I am a professional mechanic, and have been for over 25 years, so I meet the qualifier. I've seen plenty of pattern failures and labor intensive repairs over the years. And I'll answer this based on relative number and expense of headaches. If you are independently wealthy with plenty of time on your hands, buy whatever you like. But for those who need a vehicle for work, without working for your vehicle, take note.

As an entire line , I've seen the fewest problems with Toyota vehicles. And the trend is strongest with their front wheel drive sedans. For decades the 4 cylinder engines found in cars such as the Camry, Corolla and Yaris have been incredibly reliable, requiring little beyond fluid changes for 150,000 miles. And if any repairs are required, service tends to be straightforward.

This characteristic of rugged dependability is also found throughout the entire vehicle. Interior components are typically well thought out , with logical disassembly routines when repairs are required. No bizarre suspension or driveline configurations which equate to higher repair costs.

There are a number of folks who find a Toyota too bland and boring. For those with such preferences, there are plenty of vehicles on the market that can provide the excitement of expensive repairs on a routine basis. There are many specific vehicle models that I advise people to avoid. There are a smaller number of makers that I would avoid in all cases.

The first make that comes to mind is Jaguar. And to be clear , this is from a repair perspective, and not based on driving experience or how it looks in one's driveway. Throughout the decades, I've seen too many situations involving expensive repairs or hard to obtain components. This is not a make for a “One car family”.

Unless you enjoy 4 digit prices for 30k and 60k services, I would also avoid BMW and Mercedes. If money is not a concern, and your happy place is an posh service department waiting room, disregard this advice. They are certainly not poorly built vehicles. They simply require a commitment to own.