List of Reliable Car Brands in Australia

LIST OF RELIABLE CAR BRANDS IN AUSTRALIA

We have put together some tips and recommendations for you to help you choose the best car that your money can buy in Australia. Read this page carefully as it can be very helpful especially if you are a first car buyer or do not like spending money on car repairs.

DON’T MISTAKE THE CONDITION FOR RELIABILITY

Some people mistake a reliable vehicle with a vehicle that has no main issues at the time of purchase but these two facts are totally unrelated to each other.

A vehicle that presents well at the time of purchase can easily become your long term nightmare.

It is important to make the right decision to ensure you are buying something that serves you well and won’t cost you money as you use it. At the same time, keep in mind that buying a vehicle comes with maintenance and repair costs on top of registration and insurance fees.

Even new cars go bad without any notice, and this is why all warranty repair workshops are always busy so be prepared to spend some money on maintenance however you can well minimise the risk by picking the right vehicle.

Please note that the notes below is our independent view and the result of our years of experience in the field and it might be different from other resources.

Use this guideline only if you find it helpful but never make your decision based on the article. This article has only advisory value and should not be used as a reason for making your decision.

CAN A NEW CAR BREAK DOWN AFTER PURCHASE?

The answer is YES. This is the reason all new vehicles come with a warranty and most people extend their warranty terms these days. A vehicle is like every other machine like a fridge, PC or lawnmower that can break down without notice even if they are working fine and will eventually cost money to maintain as they get older.

Some people think, buying a new vehicle only involves insurance, registration and fuel costs but it is not the case. If you are planning to buy a new vehicle, consider the service costs and mechanical repairs as well that is essentially inevitable.

CAN A GOOD USED CAR GET ME IN TROUBLE AFTER PURCHASE?

The answer is YES. Even if the used car has been inspected professionally and ticked all the boxes, it still can go bad the day after but no one can predict that. No one, even professional inspectors or the manufacturers themselves can guarantee that the car will not go bad just because it was well presented at the time of inspection.

Any car will eventually break down sooner or later!

In fact, if anyone claims such a thing, you should be really worried as this is nothing but a baseless prediction and you can even take legal actions against that person if you get that in writing.

No one can also predict if the car will break down unless there have been signs to suggest that at the time of purchase.

You can however minimise this risk by choosing a reliable car if you hate visiting mechanics. For example, if you buy a BMW, a Mercedes or any high-end European car, they will go bad much earlier than a Toyota, Mazda or a Lexus.

Even Toyota and Lexus will go bad but at the same time, they have the least number of warranty repairs in the global market compared to a BMW or Mercedes Benz that has records in breakdowns across the globe.

So be very careful in your decision making, if you are after a car to serve you in long term but still keep in mind that owning a car, comes with the full package of repair and service costs from the moment you buy them.

TIPS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CAR IN AUSTRALIA

1.   Try to buy a younger car as much as possible if you do not like seeing mechanics. We recommend younger than 8 years and no older than 10 years. Every old object deteriorates over time and cars are no exception.

The older the vehicle is the more troubles it will cause you.

The older the vehicle is, the cheaper it is and at the same time the more trouble you will face. At the same time, some people still prefer the cheaper option so if it applies to you, bear in mind that your vehicle is at a higher risk of going bad and will definitely cost more to maintenance fees compared to a newer car.

2.   European vehicles are generally more fun to drive but they are much less reliable than Japanese and Korean vehicles. For example, a Mercedes Benz E class is a beautiful car to drive and is not comparable with any Toyota in terms of options and performance but a Toyota Yarris of the same age is heaps more reliable than the Mercedes and might go years with no repair cost.

3.   Avoid buying old luxury vehicles especially if it is European made. Do not be fooled by the attraction of the lower prices. Luxury vehicles lose their value dramatically every year especially once they hit 150K in mileage.

The car might be cheap, but the parts and labour of the repair will be the same as new ones. This is exactly why they lose value dramatically.

For example, you can buy a Mercedes Benz S Class for between 200K to 400K when new, but you can buy the exact same car after 8 years for less than 60K. As you can see, each year, it loses over 10 percent of its value because it is pretty much the time to sell that car and not to buy it as different parts are about to go bad and cost you money. That is normally the main reason why people try to sell their luxury car around this time and they are normally willing to negotiate the price.

4.   Avoid mileages over 150K for Asian cars (Japanese and Korean) and 100K for Europeans and Americans as much as possible. When you buy a vehicle, the lower the mileage is the better it is as you just want to start using it and put extra mileage on it yourself.

5.   Think about your investment value instead of being happy that you are about to buy another used car. Keep in mind that you will need to sell the car at some point. Buying high mileage vehicles is not a wise investment. You will need to wait longer to resell the vehicle and once it reaches a certain mileage ( Past 250K), you should just be lucky for someone to come and buy it.

For example, if you are buying a VW Tiguan 2015 model with a 50K odometer for 40 thousand dollars, the same vehicle with a 200K odometer will cost more or less around half the price as the 50K odometer one. It will also definitely cause more repair costs as the parts are 4 times more worn than the 50K one.

At the same time, most buyers will avoid buying such a vehicle when there are many better options with lower mileage. The same scenario applies to buying older cars as well and the people looking to buy those vehicles are normally more budget and are looking for something cheap.

6.   Asian cars ( Japanese and Korean), hold their value more as they are more reliable and cheaper to repair but Europeans and Americans are the opposite.

For example, a Mercedes G Class with around 300K Price range, will be cheaper than a Toyota Land Cruiser with around 120K price tag after 10 years. Toyota holds its value but Mercedes loses its value although the Merc is more fun to drive.

Why do you think that happens? Because the Merc will cause hefty repair costs around this age but the Landcruiser can keep going for years more with incomparably less trouble for the owner.

7.   Never buy a supercar older than 8 years old no matter what the mileage is. Only if you are a collector and do not want to use them it might be ok otherwise you will regret your decision when you see your first repair bill.

Only the labour cost of working on supercars is around 5 times more than normal luxury cars, the parts are hard to find and most of the time need to be imported into the country.

The mechanics working on supercars also might not exactly know your supercar well or have the certain technology to repair them as they are being made in small batches and their options are normally different from one another even if they are of the same make.

8.   Avoid buying old and high mileage import vehicles. As they go bad, your trouble is much more than the local vehicles. Parts availability is very limited for imported vehicles, parts are normally more expensive and sometimes you have to be without a vehicle until the parts are shipped to the country.

Sometimes also the wrong part is sent which is not compatible with your model and causes you more trouble.

9.   Do not buy rusty vehicles. Rust can be treatable sometimes but is not reversible. Especially if you are buying a classic vehicle, ensure the body does not have severe rust as sometimes you can not get the part and you have to manufacture them from scratch which will be a big-time drama.

At the same time do not mistake normal surface rust which is common with big structural rust that is bubbling under the body paint or is flaky.

10.   If you are buying g a classic car, ensure everything checks out and the vehicle is healthy structurally and mechanically. It will be a nightmare working on classic cars, importing parts and putting them back into shape. As an example, treating the rust and painting the vehicle on a normal sedan, can cost you anywhere between 30 to 70K based on the condition.

If you do a cheap job also, you literally devaluate your vehicle and in the end, you have to sell it at a loss.

11.   Do not buy a cheap faulty vehicle hoping that you save money if you fix it yourself. If you are an expert and it is your job, you must know what you are doing and know your game but if you are just a normal buyer, you will regret your decision.

Only if you have dealt with mechanics before and have gone back and forth just for a small thing, you will know what we mean. The nature of mechanical jobs is that as the mechanic digs through, more issues will be found which will increase the initial quotation and after all, a newly repaired engine, still can not be compared with an original one in terms of reliability and future problems so do not be fooled by the cheap price

12.   If you want a cheap car, do not go too cheap and only look for Japanese and Korean cars. Buying a cheap European or American car can potentially cost you much more than what you have paid for the car and you will get to a point where you are just sick of it all and want to get rid of the car.

Be reassured that over 90 percent of people look for a car that has no issues even if it is cheap. So, even if your AC is not functional but the rest of the car is seemingly ok, people might throw silly offers at you much less than what you have paid for the car and spent on it already.

Here is a list of vehicle makes based on their reliability and resale value. The lower the number is, the better the vehicle is

13.   Do not buy a car that has a fresh oil leak. Oil leak is just an indication of an engine fault and you will never know what actually is wrong until you remove the engine and open it up which is too late.

A small oil sump leak should not cause much trouble but still any small leak, will become bigger over time as it is just the indication of the trouble you have ahead.

14.   Do not buy a car with transmission problems. Transmission work is the most costly repair work on any vehicle and most of the time you need to just replace the transmission rather than fixing it. The labour cost of transmission work is also higher than a normal engine or suspension work.

15.   Do not buy a car with big bodily damage. Be reassured that you will need a long time to sell it, most insurances will not insure your car in that condition and you never enjoy the car yourself either.

16.   If you do not like headaches, stick to Japanese & Korean cars. Japanese and Korean cars are much more reliable than American and European cars. If reliability is your main priority, just stick to these cars

17.   If you need a workhorse such as Utes, pickup trucks & vans, definitely stick to Japanese & Korean. You can never compare a Toyota Hiace or Hyundai iLoad with a Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit or VW Transporter. If your time is valuable and can not afford to leave your workhorse at a service centre to be repaired, do not look any further.

LAST CHECK CAR SELECT

We have made a list of vehicles available in Australia based on their reliability to assist you in your decision making when it comes to buying a new or used car.

Please note that the list below is the result of our own experience after inspecting thousands of cars in Australia and others might have a different view. Another important note is that not all the cars that these manufacturers make are similar in terms of reliability.

For example, a Holden Commodore is way more reliable than a Holden Astra and they are both made by Holden or a Honda Civic is way more reliable than a Honda Odessey where they are both made by the same manufacturer.

If you need a tailored suggestion of cars based on your style preference, budget, try Last Check CAR SELECT.

You tell us your budget and what you are after and our experts will give you exact suggestions.

CAR SELECT is not an advertising campaign and we never suggest you any specific car on the internet. It is a service we provide so that you can narrow down your search for cars and do not waste your money on inspections.

GET YOUR CAR INSPECTED BEFORE PURCHASE

Car inspection is the wisest thing anyone can do before purchasing a used car. If you have mechanical knowledge and you have the right tools especially a jack to lift the car up and check the underbody for damages and fresh fluid leaks, just do it yourself.

Bear in mind an OBD2 scanner is essential to read the fault codes and find hidden problems of the car if your car is younger than 2002.

If you do not know much about cars or you are buying a valuable car, get it checked by a professional. It is only a win win situation. If you find out the car is good, you will buy it with confidence and if you find out that it is a lemon, you can leave with no regret.

Most of the time, your inspector will also find problems with the car which need repairing but after all the car is good. In this case, you can get a discount from the owner to cover the costs.

If you want to inspect the car yourself, we have a checklist for you to help you with that. Click below to see how to inspect the used car yourself.

If you want a professional to inspect your next used car in Australia, we can assist. Just refer to our service page to see what we have on offer. Bear in mind that we do not cover the entire Australia.

We are located in Sydney NSW and service Sydney and some selected major cities. Refer to our Location Page to see where we are currently servicing.