What Are They Smoking? Audi's A6 Awarded Most Reliable Car Of All Classes

Gas Fumes > Meth Fumes.

Maybe between all classes of German cars, otherwise this is more proof of German automobile media bias.

Where was Lexus mentioned anywhere you dope?

The C6 A6 is very reliable IMO, may not be the most exciting car but the 2005-2006 models are getting pretty cheap, look good & are solid = great buy.

Simply because YOU don't agree with these findings, doesn't mean that they aren't valid.

If the data holds up, then Congrats are in order for Audi's efforts.

DaHarderDaHarder: "Simply because YOU don't agree with these findings, doesn't mean that they aren't valid.

If the data holds up, then Congrats are in order for Audi's efforts."
--------

The problem is, data don't hold up with American institutions testing and researching automotive reliability at all.

Well, a simple reality check:

DEKRA say: UPPER MEDIUM/EXECUTIVE CARS
- Audi A6 followed by BMW 7 and BMW 5 (mileage up to 50,000km)
- Audi A8 followed by BMW 7 and Audi A6 (mileage 50,000-100,000km)
- Audi A6 followed by BMW 7 and BMW 5 (mileage 100,000-150,000km)

JDPower say: 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study, Midsize Premium Car

2005 Lexus ES 330 Award Recipient, among the best
2005 Lexus GS 300/GS 430: better than most
2005 Acura RL: better than most
2005 Cadillac STS: better than most
2005 Volvo V70: about average
2005 Volvo S80: about average
2005 Lincoln LS: about average
2005 Jaguar S-Type: about average
2005 Audi A6: the rest
2005 BMW 5 Series Sdn: the rest
2005 SAAB 9-5: the rest
2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: the rest

2008 Vehicle Dependability Study, Large Premium Car
2005 Lexus LS 430: among the best, Award Recipient
[...]
2005 Audi A8: the rest
2005 BMW 7 Series: the rest

Meanwhile, Consumer Reports have both Lexus GS RWD and ES listed in the "Best of the best" category.

DEKRA say:
COMPACT CARS
- Toyota Prius followed by Ford Focus and Mazda3 (mileage up to 50,000km)
- VW Golf V/Jetta/Golf Plus followed by Mazda3 and Skoda Octavia (mileage 50,000-100,000km)
- Skoda Octavia followed by Ford Focus and VW Golf V/Jetta/Golf Plus (mileage 100,000-150,000km)

JD Power say:
2005 Toyota Prius: among the best, Award Recipient
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer: better than most
2005 Toyota Corolla: better than most
2005 Honda Civic: better than most
2005 Pontiac Vibe: better than most
[... some other cars ...]
2005 Volkswagen Golf: the rest
2005 Volkswagen Jetta: the rest
2005 Volkswagen Beetle: the rest

Meanwhile, Consumer Reports have VW Jetta (four-dour Golf, technically identical with it) listed in the "worst of the worst" category.


So I'm sorry but I prefer someone else to evaluate German cars, not the Germans themselves. Their cars really do excel and are unbeatable in some aspects but at some point a credit should be given when credit is due. Golfs and A6s are their cash cows so a potential trigger of bias might become serious.


Source: http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/dependability-ratings-by-category/midsize-premium-car/sortcolumn-1/descending/page-#page-anchor

Source: http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/dependability-ratings-by-category/compact-car/sortcolumn-1/ascending/page-#page-anchor

Source: http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/dependability-ratings-by-category/large-premium-car/sortcolumn-1/descending/page-#page-anchor

Source: http://autos.yahoo.com/consumerreports/article/best_and_worst_used_cars.html

sounds like some good $#!%! I might need some of that!!!

I applaud skepticism, with marketing forces out there, you do have to take some things with a grain of salt but if the study is good and like DaHarder said if the data holds up, then Audi deserves this recognition. Waiting for the RS5 myself

Ne, Ne-Ne, Ne-Ne Neeeee!

I probably would have given Lexus the title, but I've owned 2 A6's in the last few years and I have not had as many issues as I'd expected. Maybe German car unreliability is overrated?

there is something called quality control.
the goal of quality control is to minimize the variance between products, which is better known as ISO, or 6 sigma. Japanese cars have very low variance, where american and german cars have higher variance. translation: you can have 2 problem-free german cars, but there is no telling your immediate neighbor's AUDI doesn't have any problem. where if you have problem with your toyota, you can bet your neighbor's toyota may have the same issue.

DEKRA is only doing periodical inspections of some components of cars so their statistics cannot catch lots of defects during whole exploitation of car.

What car magazine statistics are more credible source of true reliability of cars becouse they cover the whole reliability history of specific models, they are reporting all defects during exploitation:

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=236323&EL=3263240
Reasults by the brands:
1. Honda
2. Mazda
3. Toyota
4. Mitsubishi
5. Lexus
6. Nissan
7. Subaru
8. Mini
9. Ford
10. BMW
11. Peugeot
12. Opel
13. Daewoo
14. Citroen
15. Volvo
16. Rover
17. Porsche
18. Mercedes
19. Jaguar
20. Volkswagen
21. MG
22. Skoda
23. Fiat
24. Audi
25. Saab
26. Seat
27. Chrysler
28. Alfa Romeo
29. Renault
30. Land Rover

Nice find abcd.

The difference between European and American ratings.

EUROPE rates vehicles based on reliability over life-span, meaning mileage. The VW/Audis rate highest at over 100,000 kms (note that Cayenne is a VW product)

AMERICANs rate cars based on age, so vehicles bought by geriatrics and stored in the garage (Lexus, Buick, etc.) rate very highly, whereas vehicles bought by people who drive 25,000 miles a year and up (those people almost all buy German cars) are de-rated because they are simply used more.

I will get mega-deboosted for this, but I know that the Lexus fan-boys hate to hear the truth!

PS: My A6 2.7-T has 175,000 MILES on it, and I'd pick it over any similar mileage Japanese car for a long trip. Its practically bullet-proof ... just gas and go!

You wrong, there are other German statistics that are based over age: TUV, ADAC. The problem is that this statistics (TUV,DEKRA) are only a rare periodical inspections (TUV for example once a year) of some car components, and they cannot report lots of problems that appeared during the whole exploitation, for example if your electric windows go wrong you simply repair them under warranty or yourself and go for a DEKRA inspection with correct working windows and they will not report that in their statistics. You could have transmission failure, engine failure... and they will not report that either becouse if your car isn't working, you can't drive it to a DEKRA inspection building thus you have to first repair your car and again DEKRA statistics will not report this breakdown.

And to your information Lexus and Buick cars aren't even comprised in the DEKRA statistics becouse they are to rare on German roads.

Here about the mileage from What Car reliability statistics:
"Despite slipping a few places this year, Subarus still appear to be solid and hard wearing.

The cars had the highest average age in this year's survey, along with the highest average mileage.

The ('97-'02) Forester suffered only 12 claims per 100 cars, earning it a reliability rating of five out of five."

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=236323&EL=3263246

Agree...I bought my Audi based on the fact i'm going to have it for a while and will do lots of driving...German cars are the best.

abcd: I agree with you in genereral. And I'm not saying Lexus aren't good ... of course they are. But for JD Powers to ask the 70 year old "how reliable is that Buick/Lexus that's been parked in your garage for 3 years" and hear "no problems" doesn't mean that Buick is the best car.

Personally, I think Subaru is the best of the Japanese brands, but nowadays almost everything is good, so this is all nit-picking.

You're right about surveys like JD Power.
But there are also credible statistics like this:

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=236323&EL=3263240

which is based on the objectively measured (by independent warranty provider) number of breakdowns per 100 car.

Maybe that depends from which models of some manufacturer were take into account. It may be different for US. They don't have any detailed data for the US, only that mysterious percent, so I don't know.
They have much better, more detailed data for their UK operations so better use UK data. In this link you have the newest report and simply number of breakdowns per 100 cars in UK:

http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=236323&EL=3263240

Vorsprung durch Technik.lol

Another important point is that german cars are driven totally different by their owner, than e. g. japanese cars. In Germany, cars like the VW Passat, Audi A6, E-Class or BMW 5 are often cars for Salesmen and trade representatives and cover most of their distances on the Autobahn.

Yes, but JD Power customer satisfaction poll is a POLL, so there is probability of mistakes did by respondents, most not experts in automotive technology.

Here you have simply number of breakdowns per 100 cars:
http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=236323&EL=3263240

And how ADAC reliability statistics are done?
I already said this you few times, so what's the point in repeating that. The ADAC statistics don't say much about whole history of reliability.

but when I 4-wheel drift my A6 around the exit ramps on clover-leafs, that's still "reasonable manner" right? and pulling 100 MPH @ 7000 RPM in 3rd gear on a 6-speed (daily) is normal right? I don't get it ... just what are you saying?

All one has to remember is that Germany is not the US. After all, how many MB taxies do you see here? In Germany MB 300s appear to make up about 80-90% of their taxi force. How many engine types and sizes are offered by Germany car manufacturers in the US market? Compare that with what they offered to the European market and with what Europeans typically choose despite the faster permissable driving speeds there and you'll be amazed. No car manufacturer make a 'erfectly reliable car. Audi has upped their game and this should be good news for us consumers.