Tasha Bighead

So after countless hours of research and test drives, I have made up my mind on buying one of the following 2013 vehicles:

Bmw X3 35i
Mercedes GLK
Range Rover Evoque
Audi Q5 3.0

All vehicles have everything I want. They all are great vehicles. I would be happy with either of them.

My BIG question is RELIABILITY. I will be keeping this vehicle 8-10 years. I would prefer not to purchase an extended warranty because i dont feel they are good value. So for all four vehicles, after 4 years I would be off warranty.

In your opinion, which vehicle do you think would be the most reliable? I have heard some horrid stories about Range Rover, but also seem to constantly read problems here for the x3s. I really don't want to spend $50-$60k and not have a long term reliable vehicle. I currently drive an Acura, so I am used to bulletproof build quality. I am just very scared that my four choices for my next SUV might be terrible for long term reliability. Thank you for your time.

Nick

N91K

Mercedes is always reliable. GLK all the way.

MB_Owner

I'd say the GLK probably has better reliability than any you've listed, even though TrueDelta estimates 68 repair trips/year/100 vehicles for our 2010 GLK.

http://www.truedelta.com (sign up for a free membership to read the repair history data)

Largest number of recurring problems for my model year seemed to be associated with the power tailgate. Followed by leaking windshield washer bottles.

A smattering of big ticket (read expensive) warranty repairs on the site:

COMAND Controller
Airbag deployment computer
Air conditioner controller
Transmission
Nav display

That model year (1st production) is just now coming off warranty so those electrical gremlins on the early production run will start getting into their owners' wallets.

bop11

Forget the Land Rover, owned 5 and all need an extended warranty. Next get info on the dealer from customers. All great cars but you will need to deal with the service dept.
I gave up on VW after owning 9 of them because the dealerships went to hell.
Why don't you stay with Acura? Most people I know like their Honda dealers. 6 years down the road,when the newness is gone, you will want a dealer with whom you can work.
I like my MB dealer. Third car from him , fifth MB. The Audi dealers are VW dealers here, and was not impressed by the BMW guy. Liked my RR dealer but got to know him way too well.

shotgun_banjo

I say if you really want bullet proof stick with Acura but you won't get the same luxury and quality feel of a german car. STAY AWAY FROM LRs. If you really want a german car and want to keep it for a long time buy a extended warranty. 1 major out of warranty claim will be enough to argue buying the extended warranty as the repair bill (specially electrical) for most of the cars on your list cost thousands of $$$. Also, make sure to buy the extended warranty the same time when you buy your new car so that you will be able to haggle the price more on the extended warranty plus you will not pay $300+- to get it recertified when you buy the warranty afterwards.

If you can't decide just close your eyes and pick one and hope that the car you pick won't give you a headache.

tc1728

Of all the cars in my sig, not surprisingly, the Honda and Toyota have been the most reliable, but suprisingly, both Maseratis' have also been trouble free. The Honda, Toyota and Maserati are the only cars I have owned that have only been in the shop for scheduled maintenance. I have had a BMW that the dealership took back because of Lemon Law. My CLK55 has been rock solid so far except for a bad fuel pump but my current 2011 GLK has been in the shop 7 times for a CEL that they cannot seem to figure out. By the 3rd CEL I was complaining so much that now they have a tech drop off a rental car to me at home or work when the GLK has to go in to the shop. I recently also got a 2011 Jaguar XF that has been trouble free so far. TC

PilotAlan

I'll second that. We're on our 4th Jaguar (all post-Ford rebuild of Jag) and between the 4 there's been one unscheduled service).

Gt. Dane

http://www.jdpower.com/content/press...lity-study.htm

CJBROWN

The audi is a little more fancy than the mbz. However I will never buy an audi because I will never forget the 5000. To me they are too close to VW and they have LOTS of issues with those cars and they are expensive to repair. VW? Never. At least not out of warranty.

LR is a great looking rig, but such a history of horrible dependability. I would let someone else buy that brand.

That leaves bmw and mbz. Both are solid. Does the bimmer have run-flat tires? I hate those things and was just one of the things that swayed us over from a new 328i to a C250 mercedes.

After the warranty is out I would rather be working on a mercedes. BMW's are pretty easy to work on but parts are really expensive. So are mbz but not as bad. And there are more benz's so it seems things are easier to get.

My lease is up in a year, has 20K on it now and has never been back to the dealer. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to buy it or turn it back. It's a nice enough car that I wouldn't mind owning it. Mileage isn't so great, but I drive less than 10K miles a year so it's kind of a non-issue.

Our last bmw was a 3-series 'vert, we had it for 8 years. I do all my own work on them and still spent a bloody fortune keeping it running. Plastic parts in the cooling system, eats brakes and tires, was just stupid expensive to keep running. I tried my damndest to talk her out of one and into a MBZ and it finally clicked with the C250 Coupe. It's our sixth mbz so I doubt I'll ever go back to bmw. And they're not nearly as strongly built, and tend to have too much hi-tech gizmo engineering in them which makes parts stupid expensive. Like $45 for a radiator cap. $105 for a thermostat. Screw that.

For me, dependability is just as important in warranty as out, because I don't care to take the time and trouble to futz with taking it back to the dealer. I'm happy if I never have to see them again 'till it's time to trade in or buy another.