Why are European cars so unreliable?

Question

This is for the car nuts out there,
I've noticed that European cars, aside from being more costly than either American/Japanese cars, are more unreliable. I know that they often use new technologies in their design, but what about manufacturers like Lexus? How come they have such reliable vehicles that last for many years, while your typical BMW/Mercedes-Benz owners have been to their dealership's repair shop so many times that they're friends with their mechanics...
I know of old European sedans (like the Volvo 240) that last for decades, but the newer generations considerably less durable.
I think its unfair for European manufacturers to charge obscene amounts of money for cars that will work satisfactorily for only a few years... (You listening, VW?)

Answer 1

Because people don't care. Until this year, Europeans were the only ones who could make a really good luxury sedan. Becuase they were in a class by themselves, and since they are all bad, there really isn't much competition in this area. Beyond that, people usually care more about the fact that their car has 7 speeds, or that it has forty-three thousand memory options, or that it parallell parks itself, than how well these features actually hold up. Japanese know that if they want to compete, they've got to have something that Europeans don't have- reliability.

Answer 2

I really think the same question could be asked to the European population about North America cars. Not many people here drive the low end of those manufactures so all you see are the expensive ones here.

Answer 3

frequently the acceptable vehicles are the jap, fairly Honda and Toyota. except that, it will be a touch a lottery from time to time. The French and Italians were getting better a lot over the finest few years, because the Germans were slipping, fairly Audi and Mercedes, who do truly badly in some client pride surveys, getting overwhelmed by the likes of Fiat!! Your call, yet when i mandatory a vehicle that I knew would get me residing house each and anytime without fail, i'd purchase a Honda!

Answer 4

Lucas electronics...