What's up with Jaguar/Land Rover?

[Dirk]

My Honda CRV is nearly 16 years old and has covered over 160,000 miles. It starts every morning whatever the weather, is great in snow and ice and can carry a couple of bikes in the back quite easily.
Apart from the MOT I have only spent money on consumables including tyres and brake parts.

I always remember a mechanic friend of my fathers telling me to buy either Japanese or German cars if I wanted trouble free motoring.

I've recently bought a 13 year old, 55 plate, Honda CRV 2.2 diesel with 100k on the clock.
It's failed 2 MoTs over the years - both for insufficient tyre tread. It's had 1 advisory for worn front discs 5 years ago (they were replaced). Apart from that - nothing. It starts, runs and drives like a new one. It is also very economical. I intend to keep it for about another 30 - 40k before moving it on, but may well end up running it into the ground if I get attached to it.
I'd looked at Land Rover Freelanders, but was advised against one by my best mate who worked as a production engineer there. He's just in the process of changing his wife's 07 plate Freelander, which he bought new through the LRJ employee scheme, and he refused to sell it to me as he valued our friendship too much.
His wife is having a VW T-Roc......

 

[OldShep]

Spent my working life driving Land Rovers starting with series 2 right through the series. I recall getting a 90 and thinking they’d become a bit more refined. The first wetday taught me they still dripped from the top of the door onto your knee despite the new design.
At around 40000 mls the thrust bearing failed. "They all do that we were told". One thing after another we then bravely ventured into Toyota with a Hi Lux. Well ya bugger, what a machine. Comfy, reliable, great work horse, pulled the trailer well and it just kept on going.
So a machine which would have been found on most farms back in the sixties is now a rarity to find in farm yards. They live in Chelsea now so I hear.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

My Honda CRV is nearly 16 years old and has covered over 160,000 miles. It starts every morning whatever the weather, is great in snow and ice and can carry a couple of bikes in the back quite easily.
Apart from the MOT I have only spent money on consumables including tyres and brake parts.

I always remember a mechanic friend of my fathers telling me to buy either Japanese or German cars if I wanted trouble free motoring.

Is that a petrol or diesel? I've had Japanese cars most of my life and really rate them. I used to drive Vauxhall's, but I bought a Nissan Primera P10 in 1995, and it was light years ahead, I got the eGT model following and that was an awesome car for the money. Bubble shape Nissan Micra is the best car I have ever had. Unbreakable car, it was a second car, I love those things.

I get company cars now that are German, I'm a bit underwhelmed by them to be honest. Having said that the latest one a Golf GTD is a huge improvement on an E Class Mercedes I had. At least its fun. I can't help thinking that if buying privately there's a Skoda or a Seat that could be had a lot cheaper than the Golf, and probably be the same car.

I find the big Range Rovers a bit vulgar to be honest, I've read that Land Rover's are unreliable. If I was looking for that type of car, I'd have a CRV or some kind of Toyota I reckon.

But whatever to be said about Jags and Landrovers, if they are made in this country it's a shame if they're on the decline.

 

[Moodyman]

I can't help thinking that if buying privately there's a Skoda or a Seat that could be had a lot cheaper than the Golf, and probably be the same car.

My Skoda feels and drives just like the Bora I had of the same period. Even uses identical oily bits. But there are very minor differences, namely that the VW was a little more refined. Better sound proofing that kept the engine bay gruff and wind noise outside.

 

[DCBassman]

The economy of the Discovery has improved not one iota since the original Tdi 200. Wasn't too difficult to get 34mpg out of mine. So what has all the tech achieved for them?

 

[Dirk]

Is that a petrol or diesel?

The diesel wasn't introduced until 2005.

 

[Moodyman]

The economy of the Discovery has improved not one iota since the original Tdi 200. Wasn't too difficult to get 34mpg out of mine. So what has all the tech achieved for them?

They've become more efficient, but that efficiency has been offset by the increased weight.

My second car, a 27 year old Corolla gives the same real world MPG than the equivalent Toyota of today as it's about 25% lighter.

Downside, is that it is less safe in a collision. Though arguably, a lot safer than a bicycle which I am happy to ride on the same roads.

 

[mustang1]

I'm surprised Hydrogen isn't catching on. Fuel cell technology is quite effective and mature now, and it eliminates range anxiety concerns in one fell swoop...or it would if anyone got behind in for the infrastructure.

That's on the cards in 10-15 years time when the government will do another U-turn and tell everyone that the batteries in electric cars are bad for the environment and we should really be moving towards hydrogen cars.

As an aside, BMW loaned out 100 hydrogen 7 series cars to Eurocrats some years ago but nothing came of it.

 

[Freds Dad]

Is that a petrol or diesel? I've had Japanese cars most of my life and really rate them. I used to drive Vauxhall's, but I bought a Nissan Primera P10 in 1995, and it was light years ahead, I got the eGT model following and that was an awesome car for the money. Bubble shape Nissan Micra is the best car I have ever had. Unbreakable car, it was a second car, I love those things.

I get company cars now that are German, I'm a bit underwhelmed by them to be honest. Having said that the latest one a Golf GTD is a huge improvement on an E Class Mercedes I had. At least its fun. I can't help thinking that if buying privately there's a Skoda or a Seat that could be had a lot cheaper than the Golf, and probably be the same car.

I find the big Range Rovers a bit vulgar to be honest, I've read that Land Rover's are unreliable. If I was looking for that type of car, I'd have a CRV or some kind of Toyota I reckon.

But whatever to be said about Jags and Landrovers, if they are made in this country it's a shame if they're on the decline.

It's petrol and runs superbly.

 

[DCBassman]

They've become more efficient, but that efficiency has been offset by the increased weight.

My second car, a 27 year old Corolla gives the same real world MPG than the equivalent Toyota of today as it's about 25% lighter.

Downside, is that it is less safe in a collision. Though arguably, a lot safer than a bicycle which I am happy to ride on the same roads.

Except the weight difference isn't that massive, certainly nowhere near 25%, for example.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

It's petrol and runs superbly.

They make great cars, I've had a couple of VTEC's. A couple of Civic's, 1.8 VTI-S MB6 (Rover 400/45 with decent running gear) and an EP3 Type R. Bulletproof for cars in a high state of tune. Since the FN2 Civic in about 2007 they've lost me a bit though. Just a bit bloated, not what a Type R was about, stripped out reasonably priced normally aspirated high revving, light"ish" car. I'm sure the latest Civic Type R is a fantastic car, but it looks truly hideous to me. I'm not keen on them either now they're pulling out of the UK. One thing I liked about Honda and Nissan and Toyota. Many were/are built in the UK to a very high standard.

 

[fossyant]

Is that a petrol or diesel? I've had Japanese cars most of my life and really rate them. I used to drive Vauxhall's, but I bought a Nissan Primera P10 in 1995, and it was light years ahead, I got the eGT model following and that was an awesome car for the money. Bubble shape Nissan Micra is the best car I have ever had. Unbreakable car, it was a second car, I love those things.

I get company cars now that are German, I'm a bit underwhelmed by them to be honest. Having said that the latest one a Golf GTD is a huge improvement on an E Class Mercedes I had. At least its fun. I can't help thinking that if buying privately there's a Skoda or a Seat that could be had a lot cheaper than the Golf, and probably be the same car.

I find the big Range Rovers a bit vulgar to be honest, I've read that Land Rover's are unreliable. If I was looking for that type of car, I'd have a CRV or some kind of Toyota I reckon.

But whatever to be said about Jags and Landrovers, if they are made in this country it's a shame if they're on the decline.

I had a K12 Super S Micra - fast little thing ! We also had a K11 SLX - my wife's second car (her dad said a Pug 105/6 was a good buy - it wasn't) - the K11 we passed to her mum to drive - never broke.

I got a company car, so the Micra Super S went in for a Yaris (when they came out) and my wife had that 16 years before she traded in for a Nissan Qashqai - bloody nice cars to drive (not fast though).

Me had a flashy 2.5 V6 Vectra SRI company car - a fair few garage visits then an Alfa 147 Selespeed - loads of garage visits. Moved jobs, bought a Nissan Primera P12 (last model) with all the satnav and fancy kit - I still have it - the kit on it still takes the micky on many cars. If it goes into a garage, they don't believe it's a 51 plate...

My son is looking at Kia for his first car.... they don't break either....

 

[DRM]

The one with the floor mats was caused in part by customers sticking another floor mat on top of the ones provided which caused the pedal to get stuck ,although why in their right mind would they need 2 mats stacked on top of each other is beyond me .
As far as kaizen, continual improvement goes you are expected to raise at least one a month as well as raising safety , quality and other concerns . The more you improve themore you can potentially earn as you can get an extra pay rise if you have a good year .
As well as this good ideas and key quality spots can be rewarded , i just got £50 bonus for spotting a quality issue from a 3rd party supplier.

.
Interesting, It’s alright for some, some of us just get kaizen and all the other cobblers that goes with it used as a big stick to do them out of money it’s not popular with anyone where I am!
Anyway re Land Rovers, my old 200 Tdi Disco had 236,000 on it when I chopped it in, how many breakdowns? None, it had an exhaust on it (split while in France) which I bodged with pop cans, exhaust paste and jubilee clips to get us home, set of discs & pads when they were worn out, and welded new sills on it when it was about 19 years old, tough as old boots, used off road and dragged the caravan all over Europe

 

[oldfatfool]

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