At Think Insurance we came across this interesting survey and wanted to share it with all of our Motor Trader customers.
Research carried out by Warranty Direct, has revealed that the most reliable used car is the Peugeot 207. With just 6% of them breaking down in an average year, that’s 1 in 17, it’s no wonder Peugeot have bagged themselves this accolade! The study analysed more than 20,000 stats on European cars, aged between three and seven years, measuring the overall running cost and reliability – including rate of failure, average mileage, age and cost of repair.
Coming in at second place is the Fiat Panda, with just 14% of owners having to pay for repairs. Not content with bagging first place, Peugeot have also secured themselves third place in the same poll! The Peugeot 206 not only requires very little attention, but it is also cheap to fix if it does go wrong, with an average repair coming in at just £185.
Duncan McClure Fisher from Warranty Direct said “Some people might be surprised to see Fiat and Peugeot claiming the top three positions, but the data doesn’t lie – these cars are very dependable – It’s perhaps less surprising to see a couple of VW’s in the top 10”. He goes on to explain, “Running a car is a costly business, particularly when a car moves into its fourth and fifth year, when most cars leave the protection of a manufacturer warranty. Anything that gives a little extra peace of mind, like getting further warranty cover or simply doing research about the car you’re buying, is worthwhile”.
At the other end of the scale, 47% of the Mercedes SL models covered by Warranty Direct recorded a fault, making it the least reliable car, with 36 per cent of those problems suspension-related. The Renault Clio is the cheapest used car to repair, costing an average £173, whilethe most expensive single claim among the bottom five cars was £7,239 for a BMW 7 Series fault.
Top 10 most reliable European cars
Reliability Index Rating / Incident Rate / Average Repair Cost (£)
1. Peugeot 207 (2006 – ): 22 / 6% / £331.92
2. Fiat Panda (2004 – ): 28 / 14% / £195.95
3. Peugeot 206 CC (2000 – 2007): 32 / 17% /£185.40
4. Volkswagen Polo (2005 – ): 35 / 18% / £190.48
5. Renault Clio (2005 – ): 36 / 21% / £173.40
6. Volkswagen Beetle (1999 – ): 39 / 20% / £198.25
7 Smart Forfour (2004 – 2007): 48 / 25% / £194.67
8. Volvo S40 (2004 – ): 51 / 23% / £223.13
9. Peugeot 107 (2005 – ): 54 / 21% / £248.46
10. Mercedes SLK (1996 – 2004): 55 / 18% / £296.73
Top 5 least reliable European cars
Reliability Index Rating / Incident Rate / Average Repair Cost (£)
1. Mercedes SL (2002 – ): 349 / 47% / £742.10
2. Range Rover (2002 – ): 264 / 53% / £499.43
3. Renault Espace (2002 – ): 264 / 54% / £491.26
4. Mercedes S-Class (2006 – ): 239 / 47% / £505.22
5. BMW 7 Series (2001 – 2008): 232 / 45% / £514.40
This information was brought to you in conjunction with the specialist motor trade insurance provider, Think Insurance.