that stage had done 190k trouble free miles.I couldn't justify upgrading. The point I was making is that when something went wrong the dealer didn't quibble. Just fixed it with a flourish.
@@petermacgregor2004 Toyota's are built for endurance Peter,under powered,dated design ,technology borrowed from 1972(Range Rover),their owners endure driving their tractors,while you enjoy your Range Rover,yet another Toynota recall today,still living on that 1980s,90s reputation🤣
Just out of interest where do you drive a 1000 kms in NZ? Surely it has to be there and back again for most journeys. I guess if you do both Islands from tip to tip it’s about 1500km but that ferry trip looks daunting if you get a storm. I’m going to have to go to NZ and do a road trip I think.
I was at a VW dealer recently, where the lovely young flame haired hottie was explaining the cost of diagnosis to a VW owner. The exorbitant hourly rate was mentioned and it was made clear that even if only half an hour was required, a full hour would still be charged.
Cant say no to a hottie or else she might think you're a deadbeat
V.W ='s Very Worst or Volksberg Wankers!.
This brand are really gay.
Yeah regarding Honda their CRX was the coolest. It's like a go cart.
So now mechanics think they are lawyers lol
My local VW/Audi dealer charges NZ$20 an hour more to work on a VAG vehicle than their other brands (Hyundai, Kia, and what remains of Holden), despite it being the same mechanics doing the work in the same workshop with the same resources. Go figure.
@@onecookieboy Labor rates in multi franchise dealers are different between the brands to reflect the different cost's associated with each make. The diagnostic equipment for a start may be 20k a year for one brand and 15k for another not to mention the plethora of mandatory special tools that must be purchased with every new product release. It all needs to be paid for.
After watching your videos for the last 4 years I have learnt purchasing a car is a long term investment and you want a brand that looks after you, after the point of sale. We are lucky in Australia we have a high level of consumer protections, and it is unfortunate some brands refuse to follow this.
Don't buy a new Nissan then. They give absolutely ZERO FUCKS about you after you have bought the car.
HA! Consumer protection in Australia? What a joke!
If that was the case, we would have lemon laws and push brands to actually assist with issues
I cant get past the fact that someone would listen to this clown for 4 years 😂he is clearly a knob
I was bemused in the early 2010's when my wife's new Audi A4 Quattro was delivered with a complimentary litre of engine oil sitting in a tailored container in the boot. With "prestige" brands you normally only get a branded umbrella and maybe a cooler bag, but oil?
We soon found out why, each fuel refuel also required a litre of oil top up. My wife complained at a number of services, but was fobbed off with "It's still bedding in.", "High performance engines........", etc.
Finally, I took the car in, called their bull**** for what it was and found out it was a known fault and there was a manufacturer's fix for the problem. That involved installing new piston rings, so it was a substantial cost to them and apparently only given to those customers who complained loudly enough.
Had similar with the wife’s Jetta new rings before first service,the car still has issues,but just have to live with it and hopefully one of the local rats will steal it
Thin piston rings with coating to get lower friction, more performance and more mpg..downside you ll have to change em out= engine stripped.
I think it also helps that we have the internet and forums and people all around the world will describe the same fault. that's how you know it's not just you and your imagination and the dealer's gaslighting.
I miss the Honda glory days. They were innovative back in the 80’s and their vehicles excited me and were highly desirable Sadly no longer.
maybe executives re-directed R&D money from ICE to electric power train department,
and we should expect new electric models competing with Tesla Model 3?
They need to stop making cars that look shit. MHNLLS = Make Hondas Not Look Like Shit
@@ireneuszpyc6684 Legacy companies have been wrong-footed by the speed of change and are going to get eaten by new players, unless they adapt right now. Given the price of fuel, it hurts to see a Tesla paying f-all in comparison driving past, quickly!
@@fknid
Agreed. All cars look the same these days. When I was a kid I could name models from hundreds of metres away just from a tail light or a head light, or a profile, or the shape of a wheel arch.
Now I can’t tell you until I am close enough to see the badge.
You can always by vfr800 motorbike ,much more fun than a car and going forever..
My first car was voted RACQ lemon of the year, and it was! I broke every nail I had replacing the starter motor and alternator every other month, had to replace the diff and rewire it entirely! These were the days when electronics weren’t a concern.
I love my old Mercedes 1998 AMG. M113 engine with the 5 speed auto. No air suspension too. E55 W210 prefacelift. It's not as fast as the new ones of course, but no crabbing and other such issues. Back when they were bulletproofish.
Please note AMG stands for Almighty God (All Mighty God) lol. Your Mercedes sounds like a beautiful car. Nice!
I bought a Ford Ranger from a country dealer, 100km away from where I live. In order to get it serviced, they drop off a car (free of charge) to my place, pick up the Ranger and repeat the process. I organised this prior to purchase. They have honoured the arrangement
My work mates brother purchased a Ranger which had constant gearbox issues, couldn’t fix it so they gave him his money back.
Have a bunch of Transits no issues with the vans or the Dealer
I brought my Ford Ranger new in 2015 and have had no problems with the Ranger or the dealer.
GradeSix Rapidsonly, im reading your comment and thinking 'wow, thats better support then they gave us at Mazda with the BT-50'. They legit gave us the bare minimum of a workshop manual.... Its easier to pull stuff apart for the sake of it then using that manual.
Though cant complain, their 2.2L with an Auto gives us plenty of work. When it comes on on a tow truck its either the transmission is dead, flex plate has sheered off torque converter bolts or the engine has died.
Spot on! All of the issues above leads back to one root cause - People. I was in manufacture for long time in Australia and lucky enough to work in Southeast Asian in manufacturing on/off production line first hand. Managing people to do the right thing towards goals are the hardest thing to do. Good luck to us all. Great informations always, keep it up.
I once told a Skoda (not dealer) after service survey followup by phone, that ludicrous service cost was the reason I wouldn't buy another Skoda. Don't get me wrong, it's been a brilliant car, but service is part of ownership.
This particular instance was tailgate strut replacement. It was 5 years, so not unreasonable and I'd have been happy to pay some reasonable price padding but the quote was over $400. I declined in favour of DIY and a week shipping and 5 minutes work later replacements from the UK were in for $85 incl shipping. They lasted 6 years so I didn't even bother asking Skoda this time.
But back to the phone call, the fellow was polite and empathetic but basically the facts just made him uncomfortable. There's no doubt that the manufacturer is only interested up to the point of sale.
Except for Honda which have double acting seals..the seals on most struts are to keep the gas in...and over time the gas leaks out.
Therefore they can be recharged with nitrogen...just place them in a sealed steel tube with a nitrogen inlet and a pressure gauge.
Fill the tube up to X pressure (depending on the application) and the gas goes past the seals and into the strut.
Release the pressure from the steel capped tube and take the strut out...fully regassed to spec.
Job done for another 5 years....
Skoda was purchased by vw decadesb ago- its a vw.
@@jonathansimmons5353 Yep, it all goes thru Volkswagen Australia Head Office, so unfortunately no matter how good the cars are (forgetting the crap 7-spd DSGs of the 2008-2015 era) Skoda in this country is tainted by it's parent company, so for every happy owner out there (and I'm one of them) there's going to be others who will write the brand off.
John Cadogan - the man who single-handedly turned Australian-English into a romance language!
Not bad, not bad at all. 😄
He's like ASMR to me 🤣
Really? I found him insufferably contrived and it was a chore to listen to him and not throw my phone across the room.
Just get on with it.
@@DrewsTurbo I suggest you find a different automotive channel then mate, this is how our man JC rolls 😁
@@aHumanCookiee oh I follow several, dude. He just seems like the kinda guy that cranky, middle-aged talk-back radio listeners like. He may have had legitimate points to make, but it’s buried in manufactured, arrogant schtick that’s obnoxious.
All these people out to save a buck on these LDV and Sangyong 's etc , loaded with all the bells and whistles think they are a step ahead in smartness over other people until the bells stop ringing and the whistles turn into the big bang theory. You just have to shake your head and laugh. And let's not talk about safety, which includes you Jeep Wranger .
I shake my head at every customer that brings in a Chinese made Ute for a service or repairs
What’s wrong with a secondhand hand hilux or a new triton?
Just off the resale alone the decision couldn’t be more clear
yep they're cheap for a reason. It will be interesting how good MG are with their 7 year warranty. No guarantee they will even be around then. Would never, ever buy a Chinese car because the money ultimately goes to the CCP. If budget is the reason for buying a Chinese car- don't do it, Buy anything else used and you will be better off.
@@allomony4010 I really wish MG hadn’t sold the name rights to China
You’ll be surprised how many people think it’s the same British brand just built in China
If you’re really silly enough to fall for one of these S-t heaps …
You should be prepared for total loss..
When it eventually goes poopy in its dacks
Walk away no more to pay 💰
Maybe you are assuming every other brand is reliable. Expensive mistake that is. Also people have lost interest in legacy auto makers and want something different. Resale after 5 or 7 years is only 1 part of the equation. Do the emerging brands also LOOK better. ???????
Suzuki is a very reliable brand according to numerous uk surveys and is a favourite brand of the great James May formerly of topgear . Surprised to see it on this list.
Why and how are you so good to listen to, taking a days stress away. :)
More good success to you Mr. Cadogan.
A work colleague has had the local ford dealer/ford head office agree to replace his ranger so there is at least one dealer who knows what customer service is. Also surprised toyota did not get their consumer penalty mentioned again when it was mentioned in an earlier video.
To be fair, John, the current SsangYong Musso, has been proven not to be a "lemon," despite the uncertainties surrounding the company. Encouraged by your favourable review of the Rexton (later recanted due to the corporate troubles), I've been a satisfied owner of a Musso for the past year, and I'm looking forward to many more...
Where has it been PROVEN not to be a lemon, and I’m sure you will need to buy many more, they don’t last
@@wmil65 they’re great. Did heaps of research and bought one. Had the best independent reviews of any Ute.
Your lemon model is stunning!
Great video, as per usual. You should consider doing a good car company video. In Germany the car company who has the most satisfied customers/owners, in all facets of dealing, for the past 6 years is Hyundai, according to ADAC (RACV /NNRMA equivalent). That is not a bad effort considering that the Germans are totally patriotic to their brands.
Bought a Skoda Karoq 3 years ago. Couldn’t be happier. Well done Skoda.
Well done John. You’ve single-handedly redefined the term Lemon. And I learnt sooo much about torches
Thank you, Paul.
Hope the part about torches was tongue in cheek Paul, was it the first 3 mins of the video or the second section 5 mins later on his torch promo you found enlightening.
yeah I got KIA and engine blow up.
John's vertical video uploads are Lemons! I NEVER watch them.
I have only bought Subaru's (Forester) and Hyundai's (Santa Fe) over the last 20 years and can say the service on both has been fantastic. Both have completed warranty work regardless of the reason for the issue, Hyundai even after the warranty had expired because it was a known issue.
The torch is so bright the dodgy brands have no where to hide!
Overall very happy with my purchase of a 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid SL. The car is extremely smooth and quiet to drive and dealer experience was good. Bank vault Japanese built quality (better than the ones that used to built in Vic) Getting 4-5l per 100km and it has plenty of torque.
I've spent a lot of time in the back seat uber passenger early hrs Sunday morning. Let me guess you drive for uber prestige
I had a 1999 V6 Camry for a while. Very pleasant to drive with a potent 3.0L V6. Power to weight ratio very good with quite light body weight. Plenty of get up and go.
@@robertceroli3512 nice stereotype, but no I simply wanted a comfortable, reliable and efficient family car.
I am a mechanical engineer and a Pakistani. I appreciate your study which more logical than technical.
Good work.
Thanks
A recurring theme here seems to be as much the standard of customer service in Australia, and the size of the Oz market, alongside the problems of any particular brand. Sadly as the Australian market becomes less and less attractive to smaller volume ( in Oz) carmakers, those brands that remain will heve less and less incentive to up their game on the customer service front. I get the impression australian importers mostly take the view that an occasional court case is cheaper than keeping all the people happy all the time.
Underrated comment here
You are right. It is not just cars. The Oz market is just too small to bother the multinationals much. The deal is that if you are willing to pay crazy prices and put up with shit service then we will deign to send our product to you suckers in Treasure Island. But the minute it becomes difficult (like now) we will pull the plug and leave you high and dry.
You are spot on with LDV. I bought a G10plus from a local Port Macquarie dealer. Within 7 weeks was back to dealer 3 times on 3rd time Gearbox warning light came on car wouldnt start and was unable to put it into neutral to move it out of a driveway. Dealer and LDV wont supply me with a loan vehicle and so had to hire a vehicle.
My advice, dont buy and LDV and stay away from the Port Macquarie dealership as they wont look at it for 4 weeks and dont stock parts.
The Salesman sells you the first one, and the Workshop sells you on another one...and some of the car makers just don't get it.
Bought a Ssangyong Musso top of the range 12 months ago, 16000km. Haven't had one issue, drives like a dream. Amazing off road ability for the price. Wouldn't touch the Chinese brands and they were very ordinary compared to the Musso. Looking at a Hyundai N next for some fun performance.
I always imagine the engineering meetings at Fiat Chrysler just involves a man smoking a cigar, looking at the technical briefs and going "too reliable, make it more prone to catching fire or something exciting"
Had a Fiat 500. No need for the cigar chomper, it couldn't be made less reliable. And don't get me started on the iridium spark plug.
@@glennkeppel9836
Tell me about the iridium spark plug....pretty please with nuts on top?
😂😂😂 "or something exciting" ROFL!!!
@@glennkeppel9836 I was looking at one and was this close around the time just after I got the call from the insurance company the 2017 Holden Spark I had thanks to some truck ramming into me on my way to work it's a write off and total loss to call macquarie leasing to getting a new deal for a Bambino Fiat,I went to look at one initially in an accident replacement vehicle Astra R.Solitaire Eastwood had one coming and I was keen but I decided with insurance payout money opted for a second hand BK series 2 2008 3 Mazda Maxx Sport Automatic and Alarm for 30% of the price as I needed a car urgently.As much as I would have loved Fiat I dodged a Bullet.
@@franzchong5889 The Fiat was a great car to drive when it was working. The Mazda was a much smarter choice.
"it's high time you saw the light" bloody great line John
I have been happy with my Skoda Octavia RS Wagon that I've had since 2016. At the time this particular model accounted for HALF of all the vehicles that Skoda sold in Aus. The sweet spot of price to performance and features was unmatched in the market at the time. Problem is that now I'm looking around for a new car to suit an expanded family and the inflation on the price at Skoda has shifted the sweet spot. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as always, but the features on the top model Koreans are equal, price is better, maintenance is more reasonable (98RON and 225/35/R19s are a killer in 2022). Even if you can get past the VW elephant in the room, the plucky younger sibling that had raided the VW spare parts bin and bolted it together with some bold styling compared to the conservative older brothers just doesn't exist anymore. I'm not shocked at all to see their sales fall off a cliff recently, and my dollarydoos will be going elsewhere.
I've had my RS wagon since 2010 and it's been faultless (yes, it's a DSG) and I'd happily buy another one if they weren't now $60k plus! But the whole market has shifted, look around and you just can't buy a quality car with the space and performance of the Octavia RS for under $50k anymore, those days are gone. Every brand will have lemons leave the factory, cars are complicated, but it's definitely how the customer is treated when faults emerge that can make or break a brand's reputation.
I've had my RS for two years from new. I had a superb both awesome cars wouldn't hesitate buying another.
I have an Isuzu Ute for 3 1/2 years. I’ve only had good service from my local dealer. Nothing to complain about.
I love it when John rips in to VeeDubs and 3 prong.
Its hard to disagree when my i30n is mildly less touched with bells than a CLA200.. But i get a shit load more car for my money.
Other than trim qaulity, it's easy to justify sure.
Also girlfriend cries a little when ever John reminds her that the civic RS she fell in love with is going to eventually bite her in the ass
@@Low760 sure.. The minor touches that merc does.. The leather is nicer.. But its not nice enough to jump $30k and receive less car lol
You get what you pay for
People who want a CLA200 typically don't cross shop with Hyundais. i30n is for people who want a pocket rocket, whereas CLA buyers want to flex on their neighbour or colleague
Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, BMW, Lexus. Choose these brands, and you won't need to watch the video. All jokes aside... Great article, John. PS. I've have 4 Jeeps and they have been great. However, my next will be a Sorrento/ Santa Fe
Gee we must be very, very lucky, over the years we have owned 7 Volkswagen Group cars, currently a Polo and Skoda Superb. No problems with any of them, love VW and the service we get at the dealer at Botany. In between owned a Hyundai Santa Fe, after 3 years the entire drivetrain packed it in fortunately under warranty, back to VW for me. If VW are lemons they taste very sweet!
Next door neighbours daughter had a vw golf. Was logbook serviced by vw its entire life, spun a bearing less than 100,000km on the clock and vw wouldn't come to the party. Everyone's mileage varies.
Local Caltex messed up and put diesel in their petrol tanks. I put what I thought was 98 in the 5 year old Polo GTI I bought from them. It died, VW dealership repaired it under warranty. Great customer service. Would buy another GTI tomorrow if I could.
Abarth is the brand to beat. My 2011 model has been super reliable and makes much music when spanked. It has all the modern tech like wheels & windows, showing it can satisfy on many levels like a lift in a brothel.
Made my day.
You're right John. There are far too many low volume makers in Australia. I have no idea how most of them survive. Many will need to exit the country in the next 5-10 years.
Lots of LDV commercial vehicles here in Shitsville East. People seem to love them, possibly because they don't drive them through the surf like our western cousins.
I'd disagree on Suzuki, slow innovation in the small car section is not always a bad thing if the product is reliable.
Agreed.The Swift is reliability plus.
Agree. I’d add Nissan to that list too. Make great reliable cars, albeit they have been maybe a little sleepy over the past 10 years. Look at the GTR, the Leaf, most sold EV in the world.. aswell as the bulletproof Navara, Patrol.. with some great new cars coming. I will agree their customer service is garbage.
..we have a 2000 Suzuki jimny ,2007 grand vitara and a 2016 sx4 …built in Japan …with nil problems over their life..while our friends have had numerous “ better cars”, with numerous problems,bad dealer shit and several luxury vehicles that bit them on the arse …if you don’t know,you don’t know
VW Owners or anyone considering purchasing a VW, I encourage you to read my comment:
I bought a 2022 Tiguan last year. It's been nothing short of an awful experience. My car did a 360 spin on the freeway a few months back. The brakes aren't functioning correctly. The transmission continually downshifts. The infotainment system doesn't work nearly fifty percent of the time. The car tends to over correct itself and pull to the right. My car only has 3,000 miles on it. The dealership has been nothing short of awful. They've laughed at me, called me names, put the wrong gas into my tank, broke my gas tank door, put a gash in my passenger seat, told me they "couldn't duplicate the issue", allowed sales members to take my car home or on joy rides while it's in the shop waiting to be deemed a lemon. Last week they allowed a sales team member to drive me car home after I was ensured my car wouldn't leave the lot. I was worried about the safety of anyone driving this car. After reading notifications via the myVW app, I realized my car was being driven at excessive speeds, and it was on its way to a location far from the dealership. I traced my vehicle, and contacted the dealership (nobody answered because this was around 8pm). I went with the police over to the location that I traced in the myVW app. Used my spare key, and got into the car and brought it back to my property. When I got inside my car, I saw service records on the seat. One of those records was a work order which showed a mechanic had driven the vehicle and recognized the rotors are warped, and the brakes are not working correctly. The GM at VW called the next morning to request I return the vehicle. I questioned them to ask if they discovered anything wrong with my rotors. They claimed they found nothing wrong. Then I snapped a screenshot of the work order (which showed the defect) and emailed it to the GM. Suddenly, his tone changed. "Oh, we must've missed that paper. Yes, there seems to be a small issue with the rotors". I don't know if they see a young woman and think they can take advantage, or what. I have about ten days left before VWOA will let me know if they're going to official lemon my car or not. If they deem the vehicle "safe" I will need to seek legal advice. Over my dead body would I ever resell this vehicle to another individual, and risk injury to them. Please, if anyone is considering purchasing this vehicle, I urge you to reconsider. I'm incredibly concerned this vehicle is going to injure someone.
49 car companies but only 10 dealer groups pretty much
It would be very interesting to see how the ‘post sale service’ experience aligns with the dealer groups rather than the brands. No brand is going to have a good reputation if it’s Australian importer is a rogue
Very true on the VW I'm at 165k spent $1k on an injector so far. In Germany that would be end of life already at 10+ years old and VW mark it off as job done, they don't know that the benchmark set by toyota here is 300k and 20 years.. Guy at work with same era golf spent aprox $3k getting the key lock on the steering wheel fixed. He sold it to his friend who has spent another $6k on various bits that got broken.
Wow!
Ex friend
@@Pete-wk7pf Not really, the car was well looked after, it was just a VW instead of a Corolla.
I had 2 new Golfs, both were money pits… I too will not touch anything from VAG.
@@GlowingTube So your first golf was a money pit, and then you bought a second one???
I bought a Jeep Gladiator and absolutely love it. The only problem I have had in 5 months and 13k is the service department. The local dealer is usless. Poor dealer performance is where most brands fall over unfortunately.
Me too, great truck bad service.
5 months? Give it time grasshopper.
What was the issue, if you don’t mind me asking?
@@brendan_13 just general incompetence and disinterest from the front counter. At my 1k inspection I was told there was a service campaign for loose lower ball joints but as they didn't have stock of split pins they could not carry out the job which is absolutely ridiculous. They could have used a generic part and done the job but this was all to hard for their service advisors/warranty clerk to work around I assume. I went home and did the job myself in 5 minutes. At the 12k service there was no mention of the ball joints eventhough the report they print out for every job would have flagged this as not being done. I asked them if there may be a software update for the infotainment unit as I was at times having trouble with phone pairing. I told them my phone was old and may be the issue but still asked for them to check for any available software updates, something that is easily done while running the diagnostic software as part of the service. I was told the tech's phone paired fine and was working as it should. They didn't bother to check for updates. I asked them what oil they used and this required the service manager to come out and explain the lubricants they use comply with the FCA specs. I said that's all good and well but what oil is it? After a while he said it wasn't in a bottle but a big drum and was Castrol again I asked what it was as Castrol have a few different oils that comply with the specs to which I was told the fixed operations manager would have to be contacted to find out which is absolute crap as any service manager would know what lubricants they have at hand. It all just makes me think they are not using the correct specified lubricants and are trying to hide something.
@@matthewrafferty4117 yeah definitely all reasonable questions that should have been answered and resolved. It seems to be the common issue that the dealers are careless or inexperienced, that unfortunately let the brand down. It’s a shame because they are great cars. Touch wood, I haven’t had any major issues with mine or with my dealer in the 4 years of ownership.
Don't always agree with your comments but this review is spot on.
Well Done
Honda too. I'm surprised more brands haven't bailed here in Canada. It's amazing the choice we get considering we aren't that much bigger in population and you guys are closer to the asian plants. Honda has a large share of cars due to the civic but the price just recently went up putting them above others like Toyota and Nissan, a lot of speculation they may have priced themselves out.
RHD vs LHD. Canadian market is capable of taking vehicles that are primary for the US market just with a dual range speedo to compensate for kmh/mph. Honda sales have nosedived off a cliff since they moved to the fixed price model.
I just had a look at the prices.You could get an Accord way back in the days when Honda was the BMW of Japan for close to Civic prices today.To put this into perspective,Mazda 3 Evolve or Pure sells for thousands less than that with auto,alarm and sedan or hatch.A mate of mine has just ordered a Corolla not all that long ago getting it close to Christmas and way less than any Civic.top line model I believe.This is closer to say a180/a200 or 1 series BMW MONEY.
Great vid as usual John - thankyou. ALSO, have to say VERY, VERY, VERY impressed with your new friend . . . LemonLady and her talents employed in the making of your vid. I'd like to see 'more' of her. Make it so #1!
Me too!
Return of the Ming Molls!
@@kenoliver8913 Could be, Ken, however our stunning LemonLady looks to be at least a cut-above the average makeup-heavy Ming Moll. Very much hoping to see 'more' of her. . . . :-))
DOES SHE COME WITH A 7 YEAR WARRANTY ?
Another great video, John. It was funny the way the youtube AI decided to put a Jeep comercial in the stream.😁👍
Good video as always john. I'm always fascinated at how such a small country like Australia has so many retail vehicle offerings - the spares and maintenance elements is a clear example.
Yes and here in New Zealand we have a way bigger choice due to a open free market with possibly the worlds biggest choices of vehicles and machinery of any market.
@@conmanumber1 yet also the 4th oldest car fleet at number 27 of 30 countries ranked last year, and the only “developed” country in the final 7 places 😂 (Australia is 13, so still not great, but only one place behind Germany, surprisingly)
@@sjb2471 Yeah I know but I was saying we have the biggest choices of new vehicle brands available from a vast amount of nations. Australia has a very closed market compared to N.Z as they have to have a percentage of Australian made parts content when we do require that, in fact we are even more open than the U.S too ...if you are a boy or girl racer then N.Z is anything u want.
Small country?
@@ajwalou-nack2343 small market by population and RHD
Very surprised to see Suzuki on the list, I had a brand new 2008 base model, sold it 10 years later and never had any issues. I think the Lemon List is more regarding company reputation and financial stability, as opposed to seeing a list of cars that are renowned for costing bucket loads of money, have large scale problems and are therefore “lemons”.
Yes. Good cars. Dying brand.
For some daft reason I've not tuned in to you for some weeks.
Did with this vid and so darn happy I did.
I've always loved Lemons.
After this I really love lemons. Really love them!
Glad you're still on the top JC!
Quality, reliability, support!
I can vouch for the Olight brand. I have one myself and it is a real beauty. It performs far better and more consistently than these lemons for sure.
Love your work John, it's great to hear the truth spoken.
I was expecting you to mention MG and I wasn't disappointed, though on this occasion it amounted to not much more than throwing another shrimp on the barbie. I would describe MG as borderline thanks to MG's continued success in Australia and their 7 year warranty. Only time will tell regarding how that 7 year warranty pans out for its customers. The fact that there are no big and scary headlines regarding MG (yet) is definitely working in their favour compared to the others on this list. Basing their cars on older (proven) tech might be working better for MG rather than jumping headlong into the latest tech. Though they are also ploughing into the electric car market more confidently than a lot of more well established brands which now definitely have targets on their backs because of their lacklustre approach to electrification.
MG might well gain traction in the future...
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chinese brands are what Kia and Hyundai were in the 90s - they’ll be the new mid-range cars soon enough. Toyota, Kia and Hyundai seem to be already heading into premium territory.
Our ZS Turbo has been fairly good for what we outlayed. Taken on Drives to the Victorian Alps, Adelaide and North Tassie and on those trips nothing really to remark. The Infotainment is apple locked which is annoying. Most the Holden dealers went to MG in our part of the world so its fairly easy to service. Would of liked an electric car but economics at the time dictated it was petrol but at 999cc turbo...
Some of the MG models use the same dry clutch DCT gearbox from Getrag that was the PowerShift. Maybe MG have programmed the box differently… and it now may be more reliable… I’m just too chicken shit to find out.
Not likely to be many horror stories getting to most of the motoring press given MG's monster advertising spend. People I know who work on them think they're hot garbage tho - and in my humble opinion sending one cent more to China than you absolutely have to is pretty morally bankrupt
I have had nothing but excellent care when getting my Honda serviced at Madills.
So basically your choice is: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia if you want a reliable mainstream vehicle with good customer service. Love your work John👍
Toyota with yet another couple of billion bucks lawsuits,ooh what a feeling🤣
How did Mitsubishi go with their fuel economy figures🤣🤔
@@landrover1155 5 years of asthmatic diesels,injector failures,absolute minimum performance for longevity,well once upon a time for sure.
When Toynota start flooding your TV with "ooh what a feeling"theyve been found out again😉
@@landrover1155 yes m8 bang 4 buck Mitzys do take a bit of beating.
Cheers to you too m8
John noted that there were 29 cars/manufacturers available in Australia NOT on this list..
Great report, John. I totally agree with you, on all counts. Thanks for including that cute Ming Mole, playing with her lemons.
Great content as always John.
Don't get me wrong I love the entertainment factor but wouldn't it be easier to list the better brands. Anyhow Keep up the great vids.
The local Lincoln dealer does all the routine stuff on my 2013 Focus ST here in Illinois. 97K miles and the little garage queen - stage 2 tuned and modified - has needed just fluids, plugs, brakes, battery and tires. They did the mods too and it’s all worked right the first time and stayed that way. The only down side is the cashier is a drip.
He’s right. I bought an “approved used” from Skoda. Car has 25k on it, I honestly drive slow and only go out twice a week. The gearbox died. They refused to replace and sent it to be repaired, the car drives but makes awful noise and I’m waiting for it to completely fail again. They dispute there’s any issue, it has full dealer service history and also 8 months remaining on extended warranty. Main dealer customer service absolutely crap. I’ve had way better service and cars from non main dealer
With only 8 months left remaining on warranty, l would be driving your car everyday and fast if you think the gearbox is about to fail again. For added peace of mind l would load it to maximum GVM for the remainder of 8 months too just to be sure the gearbox doesn't shit itself straight after the warranty expires
John, I don’t disagree with most things you’ve said in the vid, but honestly my experience with my VW dealer in Bris has been fantastic. Yes my ROK has had minor issues, but so has other makes I’ve owned in the past. The service I’ve received has been courteous, professional and resolved the issue. I think it’s unfair to generalise that all dealers are the same. I always research the issue I’m having with my vehicle so I’m well informed and can explain it clearly and concisely.
Toyota sold out all their allotted new GT86 in 40 minutes in the UK last week!!!
You mean 'GR86'?
@@JasonISF yes Jason slip of the finger's.
There is a camp Nr. 3 :There owners who are persuaded to think that other brands will be worse and therefore their car brand is the shining beacon of the automotive industry.
So, basically EVERY BRAND is a lemon, other than Kia and Hyundai who pay John... 🤣🤣🤣
P.S. I'm actually John's fan, but this is beyond hilarious.
Not so. BMW, Mazda, Lexus, Porsche, Subaru and Toyota weren't on the bad list.
John actually commented early on in these comments that 29 cars/manufacturers are not on this list....
Hyundai and Kia are shit brands! I know 12 people including myself that own those brands and all have had issues within 4 to 5 years of ownership and company refuses to own up.
@@fabricioaguilar3745
I take it that all your "bad cars" are equiped with the Theta oil drinking engine?
@@fabricioaguilar3745 If you have a pre 2010 you definitely have a point. Between 2010 and 2016 they could be a bit hit and miss. Post 2016 your comment is not valid, especially in relation to warrantable claims.
If you think Hyundai and Kia are bad in supporting customers, you haven't tried dealing with Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, GM, Renault-Nissan, Jaguar-Rover or Mercedes Benz!
I work in aged care. One of my clients got a brand new Jeep Wrangler. Within 8 months the chassis had rusted out and the vehicle had to be replaced. Customer service was pretty good though and it was promptly replaced under warranty.
Well mate I generally like your sarcastic entertainment, and some of your videos are rather well researched displaying a keen interest in the industry, so thanks for that. Even this slice of entertainment seems ok until you lump GWM and low sales figures into the mix, they sold over 18k in Aust in 2021, a 351% increase from 2020, and there is a good reason for this. Admittedly I’ve only owned one for 17k but so far no problems at all, 5 star ⭐️ wont kill you rating with a great interior and massively comfortable for a bigger bloke, so far a great vehicle and at 42k on the road! Goes real well off road too, no not as good as my old 80 series but not much does. GWM have been in Aust for a couple of decades at least, you don’t think they have figured something out by now! Try one you just might understand, still if you are the sort to pay for a badge, go forth and purchase your branded weapon, the Black Edition, The Crusher or XR variant and say good buy to more than 30k of your banks easy to lend money in a wink of a young advertising girls eye. It’s only money 💰 and who cares when you get that “Oh” what a feeling…feeling!
I have a 2019 Dmax, the one with the turbo issues at 60 thousand k’s and I’m onto my fourth turbo all due to someones wisdom at isuzu to change the turbo on the ever reliable 4jj1 from a ihi turbo to a mhi faulty unit ,I will say the two dealerships I have dealt with have been nothing but helpful
I owned a 2011 Tiguan for 11 years. Sold it a few months ago. "Poisoning the world" topic aside, I actually liked the car. Customer service however - even in Europe - is below average. Not quite throwing under a bus bad, but bad enough for me to avoid VAG cars for the foreseeable future. Strangely enough Skoda customer service here is miles ahead of VWs by measurable parameters such as customer satisfaction. Not sure why that is...
Maybe they (Skoda) are aware that only good customer service will bring them closer to VW sales. And for those who don't know: While they are different cars in some ways, Skoda and VW have all the same components (or at least 90%), including (and especially) engine, gearboxes and suspension.
I have listened and watched this week or so ago. I have also heard you say similar things on other videos. So, this leaves us with: Mazda (there have been problems there recently and I personally have had problems), Hyundai, Toyota, (never had either of these) and Kia (probably have left another brand out?). My current problem with my Kia Cerato SLi GDi auto is that the engine idles quite roughly. Drives well and seems to be smooth enough in gear. Independent mechanic (one I have known and found trustworthy over a number of years) has commented on this. Kia responded to my email ........ "your message is important to us ..... we will get back to you". No, it has not happened! Follow up email ignored. The car has been serviced according to the book by Kia except for the 6th year, (so it is still under warranty), when I took it to the mechanic mentioned above. Couldn't travel to the Kia dealer any way due to Covid restrctions. I am disappointed am considering my next purchase soon and it's Toyota or Hyundai (and since Hyundai is Kia!) doesn't leave much choice! Thanks mate
Some of this is probably very accurate, but it feels quite selective in parts too; why for example does John continue not to call out (and in fact glorify endlessly) Hyundai/Kia when for example ABC in the USA ran a story as recently as last week about the ongoing massive spontaneous combustion issues with several of their models that the manufacturer allegedly continues to duck and weave from? Almost all the major brands can be portrayed in this way for some reason or other (apart from VW who were just universally and unabashedly evil, and which nobody could defend). Selective.
Dear John is obviously in bed with Hyundai/Kia , just like most car reviews on TH-cam don't take them too seriously
That would be because those models are built in the US and the problems there are unique to them, it has nothing to do with Australia who source their vehicles direct from Korea. The problem of self immolation in the US is not confined to Kia & Hyundai, it’s a local problem caused by third party suppliers in the US. Ford America has just recalled about 400k cars with more to come fir exactly the same problem.
It's remarkable how much we share opinion on these things, a brother from another!! Recently I had a customer come to me desiring a new Ford Puma. I balked at a 3cylinder Romanian for them, CX-3 time! Some people actually push back very hard on BT-50 vs DMAX. I can't fathom why they would rather deal with Izuzu Ute than Mazda main dealers.
From my personal experiences....
Mazda Dealer -
Story 1 - New 2020 CX5 and 1000km peace of mind service story. ..... Dropped the car off and mentioned a HARD plastic rattle somewhere to the left of the driver (pass. door, dash ???). Not a big issue, just something needed tweaking up (like my 2003 new Subaru back then... quickly fixed by dealer at next service) The Mazda professional trained mechanics opinion was that the cause was traced to the passengers seatbelt buckle rubbing on the SOFT vinyl seat covers (leather seats are very slippery). Professional Solution - plug the seat belt buckle in , and listen again. Or come back tomorrow and talk to the senior technician for further investigation. Overnight I recalled that I had placed some sunglasses into the overhead pod ..... and these proved to be the source of the hard plastic rattle. My bad, but their absolute total failure to diagnose and respect the customers opinion.
Story 2 - Recall notice for rear hatch power switch thingy -....... Car dropped off squeaky clean inside and out. Car returned with dirt completely covering the drivers floor mat. Yes, there were building works on site, but my car went in clean, and I expected it to come back in similar condition.
That CX5 now goes to our independent mechanic who we have been using for 37yrs.
Ford Dealer horror story - As an aside (new 2010 Mondeo XR5), my local dealer, across two service sites, failed to detect a faulty brake master cylinder (seal bleed-by when under pressure at traffic lights, pedal dropping). Was told - That Happens by Component Design (BS very loud ...). Resolved after 5 complaint visits, and finally formal complaint to Ford Australia triggering a visit by their roving master technician from Melb authorising a new master cylinder. One stop away from Consumer Affairs involvement.
From my own experiences, I have little faith in Dealer Trained Qualified Mechanics.
p.s. I'm not a motor mechanic by trade, but have spent 40+yrs restoring with my classic cars.
Hi John, you are softening up, no mention of the high quality Italian vehicles in the Stellantis stable! Buying a vehicle is truly a leap of faith in my view, I wonder if any of them are well built these days.
They are so bad they don’t even rate a mention anymore
I can’t believe that fiat and Alfa even still operate anywhere let alone Australia
As a recent first time Audi owner (S5) I can heartily agree with your sentiments about their attitude to customers, and quality of their product. After repeatedly returning my car to the dealer for a vibration at highway speeds I was told (in writing) that "all of the A5 series have the same vibration" so there was nothing to fix. Really. Same thing later confirmed in an email from Head Office. Wow. Their service costs are also the highest I have ever experienced, with their hourly charge rate for the teenager changing the oil being $275!
My local LDV dealer is also the Honda dealer... hard times lol
Here in the US, the service at the Jeep dealer is marginal at best (like their safety rating), so I do the routine maintenance myself. I have an older JK Wrangler, which is only slightly less complex than the JL, but is manageable. I’ve been lucky with reliability, avoiding the pitfalls (and raging fires) associated with the auto transmission, by choosing the manual 6.
Moms want a flash light, dads want a flesh light. Both want 40% off.
Lol... Never a truer word... 😂
I discovered that VW is promoting illegal parking. I noticed that an Audi electric car was illegally parked next to a kerbside recharge station. While they have moved the steering wheel and driver controls to the right side, they have left the charge point on what is our offside. This forces owners to drive onto the wrong side of the road and park facing oncoming traffic so they can access kerbside charging stations.
Mazda have done the same thing.
Volvo, Honda and Merc having no Dealer Network creates a kind of Schrodingers Cat scenario.
No way of looking into it to see if it may be satisfying/horrific.
I am in Adelaide and the Networks of all three brands is almost non existent.there might be about two or three in the metro area.It's the same for MG OR FIAT or any niche brand don't do it.I have looked at Peugeots and Renaults way back in the day for me but always stuck with Japanese Brands all along with the exception of a Korean Made Holden I had for three years bought used.(two mazdas new and one used,two nissans).I saw the problems my late father had with his Alfas,Fiats and Lancias in the past he saw the light and bought Japanese(89 RX7 SERIES 5 Mazda,94 Honda Accord VTI,96 Nissan 200sx and 03 Nissan 350z).
THe advantage of having no dealers is that customers never have a complaint about the dealer ...
Peugeot rank very highly in Euro reliability/quality surveys...second to Porsche in one German survey. It's not 2000 any more. We have had 3 and they have been faultless with a fit and finish better than much more expensive German and Italian cars that I have had. The 3008 is the only SUV to have won the European Car of the Year. We have one and that will be our next car.
Ford did sell JLR to the Indians; but they sold Aston Martin, such as it is, to a bunch of nameless investors who are presumably British but nobody really knows. Now it's owned by a Canadian. As an American; it's sad to see what Honda has become down there. It's still doing exceptionally well here. Selling more units in the United States then the entire market sells in Australia. BMWs are shitboxes. Maybe they support them well there but that hardly seems like a justification to get one. I wonder what we can do to get Ford to leave our market as well
Totally agree with your BMW comment. Same here in the UK
@Kevin Barry don't buy their product , worked with GM .
Ahh you couldn't resist it, could you John? Slagging off VW/Audi Group for poor customer service (legitimately), then slagging them off for their ethics displayed in "dieselgate". John,if you are going to do that then you also (ethically!) need to warn off potential purchasers of Porsche, another brand of the same group. But, maybe you are too much of a boy-racer at heart to face up to the need to criticize the maker of your favourite sports wagon.
On a separate matter, this sort of episode is all very amusing, but it is of little value to the majority of motorists: those of us who can't afford new cars and have to buy second-hand. What about an episode where you look at, say, the cars that sold well when they were new four or five years ago, and tell us which ones have exhibited unhealthy (ie expensive) type faults. eg Nissan X-Trails which have (reputedly) unreliable gearboxes, or at least one Mazda model that has had (reputedly) nasty engine problems. I appreciate that it will take a lot more effort to actually talk to repair shops and get some information, but if you want to be a respected motor journalist (possibly the _only_ respected motor journalist) then you need to buckle down and do the hard yards
The Redriven TH-cam channel is the go to for used car reviews. It’s Australian as well.
OLight?
Got a plastic Dolphin torch with 2 D - cell batteries in it. Haven’t replaced the batteries in the last 10 years.
Still works fine thanks.
I have had buyer regret after every car I have ever purchased until now. I purchased a Pajero sport and had it for a year and love this bloody thing. Service has been good from my local Mitsubishi dealer as well!
I remember how my father years ago, maybe 50, used to say. Son, never buy car which name begins with letter F, Ford, Fiat and all french. That was the best advice he ever gave me.
Remember the accord Euro from Honda those where the days
Sold mine a year ago. Had it for 15 years. Shoulda kept it in hindsight.
Hi John. I missed you Lemon list video four months ago but just finished watching.
How true your comments.
I was bent over by Ford with warranty issues in the late 90's on a dud Friday built Fairlane. I know a " Fairlane" but I had a weak moment because of my dad and Customlines and Tank Fairlanes.
Over that issue Ford lost my money forever.
I have had a good run since then with Toyota, and BMW and my wife fell on love with a Porsche Boxter S 2003. It has been perfect and still in the family today.
Since my wife passing away last year and my self retiring i started to think of enjoying a final motoring fling so i walked in to the Porsche Dealership and enquired about purchasing a new 911.
It was a Friday morning and I could see the sales group having what I thought was a 10 minute "G" up in the glass office. Well 40 minutes later I was still waiting to talk to a sales person.
The best i could do was a gentleman from used cars. He scoffed and said "you are kidding the books on any new 911 are closed untill well into 2023 and unless you already own a 911, ( A Boxter doesn't rate) you won't even get your name on the bottom of the list.
He suggested I purchase one or two second hand 911's over a few years to show my sincerity and that may be enough to get my foot in the door.
I had the same laughing fit from Rolex when I decided to treat myself with retirement Submariner watch.
It Appears VW /Porsche are playing the exclusivity game and even if you can afford their product that's not enough. Your analogy of the three pronged star also made me laugh. It appears that there are currently too many millionaires in the world at the moment all buying investment items.
So I have removed VW / Porsche from my birthday invite list.
Keep up the great work. Cheers. Regards Frank. G.
Good list and thanks for the research! But the problem is, the list covers most premium brands and many popular brands even including Ford, VW, Honda and Nissan. If I were to "avoid them at all cost" I don't have many options left and I really don't want to buy boring Toyota and Lexus.What am I supposed to do?
Get a WRX ... that'll melt you boredom
Thanks John for the information you have saved me from an expensive headache
You forgot GM Special Vehicles....