Which vehicle has the longest expected life

[Jimzz]

Yet, I've rarely seen JD Powers reliability data stray far from what CR presents, despite the diatribe of opinion presented by your link.

If anything, with the readers being better educated and wealthier, their cars should be treated better with better and more frequent service.

And while Audi among other brands scurry up and down the overall ratings board, ever consider why this may be? The author of that opinion piece didn't. Could it be that a particularly troublesome model or year is dropped off the end when the new year is added, thereby enhancing the reliability rating? Naaa....that certainly couldn't enter into that, could it?

(Hint: That's how car lines make gains in reliability....the less reliable ones become old enough to ignore while the newer ones are becoming more reliable, and the chart reflects it....and that other makers are having problems. Naaa.....that couldn't possibly be a factor.....that well researched article you linked doesn't mention that, so it couldn't be.)


And did you ever consider that the buyers of the Toyota version of the Prism may have been more attentive to maintenance than the Chevy buyers, which I fully expect to be a huge reason that the Toytoas were "more reliable" than the Chevy version.

Did you even look at audi in 2010 and 2011, they did not have any major changes. 15 models in 2010 and 15 in 2011 all the same, yet they "reliability' number where hugly different.

And I guess you agree then CR should be ignored if they can't tell the difference between the reliability of 2 of the same cars other than its owners then they are not rating cars but owners? Your words.


Its at best a "This is what our paying members think...." then it is about the cars.

Consumer Reports reliability ratings for cars and trucks: are they reliable?
http://www.allpar.com/cr.html

 

[hans007]

Probably get a diesel. Those engines are built quite a bit stronger than gas engines. That's why you see old 80s diesel Mercedes still on the road.

I suppose if it was possible I'd get a Lexus is220 d. Toyota reliability with an over built diesel but that's a euro only car

 

[SparkyJJO]

My 02 Trailblazer has 174k miles on it and still running strong. It's rusting (NY and Ohio salt sucks) but it is solid. I've had a few repairs on it but nothing crazy (typical wear stuff for the most part). I'm planning on getting at least 200k out of it, preferably more because it'll only take another year for me to hit that and I really don't want to have to spend the money on a replacement that soon.

I agree with ZV on age being a major factor, not just miles. Rubber gets old and dry rots (bushings, seals, etc). In a way, too low of miles can almost be worse as seals don't get as much lubrication and may dry out faster. Highway miles are typically easy on a car too. I'd rather buy a car with 125k highway miles than another with say 75k city miles, as that 125k highway is going to be less wear on the engine and transmission.