Reinforces my concern about getting another diesel for (mainly) city motoring....... http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/mar/0...iesel-cars
JT Upgraded to an ex demo, 7 mth old, Rimini Red/Ebony Napoli Auto HSE on 28th Jan 2011, added roof rails, mudflaps and side strips.
Gone - A great 57 Plate, Auto SE, Bought Feb 2009, Roof Rails and Mudflaps added on purchase. Blue colour, anything but drug dealer black.....

"Reinforces my concern about getting another diesel for (mainly) city motoring......"

Yeah including an FR2 ! A garage just 20 miles from me had this happen recently on a Sales FR2 sold with just 39000 miles, Turbo blew & took the engine with it at the same time, actually split the block ! just out of warranty !

The Car sales centre will not take FR2's in PX as they don't want the risk. their quote was over 6000 to have it fixed for their customer.

With the Galaxy that is just incompetence by the ford dealership as no doubt they didn't remove the inter-cooler & pipes etc and wash the excess oil out ! imperative after fitting a new turbo. Very badly handled by the garage by the sounds of things !

As usual the Guardian delivers worthwhile news, commentary and objectivity. This time in the motoring section. JT has done a fine service providing this article for readership here.

When all goes wrong at least you folks have some consumer law protection after the official warranty period ends - here in Switzerland you don't - and - you have to fight even when the vehicle is still within the 3yrs manufacturers warranty. We're still awaiting feedback (yeah or nay) to our Jan12 request for the cracked tailgate handle to be exchanged under warranty

I would never choose a diesel over a petrol except sometimes the manufacturer forces your hand.

The problem is, even if you start going for petrol's this isn't going to go away as to meet eu v and vi emissions petrols are now all coming with turbo's - just look at the new f30 3 series, I don't think it does a single engine now without a turbo! Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

All cars are complicated, petrol or diesel, OK while thay are in warraty, very expensive out. At least with Kia you get 7yrs, Toyota 5yrs. Interestingly Jaguars get a 5yr warranty in the USA. I decided I no longer understodd cars a fews years ago when i took a Skoda Octavia in for a dashborad rattle, "it may be the airvents need adjusting" said the technician. I expected him to start unscrewing the dashboard, but no, he plugged in a laptop " there all controlled by the computer" he explained.

Totally agree with JT that a diesel for town running is the wrong choice, mainly due to the introduction of DPFs. However, as an SD4 owner who has had no DPF issues, I wonder if LR pulled out all the stops to get the DPF software up-to-speed for the EWOK launch. I am not aware of a problem in that area - Am I right?

However, things break, they always have and always will. Dealers have always tried to duck the blame if they can and that will continue to be the case. Advances in technology have meant that I don't spend all week trying to get the motor serviceable for the weekend - like in the sixties. Since those days I have driven turbos, both deisel and petrol, autos, DSGs, manuals (with and without DMFs), cars with distributors, cars with electronic ignition, carbs and injection and have never suffered a major failure. What happened to this family was a turbo failure, unfortunate but relatively straightforward, which was then cocked up in spades by modern mechanics who don't know the difference between a spanner and a fork - and probably can't use either. No fault code = no problem or wrong diagnosis.

That said I don't hold with the doom mongers who only see the half empty glass - my glass is normally full anyway so when I can see straight i prefer to look at the rosy bits, namely my beautiful SD4 which goes like a rocket and is as smooth as snake s**t.

Not sure about the Guardian comments!! Better suited to holding fish & chips me thinks.

Ben Twillie wrote:

Not sure about the Guardian comments!! Better suited to holding fish & chips me thinks.

Philistine ............

However, I do wholeheartedly agree with your reflection upon motoring in the 60's (or even the 70's) - I had enough of distributor caps to last a couple of generations. Oh, and spark plugs that always failed to even spark despite that fact that they were brand new and receiving a strong current

The difference then was that if your local incompetent (in those days Leyland Daf but now a LR dealer at the London end of Kent) fitted a set of plugs without bothering to check the gaps, then at least you could sort it out yourself. Nowadays there's very little that I'd feel competent to touch on my vehicle. Which is why I pay for the extended warranty. And I must admit I am grateful for not having to grind valves/refill shockers/tip in another litre of oil every weekend!

athelstan wrote:

receiving a strong current

That's the problem, you can put all the current you want through a spark plug, without a strong voltage (kilovolts of the stuff) you won't get a spark, we knew what you meant though

Shame about Swiss LR, pretty shoddy, especially in a country in which the new models could have a decent sales run, maybe the chrome arse piece is a steel brace in disguise.

...the Gaurdian, cheaper than cat litter liners...