Small cars, big problems? It all comes down to maintenance, says TÜV SÜD

Even though the TÜV Report 2012 documents that the average rate of defects rose by a mere 0.2 per cent to 19.7 per cent throughout Germany, this rate still means that almost one in five cars fails to pass the TÜV roadworthiness inspection at the first attempt. In the category of compact cars typically chosen as second cars, the rate of defects rises particularly rapidly in the age category of five years and older. Are these cars of poorer quality? A glance at the figures shows that lack of servicing and maintenance combined with short-distance driving are mainly to blame for the high failure rate of compact cars in roadworthiness tests. Regular servicing would have a major impact at low cost. The 2012 TÜV Report will be available from TÜV SÜD service centres and retailers from 16 December.

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