Over the years the engine seized solid on our Rover 200 coupe (197bhp – electric blue and awesome for the time) and had to be replaced; the Renault Laguna (slow and very under-powered for its weight, but we had less than a week to choose a new car before DH went to Australia for 3 months) had a recurring oil leak, and was not entirely waterproof either; and the Alfa (one of those 3 digit models, black and curvy) broke down and left us stranded 3 times in 4 years (or was it 4 times in 3 years) – all electrical faults, all different, all needed to go to the garage for repair.
Conversely, the second Rover (a red saloon, don’t remember what) and the Renault Clio (black and fast, but hard on the spine) were both fine.
Never had any trouble with any of the 3 Audi TT’s either.
My 2 Vauxhall GTC’s were fine. My current VW Golf GT keeps getting ‘sticky brakes’ – they don’t release smoothly when they’re hot. Fixed once at the garage after 6 months, and now starting to recur after another 12 months.