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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/British_Flag.jpg BMW, MB and VW on a list of most reliable? We need European vehicles over here today ;) (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=240522)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_BMW_3-Series.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - Nov. 6, 2009

BMW 3-Series led by the 316d with a 52.3 mpgUS combined rating on the NEDC proves to be one of the most reliable models in the UK.

Research into nearly 900,000 cars operated by the country’s 50 largest leasing companies has found that BMW’s model range is the most reliable in Britain – for the second year in a row.

The Fleet News 50 (FN50) reliability survey, undertaken by Fleet News and financial consultants Grant Thornton and covering 840,000 cars, asks leasing companies to assess reliability according to the number of breakdowns per model on their fleet. As the majority of the surveyed vehicles are used for business and so are subjected to higher than average mileage and are in constant use in all conditions. Such a testing environment means that winning the FN50 is a true testament to the reliability of a car.

To underscore BMW Group’s dominant position in this year’s survey the Group has three entries in the top 10 most reliable cars list courtesy of the BMW 3 Series (2nd), BMW 5 Series (5th) and MINI (8th).

“This is one of the largest vehicle reliability surveys of its kind and it reviews a market where cars are subjected to some of the most testing conditions they will ever face on the road,” said Stephen Briers, Editor of Fleet News. “As a result, being listed anywhere in this table is a major achievement. However, to be named most reliable is a real testament to the hard work and commitment from a manufacturer to produce cars that British businesses can rely on every day.”

“We’re absolutely delighted to win this award because the FN50 Reliability Survey is based on cold, hard facts, not opinion or interpretation,” said Steve Chater, BMW Group Corporate Operations Manager. “Leasing companies’ businesses rely on having extremely accurate information on the operational performance of the cars they lease, so when they say you are the most reliable, it is definitive. Having won a number of environmental awards in the past year for EfficientDynamics, it is gratifying to see that we are also leaders in another vital area of the ownership experience.”

FN50 Survey results

Most reliable car manufacturer
BMW
Honda
Audi
Toyota
Volkswagen
Mercedes-Benz
Ford
Mazda
Nissan
Skoda
Most reliable car
Honda Civic
BMW 3 Series
Honda Jazz
Honda Accord
BMW 5 Series
Audi A4
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
MINI
Toyota Avensis
Volkswagen Golf

Wow, VW is fifth? I can only assume this is because the VWs sold in the UK are probably mostly from Germany. Don't know if it's really true statistically, but I've heard people say VW has a reputation for its German-built cars having fewer problems than those sourced from Mexico and Brazil. Not sure, but I think the models sold in higher volumes in the US (gas Jetta sedan, for example) mostly come from Mexico and Brazil, and the US lower-volume models (such as my Golf TDI and Jetta Wagon) come from Germany.

As for my own personal experience with German-built VWs ... well, I've had a couple of problems on each car that I wouldn't necessarily expect from a Honda or Subaru, but mostly they could be related to deferred maintenance by previous owners. It's really too early for me to judge their overall reliability. The parts costs sure are eye-popping, but presumably that is less true in the UK as well.

Huh. I wouldn't have called that! It really makes me wonder what the auto industry (and market) is going to look like in the next 5 to 10 years.

Expected Honda to be up there, but did not expect to VW to beat Ford. Wow.

Now that 0-Series is looking very compelling.

I read that European manufactured VWs were more reliable than their South American manufactured ones as well, but European origin has been a selling factor for the current gen GTI, and it still has mediocre reliability. Stateside, VW just seems to be a mixed bag.

Nice to see the Honda Jazz/Fit at #3 on the list for cars. I love how that car lost little if nothing in translation to the US. My fiancee's is a joy to drive, and is a study in maximizing utility from the available space. Her averaging 31-33 miles per gallon everywhere in heavily urban traffic isn't too bad either.

Hi Dan, that's interesting if your car was made in Germany. I believe they moved production of North American Golfs to the Brazil plant early in the model's life cycle, but yours may have been made before that change. Mine has a placard on the driver's door saying it was made in Brazil.

It wouldn't surprise me if VW's unexpectedly high finish is part due to better service shops there. Too many times here, I hear of multiple trips to dealers who can't find the source of a problem and simply throw parts at the car, or even worse, dealers who use the wrong parts. With VW being much more common over there, they may have a more knowledgeable dealer network.

Hi Dan, that's interesting if your car was made in Germany. I believe they moved production of North American Golfs to the Brazil plant early in the model's life cycle, but yours may have been made before that change. Mine has a placard on the driver's door saying it was made in Brazil. Interesting. I haven't checked the placard, but the VIN on my '00 begins with 'W,' which normally denotes Germany. I guess they must have switched the next year.

It wouldn't surprise me if VW's unexpectedly high finish is part due to better service shops there. Too many times here, I hear of multiple trips to dealers who can't find the source of a problem and simply throw parts at the car, or even worse, dealers who use the wrong parts. With VW being much more common over there, they may have a more knowledgeable dealer network.Good point. I hear horror stories about VW dealers, and I'm not too impressed so far by my limited experiences with them. I wouldn't trust a dealer with my VWs anywhere near as much my local mechanic, to whom I've taken my Hondas and Subarus for a dozen years (to his credit my mechanic owns a TDI himself, operates a biodiesel station and is pretty committed to TDI service). That's saying something, since local mechanics obviously aren't getting the VW-certified training that stealership wrenches are (or should be, anyway).