[W126 Coupe] Re: reliability and all

[ken53431 at bigpond.net.au]

You need something like the "Dog and Lemon" guide. It's published by a New Zealand crowd and highly critical of most of the vehicles presented to the punters.  It includes reviews of all the personal and light commercial vehicles on the Australian and NZ market over the past 10 or so years.  They don't mess about and have challenged dealers and manufactureres to sue them.  They say that they have evidence stacked up and disgruntled owners itching for a day in court.  Apart for a couple of letteres threatening legal action nothing has yet happened.

Originally started by an NZ motor mechanic based on his own observations it now also uses masses of recall data and other material on reliability. 

One car's reliability (a fast FIAT) has been listed as "Diabolical".  One German brand attracts "Nice car, pity about the I-drive".  Looks, performance, handling are not issues unless they are very good or very bad.  Overall ratings range from "Run Away Now" to "Recommended".  Most Daimler-Chrysler products are rated from "Not Recommended" to "It's OK but don't say we didn't warn you" and "It's OK" at best.   Guess which brands consistently attract "Recommended"? Toyota, Subaru, Honda.  

Ken England in Canberra - back again after a couple of years and I still have the '83 380SEC.