Would like to buy a used car and need a little bit of advice...

My boyfriend swears by VW and has his eye on a 2001 Passat Trend 2.0L. He owned a VW Polo for 10+ years and it was practically problem-free the entire time.

I, on the other hand, have always always always been told that Japanese is the best. Toyota or Honda, preferably. My mother drove a Honda Accord for 7+ years. She had over 300K miles on it (original engine and transmission) when it finally died. I have another friend who had a Toyota pick-up truck with over 200K miles when he finally sold it. Both my mother and my friend live in the US so they drove their cars every single day.

I would like to buy a Japanese car but my boyfriend says that maintenance and car parts (to replace) are expensive. Can anyone out there confirm this or speak from experience? Are there ample Japanese-import car garages out there? In Bern particularly?

I'd also like to hear anyone's opinions on used VW's. I just read an article on Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) and discovered that all 1998-2006 model Passats are on the "Used Cars to Avoid" list while several Hondas and Toyotas are on the "Most Reliable Used Cars" list.

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

In Switzerland at least VW, Audi etc. (German cars) seem to fall under the prestige list, which makes them desirable and a status symbols...Japanese cars do not seem to have this image...
which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on you.
Consequently VW's are more expensive second hand than Toyota's.

I have no idea about the parts question..I have just got rid of a mk5 Golf, it had its issues, but the service from the garage more than made up for that. I was very happy, even if I did consider the car a little dull.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/review...spx?model=1048
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/review...spx?model=1049

2 reviews from parkers.co.uk seem to say the Passat is a good car but dull.

We have a Mazda 5 and chose Japanese simply because you get more in the standard package for the same money. I.e. a/c, tempomat, electric windows, metallic paint job etc all include whereas with VW and Ford these are extra. There's no down-side technically speaking either. Eco-friendlier in the same category and still pulls in 5th or 6th gear really well. I've also heard that some of the parts for Toyota are made in Switzerland, so I don't think it's a question nowadays to go for "Japanese" or "European"...
Go to www.autoscout24.ch to get an idea of prices and garages.

Thanks for the information.

Prestige is not important to me. Just need a way to get from Point A to Point B with a car that gives me the most value for my money. I would prefer an automatic transmission but can learn how to drive a manual. Otherwise, I'm really just looking for something reliable, easy to maintain and in the 10K CHF price range. I've checked www.autoscout24.ch and have a few other websites to check out.

More recommendations and first-hand experiences for either of these cars would be great appreciated!!

http://www.topgear.com/content/featu...ries/01/3.html

TopGear user satisfaction survey from 2005 (about the age of car I guess you want) lists Honda and Toyota in the top 5..VW is a lot further down.

My Dad always buys Toyota or Nissan and swears by them for reliability.

You should be turning Japanese - I really think so...


Personally I have had no problems at all with 3 Subarus in a row. They do not count as status symbols, but they are reliable and very safe. Honda and Toyota are also good. VW has had quality issues. Some batches are great, others suck.

I swear by VW TDI engines - virtually undestructable, with good potential for upgrades such a chip tunning should you need one. Unfortunaly, they seem to be a bit pricier in CH. I would go for a Golf IV 1.9 TDI, made after 2001.

my 0.02

After have driven Japanese, Korean and French cars, there is no point of comparison. German Cars are on a higher plane.

I know even for cheap Korean cars, the parts and service here is even more expensive than the already expensive German cars' service.

I went to BMW and would never come back to a Japanese car.

Me too, Subaru Legacy, (haven't needed parts yet on a 10-year old car, but it is a dream to drive and safe) - then Toyota or Honda. I had 2 Hondas, each for 2 or 3 years, never had a bill except normal servicing and not even tyres to replace.

My experience, I would never have another BMW, even if I could afford it. I had a 3-series, no problem, not good in winter. I had a 5-series, nothing but trouble. So give me a Japanese Subaru any day.

All this talk of cars got me browsing...

Check this out

loving the beige...you'd never call that a truck of love, unless you were a train spotter with a penchant for nylon trousers and thermos flasks.

And it's a 2.0, 200 hp Turbo death machine.

For your requirements I'd recommend a Japanese car.. They not only go on forever, but are cheaper on the second hand market here than a VW.

When I was in the UK just over 10 years ago, almost every taxi driver I spoke to reckoned that Toyota Carinas were the most reliable for them.

Thanks for the recommendation. When I lived in California, I first owned a BMW Z3, then upgraded to a BMW 323 coupe, and then upgraded again to a BMW 545. So for the last 10 years of my life, I've only driven BMW. The Z3 handled great but I couldn't even fit a full size down duvet in the trunk! The 323 was excellent...drove it for 7 years and now my friend has it. It still runs great with over 125K miles on it. I sold my 545 to my parents so I still get to drive it when I visit California. Loved the 545 but it's still new so I can't really speak about its longevity yet.

Believe me, I am a big BMW fan. But on a personal note, moving to Switzerland has truly humbled me and showed me that a nice car is just a nice car. In the end, I just want to be mobile and would rather spend the extra money on a long holiday on some secluded beach in the middle of nowhere.

Well a BMW is just another car here, not a luxury one.

I own a beautiful 320 Ci cabrio, and it doesn't costed me that much. got it with 50% discount with only a little less than 4 years and 50K Km.

For a luxury car, I think on a Maseratti Quattroporte.

I used to drive a 3 series BMW and loved it. I also had some Subarus. I was very happy with them, but always thouught they were not as much fun to drive. Then I got a WRX - more fun to drive than anything I have driven, but not as luxurious as a beamer. Then I got my 2005 Legacy wagon and I must say, even though I opted against the 2.5 GT turbo (which is almost as fast as the WRX), I love my car. The inside comfort is on par with a BMW and the boxer engine is a lot of fun to drive. It also was voted the safest car (safer than Volvo, BMW, Mercedes etc) in 2005. I still like some BMWs, but the models I like would not be practical for my lifestyle. My Legacy wagon rocks...

So I think it greatly depends on what year you tried out Japanese cars for prestige and comfort, but as far as quality goes they are tops.

I always liked the BMW M3, but the newer series are too heavy and have lost on good looks. I liked the older style. Plus these days, if I wanted a car that is fun to drive I would probably want a Honda S2000 or a Lotus. The new Corvettes are amazing but unfortunately have a bad rep for being pimp cars here.

Then of course are classic cars. I will stop now. For now, I ride the tram every day and use my Sub on weekends with my lady...

Yeah, my E46 M3 was love at first sight and that hasn't waned a bit since I got it. The E92 M3 is really quite a performance car and superior to mine in many ways, but just hasn't turned me on since I first looked at it last March in Geneva, an invite for an upclose in Garching in April, nor at my dealer a couple of months ago. I think the new fun car will be the 135i.

That said, according to some studies and TCS, the current best on economy, maintenance, safety and reliablility in it's class is the BMW 1er series, over VW, Audi and the various Asian cars.

s268952, I know my way around Bern pretty well, so if you haven't found anything yet, or aren't making the progress you'd like too, drop me a PM and maybe I can steer you in a few directions.

Toyota is now introducing the updated 2013
Toyota Tundra
in the market. Its a full-size pickup truck the sketch is attractive, stylish. nonetheless, provide you the best value, good looks and best safety features in its 2013 model.

That must be the worst first post of the year!
Quote
310 horse power
327 pound feet of torque
4.6 Liter aluminum i-force V8 engine
Electronic ignition system
5-speed and 6-speed ECT with intelligence
Rear-wheel drive
Steering wheel turns (lock to lock)
Power-assisted Front and rear disc brakes
Fabric-trimmed60/40 split, fold-up, rear seats
Urethane tilt 4-spoke steering wheel with column shifter
Turbo charger
Now where are those fuel and emissions figures?
This is not an ideal "used car to buy"