In late 2005 I started conducting my own reliability research. I'm reporting absolute stats like "times in the shop" that will make the differences between cars much clearer. Relative ratings obscure too much--how large is the difference between "better than average" and "worse than average"? I’ll also be updating results four times a year, so there will be information on new models sooner when enough owners sign up promptly.

Participants report repairs the month after they occur on a one-page survey. When there are no repairs, they simply report an approximate odometer reading four times a year, at the end of each quarter.

To encourage participation, panel members will receive full access to the results free of charge.

Details: Vehicle reliability research

Comments, questions, and suggestions welcome.

Just need half a dozen more owners of the 2008 to sign up to get started.

Closer, but still not quite there. Just need three more owners signed up.

Auto reliability research -- need more 2008 Lancers!

signed up and enrolled!

Thanks, I appreciate it.

There are now 16 2008s signed up, so the new Lancer is now included in the data collection. That said, 25 responses will be required for a result, so more participants are still needed.

Auto reliability research -- need more Lancers!

ok i signed up....now what?

As you probably know at this point (sorry for the delayed reply) you get a monthly email with links to the survey. To go to the survey (one if you had a repair, another if you did not), just click the link. No need to log in, to make it quick and easy.

The "no repair" survey, which is mostly just an approximate odometer reading, is only needed the first month then at the end of every quarter, four times a year. It's very short.

If you don't get the email, there's something wrong with your email, maybe an oversensitive bulk or spam filter.

There are now 21 owners of the 2008 signed up. So if people keep signing up like they have been we'll have results in May.

For the details, click:

Vehicle reliability research

Will probably need more participants for results in May, and with surveys a larger sample is always better.

Updated results for 92 other model / model year combination in a week or so. Would very much like to have the Lancer in the May set.

To help get it there:

Vehicle reliability research

I can help out if you need some more people for your survey.
I just purchased my 08 Lancer GTS loaded with CVT on January 26 of 08 & I already have 1100 miles on it. I would be putting on about 20,000 a year.
If something is going to go wrong.....with the amount of miles I put on it, I can be of some help to you.

Just let me know what you would like for me to do.

Adam

I just signed up.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

I've started collecting data on the 2008. Might have an initial result in May--but given the number of people signed up it's going to be close. A few more participants might make all the difference.

Vehicle reliability research

Not looking good for May unless we get more responses.

If you've signed up to participate but haven't yet responded to the survey (via a link in the email you received), please do. And if you haven't signed up yet, I hope you'll consider doing so. I'd really like to have these results in May.

Vehicle reliability research

We got them--barely. Thanks, guys.

The result will be released later this week, and will have an asterisk for marginal sample size.

I'd like to get rid of that asterisk with the August results. Additional participants would make this happen.

Vehicle reliability research

Signed up!

Thanks, I appreciate it.

With the help of people here, we were able to post an initial result for the 2008 Lancer recently. The repair rate appears to be better than average.

However, the sample size was small, so the result is asterisked.

I'd like to get rid of that asterisk, and also report on the 2009 ASAP. So I hope more owners will sign up and participate.

For the full set of results, and sign up to help (if you haven't already):

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

just signed in

Thanks.

We'll have an updated result in August. I don't know if there will be enough responses to avoid an asterisk for marginal sample size. A few additional participants could make the difference.

Vehicle reliability research

We're currently just three responses short of the minimum for a full result in August, and a few days left in the month. So it might happen, and it might not.

If you've signed up to participate but haven't yet responded to the survey (via a link in the email you received), please do.

And if you haven't signed up yet...

Vehicle reliability research

I cannot sign in, but I´ll help.

Car currently has almost 10k miles, in service 8 months and a half.
No problems whatsoever, 1 trip to the dealer for the scheduled maintenance.
Only issue is that around 5k miles the auto on/off headlights and auto wipers (rain sensing) decided to not work anymore , but it was taken care of at the dealer visit (just needed a reprogramming).

The result for the 2008: a better than average repair rate.

Additional participants would permit us to provide a more precise result for the 2008, and (soon) the 2009 as well.

The current results:

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results