Land Rover Range Rover Mk3 (bankerwin/Bigstock.com)

A car's reliability often gets overlooked for more exciting things like performance, handling or looks. Or it might get side-lined by a low Vehicle Excise Duty or an mpg rating that saves hundreds a year.

But if you really want to make big savings with the vehicle you buy, choosing a reliable car will really put you in good stead. Unreliable vehicles mean more regular visits to the garage – and if it frequently breaks down post-warranty, you could be looking at a cash black hole.

So if you're wandering which car is regarded as Britain's least reliable, read on.

Scores are based on the latest JD Power Reliability Survey.

10. Citroen C5 Mk2 - 86.88%

Citroen C5 (eans/Bigstock.com)

Any car with a dedicated website focussed on its reliability problems should ensure alarms bells are sounding in any potential buyer’s ears. From short-life headlamps that can only be changed by the dealer, to poor build quality, the C5 MK2 appears to verge on the comedic in terms of reliability.

9. Land Rover Range Rover Sport Mk1 - 86.00%

Land Rover Range Rover Sport Mk1 (uatp1/Bigstock.com)

The first generation of the Range Rover Sport continues to give its owners grief. It seems you not only have to be well-heeled to buy one of these pretty SUVs – you have to be well-heeled to maintain one, too.

8. Peugeot 407 - 85.91%

Peugeot 407 (p.lange/Bigstock.com)

You get a lot of car for your money with the Peugeot 407 – but some owners also experience a lot of glitches. Second hand buyers need to be sure they side-step any 'distress sale' 407. But if you're lucky, you'll end up with one of the comfortable and economical examples of this refined French saloon.

7. Alfa Romeo MiTo - 85.35%

Alfa Romeo MiTo (Artzzz/Bigstock.com)

The MiTo is one of the most visually unique superminis on the market, but owners do tend to drive them into the ground. This could be a key factor in its poor performance in the JD Power Survey.

6.  Volvo V50 - 85.21%

Volvo is traditionally a very reliable marque, but the V50 has suffered from recalls, faulty parking brakes and electronic keys getting jammed in the dashboard. It is still a very well-built and comfortable car, but the accolade of sixth-most unreliable car in Britain cannot be ignored.

5. BMW 3 Series Coupe/Convertible Mk5 - 84.78%

BMW 3 Series Coupe (Artzzz/Bigstock.com)

While the build quality and performance of the BMW 3 Series was a revelation in the 1980s, later models have fared less well. The Mk5 Coupe/Convertible in particular has given its owners a plethora of reliability problems.

4. Ford Galaxy Mk3 - 83.56%

Ford Galaxy (eans/Bigstock.com)

Clutch issues in lower powered versions and tyre wear on diesel models are common problems with the Galaxy MK3. Earlier models were built with both Volkswagen and Ford parts, leading to build quality issues, but the MK3 was built entirely by Ford. However, despite Ford's tight quality control, the MK3 still finds itself as the fourth most unreliable car in the country.

3. BMW 5 Series Mk5 - 83.48%

BMW 5 Series Mk5 (Artzzz/Bigstock.com)

Just as with BMW's Series-3, the later Series-5 models developed reliability issues, with the MK5 being the most prolifically poor of all Beamers.

2. Land Rover Range Rover Mk3 - 79.57%

Land Rover Range Rover Mk3 (bankerwin/Bigstock.com)

Impressive for all the wrong reasons, the Range Rover Mk3 dips below the 80 per cent mark, giving would-be buyers of used examples plenty to be wary of. It does look pretty though.

1. Land Rover Discovery Mk3 - 78.36%

Land Rover Discovery Mk3 (EvrenKalinbacak/Bigstock.com)

It is Land Rover's Discovery that lives up to its name the most – especially in its MK3 incarnation. Instead of discovering remote, rugged vistas, most owners spend their time discovering new problems for their garage to look at.