Top 10 most reliable used convertibles
The previous generation Mazda MX-5 has been named the most reliable second-hand summer driving soft-top.
Warranty Direct, the leading provider of direct consumer warranties, analysed its database of 50,000 live policies to reveal that Mazda’s classic roadster (05-15) is the least likely of all convertibles to leave you stranded with maximum repairs costs of £501.40.
The study was based on cars aged 3 – 8 years old and the next best car on the list was the Vauxhall Tigra (04-09), which boasted the second lowest maximum repair cost in the Top 10 at £663.74. the Tigra however, 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 10 most reliable used convertibles
| Make | 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 | £2,152.4 |
| 9 | Audi | A3 Cabriolet | (03-13) | 145 | £4,373.11 |
| 10 | BMW | 3 Series | (07-13) | 204 | £5,958.06 |
“With the summer holidays upon us and the recent heatwave, many drivers might just be thinking about finally dropping the top,” said Philip Ward of Warranty Direct.
“The Mazda MX-5 is head and shoulders above its competition. It’s fun to drive, has long-proven reliability and is surprisingly affordable in terms of convertible ownership.
“Manual folding roofs have fewer parts to go wrong, whereas modern electric roofs include motors and hydraulic pumps, which can cause expensive repairs. This explains why some high-end convertibles appear lower on the list.”
Expensive repairs
Electrical faults are the most common on the top 10 most reliable drop-tops, with an average repair cost of £349.35.
Nearly two in five (37%) of BMW Z4 garage visits are due to electrical faults, whilst 28% of Audi A3 Cabriolet breakdowns are on account of engine faults.
The BMW 3 Series is the most expensive car in the top 10 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.