These Risky Car Purchases Ended Up Being Way More Reliable For Our Readers Than Most People Would Assume

Somehow, despite buying a used 2006 Ducati Monster with more than 20,000 miles on the odometer and having done no pre-purchase inspection, my bike ended up being pretty darn reliable. I had a feeling it would be based on the way the previous owner had cared for and modified it, and they’d clearly loved riding it, but other than replacing the front fork seals, I didn’t have to do any work to it the entire time I lived in the Los Angeles metro area. Ducati may be the Ferrari of motorcycles, but it sure didn’t feel like it based on running costs.

If you know motorcycles, you know that’s because Ducati Monsters are pretty darn reliable. Non-motorcycle people tend to see the bright paint, wild styling, and Italian heritage and assume Monsters are in the shop just as often as an ’80s Lamborghini. That got me thinking — surely, I can’t be the only one who’s owned vehicles that ended up being more reliable and cheaper to own than other people tend to assume. 

So I asked for your examples, and boy, let me tell you. I did not need the encouragement some of your stories are giving me. Despite the horror stories, part of me wants to replace the Fiat with a BMW i8, and I’m going to have to get incredibly lucky if I’m going to pull that off without ruining my finances. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the encouragement. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular answers.

My 2014 Panamera 4 has been 100% rock-solid. I have done only routine maintenance except. Maintance isn’t always cheap HOWEVER the car is one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned and now that I do my own oil changes (and might try brakes when they are due), the cost will drop even more.

Second has been the two Abarths I have owned (still have my 2014 that I autocross). The internet makes it seem like these cars will break-down as much as the old Fiat 124’s but these cars have never let me down. In fact, working on my Abarth is extremely easy. There is a huge fanbase so finding videos or advice on modifying or DIY maintenance on these cars is easy. I push the Abarth all the time and it takes it.

Fun and reliable don’t need to be an oxymoron.

Suggested by: MTL_Carguy

I’ve been daily driving an 87 Alfa Romeo Milano for 7 years now. It’s been off the road maybe 2 weeks total during that time, sometimes for optional upgrades.

I’ve heard endless thoughts, jokes, etc about the infamous “Alfa reliability”, all from people who have never owned an Alfa. I get my laughs from my neighbor, who has often given his thoughts. He has a Toyota pickup of the same era that has driven 7000 less miles than the Alfa over our decade as neighbors due to constant issues.

Suggested by: jshinbot

2011 WRX right from the factory. Deep in the middle of the whole ring land fiasco. Here we are in 2026 and it’s still standing, 170k+ later.

Suggested by: STIKleinWagon

I bought a 2017 Dodge Durango R/T red on red. My wife liked the colors and I got V8 out of it. I traded a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder on it, that was already on a second CVT replacement under warranty. Dodge had a reputation and still does and I fully expected it to not last very long being a Chrysler product, but I bought it as a dealer demo/manager’s car with about 5-6k miles in August 2017 and it now has over 203k miles. Never left me stranded. The one time it came close is when my local mechanic messed up valve cover gasket replacedment (at around 175k miles) and it started spitting oil, but that’s not the car’s fault. Still made it home and the shop stood behind their work and replaced it again for free. At this point, I am afraid of getting a new one, because post Covid quality went down the drain.

Suggested by: igmgag

We bought a 2013 Fiat 500 Pop to be my daughter’s first car. We got it in 2017 with 1300 miles on it.

She drove it for years, and we sold it with 87k virtually trouble free miles. About the only thing that went wrong with it was the driver’s arm rest broke.

Everything else was just typical maintenance.

Suggested by: Stillnotatony

and

In my case, and without any doubts, my FIAT 500 Abarth. 14 years with absolutely no problem. none. A Fix It Again Tony they said.

Suggested by: Luc Desaulniers (minardi)

My dad has now screwed around twice and gotten a secondhand CPO Maserati Quattroporte, and both have held up remarkably well. A 2015 lasted him from 2018-2025, and I’m fairly certain he made it to 100k only needing a significant brake job around the 70k mile mark. Now he’s driving a ’22 he bought last year. I think this one will go on a bit longer because its better in every way. The ’15 felt pretty dated towards the end because, shoot, it was Chrysler interior equipment from the early 2010’s. Mechanicals still seemed solid when he got rid of it.

All that said, the depreciation curve across those 7 years he drove the first was not friendly. Want to say he got in for $50k and trade it in in the high teens. Still though, you would think buying a used Maserati is a much worse decision than its turned out to be.

Suggested by: Tahoe Guy

and

I bought a 100k mile ’07 Quattroporte about a year and a half ago, and it has been a dream. I’ve put about 20k (I have a long commute) on it since then. I have had exactly ZERO issues or concerns with it. It just goes when and where I ask it to. That said, I was VERY particular when looking for one, but still got it for under $10k. The previous owner had owned it for 16 years and had all maintenance records. The only thing I’ve had done so far is having the bumpers and mirrors repainted to take care of the normal clearcoat issues. The backup sensors don’t work, though. Maybe I’ll fix that someday.

Suggested by: Dirk Rokicki

2016 GTI bought new. After dailying – and maintaining – a 944 from 2000-2013 I was deeply skeptical of another car from Ze Germans. But I observed plenty of “VW isn’t like it was in the 90s” reports and risked it – knock on wood, it’s been very reliable – enough so that I got a 2024 Tiguan (and a tune right off the bat) without worrying about it.

Suggested by: Tim C

Our 2000 Porsche Boxster has given us very little issue in the 11 years we’ve owned it. We’ve replaced the water pump and the air oil separator and that’s it besides regular maintenance. It regularly gets driven hard as well. Even some autox work.

Suggested by: Clay Horste

1978 Fiat 124 Sport Spider. Our family has had it 20 years, we’re the third owner, and I knew all of the stories but it was just so pretty and rust free. It’s been a great car and it cranked and got me to work one morning when my Honda Accord wouldn’t.

Suggested by: Blue124

I bought a supercharged BMW e46 m3 sight unseen in 2019 and it’s performed flawlessly as a drift car ever since. Every spring I get the oil analyized and every time the report comes back great so I keep ripping it. Rod bearing failure in these cars are over exaggerated.

Suggested by: Hitch Medberg