Mazda MX-5 is most reliable used convertible, data shows

Vauxhall Tigra takes second place but is twice as likely than an MX-5 to suffer a fault

Mazda MX-5 is most reliable used convertible, data shows
Mazda MX-5 raises the roof as most reliable used convertible.

The sleek, Japanese-built, Mazda MX-5 (05-15) has been named the most reliable used convertible for summer driving, in a new study of three to eight-year-old cars by Warranty Direct.

The company analysed its database of 50,000 live policies to reveal that Mazda’s classic and recently-revived roadster is the least likely of all convertibles to leave owners stranded with pricey, undesirable repairs.

The Vauxhall Tigra (04-09) is the next best car on the list, boasting the second lowest maximum repair cost in the top 10 convertibles table at £663.74.

However, the findings suggest that the Tigra is more than twice as likely than the MX-5 to suffer a fault, with 18 in every 100 expected to break down each year.

The Peugeot 206 CC (98-09), Mercedes-Benz SLK (04-11) and Volvo C70 (06-13) complete the top five, with both the Mercedes-Benz and the Volvo racking up wallet wilting maximum repair costs of £2695.02 and £2086.51 respectively, more than three times that of the Mazda in the most expensive case.

Top ten most reliable convertibles
Ranking Make and model Year Reliability index Maximum repair cost
1 Mazda MX-5 05-15  16 £501.40
2 Vauxhall Tigra 04-09 36 £663.74
3 Peugeot 206 CC 98-09 72 £1,701.37
4 Mercedes-Benz SLK 04-11 92 £2,695.02
5 Volvo C70 06-13 101 £2,086.51
6 Volkswagen Eos 06-14 126 £5,864.46
7 Audi TT Roadster 06-14 132 £4,408.37
8 BMW Z4 09-16 136 £2,152.40
9 Audi A3 Cabriolet 03-13 145 £4,373.11
10 BMW 3 Series 07-13 204 £5,958.06

Warranty Direct’s chief operating officer, Philip Ward, said: “With the summer holidays upon us and the recent heatwave, many drivers might just be thinking about finally dropping the top.

“Manual folding roofs have fewer parts to go wrong, whereas modern electric roofs include motors and hydraulic pumps, which can cause expensive repairs.”

Electrical faults

Electrical faults are the most common on the top ten most reliable drop-tops, with an average repair cost of £349.35.

Nearly two in five of BMW Z4 garage visits are due to electrical faults, whilst 28 per cent of Audi A3 cabriolet breakdowns are on account of engine faults.

The BMW 3 Series is the most expensive car in the top ten to fix if something does go wrong, with repair bills soaring to £5958.06.

At the opposite end of the scale, the Porsche Boxster (04-12) is the least reliable convertible, with 42 in every 100 suffering problems which cost an average of £731.07 to repair.

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