LIKE fine wines, some cars just get better with age and – perhaps surprisingly – the Ford Fiesta is a rare vintage. You might expect cars like the Porsche Boxster, Audi A4, Mercedes CLK and Volkswagen Golf to be more reliable than their mass-produced counterparts – but, according to new research, older versions of the cheap and cheerful Fiesta can put some more expensive cars to shame. The research, by Warranty Direct, revealed that during any given 12 month period, Fiestas built between 1995 and 2002 only have an 11 per cent chance of breaking down while there’s a 30 per cent chance that a VW Golf built between 1997 and 2006 will suffer some kind of mechanical problem. But, across the board, Warranty Direct’s analysis of 50,000 live policies has shown that older versions of several models are almost 10 per cent less likely to break down than shinier, more recent versions. Newer versions of the Fiesta, for example, are six per cent more likely to have problems than their older siblings, but, with a 17 per cent chance of breakdown, Fiestas built between 2002 and 2008 still look a good bet compared with many more expensive models. According to Warranty Direct, Jaguar XJs built from 2003 onwards have a whopping 56 per cent chance of failure, some 21 per cent higher than models built from 1997 to 2003 while owners of Porsche Boxsters built since 2004 have a ten per cent higher chance of encountering problems than those with versions produced between 1997 and 2004 which the research shows have a 28 per cent chance of failure. Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, says: “Buying new may be the most desirable option when it comes to purchasing a car but it isn’t always the most cost-effective route. “Our analysis shows that new doesn’t necessarily mean more reliable. We also found that repair costs are often higher for new models so, as well as paying over the odds for a new car, you may also be opening yourself up to additional, unwanted costs.” The average repair cost for a Ford Fiesta built between 2002 and ’08 is almost double that paid by owners of a ’95-’02 model, while the largest claim seen by Warranty Direct for the newer car, an eye-watering £2,076.40, dwarfs the largest bill for its older counterpart. | 
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