The Opel Combo has earned first place in the high-top station wagon/small van category of the 2016 DEKRA Second-hand Car Report. This report is published annually by DEKRA, also known as the Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein (German Motor Vehicle Inspection Association).
The DEKRA report is based on an analysis of defects that occur during the inspections of approximately 15 million vehicles. In turn, this allows DEKRA to draw conclusions about the quality of said vehicles; it takes wear-and-tear parts into special consideration, such as the brake pads or dampeners.
“Being recognized in the DEKRA Second-hand Car Report is always something very special because the quality of the vehicles is measured independent of their list price. The Combo is a role model in its class because the reliability of the vehicle is a key cost factor especially for traders,” said Opel Fleet Director Frank Hägele at the award ceremony.
This is a big achievement for Opel, as the light commercial vehicle portfolio is a major part of the automaker’s business-growth strategy, nicknamed “DRIVE! 2022.” This plan includes an increase of LCV sales by 80 percent, raising the total sales figures to 150,000 vehicles per year. That applies to not only the Combo, but the Vivaro and Movano as well.
Comments
Please, be serious. Combo is just rebadged Fiat Doblo/Ram Pro Master built on the same assembly line with its twins by Tofas in Turkey
These statistics “based on an analysis of defects that occur during the inspections”, which means the required two-annual official inspections, measure two factors:
a) the quality of the construction of the given car, and
b) the care which the car’s owner gives to his car, the frequences and depth of preventive maintenance, regular exchange of lubricants, regular cleaning in order to prevent rust etc.
It is hard or even up to impossible to measure the impact of factors a) and b) in the results of the official (and formalized) inspection.
Some people get the car to the garage before the inspection in order to get their car thru without any objection by the inspector, others use the inspection to get a list of those repairs which are absolutely unavoidable, instead of being lured by a garage owner to make “repairs” which are not absolutely necessary.
So take those statistices with a grain of salt.