When buying a supercar, you might expect to get super reliability. But that’s not the case, according to a study by USwitch.com. The site ranked the reliability of some of the market’s priciest models based on the number of recalls each model has and whether they passed safety regulation tests the first time.
Which supercars are unreliable
According to the site, the Mercedes-AMG GT is the least reliable supercar, mainly due to its 18 recalls, or 2.6 recalls per year during its seven years of production. It passes the U.K.’s Ministry of Transport test on the first try 92.8% of the time.
It’s followed by the Porsche 911, which averages just 0.6 recalls per year, but also suffers a lower initial pass rate than the Mercedes-AMG, rating an 87%. At 82.2%, the Maserati GranTurismo had the lowest MOT first-time pass rate of the site’s supercars study at 82.2% and 0.7 recalls per year.
Next comes the Ferrari 488 Spider with an initial pass rate of 85.7% and an average of 1 recall annually, while the Aston Martin DBS rounds out the top five at 92.7% and 1.1 recalls per annum.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Ferrari 360 (91%, 1.2 recalls), Ferrari F355 (88.9%, 0.8), Ford GT (89.1%, 0.5), Lamborghini Aventador (93.9%, 0.6) and the Audi R8 (87.7%, 0.1).
Other sources disagree
But USwitch’s reliability ratings do seem questionable given reliability ratings from other sources. Consumer Reports rates the Porsche 911 as having average reliability. But elsewhere, the magazine predicts below average reliability for the Mercedes-AMG GT. It doesn’t rate the GranTurismo or the Ferrari. Nor does J.D. Power, and there’s a reason for this.
Supercar owners don’t care about reliability; that’s not why they buy one. It’s purchased for the car’s performance, its exclusivity and its stye. Purchase considerations differ greatly from those of a Toyota Camry buyer.
In addition, they usually have other cars to drive, so downtime for a supercar is no big deal. So supercars can be unreliable. No one really cares.
Their costs go beyond the purchase price
If you’re considering a supercar, keep in mind the purchase price is only the beginning of your costs. Most exotics are not made for ease of maintenance, and require special tools and shop equipment.
Parts are very expensive and not always available. This is why a simple oil change can cost thousands of dollars, while major maintenance can cost far more. But these buyers can afford the cost. It comes with the territory.
Given this kind of reality, reliability is not a buyer’s main concern.
