Me and my family had owned local / Japanese / Continental cars;
We had our fair experience on the reliability from each of the car maker.

The question is, are there any reliable continental car?

In search for some enlightenment, for the next fun yet reliable car (something that give pleasure yet parts won't break often)

the Mercs used to be very reliable

can't say the same today

so, maybe none of them can be considered reliable but in my experience Alfas take the prize for being unreliable and BMWs the prize for being "delicate" in the sense, sikit sikit sakit.

Conti manual car with less sensor may be less issue.

Family had Merc before, older ones
Always like to visit "doctor" during the weekend

Other than that, our experience with continentals require a lot of pampering
Loves to have new accessories everytime, new parts here and there

If there are no "reliable continentals", are there any fun, reliable and easier to own cars to recommend?

Was initially looking at Renault Megane (earlier gen) but kinda skeptical with it's reliability.
Also looking at Peugeot 208 GTI, but it might give us more reliability worriness than fun.

Any other suggestions?

i have had a merc since the W126 model (inherited from someone)
that was a tank.
had a collision with another car at 70kmh and all that was needed was bodywork and a radiator change.

graduated to a W140 which was a mistake. real potato

currently using a W203 which is mostly trouble free if you are not fussy over small issues.

If you want to drive continental and reliable (less issue), look into diesel model. Usually Diesel model got less sensor compare to petrol engine counterpart.

Biggest letdown are their local representative service center. Along with its delicate build, it is very expenseive to own one...

.

This post has been edited by Donidoni: Mar 6 2023, 12:53 AM

Most people have incorrect definition of reliability.

Reliability by engineers/scientist/mathematician is time-bound, involve confident level, and it is completely different from quality. To declare reliability, one must know the designed life-cycle of a component.

Here's some example
Product A designed to work with designed High Performance (good spec) specification for 5 years, with confident level of 0.02% escape rate
Product B designed to work with designed Slow Performance (low spec) specification for 8 years, with confident level of 0.02% escape rate
Product C designed to work with designed High Performance (good spec) specification for 3 years, with confident level of 0.02% escape rate
Product D designed to work with designed Slow Performance (low spec) specification for 20 years, with confident level of ?? escape rate (real world 30%)

Most people call B more reliable than A, in reality both are good reliability base on designed specification. People complains A is also expensive, but forgot what A enabled, eg:. A is high precision and ultra fast ABS sensor that support advance torque vectoring, while B is low sampling rate slow sensor.

C is an example of lower quality, but still goes through accelerated stress test with a proper confident level from manufacturer, still good reliability.
D is an example of low quality and low reliability. Where manufacturer skim on the testing cost. It could last 20 years, but have to try the luck.

You might ask, what's the different to the user? The component/part last shorter, result still the same. There is big different for the manufacturer.
Reliability is an issue that each factory failed to meet the metrics and actively working for a fix.
Life time issue is not a component issue itself, it is business decision of the car maker to select a even more expensive component that last longer, or continue to replace the component as the component work according to the specification.

Also one do not know if the defect is within the expected escape rate. Reliability is bathtub curve, at the manufacturing the defect rate is high and factory testing filter them out, then defect rate remains low until the designed life cycle, and the defect rate skyrocket again.

Lastly for your question, Porsche from the sport devision GT2/GT2 RS GT3/GT3 RS, GT4 are the most reliable road legal car worldwide (Japanese included) when operate at the vehicle full potential regularly. It is so far the only group of cars in completely stock setup that can be daily driven in rack track, rev to 8000rpm, 9000rpm only with regular maintenance.

Look for Robert Mitchell and Misha Charoudin from Apex. They run a GT2 RS MR as taxi on Nurburgring, doing 30,000KM a year, only regular oil change. Note: they also like the regular taxi, they don't stop the engine between customer wait, reduce start/stop wear.

Unfortunately, those cars are very expensive, but nothing beat them when comes to reliability.

This post has been edited by constant_weight: Jul 9 2021, 12:22 PM

Buy a lexus la

BMW F30 not so much problem , its cheap now for a 6 year old used F30

Appreciate the long write.
We do agree the reliability vs quality are interlink and related.

Speaking of the other black horse (Porsche), does the sister/brother car eg: Cayenne has the same reliability?
This would revolve on another aspect, which is practicality.
However, it would pretty much unfair to compare a same car but different region.
Eg: Owning Porsche in Malaysia vs Germany

End of the day, the question is still on $$$ which is hard to avoid

For Lexus, I'm working my way to it
Right now looking for sub 100k fun and reliable car
The continentals are really interesting but reliability put them off
F30 sedan is quite small for a sedan
Previously looking at the GT version, anyhow we still have large concern on the reliability
Later BMW jadi Bengkel Makan Wang

This post has been edited by potatobanana: Jul 9 2021, 01:41 PM

Overprice as u pay for the cbu tax. Then getting the underpowered engine considering the price u pay for it vs other conti. No doubt about the reliability

This post has been edited by ayamxxx: Jul 9 2021, 03:09 PM

well TS is talking about reliability and conti ma..
so reliability with conti feel = lexus.
don't say price yet la

Same, family old car back then w210 E200K always had issues. Most spend changing the kompressor due to k.o with recond unit.

Then upgrade to w211 E240 NA V6. Best reliable on engine. Not sure on current gen Merz. But as my sister car, w212 E250 kinda no issues on engine, just pricey to service it at SC

Sometimes also known as Banyak Masuk Workshop

You can try Mazda, or Golf Manual.

Don't buy any dry clutch auto car.

bmw b48 engine with 8 speed gear box non dual clucth

one of the less problematic engine plus robust gearbox match together

I used to own a Renault Megane.

I wasn't really that much of a Renault fan as was mostly into Fords and VW.

In the end I had no regrets owning it as other than the keycard that malfunctioned because it was flung across a room.

The key? Make sure you properly maintain that car and if you're buying 2nd hand make sure you buy one from someone that took good care of it.

A good car but you need to know how to drive it to enjoy it the most.

A good one from the same era would be the Mazda 3 MPS and if you're not looking for outright speed then a Toyota GT86 is an excellent choice as is a Mazda MX-5.

BMWs? I currently drive an E89 Z4, I bought it with a blown engine which meant I had a good discount on it upfront. I bought an engine for it from an E90 and still enjoying it. Thus far other than the convertible top everything about it has been very reliable...... presumably its reliability has more to do that I've made sure it is very well maintained like recently I had it serviced even though in the last 6 months it only did 2,000km.

Volvo 940, 240, 244

these cars were built very rudimentary , not much to go wrong

Popp b40. Drive proton only ;(

The renaut megane is really attractive.
However currently I still have the phobia as I seen my family bringing "continentals" to workshop on almost every weekend.

We can change all the parts, but majarity of it won't last more than a year or two.
Will study more on the GT86 and MX5.
The cars listed above could be good, however when it comes to spare part, it will take a lot of effort to source.
Hence it is not that "reliable" when comes to fixing.

I am now thinking maybe just get a Jap and mod it

That's why this thread is here to bounce some ideas.

If there are reliable secondhand continental, this would meant a lot to us.
Moreover, used continental are more affordable and more fun than used japanese cars.

Sub 70K shouldn't be an issue, as long it is reliable

A blown bmw engine must mean that the previous owner must have mod and revved it hard or didn’t do any proper maintenance. BM engines are pretty reliable. You’ll need to keep track further on it’s reliability as the car had only done 2k for the last 6 months.

any lower model is reliable as mostly kosong spec.

can get 320i, 520i..but most fun is 320d, 520d

e90 320d still nice..not aging much. and now is cheap too.

Correct me if I am wrong on the below:

Source from Internet

Diesel are certainly fun with torque, but the after sales cost is higher, might need to rethink on it

Btw, what's with the username DS51?
In car community we are very aware of DSS ehem

Porsche. Because they copied Toyota Production System. But sadly at the same time it is plagued by Audi/VW's crap German quality after their merger.

Porsche with a stick if you can find it, post 2000s. They copied Toyota in the 1990s.

Old mercs have a reputation of being reliable.

E39 is quite ok. Hasn't been giving me any issues over the past 2 years, my VW so far has been okay. Warranty just expired tho.

Mechanical problems can generally be fixed fairly easily. The real headache on these contis are electronics.

E46 is something to consider. Heard only water pump problem

Out of my league, at least for now

Wouldn't want to risk purchasing car which is more than 7 year old
althought the proposed car can be reliable, but if something breaks, then sourcing for spare part will be pain in the arse, hence unreliable and unfeasible to fix

E46s are still very popular so I doubt you will have problems sourcing parts

Based on your replies so far, honestly I think you should just stick with Japanese for a fun car. There's quite a lot of options to pick from too.

VW might not be so "reliable", but parts replacement is affordable, can look at shopee and lazada for spare parts.

Elantra Sport 1.6T. 4 years car, there was one asking for 75K few months ago, because owner need cash and very sad to let go. 2 years ago, one listed at 90K, don't know the story.
Only 2 used sales that I'm aware of. Most owners are keeping it, lucky if you can find one.

I had one, passed on to my sis. 4 years, only regular maintenance, lube change. DCT was smooth, no gear hunting at all. Annual maintenance about 800-1200, going back to 4S every 6 months

Performance is very close to Mk6 GTi, when both are stock.
GTi has higher peak power, faster at top end, while the Elantra Sport react faster to pace change due to the smaller/lighter turbo that integrated to exhaust manifold, minimize the path, less turbo lag. Of course being GTi, any single drawback has a mod/fix for it.

Elantra Sport has no LSD, and no torque vectoring. You need to manage grip better at corner exist, you will often limited on power you can put down to the ground when the car still have excess power.
More expensive cars with LSD, torque vectoring you can accelerate a lot more harder, and still have no traction problem.

Depends if your fun is satisfaction when you control well yourself or happy to let technology help you to go faster (not to say you don't need skill).

Aside looking at the continental side, I did look at Japanese cars too.

But Japanese fun+reliable are usually priced alot more higher than the continental.

Any good japs to recommend sub 90k?
Else we would have to modify, which would break the warranty and cost more on effort and time.

or they just send a tuner to do ECU tune, stages 1,2. some tuners just want to gain respect on this game, so they just push it to the max. the gain of HP will post massively on their shop marketing/fb. so u can see some tuner just wanna gain hp than make it reliable on long run.

then owner for sure will need to change the engine after in long run.

because they come in as CBU. if u talk about Lexus.
if u wanna save, buy the 2015 Perdana 2.4 around less than rm60k. k24 Engine by Honda and 5 torque converter gb (yeah no cvt). then send outside to change cam, injector etc if have budgets

This post has been edited by ayamxxx: Jul 10 2021, 10:54 AM

i was one of the potential buyers of this Elantra sport in 2019-2020. basically almost hard to saw people letgo theirs. want to buy the car for wife use. end up take x70 ckd

Can you list down all your requirements and preferences? Every little detail will help haha.

Reckon it would be easier for everyone to suggest or chip some ideas with an easy list for reference.

a very confusing post, TS doesnt seems to know what he wnats..hence, is juz throwing around ideas and notion that his famili (or relatives) owned contis before and is unreliable..but doesnt seems to address what is unreliable...

First: bajet (budget include purchase price, and maintenance price ok)

then we can start talking...

to some of us used car punters (quoting @zenix) , most cars are pretty reliable..esp now so many spare parts around
(of cuz not too old junk like w126 la, c;mon, w126 shud b in museum dy..old and slow)
other than that, most cars are pretty reliable...and for fun cars, u expect to drive it every day? or juz weekends only?..

this would make a difference...cos there's always the E92 m3...not practical cos 2 door...or the audi A8...practical but, how willing are u to budget for the emergencies... or, u can even consider the S500..which is around 40-50k max (cash la), cheaper than vios and pretty reliable...

MCO stress, so yea, no bulshiat...straight talking ...

This post has been edited by fastreader: Jul 10 2021, 12:33 PM

Thank you for chipping in ideas.

Requirement as below:
Car price 80k
Standby 10k for furnish/change part (if used unit)
For daily use and weekend use
Practical, reliable, fun, all in one
Easy to own and maintain
Should there be any breakdown, spare part should be easy to source and affordable
High availability
No headache

take Japanese model. then start from there. own a Accord 2.4 2015, until now no issues, just regular oil change which I did outside after warranty ended. Cost me around rm160 (0w20 4L + 1L at Hingan Auto Parts), RM25 for Oil Filter. The Air filter, Aircond Cabin filter do on my own, and bought them from Shopee. Brake pad RM190 per pair front tyre, RM170 rear pair.

PS4 235/45/18 cost me rm580/pcs at Oscar Tyres Bukit Kemuning.

This post has been edited by ayamxxx: Jul 10 2021, 01:13 PM

> fun, practical, reliable in a conti?
> not more than 7 years old?
> price 80k?
> no headache?
> easy to own and maintain?
> easy to source spart part and affordable?

all these doesn't fit in a conti.
GT86/BRZ probably does the job if practical isn't the thing you are looking for.
Subaru WRX should work fine, if you could spend a little bit more. Do ask the owners of these cars, they are able to give more insight on spare parts and maintenance.

just get a used ketam turbo, fits almost or every requirement.

Accord worth considering, I was looking at Camry before this.
Mustn't be a Conti, it's just that in the Malaysia market, secondhand fun to drive Conti are more accessible (lower price).
Eg: 80k Jap vs 80k Conti, the Conti is more pleasurable to drive, but biggest headache is the maintenance.

The GT86/BRZ won't be in my list for now. Practicality is still having the higher priority.
I was looking at the subbies for a while and the fan base is huge. There is a specialist in Klang Valley. The engine is pretty much okay, but other components are the cause for concern.
For ketam turbo, biggest put off is the CVT

Perhaps my expectation is too high

Have you considered a Honda Civic FN2R?

I believe that's the car you're looking for albeit a bit older than what you're expecting but its bang on the money for your budget and requirements.

It overheated due to the water pump.

Not modded but it had 270,000km on it when it blew.

Unfortunately not had much of a chance to drive it the last 8 months due to work schedule.

Lexus. is not conti.

But since you wanted conti for no specific reason...
i guess you are looking for atasness


i can understand if you wanted Merz/BMW ( brands specific for certain traits )

But specific for conti??? then it must be atasness ( which is something for most malaysian but not me... )

Just go Lexus. you get atasness and reliability in 1 package.

Lexus is250 v6

Older Camry has no relationship with "fun to drive"
New Camry with TNGA yes but you need to pay more

The only reliable conti is Porsche.. but out of your budget.

Japanese brand that is close to conti feel is Mazda.

If you want to take a bit of risk, then older IS250.. be prepared that prices of old Lexus are high.. a used BMW plus maintenance cost also less than a used Lexus.
However, Lexus driving dynamic is still no where close to BMW.. Lexus is mainly aiming for luxury

This post has been edited by twincharger07: Jul 13 2021, 03:47 PM

I drive a Clio RS and from what I know Megane is quite reliable as long as you know the history of the car. My advice when you purchase such a car is to join a club because I've found out that it can help a lot especially when you're faced with problems. Buying a car with a recorded history will help a lot in terms of reliability.

Thank you for the constructive comment, it is really helpful.
Is the older accord fun to drive may I ask?

Actually I don't mind too much on the brand or make.
The main purpose I would prefer a continental is that the technology much more advance and the resale value is much lower.
That means with a lower budget, for example RM80K, we are able to obtain a more "luxurious and faster" conti than japanese.
With that being said, the main concern for conti is still the reliability, which puts me off everytime I looked into one.

The older IS250 price really does have an awesome resale value, which means we have to fork out more.
Any comment on IS250 vs 218i Active Tourer vs B200?
Not exactly a really fair comparison but at least it (almost) matches my requirement;
Certainly, main concern is still the reliability
Great idea, will try to scout around for some megane/renault related club.
Thus far, it is really limited, will do more survey on this.
As far as I can comment, I am aware that Renault is related with Nissan, but not sure the same can be said for it's reliabililty.

you are aware megane is manual only? And if you're looking at Renault Club then I'm in the Renaultsport Club, only for Renaultsport models. Most of the members own Megane RS.
Clio RS shares same engine with Nissan Juke Nismo (not officially sold in Malaysia) but Megane RS doesn't share engines with Nissan.

go for F30. I am driving a 328i Msport. This is the 7th year clocked 150k. Only replace the wear and tear parts. 1 wheel speed sensor, 1 oil pan gasket. That's all. The most expensive parts is the adaptive suspension, but I consider that as wear an tear. You can always refurbish the shock instead of replacing full set.
The only draw back is the sound insulation for F30 is very bad.

Have you fixed the timing chain issue?

this one is known issue? or happen selectively to a certain engine models?

all this adaptive can be repair?
May i know where you go although i'm from PG?

No. I asked the foreman, he said no need. Just need to monitor. It won't kill the engine instantly when the chain stretch.

Search Reiber auto in Facebook. They have refurbished many adaptive suspension.

Yes, for early batch of N20 engine.

If your engine is the early batch N20 engine, you might need to be careful if you like to high rev.
There are cases that due to chain stretch, the timing went off few key causes the valves, piston & crankshaft bend.
My mechanic personally just encountered 1 unit not long ago and the owner sold it after fixing it with 2nd hand stuff bought online & half-cut shop..
Good luck with the next owner..

https://norlangauto.ca/bmw-n20-engine-timing-chain/

For the F30 328i (2011-2015), it uses the N20 engine which is known to have timing chain guide failure which will lead to catastrophic damage. It's a well-known issue and applies to other models/range with the N20.

As for the F30 330i (2015 onwards), it uses the B48 engine. Not much is known for this engine's issues yet as it's still fairly new, besides the usual typical BMW issues (cooling system, gaskets, just common maintenance items which are often negelected). But so far so good.

From what i read the timing chain issue is prevalent for the early 2012 batch of N20s. And it seemed that most of the issues happened in the US. very seldom i read or hear complains, in Malaysia at least. There's speculation that it could be due to the oil change interval that can cause the guide to prematurely fail.

My parent owns a 2014 320 and had clocked over 100k km. Last i drove it i didn't hear any of the wheezing noise.

But for maintenance sake, it would be best to just change it when the mileage is above 100k (according to my mechanic). Was quoted about 2.5k.


update: and to TS, the F30 runs like a champ. 7 years of ownership, i can't recall there was any issues (major at least) apart from the standard wear and tear, where the first 5 years was totally free by BMW.

you can get a 2014 320i easily aroud 80k. I would put abit more money and opt for 328i, or even better 330i

This post has been edited by axtray: Jul 14 2021, 05:50 PM

is the new g20 reliable or not? will it have problems stopping on the road and require towing like vw?

G20 should be generally reliable. They been using the B48 engine which is upgrade from N20. G20 also using the very reliable and sweet ZF 8 speed gear box. So far haven't heard anything scary on G20. In fact G20 is more or less like F30 LCI with different interior and exterior.
The only thing remain unknown is the reliability if the LED display which is rather new.

Good to hear that your 320i had no symptoms yet. But it's a preventive maintenance item, so I wouldn't take the risk haha.

As for the early batch of N20s, I believe that refers to 2012-2015 N20s. The N20s from 2015-2017 is when BMW updated the timing chain guide.



Source: https://bmwtuning.co/bmw-n20-common-problems/

Hard to determine whether G20s are reliable or not as they are still fairly new. Gotta see how they run after they put in the distance and time, which is still too early to judge now.

The B48 is definitely an upgrade over the N20, like what keyser mentioned. I'm not too concerned on the engine and gearbox, but definitely anxious over the long term reliability of all the electronics.

I read this. When I ask the foreman to replace the timing chain but he said not necessary. If I insist seems strange. Anyway, if I plan to use this car for few more year, maybe I should.

It's not wrong to not change either actually, because technically there's no symptoms, no signs of failure. So logically, there's no need to change either.

It really depends on the person lol. I get paranoid about such things easily so I'll get it done for the peace of mind, but that's just my opinion.

The timing chain is not the issue, but usually the tensioner & the plastic guides around it.
Usually a lot of mechanic did not want to replace it as it involves a lot of time, workmanship and special tooling & some owner might not be able to accept the cost. (Usually need to budget around 4~5k for the job, as there might be other stuff spoil or wear detected during the dismantling process)
If you open your oil pan for the 1st time, mostly can see some plastic debris in it due to the fragile plastic guides around the chain. Most mechanic just help remove the debris and listen to the chain noise especially during cold start in morning. If you can hear some rough chain gridding noise during morning cold start, be prepare for it.

This post has been edited by littlefire: Jul 15 2021, 11:25 AM

manual not an issue, it's better than DSG (reliability) and better than CVT (performance)

Just saw this video, not sure if could relate:

how was the Megane maintenance cost and mechanic? easy to find here or u went to certain mechanic?

Paging Renault owner BillCollector chuakz

Mechanics? Previously I sent it back to TCEC for maintenance and did so till the car was 6 years old.

Surprisingly it wasn't expensive when compared to SDAC for Ford and Alfa Romeo.

What's very expensive are body parts because the rear bumper cost RM9,000 to replace on a Megane RS. Mirror cover and assembly RM2,900 and the rear spoiler cost RM1,800 so the moral of the story is don't crash it or allow a crazy ex near it that could vandalize it because paying is one thing, you have to wait a long time for the parts as well as it isn't something you can order today get today. Oh and don't ever break those wheels because you wouldn't want to know how much it cost to replace it.

Parts that are expensive? Suspension and brake components, Originals are as expensive as BMW parts from AB. Front lower arm bushes were RM200 per piece, shocks were RM700 each, brake pads RM700 for the fronts, disc RM800 per piece and the most expensive thing I ever replaced was the clutch kit RM3,200

Now much cheaper and easier to get aftermarket OEMs for it which just 3 years ago was an absolute rarity unless you hand carried it yourself from UK.

Mechanics? Contrary to popular believe you don't need a specialist mechanic for this car as it uses a standard MT on a very usual FWD transverse layout. Any continental car mechanic should suffice for any of the more complex works needed.

me ex owner

I thought ppl say Lexus second hand price very low? Not sure... how’s the depreciation rate compared to Merc/BMW?

In my idea, it depends on demand. If u see the 2nd Lexus car price, it really not that cheap. But again, need to see the retail price when it is new. Lexus is not that cheap for brand new cz of CBU.

2nd depend on demand, some buyer really need a car with considerable features on that price range. Some will complain the car lack of power (in NA form) for its price. While the conti are all with Turbocharge engine with higher HP/Torque.

If u see the Lexus SUV interior, it kinda premium, but lack the premium-ness of a Conti SUV car. Especially the HU with old types displayed.

Depends on model, usually those bigger cc car like LS 470 or GS300 above will drop price faster due to not much people can afford the yearly roadtax.
But those hot model usually smaller cc cars like IS200/250, GS 200T/250 will get lower depreciation rate due to affordable roadtax & maintenance.

When XE20 IS250 was new, it was around 300k.. it rivals with e90 325i and W204 C250 (1.8CGI) which are also around 300k when new.
IS250 and C250 of the same year still holding their value very similar to each other. It is only the 3-series value drop to 20k to 30k lesser compared to the other 2 models which were sold in the same year.

Saw some review that W204 is also another rock solid car to go for. 2012 model with 1.8 CGI is still going for 80k.
While 2011 BMW 325i and 2012 323i (both using N52 straight 6) has dropped to between 40k to 50k.. Once you understand the preventive maintenance that you need to do on these old beemer, there are around 10 different engine parts that need to be changed from gasket to water pump etc.

As for Lexus, needless to say.. even 2006 and 2007 models are running solid without much complain from owners.. Lexus FB group is one of the most boring group as no one there asking for help, unlike BMW and VW FB group.

It also due to demand vs supply.. for the newer generation IS250/IS200t, the number of units is so little that it is difficult to gauge the market reference price.
2013 IS250 still going as high as 140k.. It is more like willing buyer willing seller scenario.

218i AT and B200 has nothing to do with fun and luxury... they are just a product for those who wants a badge.
They are not RWD. Its just a mini MPV with premium badge.

If you can stretch your budget to 80K, you can checkout Mercedes W204 C-class with 1.8 CGI, either C200 or C250.
The W204 is the next best thing if you want slightly more reliable compare to BMW, Audi, VW or the French.
Moreover, W204 is CKD, there are a lot on the road thus parts and maintenance shouldn't be a problem if you willing to spend a bit more.
But still dont expect Toyota/Lexus kind of reliability.

Nissan used to be reliable cars, but once it form alliance with Renault under Carlos Ghosn, all they focus is cut cost and profit.
Renault didnt learn anything about reliability from Nissan, but Nissan reliability got plague from this alliance.

This post has been edited by twincharger07: Jul 21 2021, 03:28 PM

👍🏻

Thank you very much for the suggestions.

W204 is not bad, my family member used to own the older gen, but the older one gives much more headache.

Since conti is not that reliable as expected, any recommendations for fun and reliable japanese car besides Lexus?

Try Mazda..
Beware of Mazda 6 as it is CBU, parts can be more expensive than Merc and BMW because they are CKD
You might want to try Mazda 3, the previous gen with GVC

Conti car reliability is subjective.. real enthusiast will still own a Conti and they learn a lot about preventive maintenance, which part to change by when, what are the frequently wear and tear parts. For them some BMWs are bullet proof like those with N52 still running at 300,000km with regular maintenance.
But if your definition of reliability is just changing engine oil, put petrol and go like a Toyota, you will be frustrated..
Car enthusiast find joy in spending time and effort in maintaining their cars.. and what they gain in reward is the pleasure that Conti cars gave them.

Thus if you are not willing to sacrifice and put in effort, you will not able to enjoy the joy that Conti cars give you.. so you can just continue driving local or japanese cars..

I spent tonnes in my VW, the car drives very well, but need a lot of care.. and I have another Honda at home for our long journey drive

This post has been edited by twincharger07: Jul 21 2021, 09:17 PM

if you have any mechanical inclination, by all means go for conti

if not, you are going to be driving moneypits.

not to discourage you, conti needs alot of t&c

Mechanical inclination is one story, affordability is another story.

Owned conti before this, it is truly a different experience, require lot's of TLC.

So far, still not able to solve the reliability issue.
I will put this case to rest, in search of Japanese car now, in the midst of researching more details.

As car enthusiast that spent the first 17 years of my life sitting 99% Toyota (whole family and most relatives are Toyota fans), I don't agree the first part.

1) Toyota also fails like any other cars. Master brake pump, coolant leakage, coolant thermostat failure, alternator failure, power steering fluid failure, air cond compressor leakage etc. Only thing is they are cheap to repair with 3rd party or recond part. If go for original, spend 1.5 to 2x.

2) If we take reliability as the car just changing engine oil, then that will frustrate anyone who love driving. Because the car will drive like shit. I know a few foes (a decade older than me, far younger than my parents), thinks Toyota suspension is very good that never need to change. Their definition of good is simply suspension "DIDN'T RATTLE". For car enthusiast, that's not how we define good. The support is weak, the play is too much, turn in not as direct, we start to replace the parts already.

Totally agree on the second part, we take pride on keeping our car at pristine working condition. Not just hack to make them run.

I insisted on ordering original clips, and not using cable tights and wires, the older foes call me crazy, saying no one will go under the car to see.

In Australia, Toyota cars are famous for being being boring and usually acquainted to being an 'old man's car' - why? The reason is because they seldom break down so the term 'boring' is used

Now cars that are exciting are cars that breaks down often (VW and Audi flashes to my mind) - these cars make life very exciting because you are kept busy all the time (with your mechanic)

agreed. same case to Alphard/ Vellfire known issues of Steering rack. Cost some thousand to replace it and some even mentioned is will happen in future after a certain interval. FC of those cars around 6.6-8km/l is not a typical Toyota FC figure but that it is. so all car doesn't matter have their pro and cons

my idea, why Toyota is problem-free cz they just retain the basic not updated engine etc. here, they were reluctant to give best features on our market, last time they were known to only give 2 airbag, old tech engine plus 4 gear auto torque converter. And retain it as long as they can until their sales suffer.

now only we get a minimum 6 airbags from them and a CVT plus dual-VVTI engine after pressure from low sales. Remember an expensive Camry reupdated with a newer engine cz of public feedback and pressure, here they slot us with even a previous-gen Engine for Camry b4 update it back to the new engine.

Maybe wait another 10 years for Toyota to start with DCT gb as others.