"German cars are amongst the least reliable"

[scott_e]

Spotted on the BBC website this lunchtime (published 16th April). Interested to know SEs thoughts on the results:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32332210 (source: What Car?/ Warranty Direct )
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer

[steve_weegie]

Reassuring to see the RS6 is flying the flag as the least reliable, and most expensive car to fix!

[BiggestNizzy]

I don't believe German engineering is any better than anyone else.

[greido]

I have a 2008 X5 and a 2010 Merc e350 coupe, owned them, for 3 and 2 years respectively and never been let down by either.... Not had a single squeak from the Merc and they've covered 180,000 miles between them..... I always get them serviced by a specialist that I trust with original parts.
Don't think I'd move to a non-German brand, unless I got a great deal on something really exciting.

[scott_e]

In the past and according to this same survey IIRC (extended warranty claims) I believe the Mini has been among the top claimants for a number of years. No indication what the claims were in relation too , maybe mini owners are simply more likely to purchase an extended warranty like to keep their car in 100% working order ... consistently ..., maybe its known its needed, maybe German car salesman are more proficient at selling extended warranties or they customers are more likely to be able to shell out on them.... etc

[cstrachan]

Knowing someone whose last SLK was never out of the garage I can believe that. His new AMG 55 SLK is looking like it will be exactly the same, at least it gets to the garage quick

[GBOBM]

I wonder if they take mileage into account. German barges are often company cars and do mega miles.
I'm not convinced that a daihatsu and a suzuki do the same mileage

[BiggestNizzy]

Knowing someone whose last SLK was never out of the garage I can believe that. His new AMG 55 SLK is looking like it will be exactly the same, at least it gets to the garage quick

Know a bloke who's SLS was never out of the garage for the first 6 months he had it.

On one hand if yourr buying German and paying the premium for it you will be less inclinded to put up with anything wrong, I would also like to say that even if you bought aq Dacia and you had it serviced at a main dealer you would expect to be able to do mega miles in it no problem.

[Andy G]

The BMs and the Porsches I've had have been astoundingly reliable.

[flyingscot68]

Given some of the Audi horror stories going on in my office I can believe that, my A2 is always breaking something and my brother has just got shot of his S4 as it was the same.

If you want reliability, buy Japanese

[martins]

If you want reliability, buy Japanese

This is why I bought a yota engined exige

M

[mwmackenzie]

I have 2 broken German sheds at the moment Passat TDi needs a Crank sensor, or at least that's the next sensor we're changing to try and fix it! Mini Cooper S, wife informs me she's just overheated in in the city an hour ago! Sux to be me!

[BigD]

What's the symptoms of the Passat. I've replaced almost everything on mine. Throttle body is next.

[mwmackenzie]

Hi D,

When I bought it it had a hot start issue, this was resolved with a remap but a new symtom popped up a stumble at 2k revs only in 5th and 6th. anyway I was thinking this could al be an injector related issue but lived with it as it rarely happened and you could stop it by feathering the throttle or planting it.

So last week the hot start issue reared it's head again but it soon developed into a starting issue, not temprature dependant, bollox! VagCom showed a cam position sensor fault so today I had a new sensor fitted and the car is exactly the same, my mechanic spoke to a diesel specialist who said it's the crank sensor that causes that and the fault is registered as the cam sensor as the cam and crank sensor are out of kilter hence not wanting to start... So I now need to have it booked in for a new crank sensor fitting next step after that is terraclean and cross everything

EGR was deleted on the map but I've not fitted a bypass pipe as yet... Kinda thinking of changing the main oil seal while doing the sensor(leaking oil) but thinking that will be costly as the seal is about £150 and the flywheel will need to come off to fit so box off clutch out, might just leave it and live with it not sure to be fair the car has been kind to me over the past 18 months and 40odd K miles it's not needed too much

[BigD]

Jeese, I've not had that yet. Time to get rid I think before i do. Mine doesn't like starting and it's the comfort module/immobiliser which costs around £1,000 which is why I've just put up with it.