Porsche vs BMW Reliability: Which Is Better?
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No matter how fast and sporty Porsche and BMW cars appear, it is important to understand which of these brands offers a better standard of reliability. The truth is that it depends on who you ask.
While Porsche is more reliable than BMW according to JD Power, BMW is far more reliable than Porsche according to RepairPal.
When it comes to safety ratings, repair and maintenance costs, and even the availability of models to suit different driving needs, BMW does it better.
We're all about finding the best car price here, but our experts also want to find the most reliable cars for you, too, you know?
Here is all you need to understand about Porsche vs. BMW reliability and why BMW is considered more reliable according to RepairPal.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- BMW and Prosche are hard to compare, but BMW is a more reliable brand than Porsche according to RepairPal
- The lack of safety ratings with Porsche are what make BMW technically more reliable, thought Porsche has high ratings in everything else
- BMW has a reliability rating of 2.5/5.0, ranking 30th out of 32 car brands while Porsche ranks 32nd out of 32 with a reliability rating of 2.0
Porsche Vs. BMW Reliability: A Detailed Comparison
| Features | Porsche | BMW |
| Design | ||
| Repair and Maintenance Cost | ||
| Durability | ||
| Engine | ||
| Gas Mileage | ||
| Safety and Technology |
Which is Better: Porsche or BMW?
It is a tough task comparing Porsche and BMW. This is because both brands are built for different target audiences with different driving needs.
Porsche is not the type of car you will want to buy as your first car. These cars are fast and powerful with impressive handling. However, the cost of ownership is higher on Porsche than on BMW.
Many reliability survey sites have diverse opinions on the reliability of BMW and Porsche. It has been a consistent tale told for years that Porsche is more reliable than BMW. But is this actually true?
Porsche has a higher reliability rating than BMW and offers better driving performance, speed, and power. The tragedy about Porsche cars is that there are no safety ratings. They are also more expensive to repair and maintain, and you will have to visit the mechanic shop more frequently than you will with a BMW.
BMW offers more warranty coverage, but you will get more value from your Porsche car than a BMW. The JD Power’s 2020 reliability survey ranks BMW as the 8th reliable car, with Porsche coming 4th.
Porsche was awarded the top car brand in the consumer reports 2020 study. Although BMW is moving forward with higher brand loyalty, there are a few reasons to believe that Porsche is better than BMW.
According to Repairpal, BMW has a reliability rating of 2.5/5.0, ranking 30th out of 32 car brands. On the other hand, Porsche ranks 32nd out of 32 car brands with a reliability rating of 2.0.
In this lane, BMW has cheaper maintenance and repair costs and a lesser chance of minor and major repairs. This also cites that BMW has more brand loyalty than Porsche, 45.1%, as against 44.9%. It shows that more BMW users are happy with the brand than Porsche users.
Although one of the disadvantages of owning a Porsche is the high cost of ownership, when it comes to holding value and performance, Porsche is better than BMW.
Design
Porsche and BMW cars are known for their amazing designs. Their styles can always pass as luxury cars. No matter how good the design of both car brands is, it is hard to place one above the other.
Irrespective of the fact that the design of Porsche and BMW tilts towards sportiness, elegance, and driving pleasure, both cars have their design preferences. BMW cars are designed to achieve dynamic cruising, while Porsche is about performance.
BMW tries to spread out its lineup to accommodate drivers with different needs; Porsche is all about racing. The design of Porsche is structured to assist drivers in improving their speed and racing skills while focusing on user-centered solutions.
Both cars optimize their designs to cover the aesthetic, technological, and aerodynamic needs. BMW and Porsche are not yet big on autonomous driving.
While BMW promises to launch its level 3 autonomous driving tech design in 2025, Porsche insists that no matter how refined its cars are, they will always have a steering wheel. Drivers can choose between autonomy and driving themselves.
Winner: Both
Repair and Maintenance Cost
It is cheaper to repair/maintain a BMW than a Porsche. The average annual cost of repairing/maintaining a BMW car is $968. This is cheaper than Porsche, which costs $1,192.
You must understand that even though BMW has a cheaper repair and maintenance cost than Porsche, they are both more expensive than the $652 average cost for all car models.
It is a perceived notion that Porsche and BMW are high-end cars; if the drivers can afford the cost of purchase, they will always afford the maintenance fees. However, there’s warranty coverage to handle some of the bills.
This is also to cite that Porsche has a 21% chance of major repairs and a 0.8 chance of minor repairs. On the other hand, BMW has a 0.9 chance of minor repairs and a 15% chance of major repairs. This indicates that you will have more reasons to visit a mechanic with a Porsche than you will with a BMW.
Winner: BMW
Durability
BMW holds a better record of durability than Porsche. Most Porsche drivers buy cars just for luxury and not with the intention of keeping them for a long time. There are greater chances of having your BMW car last up to 250,000 miles than a Porsche.
It all looks like the only good thing Porsche was designed for was its enormous speed. It becomes worse if you make the mistake of selecting a Porsche car with air suspension, running on turbos and automatics. You cannot trust the reliability of these cars.
Winner: BMW
Engine and Performance
BMW and Porsche have a lot of good things going on with them when it comes to engine and performance. You will enjoy the benefits of speed and power from BMW cars just as you will from Porsche. However, Porsche takes the lead with speed and power.
Porsche has a legacy of speed, in and outside tracks, and races. From their outings in Formula 1, Le Mans, and the different racing titles pegged to their name. BMW hasn’t had the opportunity of reaching such heights, but this doesn’t make BMW a slow car.
There are many BMW engines packed with strength and exceptional handling; the V6 and V8 engines. This is similar to the reliable engines spotted in Porsche’s 911 and 912 cars. Both car brands have records of unreliable engines, so you need to be careful about your choices.
The adoption of air-cooled engines by Porsche improved the level of driving experience attained. Both BMW and Porsche are leading the automotive industry with cars that are good at speed aesthetics, great handling, comfort, aerodynamics, ergonomics, and stability.
Winner: Both
Gas Mileage
Gas mileage is not among the strength of BMWs and Porsche. These two car brands fall into the categories of luxury and supercars. Much gas is sacrificed to keep them running at high speed and delivering a burst of power.
You must understand that there isn’t any fuel-saving technology in BMW cars as you will find in Hondas or Mazda. However, there are a few models of both cars that you can consider for fuel efficiency; 2022 BMW 3, BMW 5, Porsche 911, Porsche Boxter, and Porsche Cayman.
Winner: Both
Safety and Technology
We will have to give it to BMW when it comes to safety and technology. This is not because Porsche cars are unsafe but because they do not have any safety ratings.
Porsche is one of the car brands without any crash ratings. This is not impressive news to users, as they are left in the dark as to how well these cars will perform in the event of accidents.
We might not specifically say why Porsche doesn’t have safety ratings on NHTSA or IIHS, but we believe that it revolves around the fact that they produce low-volume models, and their cars fall into the category of sports and luxury cars.
On the other hand, BMW has three cars earning the IIHS 2021 Top safety pick award and five cars on the Top safety pick(+) award. The safety features of both car brands are impressive, but safety ratings help give customers clues about what to expect. We can’t be so sure of Porsche cars.
Winner: BMW
Verdict
Choosing between a BMW and a Porsche boils down to whether you can afford the high maintenance cost and are willing to drive a car without safety ratings. Fuel economy is not a thing for these cars, so you must be sure that you know what you are getting into before buying a BMW or Porsche car.
