Just for fun, which nation and why would you say builds the best cars?

Germany to be honest. some of the most reliable cars have come from there, also some of the most over engineered cars have as well.

Everyone will have their own opinion but I'd go with Japanese as they seem to be able to get the most power out of the smallest CC, e.g. Standard S2000/FD3 is 240+bhp from a 2.0 NA and even the Superbike scene is dominated with Jap manufacturers.

 

As for reliability every Toyota I've had has been absolutely bulletproof which is more than can be said for the Golf's I've owned!

German or Japanese , without a doubt

 

Both make well built reliable cars.

 

German - more expensive, higher quality

Jap - More for your money, more tuneable perhaps, advancing technologies....

 

.....although tbh both nations bring out technology and spec that other manufacuters only start to include many years later

Edited June 27, 201114 yr by Yowser

got to be japan

the reason for me is compare a 20 year old jap car to a german 1 of similar age.....

Germany to be honest. some of the most reliable cars have come from there, also some of the most over engineered cars have as well.

 

hmm, well in my Mercedes workshop half of the technicians drive jap cars :chinese: I wonder why :innocent:

 

German cars are nice quality its true, but reliability falls behind jap cars - Lexus has always been no 1 in the JD Power surveys. :scooter:

To me, reliability is more about how well/long it will run when it's broke. For that category the crown HAS to go to the japs. I've heard stories and have had my own experiences, which were just beyond belief when it comes to things being broken inside the engine, in the running gear or even on the chassis and the car just keeps going. Just about every German car I've had, if anything breaks, the car just stops working and becomes undriveable until it's fixed, every one thing seems dependant on another.

 

Most of the japs I've driven on the other hand, seem to just keep going. Take my Z for an example, had leaks all over it, has a buggered loom, my PTU was on it's way out, my battery connection was loose, my sills were rusted through, I had a a seized open thermostat and a water leak from one of my front pipes, the damn thing ran like it needed new plugs and nothing else was wrong!

 

Or my MkIII Supra, in the end I got rid of it, but that car ran for over a year with a buggered idle control valve, power steering that only worked when the revs were up (It was an auto so both of these things were a pain in the arse!) and the alternator was hit n miss, I'm sure there may have been other problems too, but essentially it just kept running.

 

All 3 of the BMW's I've had would barely even run with soiled spark plugs, let alone half the faults listed above!

For reference, this is what most of the public & manufacturers go off for results:

 

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-2011/the-results/257096

Yip two of the top ten, the Jazz and the CR-V, my best mate has one of each and swears they are undestroyable. He's even threatened that when the Jazz dies he's going to buy a Prius! lol On top of that he's said quite affirmatively that when the CR-V dies, he's getting another CR-V

First Nissan comes in @ #35

Thats because they're now Renault and therefore French! ***Ducks the flamethrowers***

To me, reliability is more about how well/long it will run when it's broke. For that category the crown HAS to go to the japs. I've heard stories and have had my own experiences, which were just beyond belief when it comes to things being broken inside the engine, in the running gear or even on the chassis and the car just keeps going. Just about every German car I've had, if anything breaks, the car just stops working and becomes undriveable until it's fixed, every one thing seems dependant on another.

 

Most of the japs I've driven on the other hand, seem to just keep going. Take my Z for an example, had leaks all over it, has a buggered loom, my PTU was on it's way out, my battery connection was loose, my sills were rusted through, I had a a seized open thermostat and a water leak from one of my front pipes, the damn thing ran like it needed new plugs and nothing else was wrong!

 

Or my MkIII Supra, in the end I got rid of it, but that car ran for over a year with a buggered idle control valve, power steering that only worked when the revs were up (It was an auto so both of these things were a pain in the arse!) and the alternator was hit n miss, I'm sure there may have been other problems too, but essentially it just kept running.

 

All 3 of the BMW's I've had would barely even run with soiled spark plugs, let alone half the faults listed above!

 

You obviously haven't owned a Mk2 Golf GTI with a audi engine in then.

 

Mine was a 1990 golf gti 8v 1.8 injection, when i first got it, it blew the head gasket between cylinders 2 and 3, i drove it around like that for over a month, then found out the reason why it had no water in it, one of the block plugs had fallen out of the engine, then i had some strange noise from the dash every-time i went around a bend i had a buzzing type noise, found out it was low oil warning lamp, getting caught short, i threw some diesel engine oil in the old girl, she ran like that for over 4 months before i remembered and changed the oil back. the engine was rock solid, still pulled like a train and so simple to work on.

 

Older german cars are classics for a reason. easy to work on and do not go wrong that often and when they do, they carry on running. hell the garage i took it too couldn't work out how the car was still drivable with just 2 cylinders working, but it did and it didn't destroy the engine in the processes.

 

A head gasket later, the correct oil, a new engine plug and the thing pulled 275bhp on a dino. i have no idea what was done to the engine before i got it, or what mods it had on it or even if it was a standard golf GTI engine in it. as at that point in my motoring life, i was clueless so to speak, all i cared about was that it went from point A to point B.

 

As for french cars, my first french car was a citreon Xantia, i ran that for 2 years on pure rape seed oil (bought from tescos streight from the bottle into the tank) the engine on that was bullet proof, everything else about the car went wrong, but that engine kept on going.

 

I also had a 406 2.0l turbo exec (the rare 150bhp version) and that too ran like a dream, infact its the only car i regret selling.

 

But my jap experience has been a bit to be desired. ive had 5 zeds, first one blew the engine on the way home, the second one had turbo and rusting issues, the 3rd one was good, but had body work problems, the 4th one had low compression and smoked like a bitch, im now on the 5th one, and will be replacing the engine and the gearbox. all were built in japan by Nissan before the french bought the company.

 

So, you can see, i think it a mute point to be honest, every car manufacturer has its reliable cars and its unreliable cars. im sure there are people on here who own 300zx's that are that reliable all they have had to do is get them serviced when they needed it.

Interesting, no one has mention Italy yet???

Interesting, no one has mention Italy yet???

 

Why would they? fiats are crap, alpha Romeo's rust to hell, ferraris are always in need of being fixed, and lambos are out of most peoples price range lol

 

Italian cars are more known for fast speeds than reliability, and although we drive one of the most unreliable jap cars, we do care about reliability (sounds strange but we do)

Interesting, no one has mention Italy yet???

 

hahahahahahaha!! perhaps some of the best looking but best car?! probably not!! :ohmy:

hahahahahahaha!! perhaps some of the best looking but best car?! probably not!! :ohmy:

 

i wouldn't say best looking either to be quite frank, id choose my zed over any ferraris in terms of looks any day, would be a close call with a lambo murcielago though, stunning looking car, shame the zed doesnt have the physical presence that a ferrari or lambo does

i wouldn't say best looking either to be quite frank, id choose my zed over any ferraris in terms of looks any day, would be a close call with a lambo murcielago though, stunning looking car, shame the zed doesnt have the physical presence that a ferrari or lambo does

 

I do love (& always have loved) lambos - would give my right nut for a Murcielago!!:devil2:

 

or a Diablo, or a Muira..........etc etc!!

Interesting, no one has mention Italy yet???

 

Yeah .......... :taz:

I would say Norn Ireland with the Delorean:thumbup:It even outlasted the Titanic:D

I do love (& always have loved) lambos - would give my right nut for a Murcielago!!:devil2:

 

or a Diablo, or a Muira..........etc etc!!

 

totally agree with you there, lambos over the prancing horse any day of the week. especially the murcielago, hell id even swap my zed for a very well done murcielago kit car tbh. absolutely stunning cars, when i was in london parked out side the US embassy, a murcielago was parked across the road and looks ****ing awesome.

I would say Norn Ireland with the Delorean:thumbup:It even outlasted the Titanic:D

 

mmmmm nice V6 Volvo engine - lovely!! :lol::lol:

i would have to say in this order

 

France/Germany-Bugatti Veyron/EB110

 

Italy- Ferrari Lambo Lancia

 

Japan- Datsun 240/260/280 Nissan /300zx/R34/R35

Why would they? fiats are crap, alpha Romeo's rust to hell, ferraris are always in need of being fixed, and lambos are out of most peoples price range lol

 

Italian cars are more known for fast speeds than reliability, and although we drive one of the most unreliable jap cars, we do care about reliability (sounds strange but we do)

 

Reliability is not the be all and end all in my opinion. I happen to think that Italy do make the best cars in the world. To me cars is all about passion and the emotions that they bring to the driver, heritage and the history of a marque are also points to be noted.

 

True what you say about Italian cars, old alfas do rust granted but I bet a lot of people wouldn't say no to a 8C or a 1960's Guillieta. Lancia brought us the Beta, hateful car but they also did the Stratos and the Delta intergrale.

 

And as for Ferrari, what a heritage, kids should be taught it for history lessons in school. Started by a bloke who raced Alfas went on to build some of the most recognisable cars in the world.

 

German cars are known to be well screwed together but they are not perfect, the german cars I've owned have on the whole been boring and pretty much the same, VW/Audi/Seat and others are all part of the same group and share the same floorpans, and I don't know about you but a car with Nazi staff car history ain't for me.

 

All in my opinion of course guys.

I would say the brits with vauxhalls and fords :lol::lol::lol:

What about MG?, well SAIC Motor corperation?, is TVR still going?

German or Japanese , without a doubt

 

Both make well built reliable cars.

 

German - more expensive, higher quality

Jap - More for your money, more tuneable perhaps, advancing technologies....

 

.....although tbh both nations bring out technology and spec that other manufacuters only start to include many years later

 

I'm in agreement with that....

 

"Best" is not necessarily "reliable" and vice versa; Japanese cars are the most reliable but the German cars have the build quality and solidity that most other manufacturers aspire to.

 

And whilst the Italians have Ferrari, Alfa and Lambo (no wait - Lambos are Audis now LOL); there are still some great cars from Japan and Germany that hold their own against the Italian exotica but don't go wrong!! That gives them the overall edge in the "best car" stakes IMO......:whistling:

 

got to be japan

the reason for me is compare a 20 year old jap car to a german 1 of similar age.....

 

That's not really a fair comparison; as the condition of a 20 year old car is dependant on how it's been looked after. We all have a modern classic which was produced in limited numbers compared to (say) the Nissan Micra - and as enthusiastic members of a car club, we look after them - hence we believe that Japanese cars have lasted better than their contemporaries......

 

So to compare a 20 year old 300zx like ours to a run of the mill VW Passat of the same age is daft. As one could just as well compare an original VW Corrado from their owner's club to any old G-reg Nissan Micra....

 

In fact apart from some rare Japanese collectors cars like the 240/260/280Z; original Toyota Celica etc, there are probably more old British classics on the road than Japanese. That does not mean that a 1970 MG for instance is better built than a similar age 240Z..... Because it isn't!

 

Richard:cool3: