What cars are the most damaged ones in Romania?

A recent study has revealed the most damaged cars in Romania, with BMW vehicles taking the top spot on the list. This resembles the trends in other countries, as BMW is the most damaged brand globally. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s Alfa Romeo, which gets into traffic incidents in Romania the least. After studying damage data for the last 12 months, the research also revealed that Porsche, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz have the highest damage value.

4 out of 5 BMW cars have been in an accident

80.3% of all BMWs checked on carVertical in Romania had been damaged. Honda (79.3%), Hyundai (71.1%), Porsche (69.6%), and Mitsubishi (68.5%) also get damaged often, suggesting that buyers should be cautious when buying these cars.

BMW makes it to the top of the list of the most damaged vehicles not only in Romania but in many other countries worldwide.

“BMW is a very desirable car brand, but despite being an upmarket vehicle manufacturer, older and more affordable models are often purchased by young and inexperienced drivers. Also, according to insurance companies, BMW drivers are more prone to take risks when driving. So there’s little wonder why it’s topping the list of car brands with the most frequent damage events,” explains Matas Buzelis, an automotive expert and the Head of Communications at carVertical.

Cars that suffered severe damages in the past may be more susceptible to occasional breakdowns and require extensive repairs. Not to mention that in some cases, their safety may be compromised. Exploring a vehicle’s history online mitigates the risk of getting a lemon, which can quickly turn into a money pit.

Car owners should also check the history of their vehicles to learn if they don’t have any hidden damages that should be thoroughly investigated by a mechanic. It’s much easier to sell a car with a clean history report and negotiate with buyers.

Alfa Romeo cars in Romania get damaged the least – only 42.5% of all vehicles checked on carVertical had been damaged. Renault (44.6%), Jeep (45.6%), Peugeot (46.4%), and Nissan (46.5%) are not very far behind.

Some cars are damaged more frequently 

When it comes to damage records, some vehicle brands in Romania have more incidents recorded on their history reports. An average Honda checked on carVertical had 3.1 damage records, followed by Lexus (2.8), BMW (2.7), Mitsubishi (2.6), and Land Rover (2.56).

“It’s totally normal for a car to get into an accident once every 5 years. It might also be related to mileage. However, vehicles with multiple severe damage records are often troublesome to own or maintain. Surprisingly, carVertical found that this year, the highest count of damage events for a single car belongs to the Volkswagen Passat. That particular vehicle had as many as 32 damage instances recorded on its report,” says Buzelis.

Citroen vehicles get into accidents the least – an average Renault model had 1.77 damages on carVertical, Alfa Romeo – 1.79, Renault – 1.81, Nissan – 1.88, and Peugeot – 1.89. These manufacturers focus on producing economy-class cars that are typically avoided by speed enthusiasts, therefore they end up in accidents less often.

Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz cars break records for most expensive damages in Romania

In Romania, Porsche – 23,448 Lei, Jaguar – 20,536 Lei, and Mercedes-Benz – 19,711 Lei have the highest average damage value. While a small bump isn’t something to worry about when searching for a car to buy, major damages should be discussed with professional mechanics to avoid issues in the future.

Premium vehicle brands typically have higher average damage value compared to economy-class cars, therefore even small damages may cost tens of thousands of Leis to repair.

Depending on a vehicle’s brand, fixing the same damage may cost differently. Dodges have the highest average damage value globally – 29,547 Lei, followed by Porsche (26,023 Lei) and Tesla (24,333 Lei).