Driving a w124 Mercedes-Benz e420 from 1992.
Perhaps the best mercedes model (w124) ever built.
Reliable and still going from Denmark to Italy and back with no trouble at all.
Can only recommend it even though it is +30 years old.
Who makes the most reliable new cars?
721–730 of 1001 posts
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#722Earlier quoted context omitted.
Electronic stuff is still reparable. Probably even more cheaply, in some regards (certainly material cost). We've just been made to become accustomed to viewing electronic devices as disposable/primarily replaceable. And while most people have turned a wrench before, knowing how to use a soldering iron/heat gun/magnifier effectively is not a common skill. Could be, though.
Electronic stuff can be incredibly hard to repair, when the manufacturer doesn't share any information or even actively encrypts/locks it down.
Yes, but some fixes can also be incredibly simple (ie. a bad capacitor, loose wire, etc..).
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#723Earlier quoted context omitted.
To expand... - Improved FEM makes modern crumple zones deeper and smoother - Heavy use of composites dramatically improve the raw amount of energy absorbed by the car instead of the passengers - Better manufacturing methods mean parts can be shaped/placed to be less likely to enter the cabin - Better placement of more airbags means you're more likely to hit something soft - Better seats and better placements of bette…
I'm guessing you sell ESC systems.
Or maybe he was just saved by one?
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#724Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yep. Studies on helmet usage in skiing and snowboarding showed that as helmet usage became more common, brain injuries increased. People felt more protected and thus took more risks.
You see this on sports too. You still get concussions, and plenty of blood in rugby, but more serious amounts of concussions in grid iron because of all the excess padding. People are more likely to charge head first with a helmet, and the helmet doesn't protect your brain from rattling about.
The head first tackle is illegal anyhow in American football, but they tackle differently to begin with because you want to down the runner as soon as you can and stop the play more than anything.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#725Maybe I don't understand something but where is Renault? It's not even mentioned AFAICT. Also, VW data does not encompass Golf, which seems to me to be by far the most sold VW car in Europe (based on what I see on the streets, not actual data). Seems a bit strange to omit these.
Renault is so bad, it's unsurprising it even couldn't make to the list
Not compared to Tesla, which are listed.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#726Earlier quoted context omitted.
If consumers wanted smaller cars, they would buy more of them. A car is still much less expensive than a larger vehicle. The data clearly indicates people want bigger vehicles. Anecdotally, I have personally heard many people say they want to sit up higher, or have a bigger vehicle because it is safer for them.
> If consumers wanted smaller cars, they would buy more of them. A car is still much less expensive than a larger vehicle. The data clearly indicates people want bigger vehicles. That's true to a point. In the US there are regulatory loopholes for SUVs, so that's impacting what vehicles people choose. I agree that fuel efficiency standards are pretty silly. Especially CAFE standards. They should just tax CO2 emission…
The cheapest car to buy and insure from any manufacturer is going to be their subcompact hatch or sedan. No, people don’t care about price now that I see a bright yellow Urus doing 70 down a local road once a week.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#727Earlier quoted context omitted.
yes, but the article is about brands, not companies.
Perceptions of brand reliability at that. I would hazard a guess that Toyota and Lexus have very similar real-world reliability - most of them share platforms. However this article shows that Lexus owners perceive their cars to be more reliable than Toyota owners. Somehow Mini is near the top of the list too
>However this article shows that Lexus owners perceive their cars to be more reliable than Toyota owners.
Maybe they get better maintenance than their Toyota cousins on average?
BMW often ranks high but there's a bias when asking a BMW owner -who often likes cars- how good their car is, compared to a Dacia owner who often just needs to get from A to B and see a car as strictly transport.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#728Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't own a Tesla, but just from observing them on the road and in the neighbourhood I can tell there are many reliability issues just with the easily observable features: * Model S third brake light has single LEDs failing one by one * Model X doors don't open in sub-zero weather, friends of us had an ICE rental car for weeks last winter * All models, automatic activation of rear driving lights at night does not w…
> All models, cruise control or something will sometimes suddenly slam the brakes on wide open road, so you need to keep good distance You saw this on all models, on the road and/or in your neighborhood? (I mean surely not, but I'm curious to know how you came to this conclusion.)
Teslas represent around 25% of all new vehicle sales around here, so we get to experience a lot of the "beta testing in prod", yes.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#729Maybe I don't understand something but where is Renault? It's not even mentioned AFAICT. Also, VW data does not encompass Golf, which seems to me to be by far the most sold VW car in Europe (based on what I see on the streets, not actual data). Seems a bit strange to omit these.
Consumer Report is an American organization and they only report on cars sold here, so no Renault (not sold in USA) nor European Golf in the list.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#730Note that these stats only account for reliability in the first three years: > Then the brand reliability score was calculated by averaging results from 2021 to 2023. As someone who usually buys ~10 year old cars and drives them into the ground I'm much more interested in long term reliability. It may correlate but these stats are not that!
I agree. 3 year reliability is not 10 year reliability. After 3 years the car should be "broken in" and should then be good to go for another decade. Something that is deemed unreliable after 3 years is total and utter shit.
I think it's easier to get the answer you are looking for yourself: Just look outside and tally the number of old cars you see, and which models they are. That's your answer.
If you are considering buying an older car, but you rarely see it on the road, you have your answer as to whether it'll be a reliable car or not.