Interesting TÜV test results
Discussion
We just had a few days in Vienna and while we were there, I picked up a magazine called Alles Auto, which is a glossy printed 150 page car magazine costing a surprising 2 Euros only... but I digress.
There is an article about the percentage of vehicles which fail the TÜV test (similar to an MOT test) at various ages. The article is based on the results of 7.5 million tests, covers substantial failures (presumably excluding things like bulb failures) and lists the best three vehicles, and the worst three, at various ages. At 3 years old and 4-5 years old, the top 3 slots are fairly unsurprising German/Japanese boxes. However, at 6-7 years old, in second place is the Porsche 911 with 5.9% failure rate (average for all vehicles at this age 16.7%). At 8-9 years old, the 911 comes top with 5.6% (average 22.0%), and at 10-11 years old, top again with 7.6% (average 26.9%). Contrast this 7.6% for a 10-11 year old 911 with the rate for the worst cars at 3 years old (Peugot 806, Chrysler Voyager and Kia Pride at 14.7%, 14.6% and 13.1% respectively). Anyhow, it seems that there is plenty of evidence to back up the theory that 911s are well built. Up until 6-7 years ago, anyway.
It was interesting to see the differences in the vehicles on the road in Vienna. While we were there I saw half a dozen 993s, but only one 996, and no Boxsters at all. This is a complete contrast to home where the current models are relatively common, but it's rare to see anything older. Also noticeably different is their attitude to the new BMW styling. They seem to love it. New model 5 series and Z4s are absolutely everywhere, yet back home, the new 5 series seems to have done serious damage to BMW sales because they are still rare, and the Z4 is not doing too well either. And since VW are the biggest marque by far, yet I didn't see a single new model Golf, you can only conclude that for whatever reason it has bombed. We did see one VW Phaeton parked up though. Quite uninspiring and rather bland, just like an oversized Passat. The new model A6 is quite good looking, but the deep front grille that extends into the bumper is going to take some getting used to. We saw a couple of Cayennes, but there were more new model Range Rovers by a big margin.
We had a good look at a new model SLK parked in the road near the hotel. It is quite a looker, which you couldn't really say about the outgoing model. I don't know when it goes on sale in the UK but it isn't on the MB web site yet. There's a review of it in the magazine and it looks like the 350 is going to be a class act. It probably isn't going to be a sports car, but that suits a lot of people I guess.
There is an article about the percentage of vehicles which fail the TÜV test (similar to an MOT test) at various ages. The article is based on the results of 7.5 million tests, covers substantial failures (presumably excluding things like bulb failures) and lists the best three vehicles, and the worst three, at various ages. At 3 years old and 4-5 years old, the top 3 slots are fairly unsurprising German/Japanese boxes. However, at 6-7 years old, in second place is the Porsche 911 with 5.9% failure rate (average for all vehicles at this age 16.7%). At 8-9 years old, the 911 comes top with 5.6% (average 22.0%), and at 10-11 years old, top again with 7.6% (average 26.9%). Contrast this 7.6% for a 10-11 year old 911 with the rate for the worst cars at 3 years old (Peugot 806, Chrysler Voyager and Kia Pride at 14.7%, 14.6% and 13.1% respectively). Anyhow, it seems that there is plenty of evidence to back up the theory that 911s are well built. Up until 6-7 years ago, anyway.
It was interesting to see the differences in the vehicles on the road in Vienna. While we were there I saw half a dozen 993s, but only one 996, and no Boxsters at all. This is a complete contrast to home where the current models are relatively common, but it's rare to see anything older. Also noticeably different is their attitude to the new BMW styling. They seem to love it. New model 5 series and Z4s are absolutely everywhere, yet back home, the new 5 series seems to have done serious damage to BMW sales because they are still rare, and the Z4 is not doing too well either. And since VW are the biggest marque by far, yet I didn't see a single new model Golf, you can only conclude that for whatever reason it has bombed. We did see one VW Phaeton parked up though. Quite uninspiring and rather bland, just like an oversized Passat. The new model A6 is quite good looking, but the deep front grille that extends into the bumper is going to take some getting used to. We saw a couple of Cayennes, but there were more new model Range Rovers by a big margin.
We had a good look at a new model SLK parked in the road near the hotel. It is quite a looker, which you couldn't really say about the outgoing model. I don't know when it goes on sale in the UK but it isn't on the MB web site yet. There's a review of it in the magazine and it looks like the 350 is going to be a class act. It probably isn't going to be a sports car, but that suits a lot of people I guess.
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