Most reliable cars?

[Rissole]

Thinking of buying a used car and I just wondered what is considered reliable in today's used marketplace?

What I mean by that is a car that is relatively cheap to service, does not breakdown, can do in excess of 200k miles and when required, accommodate a family of four. I'm soon to leave a company car (BMW 320d 2012 F30) and want to purchase a used car outright rather than going down the PCP/leasing route.

[lostkiwi]

Old Volvos and old Mercs. Not much compares to them.

[ging84]

mx5

[Rissole]

Thanks - what would you recommend specifically for Volvo and Mercedes?

[Patrick Bateman]

Avensis

[wemorgan]

Honda Civic / Accord 2.2 CDTI.

[trickywoo]

Toyota Corolla

[Guvernator]

You want something Japanese or Korean. Brilliant warranties and usually very reliable, thousands of mini cab drivers can't be wrong. If you want a premium badge go for a Lexus, all the advantage of above with the added soft touch plastics of the German's. Don't go German, expensive parts\maintenance and I think they are now living off a past reputation for reliability which is no longer deserved.

[lostkiwi]

Rissole said:

Thanks - what would you recommend specifically for Volvo and Mercedes?

850 Volvos and earlier are best but early S60s and V70s are good too.
Mercs anything before 2001 just beware rust issues on anything post 95.

[lostkiwi]

Also any MB with the M113 V6 engine. They are just about bombproof (so that's C class, E class, CLK, SL and S class from 1998 onwards)

[lostkiwi]

Guvernator said:

You want something Japanese or Korean. Brilliant warranties and usually very reliable, thousands of mini cab drivers can't be wrong. If you want a premium badge go for a Lexus, all the advantage of above with the added soft touch plastics of the German's. Don't go German, expensive parts\maintenance and I think they are now living off a past reputation for reliability which is no longer deserved.

Japanese parts are way more expensive than German parts.

[morgrp]

Rissole said:

Thanks - what would you recommend specifically for Volvo and Mercedes?

Volvo 850 all day long - superb piece of engineering - perfect balance of refinement and simplicity

[delta0]

lostkiwi said:

Japanese parts are way more expensive than German parts.

You will need to buy a lot less Japanese parts though.

Honda are leagues ahead at the moment. Toyota are also extremely good.

[NickM450]

The ones that have been looked after

My TVR has been 100% reliable in the 5-odd years I've owned her, the last car I owned that broke down was a Toyota Carina that was a bit 'rough' to say the least.

Look after a car and I'm willing to bet 99% of them will be reliable, don't look after it and it probably wont.

[Guvernator]

lostkiwi said:

Guvernator said:

You want something Japanese or Korean. Brilliant warranties and usually very reliable, thousands of mini cab drivers can't be wrong. If you want a premium badge go for a Lexus, all the advantage of above with the added soft touch plastics of the German's. Don't go German, expensive parts\maintenance and I think they are now living off a past reputation for reliability which is no longer deserved.

Japanese parts are way more expensive than German parts.

Not in my experience. Have you tried running a modern car from the big German 3? Their car parts are either made from unobtanium or they are taking the piss due to the "premium" branding (I suspect the latter)

[crofty1984]

Patrick Bateman said:

Avensis

I had one. I miss that car.
Any late 1990s/early 2000s 1.6/1.8/2.0 litre petrol from Japan. The more boring the car the better.

[Patrick Bateman]

I suspect petrol would be key if reliability is of that much a concern over high miles.

[lostkiwi]

Guvernator said:

lostkiwi said:

Guvernator said:

You want something Japanese or Korean. Brilliant warranties and usually very reliable, thousands of mini cab drivers can't be wrong. If you want a premium badge go for a Lexus, all the advantage of above with the added soft touch plastics of the German's. Don't go German, expensive parts\maintenance and I think they are now living off a past reputation for reliability which is no longer deserved.

Japanese parts are way more expensive than German parts.

Not in my experience. Have you tried running a modern car from the big German 3? Their car parts are either made from unobtanium or they are taking the piss due to the "premium" branding (I suspect the latter)

Nothing is as bad as a Toyota Land Cruiser (Petrol):
Centre exhaust box ( in mild steel) £572
Alternator : £255
Starter motor: £400
As for Toyota reliability it was dire.... autobox failed after the radiator developed an internal crack and let coolant into the gearbox, starter failed, viscous fan failed, alternator failed and it ate center exhaust boxes faster than my other half does chocolate. Managed to sell the damned thing before the water pump failed as well. It had 130k miles on it when bought and was pushed out the door at 153k miles. Wished I'd never bought it.
My 1995 A8, 1999 S70 and 2000 C240 were all more reliable and all had cheaper parts and all depreciated less.

[Willy Nilly]

The MB2 Civic I had was head and shoulders the better car than the MKII Golf it replaced. I didn't even look at German cars when it was time to replace it, just bought another Honda.

[vit4]

Patrick Bateman said:

Avensis

This. On 264k and counting, 1999 1.8. Original clutch, uses no oil or water. Economical, very comfortable. I don't think that there's a car that's better at simply being a car, if that makes sense. If it does die it'll probably be rust, and if I'm still in cheap motoring then it'll be replaced by another. They're certainly not exciting but they are cockroaches.