Mechanic Gets Asked If Porsche Is Reliable. He Doesn’t Hold Back

Who hasn’t dreamed of buying a used, high-end car for around the same amount of cash as a newer, warranty-covered, less flashy commuter vehicle? Of course, there are some caveats when taking this approach to auto ownership, like being stuck with hefty repair bills and the prospect of your ride spending more time in the shop than it does on the road.

When it comes to iconic luxury performance offerings, Porsche’s name is one that has stood the test of time. But does the Stuttgart, Germany-based brand offer stalwart vehicles at a good bang for your buck?

A service technician at Accurate Automotive (@accurateautoinc), located in Northglenn, Colorado, shared their two cents regarding Porsche’s long-term dependability. In a viral TikTok that’s accrued over 185,000 views, a mechanic from the business gave a rundown on what prospective Porsche buyers can expect to keep an eye on in terms of repair when they own one of these vaunted whips.

Are Porsches Reliable?

The video begins with someone off-camera recording an Accurate Automotive tech, asking them, “How good or bad are Porsches’ reliability?” Following this, the tech says, “I love Porsches as a car. Typically, we see them go 120-150,000 miles. I personally am not seeing a lot of Porsches exceed over 200,000 miles.”

However, he clarifies that this necessarily doesn’t mean Porsches can’t extend beyond the 150,000-mile mark, but that the demographic of folks who drive them that the shop serves are more quick to upgrade to newer models. 

“The clientele that we have that do drive Porsche, they tend to get a newer one every 50, 60, 70 [thousand] miles,” the mechanic states. Furthermore, he adds that he believes Porsche owners are getting a lot out of their purchases. “But what they’re getting out of it is extremely reliable,” he adds.

To cap off the video, he delineates further that, “We rarely have … major issues with them here. … I like Porsche, actually; it’s a great car.”

Porsche: a Winner in the Luxury Segment

In 2024, J.D. Power ranked Porsche as the top-ranked luxury brand in customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the group gave several distinctions to various Porsche models for dependability. 

Porsche Dealership Porsche Ann Arbor listed these accolades on its website, indicating that it was “the brand that had the fewest problems reported by 100 car owners during the last 12 months with their 3-year-old vehicle.” The Macan, Cayenne, and Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman were listed as the most dependable vehicles in their respective premium vehicle segments.

On Dec. 5, 2024, independent research firm Consumer Reports published a list of its overall best car brands. These rankings assess various vehicle factors, including reliability, safety, driving dynamics, infotainment features, and other key functionalities. According to the report, Porsche ranked fourth overall, being bested by Subaru, BMW, and Lexus. In the luxury-only segment, Porsche came in at number three.

Consumer Reports went on to state that Porsche “tends to do well in our reliability rankings.” However, the same write-up of the automaker cautions that its offerings “can be expensive to maintain.”

Porsche Dealer or Third-Party Mechanic

There are differing opinions on what the best options are for servicing one’s Porsche. Unsurprisingly, Porsche-specific service centers and dealerships, like Porsche Stevens Creek, advice against using independent auto repair shops for working on its vehicles. In a blog post, the business says that these third-party shops might use “lower quality generic parts” for a Porsche, which could cause issues later on. Furthermore, they state that “third-party mechanics often do not have access to the same kinds of tools” that Porsche techs do.

However, the car blog PCarWise states that if you have a longstanding relationship with a trusted mechanic, you could save money going the third-party route. Purchasing OEM Porsche parts on your own and having a properly trained service tech could save you on labor costs. Furthermore, worries about being up-charged or sold on simply trading in your vehicle for another model won’t occur with a trusted independent mechanic.

Porsche owners on this Rennlist forum post also stated that they had their Porsches serviced by independent mechanics without issue.

Motor1 has reached out to Accurate Automotive via TikTok comment for further information.