What each programme demands before it accepts a car
This is the first thing to look at, because it is what filters the car before the badge goes on:
| Programme | Entry requirements | Inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Junge Sterne (Germany) | Up to 6 years and 150,000 km | Junge Sterne Check; if faults come up they are repaired or the car does not get in |
| Mercedes-Benz Certified (Spain) | No age or mileage limit | Inspection + history + digital service record |
| BMW Premium Selection (Germany) | Up to 12 years and 200,000 km | 360° Fahrzeugcheck |
| MINI NEXT (Germany) | Up to 12 years and 200,000 km | 360° Fahrzeugcheck + complete history within the MINI network |
| Porsche Approved | The brand publishes no maximum age or mileage | 111-point checklist |
BMW's official standards document is the most explicit of the lot and requires, among other things: the German roadworthiness certificate valid for at least 12 months, a documented service history, at least 10,000 km or 6 months until the next service, and tyres with at least 3 mm of tread.
The warranty that does not depend on anyone's goodwill
On top of the programme's commercial warranty there is the statutory one. And this is where the gap between a trader and a private seller is enormous.
If you buy from a German dealer
§ 476.1 of the BGB (the German civil code) says that in a sale from a business to a consumer the statutory warranty cannot be excluded. The general period is two years from delivery (§ 438). It can be cut to one year on used goods, but only if the buyer was expressly informed beforehand and the reduction is agreed expressly and separately in the contract (§ 476.2). And during the first year the defect is presumed to have existed when the car was handed over: you do not have to prove it (§ 477).
If you buy from a private seller
In Germany, excluding the warranty between private individuals is possible (the usual formulas "gekauft wie gesehen" or "unter Ausschluss jeglicher Gewährleistung"), because § 476 only protects a consumer buying from a business. Be careful how this gets told, though: § 444 of the BGB does not authorise that exclusion, it limits it. What it says is that the seller cannot rely on it if he fraudulently concealed the defect or gave a guarantee as to the condition of the car. In Spain, between private individuals all you have is the civil code's liability for hidden defects: article 1484, with a window of six months from delivery (article 1490) which can also be contracted away if the seller did not know about the defect (article 1485).
Six months against two years. That is the short version.
And now the fault data
Two German reports measure different things and it is worth not mixing them up:
TÜV-Report 2026 — defects at the German roadworthiness test
Published on 20 November 2025, covering 9.5 million inspections carried out between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. Overall: 21.5 % of cars with serious or dangerous defects, 12.3 % with minor defects and 66.1 % with none at all. By age:
| Age of car | Fail rate |
|---|---|
| 5 years (second test) | One in ten |
| 11 years | 22.9 % |
| 15 years | 32.9 % |
ADAC Pannenstatistik 2026 — roadside breakdowns
Published on 23 April 2026 with 2025 data: 158 model ranges from 27 manufacturers, cars between 2 and 9 years old. The most common breakdown by a wide margin is the starter battery: 45.4 % of all call-outs. Engine and engine electronics, 21.8 %. The ADAC says Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz come out consistently high on reliability. One figure that surprises people: two-year-old electric cars had 2.1 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, against 5.8 for combustion cars.
What we take from all this
A four or five-year-old car that has passed an official programme's check sits exactly in the band where the statistics are still very good (one in ten fails at five years), and on top of that it arrives with a commercial warranty in writing and with the statutory one that cannot be excluded. That, in short, is why we only work with approved cars. You can read what an approved car is and what is available right now.
Frequently asked questions
What warranty do I get buying a used car from a German dealer?
The statutory warranty cannot be excluded in a sale to a consumer (§ 476.1 BGB). The period is two years, reducible to one on used cars only with prior notice and an express, separate agreement. During the first year the defect is presumed to have existed already.
And if I buy from a private seller in Spain?
All you have is the civil code liability for hidden defects, with a window of six months from delivery (article 1490), and even that can be contracted away if the seller did not know about the defect.
What age and mileage does each programme accept?
Junge Sterne in Germany: up to 6 years and 150,000 km. BMW Premium Selection and MINI NEXT: up to 12 years and 200,000 km. Porsche Approved publishes no entry limits. Mercedes Certified Spain has no limit.
How many cars fail the German roadworthiness test?
According to the TÜV-Report 2026, 21.5 % of the total have serious or dangerous defects. At five years, one in ten; at fifteen, almost one in three.
What is the most common fault on a used car?
The starter battery: 45.4 % of ADAC call-outs in 2025. Engine and engine electronics, 21.8 %.
Does "gekauft wie gesehen" leave me with no rights?
Between private individuals, generally yes, unless the seller fraudulently concealed the defect or gave a guarantee as to condition. Against a professional, no: that clause does not hold.
Sources
- TÜV-Report 2026 (TÜV-Verband)
- ADAC Pannenstatistik 2026
- Mercedes-Benz — Junge Sterne entry requirements
- BMW — used car warranty and Premium Selection limits
- § 476 BGB — statutory warranty in consumer sales
- Spanish civil code, article 1490 — the six-month window
Every source was checked on 25 September 2026. Tax rules change: if you are reading this much later, confirm it or ask us.
