Some of it has to do with the management of British Leyland and labor relations through some tough years. Sometimes the people putting the cars together weren't acting in the best interests of the cars. British companies also tended to sell their cars for less, and consequently didn't have the engineering resources that a company like Porsche had.
For what it's worth, my 86 Jaguar has been largely trouble-free. And contemporary Jaguars are very reliable. Ford's good for something, I guess.
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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe
jackolsen@mediaone.net