Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

[Dafydd Wynn Williams]

Has anyone come across any 'research' into the relative reliability of electronic versus mechanical auto components? My own impression is that electronic components seem more prone to failure and are generally not repairable.

As replacement parts they also seem to be ridiculously expensive for what they cost to manufacture, especially when you remember they were chosen by the vehicle manufacturers as a means of producing a vehicle at LESS cost in the first place!

This current teeth clenching is brought on by my immaculate 92 Volvo 940 (still only 70k) which has a slightly??? annoying habit of cutting out as it pleases in any situation. This is a great disincentive to use it to go any distance!

Usually and inexplicably it will fire up again in seconds or minutes. A couple of years ago however, on one such occasion, although sparks and fuel were present it wouldnt fire up, and the local Volvo dealers after playing for nearly a week, changing sundry items did get it going but were unsure how and why.

It still regularly gives me 'heart in mouth' moments as you would swear that it waits till you are in the worst possible situation to have a breakdown, like in the several tunnels on the A55; in a queue, or miles from home. I suppose I should be thankful it has not refused to start again since its garage holiday.

Anyway, I digress, if not 'research' , whats the opinion generally on the merit of increasing reliance of 'electronics' in motors? Maybe the toolkit should contain a folding bicycle!

Dafydd.

[Google]

[jonkem]

I'm 100% mechanical rather than electronic. I have had loads of different cars and a mechanical failure is easier to diagnose & repair without specialist equipment & knowledge. How many electronic components could be repaired on a muddy track in a Polish forest
Speak to a TD5 owner who's ecu cut out while crossing a rocky stream
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1994 KZJ70 Cruiser (currently filling the garage and causing some head scratching)
1988 MKI 3.1td Hybrid Van (Ex Bobtail)
1991 SWB Fronty 2.8td Hybrid
2000 Astra Estate (work)
2006 VXR Astra
MK1 SR Nova

[Philp]

I agree, both my Trooper and my Chevy are 100% mechanical, the wifes Freelander has shedloads of electronics and lots of them have failed (2 x boost controllers for example in less than a year) mind you it's had it's share of mechanical problems but even then, theres lots of plastics used in things like fuel pumps (x1) and the entire clutch Hydraulics (top x 2 bottom x 1) which are also not great for longevity. My chevy comes apart with about three spanners and a couple of screwdrivers. My Mazda 323 GT also had electronics that were so pricey when the ABS ecu died the previous owner simply rermoved the bulb from the warning light, a quoted £900 + VAT from the dealer and a three month wait whilst one was sent from Japan by boat. Needless to say five minutes of upside down spannering on a car stacked four up i the peeing rain had me a replacement for fifty quid.

The big problem I foresee is that modern cars are simply not designed to have a long life and are designed to be scrapped by the time they're ten years old so.
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Phil

96 or is it a 98 Isuzu Bighorn Lotus

[Magnatec]

I once had a Fiat Abarth very light on electronic gizmo's but that used to cut out at will, no pattern to it, eventually I traced the fault to the ignition switch. I am not saying thats where your fault lies but I know how frustrating it can be

[dani4JB1T]

[dani4JB1T]

[jjcymru]

td4 freelanders are awful, in fact any freelanders are

theyre slow, noisy not v economical and the interior is van like and uncomfortable!

[jonkem]

It is a famous or should that be infamous report of what happened when the td5 was launched. Journalists were taking a couple of discos for a gentle drive offroad to write their piece. The 1st car was crossing a small stream with a rocky bottom & the car stopped dead. It wasn't the water but the shaking of the ecu by the stony stream bed.
The 2nd car attempted to pass the 1st car to tow him and his car also stopped with the same fault. Luckily for LR the 2nd car started again and was able to continue in "safe mode" until the ecu was re-set or whatever you have to do to them.
The story was not reported because the magazine concerned is (aren't they all) run by LR fanatics.
Without any doubt you should buy a 200 or 300 as opposed to the td5 or td4. But even better buy a Trooper and travel faster in more comfort knowing you'll get there without breaking down
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1994 KZJ70 Cruiser (currently filling the garage and causing some head scratching)
1988 MKI 3.1td Hybrid Van (Ex Bobtail)
1991 SWB Fronty 2.8td Hybrid
2000 Astra Estate (work)
2006 VXR Astra
MK1 SR Nova

[Chris B]

One of my best mates was until very recently the warranty manager at our local Land Rover dealerships... he can roll off a massive list of faults with the landrover TD4/5/6 series engines from thrown cambelts through to duff ECU's, waterlogged ECU's and oil pressure/starvation problems. They are a great engine when working... but thats only "when"!!
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Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max LE | 265/65R18 BF Goodrich AT               LTM No.60

[turboDIESELtrooper]

There is no doubt a mechanical engine will be less likely to have problems then a electronically controlled engine. I always believe this especially in the case of a diesel engine. I don't think it's true of every single unit out there, but in most cases mechanical is more reliable. A lot of the newer engines can get upgrades by an electronic program instead of bolt on parts like the older engines. Seems the effort of installing upgrade parts by hand for increasing power and torque will make you feel proud you've done it instead of using electronics to do so. In a mechanic's point of view that is.