Certain cars are reliability incarnate. Toyota Corolla. Honda Civic. BMW Z4 (pictured above)?wait, BMW Z4" Yes, because the long-term reliability of sports cars has experienced a paradigm shift over the past 25 years, thanks in part to automakers’ improvements in quality and reaching economies of scale with these products.
Sports cars typically are driven far less than most other types of used cars, too. According to data from this author?s own Long-Term Quality Index, which has recorded the mileage and condition of more than 1.4 million trade-ins from Connecticut to California, this low-mileage reality is as true for a Mazda MX-5 as it is for a Chevrolet Corvette or even a Mercedes CLK-class.
At the same time, owners usually invest more money into sports cars when it comes to regular maintenance. You?re far less likely to find any of these vehicles being given a paper-based oil filter at a 10-minute oil-change shop or fitted with low-quality tires that can accelerate the suspension’s deterioration. Today?s sports-car owners often are older, wiser, and more willing to invest. The result" A 15-year-old sports car in excellent shape is no longer uncommon.
 The Long-Term Quality Index awards reliability ratings to vehicles. Here, sports cars are rated against the industry average.
In fact, when it comes to long-term quality, it?s the fast and the fun that often provide the best bang for the buck. This is true even for sports cars with the same en...