Selling A New-ish Car Due To 'Niggles'

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Everyone thinks I'm a little bit mad so thought I'd share here...

I currently drive a 2021 Vauxhall Insignia (Buick Regal to you US folks). It has a 1.5 3-cylinder diesel engine that is basically half of a Duramax 3.0, including its belt-driven oil pump. It's 14 months old, has just shy of 18,000miles on the clock and I've had it since day one.

It's a nice-looking car, it's very comfy (has optional AGR seats with loads of adjustment), it's fantastic on fuel (60mpg+), it's well spec'd and considering it's tiny powerplant, goes very well.

BUT... I've had endless niggles with it. A constantly stream of rattles, warning lights and various other minor issues. Every minor issue made worse by a dealer who takes multiple visits and often days on end to get anything repaired. In the last 14 months, my car has spent 6 weeks total in the dealer, accumulated over 11 visits.

It behaved itself for a month but now the heatshield that got replaced 2 months ago is rattling intermittently again, I have a dashboard that buzzes and vibrates at certain engine RPM and my parking sensors only work 50% of the time.

The little 3 pot diesel suffers badly with NVH at lower engine speeds (sub 2000rpm) and I can't help but feel that it's literally rattling the car apart.

So I'm selling it to a car-supermarket this weekend for a very good price (I've not lost anything). Helped by the economic climate and a strong second-hand market currently.

I've placed an order for a brand-new Dacia Duster. I was quite insistent it had to be four wheel drive and the only one built and available is 500miles away in Northern Ireland. I can pick it up in 2 weeks, but collection is going to involve a flight and a 9 hour drive home which includes a ferry.

Am I mad? :ROFLMAO:
 
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Am I mad? :ROFLMAO:

Mad to get rid of the car? No

For other reasons, maybe.


If you're going to battle this car it's whole life, it's not worth it. Sometimes things just don't work out and sometimes you have to take a loss on something and get out of it before it actually drives you mad.
 
Everyone thinks I'm a little bit mad so thought I'd share here...

I currently drive a 2021 Vauxhall Insignia (Buick Regal to you US folks). It has a 1.5 3-cylinder diesel engine that is basically half of a Duramax 3.0, including its belt-driven oil pump. It's 14 months old and has just shy of 18,000miles on the clock and I've had it since day one.

It's a nice-looking car, it's very comfy (has optional AGR seats with loads of adjustment), it's fantastic on fuel (60mpg+), it's well spec'd and considering it's tiny powerplant, goes very well.

BUT... I've had endless niggles with it. A constantly stream of rattles, warning lights and various other minor issues. Every minor issue made worse by a dealer who takes multiple visits and often days on end to get anything repaired. In the last 14 months, my car has spent 6 weeks total in the dealer, accumulated over 11 visits.

It behaved itself for a month but now the heatshield that got replaced 2 months ago is rattling intermittently again, I have a dashboard that buzzes and vibrates at certain engine RPM and my parking sensors only work 50% of the time.

The little 3 pot diesel suffers badly with NVH at lower engine speeds (sub 2000rpm) and I can't help but feel that it's literally rattling the car apart.

So I'm selling it to a car-supermarket this weekend for a very good price (I've not lost anything). Helped by the economic climate and a strong second-hand market currently.

I've placed an order for a brand-new Dacia Duster. I was quite insistent it had to be four wheel drive and the only one built and available is 500miles away in Northern Ireland. I can pick it up in 2 weeks, but collection is going to involve a flight and a 9 hour drive home which includes a ferry.

Am I mad? :ROFLMAO:
It sounds like you've purchased what is going to be referred to as a "Covid Car"....
 
Why not get a recent naturally aspirated petrol Impreza hatch? No weird 3 cyl turbo diesel stuff, and buying the most expensive version of a cheaper car seems like putting lipstick on a pig. With fuel prices these days they must be close to the same cost per mile?
 
Well, from a Texas perspective sometimes you have to pull the saddle and pick another horse from the remuda. Are you mad? As a hatter, maybe, but that's a different story. This one seems pretty straight forward, the key being you aren't losing anything. I'm not familiar with all the vehicle choices in your world so I have no clue about the new one you've found. I might be inclined to skip new with the higher cost and initial depreciation if I could find a friend or trusted source to get a good not too used one. YMMV
 
And you think going to a Renault SUV is going to be any better?:eek:

This will be the 4th Dacia myself or my Wife have owned.

My Wifes current 2017 Dacia Logan MCV 1.5DCi is on 110k and is totally reliable.

The drivers seat started creaking a few months ago. Keep meaning to look at that.
 
If you have a problematic vehicle, and can get out of it without loss, why not?
Best of luck with the new one.
 
Why not get a recent naturally aspirated petrol Impreza hatch? No weird 3 cyl turbo diesel stuff, and buying the most expensive version of a cheaper car seems like putting lipstick on a pig. With fuel prices these days they must be close to the same cost per mile?

Would love an Outback with the 2.5 N/A engine but as part of my employment I get fuel benefit so the vehicle must meet certain criteria to keep the company accountants happy which the Outback just can't meet. That, and it's 60% More expensive than the Dacia Duster I have ordered. :ROFLMAO:
 
The key thing here is OP is getting out of a 1YO troublesome car with 18k miles even. Us US BITOGers don't know the car market or the models in Britain or Europe available but it sounds like buying new vs late model used might be the best choice. Be gone foul beast.

I got rid of a troublesome *GASP* Toyota after 1 year ownership 20 years ago so I get it. A guy may choose to deal with stupid crap on a beater but not a new car.
 
Would love an Outback with the 2.5 N/A engine but as part of my employment I get fuel benefit so the vehicle must meet certain criteria to keep the company accountants happy which the Outback just can't meet. That, and it's 60% More expensive than the Dacia Duster I have ordered. :ROFLMAO:
Yeah, I saw that a 2018 Impreza was 24k pounds new.... Here Subaru's tend to have the cheapest AWD model available in each class, since they are all AWD, and there is no real discount brands here at all. A 2.0 Impreza must get 45 imperial mpg? Not good enough?
 
Yeah, I saw that a 2018 Impreza was 24k pounds new.... Here Subaru's tend to have the cheapest AWD model available in each class, since they are all AWD, and there is no real discount brands here at all. A 2.0 Impreza must get 45 imperial mpg? Not good enough?

It needs to do 60mpg combined on the WLTP cycle. The XV 2.0e-Boxer is rated at 35.7mpg, it also can't tow the 1500kg I need for our caravan.

The Duster is rated at 53mpg-ish which I can get away with without too much bother.
 
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