Most Reliable Cars

CNNMoney.com ^ | 11/9/2006 | CNNMoney.com

[debg]

Lexus LS rules. Here's mine:

Mercedes have chronic electrical problems. BMW has fuel injection problems. Cadillac design sucks.

[GVnana]

I've owned three Ford cars with 302 engines and drove each one until 200,000+ miles then sold them to the Mexicans. (They love those eight cylinders!)

[Alex Murphy]

ping to read later

[PogySailor]

Woo-hoo! A 1974 Dart Swinger! Drove one in H.S. Then Dad (ever a gluton for punishment) bought us a 1978 Aspen wagon that spent more time in the shop than our carport.

Ah, the good old days....

[Sender]

94 Ford Ranger, 192,000 miles. Had to replace the brakes, alternator, and clutch along with the usual stuff so far. I think I'll spring for a muffler at 200K. Still drives very well.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Focusing on reliability in a car (when cars are remarkably reliable across the board - when's the last time you or a friend was stranded because a car broke down? - compare 40 years ago) is like focusing how on time your wife is for dinner. I prefer to focus on charm, personality, beauty, and supportiveness to timeliness.

With cars, I focus on safety, comfort, performance, and style. Reliability (and fuel economy) are quite unimportant, as long as they meet basic standards with all current vehicles do.

The cost of owning a $60k Lexus is not much different from that of owning a $60k Mercedes, and both are fine cars.

But I'll take a German performance car that needs occasional service over a Camry that miraculously never needs to visit the shop.

[Imgr8t]

I own a 98 Toyota Tacoma with 274k miles. Aside from having to keep it in compliance with emissions, I've never had to do any work on it (albeit it could use some shocks).

I just purchased a 03 BMW 325i. It's my first German car and I love it. Heck, it's my first luxury car as well. It's a great balance of luxury and performace. Haven't had it long enough to judge reliability.

I am curious as to how they are able to get reliability ratings on cars that are no more than a year old.

[UpAllNight]

Ask you BMW salesman the expected lifetime of the rubber disk between the transmission and drive shaft and what happens when it fails.

[muir_redwoods]

The "beater" in this household is a '91 Volvo 740 station wagon with 196K on it. Starts every day and gasoline, tires and oil changes are all I ever pay for.

[Fraxinus]

68 HEMI Dart, nasty, just freaking nasty!!!!!

Too bad there was no factory warranty on the options list.

I currently drive a 98 Mustang that wish had front suspension grease points on the options list, otherwise with ~120K it runs fine.

The company I work for had a 86 F-700 that was replaced after it was insufficiently reliable, by a 2005 International 4300.

[Lee N. Field]

This was reliability on wheels, once upon a time.

As long as you didn't mind the rust in the wheel wells.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>>BMW has fuel injection problems.<<<

I have not heard of a BMW with a fuel injection problem. My wife and I both drive BMW's, and they are superb cars.

[bmwcyle]

Mine is not as old.

[Smokin' Joe]

Especially if it had a 'slant' 6.

[38special]

5.0L Ford small blocks are legendary for performance and durability. They can take a licking and keep on ticking.

[Spktyr]

"I have not heard of a BMW with a fuel injection problem. My wife and I both drive BMW's, and they are superb cars."

[Spktyr]

Or the electrics that failed, or the alternator that died every few years, or the water pump you had to replace every few years...

[Axenolith]

A guy came into the Amoco I worked at a long time ago with one of those that looked like it had been through a war zone. It was so bad, the leaf shackles were stove up through the floor of the trunk. I asked him how many miles it had it it was something like 190,000 some odd "but the odometer busted before I took it up the AlCan highway to work on the North Slope...

[freedomlover]

I have a 1970 Swinger if anyone is interested

see http://www.gronholm.com/forsale/greg/cars/70dart/default.htm

Don't use the emails/telno they are not correct please freepmail me

[Mr. Buzzcut]

I've had my Accord for 3 years. No mechanical probs. Just crap on the interior (sunglasses holder, dash lights) breaking.