Reliability and 33 Years of Experience, Not looking good. Options

[Series9]

As the owner of an indy VAP shop, I have to say things are not looking good.

I started in VWs with my grandfather's '71 Super Beetle when I was 14. I would enthusiastically tell everyone (for a very long time) that German engineering was the way to go.

Fast forward 33 years. What I say now: "Do NOT buy any VAP built after 1998." Even before 1998, I now realize that drivers of American and Asian cars have generally had a more reliable experience.

My Vanagon is on it's third engine in ten years, my Jetta requires attention at least twice a month, my 914 (before it became the RS) required an engine replacement in the five years I owned it as a /4.......etc, etc.

I'm basically making money on the flaws of German engineering. Yes, it tends to be more precise than the others. BUT, that precision comes at a cost. Small flaws amplify themselves in such a way that the whole system will stop working harmoniously long before other manufacturer's vehicles.

What's my most reliable vehicle/mile/dollar/hour of maintenance? 2006 Ford F250 6.0 Diesel (and that truck has the "unreliable" 6.0).

If someone came to me tonight and said "you have to drive to Washington state and leave right now", I would get right in the Ford and not worry one second about making it there and back.

If I had to take the Vanagon or the Jetta, I would be highly stressed. Both cars are great, but great for within 100 miles.

That's it. I wanted it off my chest.

My VAP specialty will continue at S9, but I may be driving something else..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[iankarr]

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Well, I can't speak to the wife claim, but my Lexus GX470 was 10+ years old and 160K miles with just oil changes and new 02 sensors. And it saved my life. I'd still have it if I didn't total it in my driveway. Yep, I might be the only guy to ever do that. Went into a 4 wheel slide on black ice rolling down my hill. Broke through a fence and rolled into a ravine. Landed on its side. Side bags deployed. My son and I walked away. Loved that car.

[JoeDees]

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Well, I can't speak to the wife claim, but my Lexus GX470 was 10+ years old and 160K miles with just oil changes and new 02 sensors. And it saved my life. I'd still have it if I didn't total it in my driveway. Yep, I might be the only guy to ever do that. Went into a 4 wheel slide on black ice rolling down my hill. Broke through a fence and rolled into a ravine. Landed on its side. Side bags deployed. My son and I walked away. Loved that car.

I was talking about this thread's subject with a buddy who is a Lexus Certified Master Mechanic and he said the quality and reliability of Lexus has gone down in his 15 years working for them. He has customers with 90s-early 2000s come in just for oil changes with over 500k and no issues but newer ones have "crazy stupid" problems you would never think of. A 90s LS400 is one of the most solid, reliable cars ever built.

[Tom_T]

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Well, I can't speak to the wife claim, but my Lexus GX470 was 10+ years old and 160K miles with just oil changes and new 02 sensors. And it saved my life. I'd still have it if I didn't total it in my driveway. Yep, I might be the only guy to ever do that. Went into a 4 wheel slide on black ice rolling down my hill. Broke through a fence and rolled into a ravine. Landed on its side. Side bags deployed. My son and I walked away. Loved that car.

I was talking about this thread's subject with a buddy who is a Lexus Certified Master Mechanic and he said the quality and reliability of Lexus has gone down in his 15 years working for them. He has customers with 90s-early 2000s come in just for oil changes with over 500k and no issues but newer ones have "crazy stupid" problems you would never think of. A 90s LS400 is one of the most solid, reliable cars ever built.

Wow - both of these posts above are right on point for me, since the T/L mid-size V8 SUV options which would even fit into our needs, are the 4Runner V8 (`03-09 only), GX470/460 or Land Cruiser & LX470/570 - & I don't seen many of the mid-2000's & earlier ones at <60K miles.

So the Lexus Tech is saying that the newer GX460 & LX570 are having stooopid problems now too, & presumably the 4Runner-V8 & Land Cruiser cousin are the same - then there may be no benefit over a `08-12 Cayenne S!?
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However, there would still be the issues of Porsche parts 2x the T/L ones, & the Porsche propensity of making stuff 2x-3x as difficult to get to & diagnose, resulting in 2x-3x the labor costs - as my guy Hans says. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Good info guys!

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Tom
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