stunorthants
Vehicles falling apart before they even arrive at the dealer, whats unusual about that ? I can remeber working in a Major dealership that had 22 workshop bays & 12 were dedicated just for warranty work mostly for new vehciles before they were even sold! its not just L/r's & yeh they blow diffs but so do may other makes of cars, its just more costly on an L/r which is parr for the course.
You have to remeber that a Range Rover with a stonking V8 used on the road all the time is going to strain the diff's espacially whenit has a 4wd system designed for off road.
We all need to start supporting whats left of the British car industry now before we get left as a third world country & have no car industry left.
The Americans build a lot of very poorly manufactured cars, but they still belive in their country & products!
|
Not unusual Doc, just happens to be relevant in a discussion about LR. When the Rover 75 was first launched, it came with two days of mods from the factory that had to be done in PDI but that was only T-reg ones - even Rover managed to rectify the design quickly - LR seem to be unable to do anything other than chase their tail.
A Range Rover with any engine should be build to stand up to the job it is designed to do - I wonder how many Landcruisers have these problems?
I dont know why we should be so concerned about saving the british car industry, we are part of a european community and favouring our countrys products over another is a little isolationist to say the least given are are committed to dissolving our sovereignty anyway.
Patriotism is so antiquated in todays global community. Americans are just backward that way. Supporting your troops fighting in a war is great, buying rubbish cars for the sake of your economy is discouraging them from producing better products by eliminating far better options. In the UK, we buy the car we want because its the best for what we need, not because if where it is produced.
|
I dont know why we should be so concerned about saving the british car industry we are part of a european community and favouring our countrys products over >>another is a little isolationist to say the least given are are committed to dissolving >>our sovereignty anyway.
As a sovereign country we need to have a balance of trade. Other European countries manage it perfectly well. A mate of mine works for a utility company that has now got a French parent company. As soon as they took over, the whole fleet of vans was changed to French ones (through natural wastage).
I don't believe that the majority of people in this country wish to dissolve our sovereignty...and neither does the govt obviously, because they keep batting away the referendum
Patriotism is so antiquated in todays global community. Americans are just >>backward that way. Supporting your troops fighting in a war is great buying rubbish >>cars for the sake of your economy is discouraging them from producing better >>products by eliminating far better options.
I salute the Americans patriotism...and forlornly wish there was more here
>>In the UK we buy the car we want because its the best for what we need not because >>if where it is produced.
I wish we did support home grown products more. I wish there was a great big Union flag label on everything made here, so I could actively achieve it, although i'd agree if a product was carp i'd 'pass'.
You don't have to be backward thinking to support your country.
|
...You don't have to be backward thinking to support your country....
Agreed - and a little bit of blind loyalty is no bad thing.
To try to keep this motoring-related, I always thought the last products of Rover were crying out for a bit more development money, which would have been forthcoming with more sales.
I think HJ commented at the time that if the Rover 75 had a BMW badge on the boot everyone would have thought it was a world beater.
Even that clown Clarkson was quite keen on the MG versions of the 25/45/75.
Again, they had the feeling of 'too little, too late' about them.
|
I'm going back a few years but I used to look after a couple of Range Rovers for a comapany - everytime they came back from the pain dealers after servicing I would have to set them up properly - is it any wonder they swopped them in for Shoguns eventually!
I must be honest and say that when I bought my Almera 1.8, I chose it for reliability - I didn't realise it was built in Britain!
|
Oh dear. The old unreliable rubbish American car chestnut again. Nothing could be further from the truth. I speak from experience. Having owned a prime example of British craftsmanship Jaguar XJ12, the reliability and appalling build quality was breathtaking.
My first car was an Audi, a quality german marque renowned for its through flow ventilation swiss cheese bodywork and flimsy interior trim. "Spoilt the ship for a 'aporth of tar" was my Father's less than impressed opinion of it. A look through the technical discussion section on this forum suggests most French, German, and, dare I say it, Japanese machinery is far from perfect.At least the interior plastics feel nice, which is reassuring. I'll stick to my yank rubbish for now, thanks. At least I know parts will always be available, no matter how old they are. And one of my cars is actually appreciating in value, year on year. Champagne motoring for lemonade money. Cheers!
|
The XJ12 was a VERY long time ago, surely you can do better than raid the history books, such as having an example for this decade perhaps?
Im not saying one should not buy British cars, but buying them not on ability but just because it was made on this island has no sound reasoning other than BNP membership frankly. The world has moved on and blind patriotism is narrow minded to say the least.
Should be ashamed of yourselves coming up with such tripe.
|
I bought an XJ12, not because it was made in this country but because I wanted one. I wanted a Roller really but this was the next best thing. Only it wasn't.
Ran a few Escorts when I first got married as money was a bit tight and I figured that they would be cheap to run and maintain. Parts were cheap, but not if you're buying them every week.
I am not, have never been, nor will ever be, a member of the BNP.
God bless America.
|
Whenever the subject of supporting one's country comes up, the BNP always get mentioned here, is this the new way of controlling unhealthy thoughts of putting one's own country first, guilty by thought association.
If a car is made in this country that fulfills my needs, and is as good in every way as the import i will buy it in preference and support my own country, on the other hand i won't buy rubbish from another country to please certain types either.
To be perfectly honest there's no car made here presently that i'd want anyway.
|
...Should be ashamed of yourselves coming up with such tripe...
Stu,
One man's tripe is another man's onions.
There have been patriots in this country long before the formation of the BNP.
Being inclined to buy British in cars and other purchases does not make you either an idiot or a fascist.
|
|
Im not saying one should not buy British cars but buying them not on ability but just because it was made on this island has no sound reasoning other than BNP membership frankly. The world has moved on and blind patriotism is narrow >> minded to say the least. Should be ashamed of yourselves coming up with such tripe.
Stu, there are plenty of people in this country who would not be able to be members of the BNP, yet are proud to be British and would support their country...Johnson Beharry VC springs to mind as a high profile example....
Just because you're proud to live her and are supportive of your country doesn't mean you automatically have to have BNP type views....
To drag it back to motoring...if we in this country had supported properly our car industry like the Germans, French and Italians still do...then maybe we'd still have one ....and i'm not suggesting we all should have bought tripe if we didn't want to.
|
Sorry, its a Mr X thread so it has to be a bit 'edgy' :-)
I dont care personally where a car is made, it doesnt factor in my buying decision, only the reputation of the individual car company for producing what I seek.
I dont feel that people genuinely want to buy british, its just that a car is a very visable symbol of how you spend your money, but really, if you look at where each and every product you buy is made, few people ever buy british across the board, they are just making a hollow statement.
Its actually a bit hypocritical buying a british made car, then buying food from every corner of the globe. You either believe in the concept wholesale, and I admire anyone who goes to those lengths, or you just want to feel good about yourself with a token gesture, while turning a blind eye to all the other british industries who equally need the people to support them. Infact your local farmer need you a darn sight more than Honda do.
|
The fact is,we can build good cars, damn fine ones in fact. They may be flawed, but who wouldn't want to tool around in a TVR or a Lotus on a weekend? A Morgan V8 in British racing green with leather bonnet straps would be particularly therapeutic.
I like my American cars, but only because they are different and remind me of a bygone age where cars didn't all look the same. Rear wheel drive may have a lot to do with it too.
I only hope that government legislation doesn't completely ruin one of the few pleasures we have left...
Regards, cc
|
Last 3 cars have been Jaguar.
I had an F plate XJ40 3.6 (base model...1986?) and ran it for 4 years and 50k miles. Only problem was a cracked thermostat housing. I replaced it myself one Sunday at a cost of about ?40 (I was in Germany when it cracked). Then an X300 XJR 1995 which I bought with 80k on the clock and ran for 3 years upto 120k before a bizarre electrical gremlin laid it low. I didn't use it for 6 weeks and these cars do need to be used regularly to be at their best. Still have it and, when I find the problem, I will use The Beast again. Now an X350 TDVi Sovereign with 30k miles on the clock. Very nice it is too and a fine autobahn machine to boot!
As far as I am concerned, a well maintained Jaaaag is a fine motor, no matter what the age (I only can speak of XJ models).
|
Nothing wrong with being patriotic and supporting our own industries - something we've been very poor at in this country. My next 'main' car will be a Jaguar XF. Before anyone mentions TATA, the Jag is designed and built in UK, it is a British car under foreign ownership. And a damn good car as well. I rather my money goes on supporting Jaguar workers and their component suppliers - we've got enough of our own out of work.
1970/80s British cars were not as bad as people mention - yes there was some crap but no worse than the rubbish some other countries inflicted on us. We are too keen in the UK to run ourselves down.
I've seen our local council using a VW van and the health authority uses Renault Masters. This is not acceptable when there's a British-built equivalent available.
Britain needs a strong industrial base. There is no coincidence that the strongest economies make things, the only exception to this is countries with a strong natural resource. If we don't make things then there is no clear alterntive to finance ourselves. North Sea oil is in decline and the Banking sector - well we won't go there because it makes me want to spit.
The reason that the UK economy is getting hit hard (the rise in unemployment is horrific) is that the multiplier effect is now going into reverse. For every manufacturing job there will be three or four related service sector jobs feeding off it. Take out the manufacturing and the house of cards collapses. Take out the freely-available credit and it looks even more dodgy since a lot of businesses models have been constructed on the basis of cheap abundant credit. That party's over. The latest joke is Darling trying to get the Banks to lend more. Bankers may be good at feathering their own nests but they're not daft. They know there's more pain to come in the form of credit card debt. Reckless lending got us into this mess in the first place.
Anyone who claims that manufacturing is not important is at best uninformed and at worst something unprintable. The next decade will be critical since we still have a lot of engineering expertise in UK which must be utilised before it withers away. A lot of businesses need to restructure as well - far too many irritating accountants and lawyers who add cost but little value. The problem is this Govt. doesn't understand the issues and I have no confidence that the irksome Tories do either.
I saw on the telly the other day that Hotpoint have closed their factory in Wales - loss of 300 jobs to Poland. So now we can't even bang a washing machine together in the UK. It's pathetic.
|
I saw on the telly the other day that Hotpoint have closed their factory in Wales - loss of 300 jobs to Poland. So now we can't even bang a washing machine together in the UK. It's pathetic.
Hotpoint (and Hoover) have been rubbish for AGES. Had a Hotpoint wm, was nowt but trouble. Am now a sworn Siemens buyer. My Belling range cooker has been nowt but trouble either. Pity we can't build such things here, but have to either go abroad or spend huge amounts on indestructible Agas... now there's a thought. Anyone want to take over an old factory somewhere in this country and build quality domestic appliances to put the wind up the Germans? Perhaps a new forum for that subject needs to be started.
Anyway, I think we need to support JLR. Fact is, they make fantastic cars (though I don't care for the XF's looks and don't like the new XJ much more - and no, I don't want Jags to look like a pastiche of the 60s either) and when they work they're miles ahead of the rest of the competition. A Range Rover is much better on- and off-road than a BMW X5, Merc M, Jeep Grand Cherokee, etc. A Land Rover Defender is much better off-road than ANYTHING with four rubber-shod wheels that can be bought off a dealership forecourt (though the only direct competitor is the Jeep Wrangler). The Discovery is roomier and more capable off road than any other 7-seat SUV. The Freelander did, very briefly, lead its class, until Audi came along with the Q5... the more British car buyers buy from JLR, the quicker they can sort out the niggles that they've been suffering from lately.
Oh, and look at Aston Martin. FANTASTIC cars, excellent build quality, very reliable. Yes, I know the V12 is made in Germany, dammit.
|
|
|
|
