Is your next used car purchase a World Cup winner?

As World Cup fever gathers pace, leading vehicle information expert HPI has matched iconic cars to the national teams leading the challenge from Europe in this year’s World Cup, and analysed both to look for their top weaknesses. With 1 in every 3 vehicles checked by HPI reported to have either outstanding finance registered on it, have been clocked, stolen, declared an insurance write-off or had a plate transfer, the used car playing field can be as harsh a battle ground as football pitches  in South Africa.

In assembling the squads for analysis, HPI selected the following team players: Mini Cooper (England), BMW 3 Series (Germany), Seat Lèon (Spain), Renault Clio (France) and Fiat Punto (Italy), and compared them to see which country buyers should be cheering for when they are shopping for their next set of wheels.

First up, England and the Mini Cooper. The 1960’s were eventful for both the England national team and the Mini Cooper. Whilst England won their one and only World Cup in 1966 and have not managed to regain that glory since, the Mini quickly gained iconic status and then managed a successful relaunch for the 21st century.  To this day it still retains its status as an England icon. For England to try and emulate their 1966 heroes on the pitch, the focus must be on working as a team, rather than as a collection of superstars. Of undeniable superstar status, the Mini is also the number one car most likely to have outstanding finance against it, compared to cars from the other nations. 16% of all the Minis checked were on finance, compared to just 11% for the BMW 3 Series (Germany).

Next, Germany and the BMW 3 Series. Both are renowned for their efficiency and adherence to regulations, although some could accuse them of conforming to stereotype. Perhaps as an attempt to try and introduce some flair into ownership, BMW owners are the most likely to have had a plate change with a hit rate occurrence of 40%. It’s followed closely by the England’s Mini at 37%, and 9% for Italy’s Fiat Punto. 

Third on the list, Spain, and the Seat Leon. Currently ranked 2nd in the Fifa world rankings, the Spanish team, and maybe also the Leon, could almost be accused of having the opposite problem to Germany – too much flair. Early adverts for the Seat Leon focused on sporty fun individuals who liked their cars in citrus colours. However, getting the best out of both team and car means getting past the appearance and looking at the quality underneath. When it comes to buying a used Seat Leon, the greatest risk our analysis revealed was a discrepant mileage – easy to check on the surface, but more difficult to verify in detail. In the mileage discrepancy league table, the Leon led the way with a 10% hit rate on HPI’s National Mileage Register, with the Mini second on 8%, then France with 7%.

Sitting pretty in fourth, is France and the Renault Clio - another iconic car that embodies the style and panache of both France and the French team. Winners of the World Cup in 1998, France match England for achieving winner status only the once. In contrast, the Clio has consistently been a winner both in France and also across Europe. The French team’s keenness for close contact with the ball seems to be mirrored in the experiences of the Clio, as it shares the highest hit rate for insurance write-offs with the Fiat Punto, both at 23%. In comparison, the BMW and Mini are next at 9%.

Last but not least is Italy and the Fiat Punto. Both the team and the car are at the more ‘mature’ end of their respective markets, although both are still going strong. Winners of 4 World Cups, the Italian team have plenty of bragging rights in the football world, as does the Punto which has scored a number of wins in recent European rally events. The rallying pedigree seems to lead many owners to consider it to be a rally vehicle and drive it accordingly, with the hit rates indicating the results – it shares joint first place with the Clio at the top of the leader board for insurance write-offs, at 23%.

“Our World Cup hit rates are a bit of fun, but the real message is not to get swayed by the excitement of buying a used car. Follow your team with your heart, but buy your car with your head.” says Nicola Johnson, Consumer Services Manager of HPI. “It doesn’t matter which team you’re rooting for in the World Cup, the only way to make sure you don’t score an own goal when it comes to used car buying is to conduct a vehicle history check before purchase.”