Reliability suveys. Does anybody really care?

[Thankyou4calling]

For me I'd take them with a pinch of salt and wouldn't use them to influence a buying decision. I guess the headline is good though for a manufacturer looking to appeal to folk who are concerned about that sort of thing. I always find the sample size is too small, subjective and unsubstantiated. Any thoughts?

[Ozzie Osmond]

Yes.

That's why I've never owned an Alfa, Ferrari, Maserati or Lambo. Strangely they are all made in Italy.

[Perd Hapley]

The heart wants what it wants, reliability stats be damned.

[LuS1fer]

Reliability surveys are completely dictated by the type of owners and the number of cars in the survey. So a survey with one faultless S200 and a dozen peugeots, two or three of which may have had minor issues is totally meaningless. Stats are corrupt.

[deltashad]

Reliable cars are boring

[Alfanatic]

I don't think anyone has actually proven the most popular ones to be wrong. As for caring, as Alfanatic you'd probably think I don't care at all, but the reality is a car has to be pretty damn awesome in other ways if I'm going to put up with it letting me down more than.. well, once, really. So yes, I really care.

[bogie]

nope ...its mostly luck anyway

had 2 TVR speed 6 engined cars and did +30K miles in each one ...just fine

as always the minority of unhappy users shout louder than the happy majority, and everyone knows a mate of a mate who owned a car of "branx xyz" that was a nightmare

[Jasandjules]

AS above, I've had MR2s and BMWs that spent a lot of time being fixed.... And I've had a TVR Chimaera that pretty much (ok, after I got the alarm sorted) went from annual service to annual service without complaint.

[kambites]

Reliability has never really bothered me, although total running costs do. As long as you understand what you're actually reading, I think the various surveys/reports that get published are useful tools.

The one thing the decent ones (as in the ones that use some form of hard data rather than owner opinions which can be heavily skewed by expectations) seem to repeatedly demonstrate is that there is very little difference between the best and worst modern cars in terms of reliability.

Edited by kambites on Monday 24th September 19:40

[Olivera]

I'm sceptical of surveys such as JD Power mainly because it's not possible to factor in what a car will be used for or the demographic that buys it.

It's obvious that Lotus Exiges or Focus RSs will on average lead harder lives than your typical Honda Jazz with a 70 year old owner. Similarly expectations are much higher for executive and sports cars. Those who buy an M3 expect great handling, comfort, performance, build quality and reliability; whereas again your Jazz owner is happy that it does the shopping once a week, doesn't break down and gets 50 mpg.

Edited by Olivera on Monday 24th September 19:42

[kambites]

JD power isn't a reliability survey though, it's a customer satisfaction one. Rather different thing.