Are German cars reliable?

I saw this article (http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/company-cars/2013-11/bmw-and-audi-top-reliability-survey/), which suggest that German cars are fairly reliable.

Then on the other hand there are many other places where you read about how unreliable they are (including many of your own comments). I am just curious as to how you suggest one interpret this - the fact that this British survey suggest German cars are not so bad (I've coincidently seen an American survey recently saying the same sort of thing about Audi - being fairly reliable)?

In my experience over the last few decades most German cars have always tended to be more complex machines than most Japanese & Korean cars. I think this may have a role to play.

Asked on 2 December 2014 by 5cylinderdiesel

Answered by Honest John
I simply record every reported fault for every car whatever their badge and wherever they are made. This is not a 'survey or a 'questionnaire', it is a physical recording of all recorded faults.

There is a possibility that people expect more of 'German' branded cars (many Fords and Vauxhalls are actually built in Germany, and many 'German' cars are built in South Africa and the USA), and are therefore more upset when faults occur so are more inclined to report them. But faults reported to us are generally supported by the hard facts of claims on Warranty Direct warranties.
Tags: reliability
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