Results of an important survey by UK-based company Warranty Direct show more and more cars are breaking down around the 100,000 kms mark. This is the point when many manufacturer warranties expire – often manufacturers sell new vehicles with 3 year or 100,000 km warranties. Now, this new research, shows why motor-vehicle-makers are opting for shorter warranties.

An astonishing 50% of all vehicles surveyed were found to have some failure  around the 100,000 km mark. Out of warranty this means the vehicle owner is forced to reach into his (or her) pocket to pay for the cost of repair.

That company has been in the business of supplying after-market warranties on motor vehicles for the past 15 years and they publish a reliability index showing the most reliable vehicles over that period. The most reliable vehicles, according to Warranty Direct are:

1 Mitsubishi Lancer (05-08)
2 Vauxhall Agila (00-08)
3 Suzuki Alto (97-06)
4 Toyota Aygo (05-)
5= Honda HR-V (98-06)
5= Volvo S40 (96-04)
7 Mazda MX-5 (05-)
8= Mercedes E Class (06-)
8= Toyota Yaris (99-03)
10 Honda Jazz (01-08)

At the other end of the scale the same company publishes the list of the least reliable vehicles over the same time period. These are:

1 Audi RS6 (02-11)
2 BMW M5 (04-11)
3 Mercedes SL (02-)
4 Mercedes V-Class (96-04)
5 Mercedes CL (00-07)
6 Audi A6 Allroad (00-05)
7 Bentley Continental GT (03-)
8 Porsche 911 (996) (01-06)
9 Land Rover Range Rover (02-)
10 Citroen XM (94-00)