Claims by BMW that its cars are the most reliable in the UK are misleading and untrue, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide.
Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says BMW’s claim is based on the number of breakdowns reported by a leasing company, not on the everyday experience of most BMW owners.
“Despite what BMW claims, BMWs aren’t even in the top 15 when it comes to reliability, according to Britain’s largest consumer group.”
“BMW did even worse in the latest survey by the highly respected American Consumer Reports organisation, which rated BMW as 26th out of the 33 makes surveyed.”
“Rather than boasting about the reliability of its cars, BMW should be hiding its head in shame.”
Trustworthy reliability surveys
The independent British consumer group Which? publishes an annual reliability index, based on breakdowns, faults and niggles that occur in cars owned by its members.
Here’s their latest list of reliable brands, from the best to the worst:
1) Honda
2) Daihatsu
3) Toyota
4) Lexus
5) Mazda
6) Suzuki
7) Mitsubishi
8) Hyundai
9) Subaru
10) Porsche
11) Mini
12) Nissan
13) Mercedes-Benz
14) Skoda
15) Ford
16) BMW
17) Chevrolet (mostly built by Daewoo)
18) Kia
19) Volvo
20) Jaguar
21) Seat
22) Daewoo
23) Proton
24) Volkswagen
25) Vauxhall
26) Smart
27) Citroën
29) Audi
30) Jeep
31) Peugeot
32) Saab
33) Fiat
34) MG
35) Alfa Romeo
36) Chrysler
37) Rover
38) Renault
39) Land Rover
• Source: which.co.uk
Consumer Reports: (October 2009)
Reliable brands in America, from the best to the worst:
1) Scion (Toyota)
2) Honda
3) Toyota
4) Infiniti (luxury division of Nissan)
5) Acura (Honda)
6) Mitsubishi
7) Lexus
8) Hyundai
9) Porsche
10) Mercury (upmarket Ford)
11) Saab
12) Subaru
13) Suzuki
14) Kia
15) Mazda
16) Ford
17) Nissan
18) Volvo
19) Buick (GM)
20) Lincoln (luxury Ford)
21) Volkswagen
22) Pontiac (GM)
23) Mercedes-Benz
24) Audi
25) Chevrolet
26) BMW
27) Mini
28) GMC
29) Saturn (GM)
30) Jeep
31) Dodge
32) Cadillac
33) Chrysler
• Source: consumerreports.org
A richer description of the consumerreports survey is at The Melbourne Age's "Asian Carmakers Shine In Big US Quality Survey"
