Reliability is not something that people associate with German cars. We can attest that when people learn that we drive a Porsche, after the initial register of surprise and admiration fades, they crack slow, strangely-pleased smiles and utter the inevitable question, which usually goes something like, “Sure it’s fun, but I’ll bet maintenance costs kill you though. That’s how they get you, right? It’s never cheap owning a Porsche!”
Actually, no.
The 2014 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study was released this week with intriguing results. When new vehicle owners measured whether they experienced any problems in the first 90 days of ownership, Porsche had the lowest score among any brand across all sizes, segments, prizes and classes.
It’s the honeymoon! No one wants to buy a brand-new car and bring it back with the new car smell to the dealership after hearing the engine make a funny noise. Nearly every new car comes with a warranty to cover that sort of thing, but it’s the principle that matters. No one wants to have second thoughts or buyers’ remorse, and certainly not if you bought a Porsche.
Photo: J.D. Power
As the chart shows, with Fiat having the worst score of 206 problems for every 100 new cars sold, and 116 as the industry average, Porsche clocked in below all competitors with a whisper-quiet 74. Jaguar took second place with 87 and Lexus was tagged for third with 92.
The study noted that the most problematic area for new cars was not engines or braking but new-fangled technologies like voice-recognition. Despite running more code than most computer operating systems, automakers continue to be stymied when trying to do simple tasks that most smartphone and consumer electronics makers specialize in.
The report named the Porsche Panamera as the most problem-free model for 2014.
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