The cars and bikes thread!

[Perseus]

My mom recently traded her CLS550 4Matic for an A6 3.0. Had lots of electronic problems with the Mercedes. Gorgeous car, drove well, but the problems just mounted and mounted. The GPS stopped working. The rearview camera stopped working. And there was other stuff too. The A6 is perfect for her. Easier to see out of, easier to get in and out of, more comfortable, more practical, better AWD system.

I owned two Audi's, both A4's, and they were great cars for me.

[Raza]

I had a Mini Cooper Countryman (built by BMW) and the clutch went out at $27k miles. I was worried my future would look like the above bill, and my Mom was looking to get a new car so I traded the Mini toward her her Acura MDX. My other MDX was sold with 127,000 miles and nothing ever broke.

I have to imagine the Cooper also had a CDV. Mine started slipping around 60,000 miles, and I was incensed. I had 80K+ on my Jetta's clutch and I taught two people to drive stick on it and it was pristine. CDV gone, I don't anticipate having the change the clutch again.

[Raza]

I owned two Audi's, both A4's, and they were great cars for me.

If you go back a few pages, you'll see the saga I had with my S4--an $8,000 sensor failure--which reminded me that if the car were a manual and not a DSG (it was my brother's before it was mine, which is why it was automatic and not manual) it would be parked outside of my house rather than on a dealer lot in Pittsburgh. Other than that, I've loved the family Audis.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another B8 S4--just no ****ing way would I ever buy one with a DSG. I'm currently thinking mostly about a Golf R if I buy new, but once manuals are gone and cars are ever more being treated as disposable leasemobiles, I'll retreat to old 911s and figure the rest out.

[litlmn]

If you go back a few pages, you'll see the saga I had with my S4--an $8,000 sensor failure--which reminded me that if the car were a manual and not a DSG (it was my brother's before it was mine, which is why it was automatic and not manual) it would be parked outside of my house rather than on a dealer lot in Pittsburgh. Other than that, I've loved the family Audis.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another B8 S4--just no ****ing way would I ever buy one with a DSG. I'm currently thinking mostly about a Golf R if I buy new, but once manuals are gone and cars are ever more being treated as disposable leasemobiles, I'll retreat to old 911s and figure the rest out.

Did you have the DSG fluid regularly changed? Not sure how many miles the S4 had (Too lazy to go back a few pages).

[Raza]

Did you have the DSG fluid regularly changed? Not sure how many miles the S4 had (Too lazy to go back a few pages).

It had all its regularly scheduled maintenance, but that's all I know. I only had the car for the last two years, in which I put about 5,000 miles on it.

[93EXCivic]

I'll be honest. My experience with German cars is that Germany quality is a joke once you move pass the early 90s.

[tribe125]

My C-class Merc is from 2013, and apart from replacing a sensor, it hasn’t required anything other than routine servicing. Oh, and a new squab cover for the driver’s seat - but that probably has something to do with my 250-pound bulk. No rattles, squeaks or other sign of age.

[Raza]

I'll be honest. My experience with German cars is that Germany quality is a joke once you move pass the early 90s.

I've had largely reliable cars, but compared to many Hondas and Toyotas, they're not in the same league when it comes to reliability. It's not been perfect, but I've had really only one major issue in 17 years of driving German cars. But for me, the trade-off is worth it. I've never been in a Japanese, Korean, or American car that feels as good or drives as well as its German counterpart. The Swedes have come close, but look at what's become of them. My beloved Saab is gone and every Volvo purchase directly funds an enemy nation.

[geoffbot]

I'll be honest. My experience with German cars is that Germany quality is a joke once you move pass the early 90s.

Yes, according to warranty plus - an impartial aftermarket warranty provider - they get a lot of claims on my generation 3 series for failures. Not so good. Prius next methinks

[93EXCivic]

I've had largely reliable cars, but compared to many Hondas and Toyotas, they're not in the same league when it comes to reliability. It's not been perfect, but I've had really only one major issue in 17 years of driving German cars. But for me, the trade-off is worth it. I've never been in a Japanese, Korean, or American car that feels as good or drives as well as its German counterpart. The Swedes have come close, but look at what's become of them. My beloved Saab is gone and every Volvo purchase directly funds an enemy nation.

Fair but the ones I have dealt with (not owned but friend's) were a MINI Cooper S (that had the coolant expansion tank crack, crank pulley fail, flywheel fail, strut tops mushroom, electric steering pump fail), a Jetta (automatic transmission failure, door panels collapse, tailight electrical issues), E36 3-series (went thru bushings way too fast, interior falling apart, crap cooling system), New Beetle (no major problems but literally the worst car to do maintenance on of any car I have ever seen), late-90s MB E-Class (massive rust problems despite being in the Southeast, all the window motors failed, random electrical gremlins), Audi A4 (blown head gasket). Only the MINI and E36 were fun to drive out of that lot either. IMO they seem to be built to be alright right up until the lease or warranty run out. Some of the design problems are just not ok like the use of so much plastic in BMW cooling systems.

Plus the whole TDi thing.