April 28th 2006.


Did someone say I-drive?

There was a time, many years ago, when the price you paid for a new car was quite relative to the reliable service you could
expect from said vehicle.

In the 70s and 80s a Mercedes, for example was bullet-proof and rugged and almost all the taxis in Germany were Mercs,
because they would last seemingly forever. Which made their initial price a non starter in the cost of ownership department.

If a car will last 20 years, who cares what it may have originally cost?

Today things are very different.

Mercedes is emerging from a horrific series of problems with the electrical equipment on their cars and consequently have
lost ground to BMW who have not had so many significant faults.

I'm not going even to discuss Cadillac, because I've already said all I have to say about GM "dedication to quality and reliability".
( See my recall page for the latest spate of defects in Cadillacs).

Obviously, Murphy was an Irishman and Murphys Law (If anything can go wrong, it will) is administered by leprechauns.
So the advent of multiple electronic systems on up-scale cars was just what the leprechauns were waiting for.

Not that cheaper cars are immune to the reliability issues. The Neon, the Cavalier and the early model Focuses (Focii?) all
demonstrated that cheap and simple does not mean reliable.

And the new (2007) Toyota Camry now has transmission problems. Why on earth a family car needs a six speed automatic
transmission is beyond me, but it's obvious that the first years production of this particular car now becomes somewhat suspect.

Unlike the Americans with their Chrysler transmissions and GM intake manifold gaskets, the Japanese don't allow bad situations
to prevail for very long, certainly not  the years and years that Detroit seems to take to react to reliability issues.

Nevertheless a six speed automatic transmission is going to cost a kings ransom to repair or rebuild and should be avoided
until we are absolutely sure that Toyota has fixed the problem.

I get a ton of e-mails from people asking about the purchase of a used high quality car and their concern is always the same.
"How much is this used but expensive car going to cost me to run for the next four or five years?".

The answer, assuming that the original owner has paid for all the necessary maintenance, is that it depends on which model
of car you have chosen.

A Lexus is about as good as they come, for example. BUT when the time comes that something must be replaced the cost of
parts is always the same - very high.

COST OF REPLACEMENT PARTS IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE ORIGINAL LIST PRICE.
A clutch kit for a Ferrari is $12000. A clutch kit for a Miata costs about $ 700. And so on.......

So that the purchase of a high end car WILL cost you money.

How much money depends entirely on the cars reputation for reliability and some research is required before you decide to buy.
An inspection of the car, up in the air, on a lift, is also essential.

Some so-called car inspectors seem to think that they can carry out an acceptable inspection on site at the dealers lot.
This is simply not possible.

Even more than the original owner with his manufacturers' warranty cocoon, it is important for you to choose the right car at the
right price in order to make the purchase of an exotic, or semi-exotic car practical for all us mortals who have less money than
Bill Gates.

If Bills' Bentley fails to start, hell, he jumps into his Roller and sends a minion off to the dealership to raise cain.

Not so for you, my friend, you have a second hand Belchfire Mk II and will gain very little respect at any dealership.
You're on your own!

You and your hopefully honest and competent independent garage owner.