Car reliability statistics

The base model Yaris is actually built in Japan, however any above that, specials etc. are assembled in France and the engine (or was it gearbox?) is made in Wales

That was what they told me when I went to an assessment centre anyway.

I think the VW Beetle is built in Mexico as well

My parents have a Yaris and although its never broken down, its now on its 3rd clutch (which is whining like the last two!) and second ECU and it is less than 2 years old!

After my Matiz commited suicide (engine broke totally), I've bought an old Fiesta which has 98,000 miles and runs perfectly although I miss the power steering

 

My car was built in Japan.

Merc are still german (they bought chrysler... the "merger" was a brave face on it. 98% of the board and management are german), BMW are still german, VAG are german...

 

They seem alright these days. Renault are in close cohorts with Nissan so are they now half reliable?

 

You are probably right as I don't really have a big interest in auto industry. For a layman from the little I read in the news it does seems there is a trends in that the global car industries have been slowly consolidating into fewer and fewer huge companies that don't restrict themselves into the traditional national borders. Is Mazda a Japs and Ford an American car then? If you say those lovely Mercs are still really a German then I guess it must be.

My last few cars have Japs sounding name and most likely so is the next. Whether they are or not doesn't really matter other then I hope they still promised minimal troublesome car ownership as the survey suggest at the beginning of the thread. Now that I know the Focus have this reliability record I would not discount it so easily next time.

 

greg - have a look in the "ownership problems" section at forums.parkers.co.uk

Then you won't think of buying a french car, particularly not a renault.

Indeed car industry is consolidating. Off the top of my head:

Ford

Ford, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda

GM

Vauxhall, Opel, Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Hummer, Saab, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Holden

VAG

VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini

DaimlerChrysler

Mercedes Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Maybach, Smart, Setra

And so on...

Within any of these groups, there is platform, engine and even complete car sharing:

Pontiac GTO = Holden Monaro = Vauxhall Monaro
Vauxhall Omega = Cadillac Catera = Holden Commodore
VW Golf = Audi A3 = Skoda Octavia = Seat Leon = VW Bora = Seat Toledo
Mercedes E-class = Chrysler 300C = Dodge Magnum

In the two GM examples the cars are pretty much completely carried over, with minor cosmetic changes. VW do platform engineering, with common engine, chassis and driveline components but the potential for stretch/shrink and different bodyshells and interiors. Merc threw Chrysler a bone with a decent chassis and gearbox, and a diesel engine for europe (but the petrol engines are still chrysler).

 

I have not been following this thread at all but thought I would say I saw a broken-down Focus only a day ago.

 

My dissertation was on the globalisation of the car industry (got me a 1st no less!) and the whole who owns who is far more complicated that expected. IE, Ford actually has a major share in Yamaha who also has a share in Diahtsu who is a partner with Suzuki and it goes on. Also alot of the engines are manufactured by a seperate company which usually has shared ownership. If I can scan the map down I'll post it some time. Obviously it will have changed abit but it gives a good idea of the madness.

 

That makes sense, the 1.25 Zetec engine is actually a Yamaha designed unit isn't it?

 

It is indeed. No doubt they've had an input on the other stuff too.

 

Is the Yamaha bike company the same company as the music instrunment/HIFI manufacturer?

 

It certainly was the case at one time, don't know if it is still so.

P.S. Yes, still is:

http://www.yamaha.com/

with a long and distinguished history:

http://www.global.yamaha.com/about/history.html