Automotive Brands Most Likely To Break Down And Need Repairs
Before buying a second-hand or brand new car, it is important to research how expensive parts and maintenance will cost and how much the average breakdown will potentially cost the motorist. This article will examine the ten cars for that are most likely to break-down and need maintenance and repairs. Parts for many of these vehicles will become more expensive in future due to the fact that inbuilt smart-technology and complex mechanical parts are standard for most new release vehicles. While reading, keep in mind that owners of Honda, Subaru, and Toyota only needed repairs on three to six percent of their vehicles.
Alfa Romeo
According to the data, 40% of insured or under-warranty Alfa Romeo vehicles needed repairs. This large number is only from one year, and if the data continues this way, all Alfa Romeo owners included in this research will need to have their vehicles repaired within 2 and a half years. Alfa Romeo represents the most unreliable vehicle manufacturer in this article, however, the repair costs are actually the cheapest on average at $467 USD. Acclaimed motorist television show Top Gear is well known for driving Alfa Romeo vehicles until they break, which is usually within a short period of time. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta represents one of the latest unreliable vehicles from the manufacturer and one that any buyer should steer away from.
Porsche
Just over one-third of these vehicles needed repairs in the one year in which this data was taken. Porsche is sought after vehicle across the world with various high-end luxury models to choose from including convertibles, sports cars, and SUVs. Porsche also ranks as the most expensive for repairs with an average repair bill stinging the owner approximately $1338 USD! The Porsche Cayenne Sport is ranked as one of the most unreliable luxury vehicles by Forbes Magazine, even though the magazine considers it to be a great luxury SUV. Porsche vehicles will usually need repairs for electrical, drivetrain, or safety problems, such as airbag deployment and seat belt malfunction. A quick search for second-hand Porsche parts will prove how rare and expensive genuine these parts can become and why many owners will bite the bullet and repair their vehicles with expensive new parts direct from the manufacturer.
Land-Rover
Approximately 34% of Land Rovers need repairs per year within the United Kingdom and have been consistently voted as one of the most unreliable brands of cars by various consumer surveys. Land Rovers have seen a huge dip in their reliability over the last few decades and therefore older models (pre-1990) are actually considered more reliable than newer versions by many. The data also shows that Land Rover owners will fork out approximately $675 USD on an average repair bill. This ranks Land Rover as the third most expensive car to repair as well as the third most unreliable vehicle within this article. To make things worse, in a recent consumer survey Land Rover ranked last in customer service and satisfaction among luxury car manufacturers.
Chrysler
An average mechanic visit will cost the owner of a Chrysler around $625 USD even though owners of the Chrysler 300C models seem to praise their reliability (albeit this is only one model). The large engines usually housed within a Chrysler also have large parts, which puts extra demand on regulating engine pressure as well as the use of various vehicle fluids. This leads to problems with steering and water pumps, the radiator, and transmission due to pressure and fluid related issues. As far as reliability is concerned, Chrysler is in the middle of the pack when it comes to needing repairs. 26% of all Chrysler under warranty needed some sort of repair in the United Kingdom last year. Consumerreports.org named the Chrysler 200 as one of the 10 most unreliable cars of 2016.
Mercedes-Benz
25% of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the United Kingdom needed a repair under warranty last year in the United Kingdom. Although this brand seems somewhat reliable when compared with others on this list, the high-end price tag that Mercedes-Benz is known for also applies to parts and maintenance costs. An average visit to the mechanic will cost the driver of a Benz around $735 USD, which is good (or bad) enough to rank third in terms of cost for vehicles in this article. The current slogan of Mercedes-Benz is “The best or nothing”, which reflects itself in the costs of parts and maintenance for this luxury manufacturer's vehicles. Of course, the frequency in which repairs are needed depends on the car's age and maintenance history, many owners of Mercedes-Benz testify they are incredibly reliable if properly maintained throughout their lifetime.
Jaguar
If you own a Jaguar, data shows that your mechanic bill will be around $585 USD on an average trip for repairs or parts. Forbes Magazine estimates that owners of the Jaguar XK will pay approximately $1,629 USD in repairs over the first five years of ownership. This 5 year approximation was good enough to rank this model Jaguar in the top 5 most expensive luxury vehicles to maintain (ranked by Forbes). Jaguar has seemingly carried a reputation of unreliability since the 1960s when the recently launched E-Type was well-known malfunction and/or for needing repairs on a regular basis. There is a running joke that if you own a Jaguar, you should buy 2 of them, as then you will have something to drive while one is getting repairs!
Lexus
A trip for repairs or part replacement will usually cost the owner of a Lexus $620 USD, however, Lexus can be considered one of the more reliable manufacturers from this list. Lexus is actually a luxury brand that is manufactured by one of the most reliable in the world (Toyota). The Lexus extension of Toyota was founded in 1989 and is Japan's largest luxury car manufacturer. Now here is the trade-off – the Lexus is considered somewhat reliable as a luxury car, but can you afford to repair a Lexus if/when it breaks down and/or needs new parts? 22% of all Lexus under warranty needed repair in the United Kingdom last year, which potentially translates into repairs being needed once every four years or so.
BMW
BMW represents the second highest cost per mechanic visit with a whopping $800 USD being forked out for an average repair bill. High-end, expensive parts will wear out and need replacement, which costs the owner a fortune at the mechanic. There are plenty of funny acronyms for BMW but perhaps the most appropriate in this case is “Break My Wallet”. Although BMW is one of the 3 most reliable manufacturers in this article, the steep repair bills should be enough to make any buyer consider avoiding this make altogether. The 7 Series, a luxury sedan, is perhaps the most unreliable vehicle from BMW and is ranked as such by many different automotive publications. Many BMW owners will experience problems with air conditioning, electrical problems, steering, or transmission issues to name a few.
Volvo
Although Volvo is one of the most reliable within this article, the repair costs are quite high due to the rarity of quality parts for these vehicles. 16% of all Volvo vehicles in the United Kingdom needed repair last year and the average cost of a visit to the mechanic is approximately $615 USD. Although Volvo's safety standards have markedly improved over the past few decades, simple features such as air conditioning, steering pumps, and automatic transmission seem to be the brand's downfall when it comes to reliability. The company that released the data used for this article also created a “Monster” vehicle made up from the least reliable parts from various manufacturers. The Volvo's steering featured on this abomination, which shows how notoriously bad this aspect of Volvo really is.
Citroen
Citroen is a manufacturer that produces models with futuristic styling and perhaps these bold designs are what the brand is most well-known for. Citroen represents the most reliable manufacturer within this article with just 15% of these vehicles needing repair last year. If you own a Citroen, expect to pay around $480 USD every time you take your vehicle to get repairs or replacement parts. Used Citroen tends to be cheap, which entices many first time buyers. French automotive parts have always been expensive and reasonably hard to come by so this is a brand many buyers should steer away from. Although Citroen ranks as the second least-expensive vehicle to maintain, as well as the most reliable within this article, they are still ranked within the top 10 cars that will break down and need repair!