Most reliable car you've ever owned?
Discussion
As per the title. What's the most reliable car you've ever had? That is to say, the most miles traveled with the least amount of cost to repair excluding consumables (brakes, tyres, service items etc)
I had for a couple of years a 2010 Volvo S40 2.0 Petrol. Bought at 80k, sold at 115k. When I first bought it I replaced the MAP sensor as preventative maintenance at a cost of £30, and a swirl flap solenoid for £25ish. Neither had failed though so they don't really count.
In 35k miles it needed a new clamp for a CV boot, new HID bulbs, air intake hose, aux belt and tensioner and a windscreen washer pump. Totalling about £250-300 inc fitting since it was essentially a Duratec motor so parts were pennies. Nothing has come close to that kind of reliability per distance driven.
Only left me stranded once and that was my own fault leaving the parking lights on which killed off the already ageing battery. Out of interest I just had a look on AT and they're rare as hens teeth these days, though I found this nice example:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202610116...
I had for a couple of years a 2010 Volvo S40 2.0 Petrol. Bought at 80k, sold at 115k. When I first bought it I replaced the MAP sensor as preventative maintenance at a cost of £30, and a swirl flap solenoid for £25ish. Neither had failed though so they don't really count.
In 35k miles it needed a new clamp for a CV boot, new HID bulbs, air intake hose, aux belt and tensioner and a windscreen washer pump. Totalling about £250-300 inc fitting since it was essentially a Duratec motor so parts were pennies. Nothing has come close to that kind of reliability per distance driven.
Only left me stranded once and that was my own fault leaving the parking lights on which killed off the already ageing battery. Out of interest I just had a look on AT and they're rare as hens teeth these days, though I found this nice example:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202610116...
My 2016 Audi S3 saloon needed nothing at all (aside from servicing) in the 4 years I had it from new.
Literally every other car I’ve (or the wife has) had, new or used, has needed something relatively significant or costly repaired or replacing either under warranty or at my expense.
Second place would probably be my 2003 330d which needed nothing between 122,000 (when I bought it) and 166,000 miles around 2.5 years later when the original turbo decided it was done.
Literally every other car I’ve (or the wife has) had, new or used, has needed something relatively significant or costly repaired or replacing either under warranty or at my expense.
Second place would probably be my 2003 330d which needed nothing between 122,000 (when I bought it) and 166,000 miles around 2.5 years later when the original turbo decided it was done.
A 1999 Rover 220SDi.
Bought by me at 3 years old, remapped and given absolute death in the only way a 21 year old can, including holding it at the rev limiter in 5th for around an hour through Germany one night.
Took it from about 35k to well over 140k in the space of 4 years and it only ever cost me tyres, brakes, oil and filters.
Every other car I've owned has cost me some non service item parts at some stage, even if they were cheap
Bought by me at 3 years old, remapped and given absolute death in the only way a 21 year old can, including holding it at the rev limiter in 5th for around an hour through Germany one night.
Took it from about 35k to well over 140k in the space of 4 years and it only ever cost me tyres, brakes, oil and filters.
Every other car I've owned has cost me some non service item parts at some stage, even if they were cheap
I (and wife) have been very lucky, we tend to keep cars for a minimum of 10 year. None have ever cost us more than general maintenance, with the rare extras
For instance (for a two car family)
Capri 1.6
Rover Vitesse
Rover 216
Volvo 740
Volvo v40 t4
Honda civic tourer
...and yes, we are that old now
For instance (for a two car family)
Capri 1.6
Rover Vitesse
Rover 216
Volvo 740
Volvo v40 t4
Honda civic tourer
...and yes, we are that old now
I think you have to run a formula where you divide age and mileage against reliability.
Of course my nearly new 2010's BMW's were reliable, and of course you forgive a little foible on a 20 year old car that never lets you down.
Dividing age against mileage, the most reliable cars I have owned are:
1999 Volvo S40 1.8 Petrol. Never ever went wrong. Ever. Ran it from 33000 - 125000 miles with only home routine servicing.
2015 Range Rover L405 SDV8 Diesel. Costs a bit to correctly maintain, and the only time it did become troublesome it was a low battery causing gremlins and not anything fundamentally flawed. The one time it let me down it was the gear selector and it had the good grace to do that at home. If I had to drive to Southern Italy tomorrow I'd check the fluids and go with total confidence.
Owned from 50000 miles - 118000 miles and counting.
Of course my nearly new 2010's BMW's were reliable, and of course you forgive a little foible on a 20 year old car that never lets you down.
Dividing age against mileage, the most reliable cars I have owned are:
1999 Volvo S40 1.8 Petrol. Never ever went wrong. Ever. Ran it from 33000 - 125000 miles with only home routine servicing.
2015 Range Rover L405 SDV8 Diesel. Costs a bit to correctly maintain, and the only time it did become troublesome it was a low battery causing gremlins and not anything fundamentally flawed. The one time it let me down it was the gear selector and it had the good grace to do that at home. If I had to drive to Southern Italy tomorrow I'd check the fluids and go with total confidence.
Owned from 50000 miles - 118000 miles and counting.
Apart from the EVs as that’s cheating, my Mk1 Focus 1.8 petrol. 17k to 107k and needed a gear-lever return spring (the one that pushes back against you waggling it to check it’s in neutral well under a pound I think) and a thermostat housing which cracked and started seeping (less than a tenner from a scrappy). That was run on a student budget too so not serviced on the button either.
My current 2004 Impreza. touch wood, bulletproof. can do a 500 mile journey with the same ease as a 20 mile one. Despite having a bit of a thirst. Never missed a beat and started first time after a month of sitting. Routine servicing only, preventative maintenance but it is garaged, coddled and wants for nothing.
Before that, a humble 1999 shedscort 1.6 finesse with A/C that still worked. Never failed to start, ever, and did the thick end of 8000 miles without a service, but seemed very happy when it had one. In 5 years of ownership only needed servicing and tyres. Rust did for it in the end but had it not done so, I'd still be using it. Also, it was the learner / starter car for the wife when she first started driving so for that alone deserves high praise, given the fact she thought that the clutch was an on / off switch to be used at 3200 rpm.
Before that, a humble 1999 shedscort 1.6 finesse with A/C that still worked. Never failed to start, ever, and did the thick end of 8000 miles without a service, but seemed very happy when it had one. In 5 years of ownership only needed servicing and tyres. Rust did for it in the end but had it not done so, I'd still be using it. Also, it was the learner / starter car for the wife when she first started driving so for that alone deserves high praise, given the fact she thought that the clutch was an on / off switch to be used at 3200 rpm.
The Dog-mobile (Honda Jazz 'Sport' 
, 2007)
Bought it in 2019 for £1700. Have done routine maintenance (servicing, brakes (Disks and pads), some suspension arms, top mounts and a battery - but nothing major and just what you'd expect to replace on an age-related basis on a 19 year old car).
It just works to be honest.
, 2007)Bought it in 2019 for £1700. Have done routine maintenance (servicing, brakes (Disks and pads), some suspension arms, top mounts and a battery - but nothing major and just what you'd expect to replace on an age-related basis on a 19 year old car).
It just works to be honest.
I had the wife in a series of BMW X1s, the old ones that were a 3 series underneath not the MINI based ones that came later.
I dunno, ten years maybe? Just needed servicing and tyres apart from the first one needing a battery under warranty. Bomb proof and nothing could stop them in the snow.
Now she’s in an i3S and apart from a door seal under warranty it’s only needed (a lot of!) tyres as well. We don’t even service it, just book a good hour out with our mechanic at MOT time for a full going over.
Honda Civic Type R was the same, ate tyres but nothing went wrong and despite track days at Spa and the ring it was still on the original brakes when I sold it at 3 years old.
I dunno, ten years maybe? Just needed servicing and tyres apart from the first one needing a battery under warranty. Bomb proof and nothing could stop them in the snow.
Now she’s in an i3S and apart from a door seal under warranty it’s only needed (a lot of!) tyres as well. We don’t even service it, just book a good hour out with our mechanic at MOT time for a full going over.
Honda Civic Type R was the same, ate tyres but nothing went wrong and despite track days at Spa and the ring it was still on the original brakes when I sold it at 3 years old.
Mazda 2 2013 - 110k miles - we've owned the car approx 11 years. Corroded plug to starter motor replaced last year. A few worn suspension components replaced as required to pass MOTs. Home serviced by me every year as per handbook- aux belt changed last year and front discs and pads. Otherwise still on original headlight bulbs! (and I drive with them constantly on).
I had 2003, 2007 and a 2010 E220 CDi Mercedes E Class, all of which I bought at less than a year old and each with about 10k miles and I took the first two to 312k miles each and the last one to 324k miles as business vehicles and the only one breakdown I had in over 900k collective miles was a water pump at 230k miles on the last one.
Apart from that it was just routine servicing and consumables in the 3 and a bit years I owned each one.
Apart from that it was just routine servicing and consumables in the 3 and a bit years I owned each one.
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