How reliable is your car? - Nissan to Porsche

NISSAN 4th
2005 position 4th
Claims per 100 vehicles 19.7
Average age 6 years
Average mileage 39,376
Average repair cost £160
Average repair time1.2 hours

If you own a '98-'02 Nissan Micra, it's a fair bet that you've had some problems with the brakes. More than 57% of Micras that ended up in garages had braking glitches.

Oddly, the older model from '93-'98 appears a little less problematic in this area. Elsewhere, this little car is pretty bulletproof.

Nissans are cheap to fix and, on average, don't spend much more than two hours in the workshop when things do go wrong.

Best model na
Worst model na

Verdict *****
Nissan's cars are cheap to repair and, with the survey showing the average age of cars as six years, keeping your old Nissan could be a wise move.

PEUGEOT 8th
2005 position 16th
Claims per 100 vehicles 29
Average age 4.7 years
Average mileage 46,978
Average repair cost £240
Average repair time2.3 hours

Problem areas
More than 30% of affected 206s, 206 CCs, newer 306s and newer 406s reported electrical glitches. It's somewhat surprising, then, that earlier 306s and 406s didn't yield such dramas.

Axle and suspension problems blighted plenty of Peugeots, and the '93-'97 306 in particular: 43% of 306s with problems had work done in this area. Electrical systems have caused a few problems in the newer models of the 306 and 406.

However, the average hourly labour rate is just £46, so fixing a broken Peugeot shouldn't necessarily break the bank.

Best model 106 ('96-'04)
Worst model 206 ('98-'06)

Verdict ****
The 106 acquits itself reasonably well but the later versions of established models have suffered more than their fair share of electrical dramas.

PORSCHE 14th
2005 position 14th
Claims per 100 vehicles 32.4
Average age 4.3 years
Average mileage 37,652
Average repair cost £836
Average repair time4.6 hours

Problem areas
Around a third of Porsche Boxsters in the survey needed repairs, and a hefty chunk of those had work done on their axle and suspension systems and the electrics. If your Porsche goes wrong, get ready to lighten your wallet: the average repair cost is £836, the highest here. Once in the workshop, expect a four-and-a-half-hour repair job.

Best model na
Worst model na

Verdict **
Last year, Porsche finished in 14th place and this year it's the same. The reality is that Porsche owners are likely to pay a lot for repairs; what's also true is that Porsche owners are likely to be able to afford it.

Click here for a manufacturers' reliability table.