Really Really Stupid People

[AMGeed]

I had some numpty in a C220d estate stay in the outside lane approaching a roundabout only to put on his left indicator at the last moment and move in front of me causing me to brake, and turn left. It happened twice, and I thought that wasn't a coincidence. He was either baiting me, or just an inconsiderate driver. He was about to try it a third time but I second guessed him and drew almost alongside him preventing him moving across. He wasn't too happy as I had another car close behind me preventing him moving into the lane he should have been in a long way back.
There was a sense of satisfaction as I watched him in the rear view mirror go around the roundabout and follow me a fair way behind.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I had some numpty in a C220d estate stay in the outside lane approaching a roundabout only to put on his left indicator at the last moment and move in front of me causing me to brake, and turn left. It happened twice, and I thought that wasn't a coincidence. He was either baiting me, or just an inconsiderate driver. He was about to try it a third time but I second guessed him and drew almost alongside him preventing him moving across. He wasn't too happy as I had another car close behind me preventing him moving into the lane he should have been in a long way back.
There was a sense of satisfaction as I watched him in the rear view mirror go around the roundabout and follow me a fair way behind.

TBH having to brake doesn't bother me greatly, especially at junctions.

 

[AMGeed]

TBH having to brake doesn't bother me greatly, especially at junctions.

Nor me, I'm going to brake anyway if its not clear to proceed. But when someone in front is cutting in, causing me to brake I' m not so happy. Once is acceptable, twice annoying, and there isn't going to be a third

 

[SW18]

I had some numpty in a C220d estate stay in the outside lane approaching a roundabout only to put on his left indicator at the last moment and move in front of me causing me to brake, and turn left. It happened twice, and I thought that wasn't a coincidence. He was either baiting me, or just an inconsiderate driver. He was about to try it a third time but I second guessed him and drew almost alongside him preventing him moving across. He wasn't too happy as I had another car close behind me preventing him moving into the lane he should have been in a long way back.
There was a sense of satisfaction as I watched him in the rear view mirror go around the roundabout and follow me a fair way behind.

A touch of car envy, perhaps?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

A touch of car envy, perhaps?

I doubt it. @AMGeed isn’t keen on diesels.

 

[moonloops]

A touch of car envy, perhaps?

Envy of 220d is an impossibility

 

[rf065]

Envy of 220d is an impossibility

Not if you have a 160d!

 

[219]

Envy of 220d is an impossibility

It is possible for the drivers of lesser makes

 

[E55BOF]

If it's a Japanese or Korean 'lesser make', the envy won't be because of reliability...

 

[219]

If it's a Japanese or Korean 'lesser make', the envy won't be because of reliability...

Not even on the numerous occasions when I pass such vehicles broken down at the roadside , and it IS mainly such cars I see being attended/recovered .

Perhaps because in many cases people who buy such cars have zero interest in them and do no maintenance whatsoever , and not because the cars are any worse , other than in being bland and horrible to drive .

 

[E55BOF]

Not even on the numerous occasions when I pass such vehicles broken down at the roadside , and it IS mainly such cars I see being attended/recovered.

I can't say I see all that many vehicles broken down by the roadside. Perhaps I should drive in Scotland more...

Perhaps because in many cases people who buy such cars have zero interest in them and do no maintenance whatsoever , and not because the cars are any worse , other than in being bland and horrible to drive.

Perhaps because so many are sold; nobody suggests they're 100% reliable, just that they are, by and large, the most reliable cars on the road, and Mercedes are, by and large, not. Unless, of course, consumer surveys by such organisations as Which? and J.D. Power get it wrong year after year after year.

Your meticulously-maintained old bangers may be totally reliable, but if they weren't so old, they'd need a hell of a lot more of that maintenance; as time passes, cars become more sophisticated and complex, with more and more to go wrong, and it does. I wish the cars I buy nowadays were as reliable as those of twenty years ago.

 

[219]

I can't say I see all that many vehicles broken down by the roadside. Perhaps I should drive in Scotland more...



Perhaps because so many are sold; nobody suggests they're 100% reliable, just that they are, by and large, the most reliable cars on the road, and Mercedes are, by and large, not. Unless, of course, consumer surveys by such organisations as Which? and J.D. Power get it wrong year after year after year.

Your meticulously-maintained old bangers may be totally reliable, but if they weren't so old, they'd need a hell of a lot more of that maintenance; as time passes, cars become more sophisticated and complex, with more and more to go wrong, and it does. I wish the cars I buy nowadays were as reliable as those of twenty years ago.

I see broken down cars pretty regularly, not unusual to see two or three on a single journey , and I don’t count punctures as breakdowns.

I think this so many are sold thing is a fallacy too , it doesn’t neccessarily represent the population of cars on the road which will be a mix of all cars ever sold . There are oftentimes when I’m out and it seems as though every other car is a Merc ; it is far from unusual for me to find myself driving along in a mini convoy of three , four , or more Mercs ; they really are one of the most common makes on the road , and not the rarities they used to be ; this must in part be due to longevity since models such as 203s are common everyday sights , and earlier models such as 210s , 202s , even 124s and 201s are far from unusual. Where I live now , there are half a dozen 124s , a 126 saloon and coupe , a Pagoda and numerous 201s that I see being driven regularly within a 10 mile radius ; indeed yesterday I saw a lovely BRG E Type , a Daimler Conquest , a 1960’s Alfa Spider ( with black number plates ) and an MGB - that was just in one journey up to Falkirk and Stirling , about 20 miles .

What I NEVER see is Jap stuff more than about 10 years old ; when did anyone last see a ‘Datsun’ ? Yet they were at one time popular sellers .

After Merc , probably the most commonplace cars I see are from the VAG group and again 20+ year old examples are not unusual ; followed by Ford/Vauxhall

Yes there is a lot of oriental stuff running about , but you just don’t see them beyond about 10
years old ; they are definitely built down to a price and designed to last just beyond the warranty period , after which they just fall apart - a walk round any breakers yard will confirm this . We have , unfortunately, a number of such cars at work , and I’ve had the misfortune of having to travel in or even drive them ; the poor bodywork with doors that feel like they’re made of cardboard ; the instrument panels and dashboards that light up like Christmas trees and cause so much glare in anything but daylight ( and can’t be turned off ) ; badly thought out controls : cruise controls being a prime example - we have a very simple intuitive stalk , they have multiple buttons on the steering wheel which only work in a certain sequence and are far from simple to set , disengage , resume . Sadly , these cars are bought as a result of the tendering process where the decisions come down to accountants and bean counters .

These consumer organisations you speak of will be skewed since they tend to be used by people of the mindset who buy cars , white goods , vacuum cleaners etc on the basis of their self congratulatory online reviews and have no real interest in their purchases beyond the ‘ratings’ .

I wouldn’t say my cars are meticulously maintained ; I just do what’s necessary , and while I may spend some time bringing a recently acquired car up to standard , correcting either age related things or the neglect of previous owners ; I do then get into a regime of routine maintenance: fluids , filters , tyres , brakes and other consumable cars .

My 20+ year old cars are quite complex enough , and compared to earlier models have a lot of electronics in . I wouldn’t want a car that needs a computer to maintain it , and if changing again would not want to go any newer for just that reason .

 

[E55BOF]

Ah, I see; the surveys are wrong year after year. That's settled, then.

God knows what they drive up there; it's not like that here. Sounds more like Cuba...

Pretty much ALL cars are built down to a price nowadays, I think, including MBs.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Ah, I see; the surveys are wrong year after year. That's settled, then.

God knows what they drive up there; it's not like that here. Sounds more like Cuba...

Pretty much ALL cars are built down to a price nowadays, I think, including MBs.

You’ve been suckered into Ponto’s world of weirdness.
Enjoy your stay

 

[John]

I'd be surprised if Kias or Hyundais broke down as a result of a fault these days although of course it must be possible.

Not too long ago (maybe 15/20 years), I think they had their fair share of issues from what I've read and heard anecdotally. But Hyundai have upped their game with both marques more recently.

I know a few who have them these days and have not had any issues so far.

From what I can see, they tend to be bought by those who, as you state Ponteer, have zero interest in them and just want to get around fairly cheaply and reliably (either because they have no interest in cars or they are interested in something else e.g. motorbikes, but still need a car).

Of course those with zero interest have a similar interest in maintenance and keeping the car running properly - so I would bet a large number of issues are user-error.

I've never driven either but I can well imagine they are as depressing to drive as large tree stump though.

 

[219]

I'd be surprised if Kias or Hyundais broke down as a result of a fault these days although of course it must be possible.

Not too long ago (maybe 15/20 years), I think they had their fair share of issues from what I've read and heard anecdotally. But Hyundai have upped their game with both marques more recently.

I know a few who have them these days and have not had any issues so far.

From what I can see, they tend to be bought by those who, as you state Ponteer, have zero interest in them and just want to get around fairly cheaply and reliably (either because they have no interest in cars or they are interested in something else e.g. motorbikes, but still need a car).

Of course those with zero interest have a similar interest in maintenance and keeping the car running properly - so I would bet a large number of issues are user-error.

I've never driven either but I can well imagine they are as depressing to drive as large tree stump though.

I had to put a works Kia Ceed into workshops after the windscreen wipers failed ( and it wasn’t a fuse ) . Had the rain not stopped I would have been unable to see where I was going .

This car was less than a year old with 7000 miles on it .

Given that I rarely drive fleet cars ( maybe three or four times a year ) it wasn’t a good statistic to me .

 

[E55BOF]

Couldn't possibly happen on a Mercedes, of course...

My brother-in-law has had Kia Cee'ds for about six years now, and never had a problem with any of them. My wife had a Hyundai Coupe (the Mk III - the good-looking one) for four years, only one of them still under warranty, and had no problems at all. If they'd only had a decently powerful petrol V6 in the Mk III, they'd have sold loads of them.

That's a good statistic to me...

 

[whitenemesis]

had to put a works Kia Ceed into workshops after the windscreen wipers failed ( and it wasn’t a fuse ) . Had the rain not stopped I would have been unable to see where I was going .

Couldn't possibly happen on a Mercedes, of course...

Had wiper 'failure' in my CLS. Wipers would randomly stop working, required the ignition to be cycled before they would start again. Never got it sorted..

 

[poormansporsche]

My wife has a Kia Sportage, never broken down despite her best efforts to emulate ken block on a daily basis. The 1.6 diesel is quite revvy and quick enough. The dsg gearbox is good, its quite a funky thing with red piping and flat bottomed wheel.

We have only visited the dealer once in 2 years with a airbag light fault. They handed us back a bottle of coke, a capri sun and a half chewed denta stick that were all wedged in the bottom of the passenger seat - oopsy No charge madam.

 

[Teego]

Kia would be my go-to for a reasonably priced, rugged and reliable SUV.
Our '07 Sorento XT manual with 117k just passed its MoT with no advisories. The only mechanical failure has been the AC compressor at about 90k. Not megabux.
It's done everything from tip runs to Euro road trips. Even hold its own on the A'bahn.