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FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 2:04 pm After my A8L experience, I am a little wary.

The D3 A8 is a hell of a small case study for German reliability

FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 2:04 pm But, I can’t help wondering if all of the maintenance complaints might be because owners of these cars are converted Honda and Toyota owners who are spoiled by economy car maintenance costs.

Yes nobody actually cross-shops A8's and Corollas so generally those who have the good fortune to drive both generally get both from a buy-here-pay-here lot. Generally not known for their fine selection of automobiles, unless you take this guy's word for it:

Kalashnikov wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 2:59 pm LOL

Or maybe it is you developing Stockholm syndrome from so much butt fucking and unreliability from German cars that you grew to accept and enjoy it? If you drive a reliable car, you feel like something is missing, you feel like you have too much money, you feel like you don't worry enough... The danger and excitement is missing.

Well, the Explorer has been rock solid, and the one repair it needed was pretty painless. I could definitely get used to that. But, I can’t argue with you otherwise - anybody who buys a high-mileage German car has got to be a bit of a masochist.

Dr_Strangelove (whew!) wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 3:30 pm The D3 A8 is a hell of a small case study for German reliability :lol


Yes nobody actually cross-shops A8's and Corollas so generally those who have the good fortune to drive both generally get both from a buy-here-pay-here lot. Generally not known for their fine selection of automobiles, unless you take this guy's word for it:

Definitely true that the A8 was breathtakingly bad. I’ve had several German cars that have been very reliable - Porsches most notably. And, yes, the condition of the car has a lot to do with how reliable it will be.

If I'm reading correctly this is a winter beater, no? If I ever need a winter car, I'm going clapped-out pick up or SUV, if not the cheapest FWD coupe on the lot. Minis seem too light to be a decent snow car, but then again I haven't driven one.

OceanBlue2000 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:00 am If I'm reading correctly this is a winter beater, no? If I ever need a winter car, I'm going clapped-out pick up or SUV, if not the cheapest FWD coupe on the lot. Minis seem too light to be a decent snow car, but then again I haven't driven one.

Mike - Yep, that's correct. I have a dealer's license, so I'll buy it in probably early December and sell it in March, once the threat of snow is gone. I was thinking something cheap and around 6 years old with 100k miles on it so that it doesn't depreciate for the 4 months or so while I'm driving it and I don't have much money tied up in it (I'm in the home stretch of getting my house paid off and I can see the finish line from here!).

But, hell, it might be cheaper and less hassle to just buy a newer AWD SUV and take the $1,000 or so depreciation hit to get a more reliable vehicle with less maintenance expense. With a newer vehicle (3 or 4 years old), depreciation is more of a factor. But, I won't have as much risk of a major or multiple repairs.

FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:17 am

OceanBlue2000 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:00 am If I'm reading correctly this is a winter beater, no? If I ever need a winter car, I'm going clapped-out pick up or SUV, if not the cheapest FWD coupe on the lot. Minis seem too light to be a decent snow car, but then again I haven't driven one.

Mike - Yep, that's correct. I have a dealer's license, so I'll buy it in probably early December and sell it in March, once the threat of snow is gone. I was thinking something cheap and around 6 years old with 100k miles on it so that it doesn't depreciate for the 4 months or so while I'm driving it and I don't have much money tied up in it (I'm in the home stretch of getting my house paid off and I can see the finish line from here!).

But, hell, it might be cheaper and less hassle to just buy a newer AWD SUV and take the $1,000 or so depreciation hit to get a more reliable vehicle with less maintenance expense. With a newer vehicle (3 or 4 years old), depreciation is more of a factor. But, I won't have as much risk of a major or multiple repairs.

The wife commutes in her RAV4 Hybrid (AWD) and is insisting future cars have AWD or 4x4. We had a freak snowstorm here back in early November last year and she felt like she would have got stuck on the hill near our house otherwise. A nice investment for peace of mind, especially since she taxis the kids around. That said, we just had to have the water pump replaced after only 30K miles. It's a good thing I happened to check the coolant overflow when doing the air filter. Covered under warranty which is a of course another advantage with new. But having to change this at 30K makes me nervous. Toyotas have a good rep for reliability.

FRUNKenstein wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:17 am

OceanBlue2000 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 8:00 am If I'm reading correctly this is a winter beater, no? If I ever need a winter car, I'm going clapped-out pick up or SUV, if not the cheapest FWD coupe on the lot. Minis seem too light to be a decent snow car, but then again I haven't driven one.

Mike - Yep, that's correct. I have a dealer's license, so I'll buy it in probably early December and sell it in March, once the threat of snow is gone. I was thinking something cheap and around 6 years old with 100k miles on it so that it doesn't depreciate for the 4 months or so while I'm driving it and I don't have much money tied up in it (I'm in the home stretch of getting my house paid off and I can see the finish line from here!).

But, hell, it might be cheaper and less hassle to just buy a newer AWD SUV and take the $1,000 or so depreciation hit to get a more reliable vehicle with less maintenance expense. With a newer vehicle (3 or 4 years old), depreciation is more of a factor. But, I won't have as much risk of a major or multiple repairs.

Mitsubishi Outlander GT.

OceanBlue2000 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:00 am
The wife commutes in her RAV4 Hybrid (AWD) and is insisting future cars have AWD or 4x4. We had a freak snowstorm here back in early November last year and she felt like she would have got stuck on the hill near our house otherwise. A nice investment for peace of mind, especially since she taxis the kids around. That said, we just had to have the water pump replaced after only 30K miles. It's a good thing I happened to check the coolant overflow when doing the air filter. Covered under warranty which is a of course another advantage with new. But having to change this at 30K makes me nervous. Toyotas have a good rep for reliability.

We have a 2009 Rav4 since new and the only failure issue in the first 99,000 miles was a rear wheel bearing. Eye watering cost for a wheel bearing, but other than consumables that has been the only issue. It has the V6 so it is pretty spunky. Great in the snow. Since when does it snow that much in KC!!??

It's on the ancient side now, but I loved my 04 Ford Escape. Had it 8 years (longest I've owned a vehicle so far) and the only real issue I had was the alternator, but that was self inflicted.

That was the last generation with 4WD setting which came in handy driving on the beach and in a couple really bad snows. Even in AWD mode it was sure footed and with the V6 and decent ground clearance it went anywhere I asked it.

I forget what they called it, but I had the top trim on it which came with heated leather seats which were also nice in the winter. I would have liked the unpainted bumpers of the lower trim as I would have been willing to be more aggressive with driving into/onto snow piles, but it was still good at making parking spots in the in winter what I wouldn't be comfortable doing in the Cayenne (I'm sure it could do it, but the additional weight and price tag make me too nervous).

Other than the alternators pretty much all it needed for ~100k was consumables (and it even got the longest life out of tires that I've ever accomplished). Just before I gave it to her dad after getting the P!g I did belts, plugs, and a few other minor things.

If we hadn't had the kids I may actually still be driving it actually. Decent ride. Good power (with the V6). Reliable. Not flashy, but not cheap feeling. Lots of utility, but still a "nice" car. I wouldn't have paid the original almost 30k sticker for it, but I got it still marked as new with a few hundred miles on it a couple months after the MY had closed for about 20k and always thought I got a good deal.

My MIL and Dad both bought later models (the last boxy look) and were happy with their's as well. MIL still has hers, but my Dad lost his in a towing accident (flat towing it behind their RV and apparently one of it's brakes froze and caused it to catch fire and burn up).

Yeah, a small AWD SUV is probably the ticket. RAV4, Outlander, Escape are all good candidates. Will be easy to sell any of those come spring, also. That's definitely the smart way to go.

Now, you guys go ahead and place your bets among yourselves as to that I'll actually end up buying.