I know about American cars and Japanese cars, but how reliable are Euro autos? I'm specifically thinking of Porsche, Audi, and Aston Martin. I've heard Audi's are unreliable and since its owned by VW that doesnt surprise me. What do you guys think? Whats the most reliable euro brand? I've heard mercedes is pretty unreliable too, and given the dodge ties that also doesnt surprise me.

It depends which model are you talking about..
I would say a Europe car should be a very Reliable car.. Lets touch simple brands like Mercedes. They are great suspensions (some say no!).

From what I've seen.. they could probably stand for a long time if you don't do any mods on it and if you take care of it properly.. I think it could even last longer.

Porsche make the most reliable cars in the world, and Audi were the cars that broke down the least as of 2005.

I don't know about Aston Martin. They're said to be pretty unreliable, but I guess that's really just a steriotypical comment towards all British cars, and that it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

they are the most reliable in the industry. think of porsche, Audi, BMW and of course the benz.

I think Porsche & the benz are the most reliable.

hmm. i had always heard the mercedes benz and audi are unreliable....

hmm. i had always heard the mercedes benz and audi are unreliable....

Believe me, where i live there are too many MBs and i know alot of people who owns them wih different models. They are very reliable:o

hmm. i had always heard the mercedes benz and audi are unreliable....
My dad owns Audi's and they NEVER go to the shop, I'm just one person, but I've never known Audi to make unreliable cars whatsoever. And what is that supposed to mean by VW owns Audi so that means they are unreliable? My family has been driving VW's for years, and they seem to be VERY reliable. "German Engineering" for the most part is top notch. Porsche is also very reliable. I've never had to take any of mine to the shop other than scheduled maintenance or getting aftermarket mods.

I don't know where you are getting that info. They have all kinds of new electronics that easily break down and just little bits and peices fail or break easily. They are built well, although some of the electronics kind of tarnish it's premium name.

well what about VW I heard they are the LEAST reliable cars out there, and they are affliated with Audi. because i love the audi RS4 but if its a unreliable, low quality car, then what is the point...

hmm. i had always heard the mercedes benz and audi are unreliable.... How can you say such things?! Apart from Japanese cars, European cars are one of the most reliable pieces of metals I've ever heard of! Audis & BMWs are particular examples.....Oh! And what about a certain Stuttgart marque that has the reputation for not only making great performance cars but also one of the most reliable?!

well what about VW I heard they are the LEAST reliable cars out there, and they are affliated with Audi. because i love the audi RS4 but if its a unreliable, low quality car, then what is the point...
I just posted about VW. So from your point of view VW "sucks", and since they own Audi, Audi must suck. Well FYI VW owns Lambo and Bentley as well. Do they "suck?" Oh, and Porsche owns almost 30% of VW so that MUST be why VW "sucks." Overall VW is a very good company to buy a car from. Sure they have problems, just as much as the next guy, but nothing outstanding at all. I drive Porsche, and VW primarily, and trust me they are excellent.

hmm. i had always heard the mercedes benz and audi are unreliable....I think you're right about Mercedes, though I hate to agree with it and really just want lie and say that Mercedes owns the rest.

I've heard that new Mercs get serious rust probles after 5 years, and I've seen the window blow out of an E Class and the inetior being way down-market.

I'm not alone either, it seems. There are plenty of others in the same boat.
http://img315.imageshack.us/img315/3972/2006082avd8.gif


Mercedes is below Kia level... This is only new Mercs though. Anything with a tristar from, what is it, 1886 to the early 90's owns.

My friend's dad sell mercedes for a living, he works at a dealership. He personally drives an Acura TL. I rest my case.

My friend's dad sell mercedes for a living, he works at a dealership. He personally drives an Acura TL. I rest my case.
Rest your case about what might I ask? Your title to the tread is Euro reliability, MB is one of many carmakers in Europe. You were gunning at VW as well. And your friends dad may sell, MB, but maybe he still can't afford one.:eek: So are you telling us that you are basing your opinion of European cars on one person???? Your friends dad? See how ridiculous that sounds? I rest my case.:D

I meant about Mercedes specifically. If someone who works at the dealership and is very knowladgeable about the cars, makes plenty of money, and has access to the cars at the best prices and STILL doesn't buy a mercedes that says alot about the company.

I know about American cars and Japanese cars, but how reliable are Euro autos? I'm specifically thinking of Porsche, Audi, and Aston Martin. I've heard Audi's are unreliable and since its owned by VW that doesnt surprise me. What do you guys think? Whats the most reliable euro brand? I've heard mercedes is pretty unreliable too, and given the dodge ties that also doesnt surprise me.

it depends, the best way to buy a german car from what i know is to buy it new, and sell it after six years.

As for Mercedes-Benz, ya, their quality is down, i believe they are trying to bring up quality, but MB being owned by daimlerchrysler has nothing to do with quality, MB still functions like they had before the merge. I would not be suprised if MB's quality is up in the next 3+ years because they are trying to re establish their image, and they are. look at the new benz's compared to them a few years ago.

As for if you want to buy a new MB, not all of them are going to break down on you, i know people who have bought an MB within the past few years and have been happy with it, and the more expensive model you buy at MB the (more likely) better MB will treat you.

Mercedes-Benz has quality problems, i would not go so far as to say they are unreliable.

My friend's dad sell mercedes for a living, he works at a dealership. He personally drives an Acura TL. I rest my case.

Yes, but you have to consider that an Acura TL is a good deal cheaper than a Mercedes-Benz

you can't really compare.

I would never buy a new car unless I was confident it would function well with minimal problems for at least 10 years. my 8 year old honda behaves perfectly.

I meant about Mercedes specifically. If someone who works at the dealership and is very knowladgeable about the cars, makes plenty of money, and has access to the cars at the best prices and STILL doesn't buy a mercedes that says alot about the company.
No you didn't. In your first post it says specifically Porsche, Audi, and Aston Martin. And MB is just mentioned at the end. In all seriousness, to get back on track. What is the point of this thread? Was it just to bash German cars, or did you really care about reliablity? If so check out this link. http://www.porsche.com/usa/aboutporsche/pressreleases/pcna/?pool=usa&id=2006-07-28

I know about American cars and Japanese cars, but how reliable are Euro autos? I'm specifically thinking of Porsche, Audi, and Aston Martin. I've heard Audi's are unreliable and since its owned by VW that doesnt surprise me. What do you guys think? Whats the most reliable euro brand? I've heard mercedes is pretty unreliable too, and given the dodge ties that also doesnt surprise me.
No offense but this is a very ignorant post. First of all Audi is not just owned by VW, they're built by VW... but what does that have to do with reliability? Audi AND VW are both more reliable than BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, etc... That doesn't mean that any of these are unreliable. Nowadays all cars (I'll get some arguments out of this comment) are reliable. IF the owner follows the required maintenance schedule and DOES NOT drive the car like it's a Formula car. I've seen Dodge's from the 70's with over 300,000 miles on them and the original engine. There are VW Bugs running around with the same mileage. It's all in how well the car is taken care of. I've also seen Toyota's die at 50,000 miles because the owner was a jackass and didn't take care of the car.
Also, what the hell does Dodge being tied to Mercedes have to do with Mercedes reliability? The Dodge link to Mercedes is purely financial.

My friend's dad sell mercedes for a living, he works at a dealership. He personally drives an Acura TL. I rest my case.
What a joke. Are you really taking this ONE case to mean the entire line-up sucks? He's a SALESMAN... yeah they make big bucks! lol... He can't afford a Mercedes. Just because someone sells a certain brand doesn't mean they can afford it. Do you think all the salesmen that work at Porsche or Ferrari dealerships are driving Porsches and Ferraris? You need a reality check on this issue. The only case where I would say what you just said is with Jaguar and that's only because I know people who OWN Jaguar dealerships and still won't drive a Jag...



And I will agree with the above post about Porsche being the most, or close to it, reliable cars made today.

first of all, I'm not just judging on this one case, its just the number one example I think of. This particular family I referred to spends money like no other, the TL isint exactly cheap and I know they have no problem spending the money. ive talked to him about mercedes and he doesnt like them, thinks their quality sucks. the point of this thread was for me to learn about euro reliability because all I've ever heard if that auto makers like VW, Mercedes, Jaguar, and Audi are unreliable. I have heard less negative things about BMW and Porsche though. If the standard practice is to sell a german car after 6 years, as a previous poster said, then they tells me the cars must not age well.

Since you started this topic, why don't you start some intelligent discussion. Maybe talk about what makes you think some cars are less reliable than others. Maybe something like valve guide wear in 993's or the RMS issue in 996's that has been blown out of proportion. Maybe the flaw in the new Z06 engine, or the roofs blowing off them. Talk about something. Or just ask a mod to close the thread if you truly have nothing. Maybe this thread is beyond repair at this point. Nobody is trying to be a jerk to you, here, it's pretty friendly, but if you start a topic, try to back up some claims, on more than just one instance. That's all.

I don't know where that 6 year thing came from. That's another opinion. Look at depreciation values and you will see that German cars have the highest retention followed by Corvettes. That right there will give you an idea of German reliability.

first of all, I'm not just judging on this one case, its just the number one example I think of. This particular family I referred to spends money like no other, the TL isint exactly cheap and I know they have no problem spending the money. ive talked to him about mercedes and he doesnt like them, thinks their quality sucks. the point of this thread was for me to learn about euro reliability because all I've ever heard if that auto makers like VW, Mercedes, Jaguar, and Audi are unreliable. I have heard less negative things about BMW and Porsche though. If the standard practice is to sell a german car after 6 years, as a previous poster said, then they tells me the cars must not age well.

I said i have heard its best to buy a german car new and sell it after around six years, because german cars are expensive to maintain. after awhile any car is going to need some attention, German cars happen to be extremely costly. MB cars age very well, they just require some attention when things go wrong. MB has made cars that have driven over 1,000,000 miles, i would say that ages well.

BMW's are under if not at MB with quality and problems, they have the same reputation as MB.

Jaguars have had a reputations for being horrible cars, and without ford they still would make horrible cars. Jaguar now is up in quality, but does that mean they won't still make some lemons? even though Acura/Honda/Toyota/Lexus all have great reputations, i have heard cases where people have never wanted to buy another one because of problems.

Thing is, I had no real claims to back up. I just wanted feedback on what I had heard and it seems like most everyone here thinks that Euro cars are generally reliable.

Since you started this topic, why don't you start some intelligent discussion. Maybe talk about what makes you think some cars are less reliable than others. Maybe something like valve guide wear in 993's or the RMS issue in 996's that has been blown out of proportion. Maybe the flaw in the new Z06 engine, or the roofs blowing off them. Talk about something. Or just ask a mod to close the thread if you truly have nothing. Maybe this thread is beyond repair at this point. Nobody is trying to be a jerk to you, here, it's pretty friendly, but if you start a topic, try to back up some claims, on more than just one instance. That's all.
I can kinda see where he's coming from though bro... He's asking us to either validate or disagree with what he's been told... Maybe he could have expressed it differently but I see his point.

I can kinda see where he's coming from though bro... He's asking us to either validate or disagree with what he's been told... Maybe he could have expressed it differently but I see his point.
Very true, good point Monkey. Maybe the smart thing to do would have been starting a poll, then having people vote on their personal experiences, and that could have actually helped him more. Can a poll still be made at this point? That would be cool. It would actually be interesting to see what others on the board have experienced.:cool:

Very true, good point Monkey. Maybe the smart thing to do would have been starting a poll, then having people vote on their personal experiences, and that could have actually helped him more. Can a poll still be made at this point? That would be cool. It would actually be interesting to see what others on the board have experienced.:cool:
I'd love to do thaat but, between you and me, how many people here, besides us and a couple others, have had PERSONAL, not their parents or friends, experience with European cars?

I'd love to do thaat but, between you and me, how many people here, besides us and a couple others, have had PERSONAL, not their parents or friends, experience with European cars?
OOOOHHH, I guess there might not be too many. I guess mostly you mods, and a few of us here and there. That might not shape up to be that great a poll then. Oh well, it was almost worth the thought.:p

PS Cajun, the most unreliable cars that I've driven were Mitsubishi. A Talon/Eclipse, and a 3000GT. Fun, but poor reliablity. My wife before we were married had to Dodge Neons, that were VERY reliable, until she totalled BOTH of them. lol... I've driven quite a few Audi's VW's, and Porsche's, and they were definitely better than anything else, quality, and reliablity alike. That's been most of my personal experience. Oh, my Fiat that we've had in our family for over 20 years hasn't lived up to it's name Fix It Again Tony. It's been a very fun and reliable little car.

All I know is that I've got a lot of experience, some good some bad, with a lot of different cars and am completely un-biased (except towards Jaguar) so if he's got any questions, I've probably got answers. If I don't know then I've got a lot of friends that will...

benz had sum serious reliabilty problems over the last two years thats all i know

But Porsches are as solid as diamonds they don#t call them the 4WD 911s practical supercars for nothing

Here's some stuff from my end.

Audi-
My cousin had an Audi A4 that he bought new in 2003. When Audi's looked really good. My dad had an Audi back in '84. My cousin said it was the best driving car he ever owned, and my dad said his Audi was a HOOT to drive. BUT. Both of these cars were problem cars. Leaks, noises, transmission problems, the Quattro system freaking out, etc. etc. etc. My cousin recently sold the Audi and bought an SUV of some nature I think. My dad sold the Audi in '85 for a used '82 Chevy Malibu wagon (that is STILL chugging along in Lynchburg, VA). So my general impression of Audi is that it's not so good.

VW-
I've got a good friend who has 2 GTI's. A Mk2 16v and a Mk4 1.8T. They have both been very good cars to him from what I understand, but another friend of mine has a Jetta and that thing is in the shop all the time for stupid little stuff, like the CD player not working, or the headlights not cutting on or the wipers not working. Electrical stuff, usually, but still, not exactly reliability defined. Mechanically, the car is fine. It's also pretty new, so I would hope that would be the case. I'm a little less trusting in VW than most companies because they put so much new-tech garbage in thier cars...which leads me too....

Me-
I've never owned a European car, but I would buy an older one, as I'm under the impression they were made better, and if not made better, they were simpler and harder to break. My take is that most new European cars are full of techno-gadgetry that is itching to go bad, and that's what is giving them a bad name reliability wise. I'm sure mechanically they work fine for a long time, but the fact that most of them have active this, and adjustable that, and power this, and controllable that, and it's giving them reliability headaches.

Japanese cars aren't all reliable, either, and when they aren't, it's for the same reasons as the Euro companies...they get to caught up in new technology that might not stand the test of time. Think Mitsubishi EVO or Mazda RX-7. Those cars are (were) bristling with new technology and also have a reputation for being a pain in the ass to maintain. Japanese cars in general are simple, and it makes them more reliable because less stuff can break. Same goes for American cars in general.

So to conclude, I'll say that MY general impression of European automobiles is that they aren't as "reliable", per se, as a run of the mill American or Japanese car, but only in the sense that there are lots of little things that can go wrong. I wouldn't own one because I hate having my car in the shop for little things, but if that doesn't bother you, I don't think that you should worry about major mechanical failure, and generally, the driving/ownership experience is very rewarding in Euro cars.

I know about American cars and Japanese cars, but how reliable are Euro autos? I'm specifically thinking of Porsche, Audi, and Aston Martin. I've heard Audi's are unreliable and since its owned by VW that doesnt surprise me. What do you guys think? Whats the most reliable euro brand? I've heard mercedes is pretty unreliable too, and given the dodge ties that also doesnt surprise me.


Depends which Euro autos your talking about, the ones in Europe or the ones in USA? Their is a big difference as far as engines and electronics go. Many Mercedes, BMW's, Audi's are diesel powered in Europe (VERY RELIABLE) and contain less electronics crap. In Europe Mercedes and BMW's are considered very reliable, VW is also a very popular and reliable brand. The diesel engines are really great!

I would say Mercedes is the most reliable from experience!

My experience...
My Dad's owned a Rover 75, BMW 3 Series, Porsche 944, Mini Cooper, VW Golf, Mecedes E900?..that's all I can think of....anyway, except the Merc, we've never had any problems with the other, therefore, the ones we had were reliable...

My friend's dad sell mercedes for a living, he works at a dealership. He personally drives an Acura TL. I rest my case.No offense to your friend's father, but maybe it's because he doesn't have the money. Working at a dealership doesn't mean you get the cars at a great price, just better then the average person. I also know from personal experience that Mercedes dealership staff don't make an incredible amount of money. Our old service manger came to us from a Mercedes dealership and he told me he made twice as much with us then at the dealership. Even if your friend's dad had the money maybe he didn't feel like paying that much for a car. Maybe he felt like his kids should go to college or something of that nature.

Wow, stereotypes are being thrown around like crazy in relation to the word "unreliable", and surprisingly, it's about Euro cars!

*gasp*

There's a first time for everything.

It's this simple:
You take proper care of your car, and it'll run as good as anything else out there.

Wow, stereotypes are being thrown around like crazy in relation to the word "unreliable", and surprisingly, it's about Euro cars!

*gasp*

There's a first time for everything.

It's this simple:
You take proper care of your car, and it'll run as good as anything else out there.
What he said. It all depends on how well you take care of the car. IF you're one of those that don't care about maintainence, then it's your fault, not the car's.....

Well, British cars used to be appallingly unreliable, but of recent years, things have reversed completely (Jaguar, to take the most impressive example, is always pretty near the top of J.D. Power surveys).

On the other hand, the brand whose whole reputation was founded on engineering excellence, Mercedes-Benz, seems to always languish near the bottom of reliability and build quality surveys, especially the ML 4x4 - although they're all pretty bad.

I always thought Audi cars were meant to be beautifully made, though...

well what about VW I heard they are the LEAST reliable cars out there, and they are affliated with Audi. because i love the audi RS4 but if its a unreliable, low quality car, then what is the point...
My family owns a last generation Audi A6 and the only problems we have had with it were mistakes made by salesmen at the second hand dealer. The interior is still in great condition even though it has been used a fair bit. But we have only had it for about 6-8 months in total. The interiors in Audi's are generally of very high quality as well.

I meant about Mercedes specifically. If someone who works at the dealership and is very knowladgeable about the cars, makes plenty of money, and has access to the cars at the best prices and STILL doesn't buy a mercedes that says alot about the company.


perhaps it says more about your friends dad.....................

Depends which Euro autos your talking about, the ones in Europe or the ones in USA? Their is a big difference as far as engines and electronics go. Many Mercedes, BMW's, Audi's are diesel powered in Europe (VERY RELIABLE) and contain less electronics crap. In Europe Mercedes and BMW's are considered very reliable, VW is also a very popular and reliable brand. The diesel engines are really great!

I would say Mercedes is the most reliable from experience!

Diesel engines are less reliable and youre wrong about electronics

Diesel engines are less reliable and youre wrong about electronics

Sir were you on medication when you wrote that?

Wow, stereotypes are being thrown around like crazy in relation to the word "unreliable", and surprisingly, it's about Euro cars!

*gasp*

There's a first time for everything.

It's this simple:
You take proper care of your car, and it'll run as good as anything else out there.

My thoughts exactly!.. I have a couple old jaguars that have been extremly relyable

No offense to your friend's father, but maybe it's because he doesn't have the money.

He could still have bought a second-hand one. There's obviously something pushing him back from buying one...


We've owned many European cars over the years.
Cars that gave us NO problems:
- '87 Mercedes 190E
- '03 Audi A4 Avant 1.9 TDI S-line
- '92 VW Passat
- '90 BMW 3 series convertible
- '03 Audi Allroad 2.5 TDI
- '91 Audi 80 Avant
- 2x Saab 900 convertible
And a bunch of others that I just can't remember...

Cars that did give us problem(s):
- '96 Audi A4 Avant 1.8 (was perfect until 170000km, where the engine completely gave up, the reparations necessary would have costed more than the car itself!)
- '90 VW Polo (the engine exploded when I was in it lol, there again car was completely useless)

So from my personnal experience Euro cars are pretty reliable, but I do know that is except the modern Mercs.