How reliable is your car? Here’s the breakdown

Jeff Aherne, director of Cartell, says: “It’s remarkable how fast the fleet is now aging. In July 2012 we noted the average age had tipped eight years for the first time – now we are significantly older again. This is proof of the impact the recession is having on vehicle owners: people are holding their cars for longer, and when they are buying, they are buying used vehicles instead of new vehicles.”

Those owners could be setting themselves up for big bills in the future, too, depending on their choice of car. Warranty Direct told us that the most expensive average payout for a claim is €1,250 while one claim, for a replacement engine for a Range Rover Sport, cost a whopping €15,000. By contrast, the most reliable models returned an average repair claim of just €109.

“Cars have become increasingly complex, with lots of gadgetry on board, especially on executive models, where buyers expect more and more bang for their buck. Owners of these cars pay over the odds for the premium badge, but our study shows they could also be paying over the odds just to keep the car on the road,” said McLure Fisher.

“It’s a balancing act for used-car buyers. You can get cars that break down less often, but have higher repair bills, or you can buy a car that won’t cost you much when it fails, such as a Renault, but lumbers you with more than a 50 per cent chance of doing so. The one thing you do appear to be able to rely upon is buying Japanese.”

Figures From Warranty Direct

TOP 10 MANUFACTURERS

1 Honda: 0.29% – 1 in 344

2 Toyota: 0.58% – 1 in 171

3 Mercedes-Benz:

0.84% – 1 in 119

4 Volvo: 0.90% – 1 in 111

5 Jaguar: 0.98% – 1 in 103

6 Lexus: 0.99%– 1 in 101

7 Fiat: 1.17% – 1 in 85

8 Ford: 1.25% 1 in 80

9 Nissan: 1.32% 1 in 76

10 Land Rover: 1.38% 1 in 72

BOTTOM 10 MANUFACTURERS

1 MG Rover: 7.88% – 1 in 13

2 Audi: 3.71% – 1 in 27

3 MINI: 2.51% – 1 in 40

4 Saab: 2.49% – 1 in 40

5 Vauxhall: 2.46% – 1 in 41

6 Peugeot: 2.26% – 1 in 44

7 BMW: 2.20% – 1 in 45

8 Renault: 2.13% – 1 in 46

9 Volkswagen: 1.91% – 1 in 52

10 Mitsubishi: 1.70% – 1 in 59)