to think that cars are not made to last these days

[littlemisscynical]

So annoyed today.

Have a 2014 Volkswagen. I've been driving it for nearly three years. There have been a few problems in that time. I don't have much knowledge of mechanics. Today I went to drive the car and the clutch had went. DHs friend is a mechanic and says it might be a big job esp if some cylinder has leaked. I will have no car to get to work next week and I've only just started back from maternity.

AIBU to think cars are being deliberately manufactured to not last so that we have to replace them more?

Lots of people I know lease cars and drive flash motors, replacing them every 2-3 years.

I'm not really a car person so I don't really want to splash out on a car lease payment every month. However now I am starting to think these people are the sensible
ones!!

Should I stop buying older cars and join the masses?

Typical VW TBH. Buy something Japanese’s

I think cars are better than the ones made in the 80s. You are just unlucky.
Get a Mazda 3. Bomb proof.

No I don't think lease cars are the sensible option at all! Older cars do need spending on parts but overall they are the most economical option. Sounds like you have been unlucky with your VW. I agree going Japanese is worthwhile - 10+ year old Yaris and Jazz's are everywhere

Clutch repairs should be fairly routine in any garage.

Cars are far better now. You hardly ever see cars broken down at the roadside. However, they can be costly when they do go wrong.

I always said my last car was made on the Friday before Christmas because it kept going wrong. 😂😂

Had a huge variety of cars though and tbh, most of them have needed some sort of work.

You’ve been unlucky. Cars are built to last these days. New car sales figures are very down compared to what they used to be. Because new cars are expensive and cars now do last longer so people don’t need to replace them.

I probably just think this because I drove my last car for years and years until I had to scrap it due to rust. Yes the bodywork wasn't great but the mechanics of the car never gave me any trouble. I used to just service it once a year and that was that. A family member has an 03 golf. He calls it "old faithful". Never gives any bother either.
Maybe I expect too much now

We have a 9 year old VW golf by the way, we are it’s third owners and we’ve had it 4 years. It’s never failed an MOT or had any advisories, it’s never broken down or not started, we have spent no money or it apart from replacing a couple of tyres, it’s supremely reliable!

I'd say completely the opposite to the OP. Cars are so much more reliable and last better than ever before. When I was learning to drive, if your car didnt have a hole in the footwell, you were considered dead posh. Cars rusted more, broke down more and didn't start at all more.

I think cars are better than the ones made in the 80s

I agree. When I started driving all my cheap old 10-15 year old cars were made of rust. Many 10 year old cars these days look almost new.

Having said that, I'd probably never get a 'mid range' car. I would either get new on PCP, or much older, so I could always regard as disposable if anything expensive goes wrong.

Spend a lot of money on a 3 YO car like the OP has and you're basically hoping that nothing expensive goes wrong before you've had your money's worth. A couple of expensive problems, and that brand new car with warranty and no MOTs would have probably been cheaper brand new.

I can't remember where I saw it but I'm sure I've read that you're right. Most are only designed to last 8 years. They've also deliberately designed them so that tinkerers can fix very little themselves.

It does sound unlucky if your car is that new.

Though we feel very disappointed in out 2010 Volvo - bought with the thought that Volvos have always gone on for ever, to find a couple of years in (after spending £££ on getting things repaired), that it has a Citreon engine in it, and no, Citreon engines don't go on for ever

Depends on which vw you have. I have a mk5 golf that is one of the last to have the really good engine in it. I think the mk6 is where things started to go wrong with golf. Or at least not be as good.

My golf is 11 years old and just passed an mot with no advisories.

Do you have a diesel or a petrol and do you just always do short distances or are there frequent long journeys too, like at least 20 mins at 50/60? Cars are designed to do long journeys really, short journeys will kill them quicker as it doesn't give them enough time to properly warm up. It will kill diesels especially much quicker.

What are the problems going wrong too?

It is a diesel. A Passat. I do mostly longer journeys. Coil light comes on and off randomly. Had something with catalytic converter. Parking sensor not working. Couple of minor things.

Citreon engine in it, and no, Citreon engines don't go on for ever angry

French cars in general are crap. They are cheap to build and cheap to buy. They'll last for about 100,000 miles if you're lucky. I got a clio and a c4 to well over that but they were really forced to do it, and they did a lot of miles in a short amount of time. Poor old things.

I have a mk5 golf that is one of the last to have the really good engine in it. I think the mk6 is where things started to go wrong with golf.

Most engines were carried over from the mk5 to the mk6. Quality really started to decline from the mk3 onwards. VW used to make really good cars, now they’re average at best.

@MaxTeyon what car would you recommend now?

Catalytic converter could need replacing, which is a wear and tear kind of thing really. Part of the exhaust system and it will go at some point. But they aren't as expensive as they used to be now, but for a passat I have no idea. How many miles has it done?

Parking sensor could just be a fuse.

OP clearly never had an Allegro or Maestro.

Mechanic has sorted catalytic converter. 70.5k miles.
It probably all sounds like silly things. And maybe I just expect too much. I just don't trust the car now and I don't want it any more. I panic that I'll be stuck somewhere with baby in the car. Though as everyone says, all cars require maintenance work.

Had to google that @countrygirl99 🤣

Clutch problems are usually down to driver error, such as allowing your clutch foot to stay on the clutch pedal, or your hand on the gear knob. It wears the clutch plate, that needs to fully disengage after each gear change. Check if you are doing this, and be honest about it, or it will just happen again.....and again. My sister had this problem. You have two options to avoid it going again, either retrain yourself to disengage the clutch and gears properly, or get an automatic. Towing heavy loads is another clutch buster if not done carefully. It’s a very common issue, especially if you’re not mechanically minded, nothing to be ashamed of, but the garages love this problem, loads of money.

I have a 2013 ford estate, haven't had anything done to it other than services and new tyres (and the occasional wash!)

Car before that was a 2003 VW Bora and at 11 years old and 150k on the clock had a few bits needing done but was still ok.

@Neversurrender65 I can assure you I definitely do not do that. I have been driving since I was 17 and I class myself as a competent, confident pilot