The German cars have been more problematic with regards to electrics for many years now. Where the German engineering shines is in the drivelines and suspension components. ...
Now, the Japanese cars have made huge strides in quality, but they still seem to fall short in some areas when the cars get older.
I agree with you on the electrical problems of Euro vehicles, but I'm not sure the rest of this perception is borne out by the statistics. For each vehicle, Consumer Reports gives a breakdown of their statistics by model year and vehicle component. European vehicles have a greater tendency to be below average or poor right across the board.
For instance, a 1997 Jetta gets their worst rating ("poor") for electrical, paint/trim/rust, body integrity, and body hardware, as well as "below average" for the fuel system, A/C, exhaust, and power equipment. Not a single component in the vehicle gets a rating above "average." BMWs and Mercedes fare a little better, but not much. Audis are between BMW and VW. All these ratings are based on statistical data, not qualitative perceptions or anecdotes. In comparison, a 1997 Civic gets "excellent" or "very good" reliability ratings for all vehicle systems, except exhaust and body integrity, which are rated "average." Not a single component gets a rating below "average."
It's better to buy a European vehicle for the looks and prestige, planning to sell it within 5 years, rather than as a long term, reliable vehicle. Long term and used, the statistics suggest that Euro vehicles tend to be a poor value.
