Help show Consumer Reports how it's done

[mkaresh]

What many people don't realize is that Consumer Reports' reliability research methods are slow, flawed, and generally outmoded. In response, a couple years ago I started collecting auto reliability data at TrueDelta.com. TrueDelta reports absolute stats like "trips to the shop" that make the differences between cars much clearer. Results are updated four times a year, so it's possible to provide reliability information on new models quickly.

For example, we'll be posting an initial result for the 2008 Buick Enclave this week. CR won't post one until next October.

The same can be done with the 2008 CTS--if a couple dozen more owners (or soon-to-be owners) sign up to participate in the next few weeks. We could have an initial result in February. If so, CR's result next October will be very old news.

If there is a solid result for the CTS in February, it will be highlighted in the press release that attends those results, and this forum will get credit in that release for helping to make the result possible. The number of participants will be key. The more there are, the more attention this result and this forum will receive.

Participants simply 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 all results for free.

For the details, and to sign up to help out:

Auto reliability research

[Lord Cadillac]

I hope to see some of our CTS members sign up for this.. As True Delta becomes more popular, it'll help people make their decisions on buying a new Cadillac.. And being that quality has gone up in recent years, I think this would be a good thing..

I wonder - is there an option at True Delta that'll allow a member to keep track of his/her own vehicle repairs?

[mkaresh]

Thanks, Sal. I think the site already offers what you're suggesting, and will do a better job of it in the near future.

First I created the Vehicle Reliability Survey, which collected data for the repair rate stats. This is the main survey.

This survey has two limitations:
--members can only report repairs that occurred recently
--models with too few owners signed up were not included

People kept emailing me their complete repair histories. So I created a second, optional survey, the Vehicle Repair History Survey. Submissions to this one are posted as-is to the site, and aren't analyzed.

The current page for the CTS is here:

Cadillac CTS repair histories

As you can see, there aren't many entries yet.

To provide more individual repair histories (which do not identify who the owners are), and make it so people don't have to enter the same info twice, I'm about to integrate the two surveys. In the next month or two, the linked page will also include all submissions to the main survey in addition to information submitted using the supplemental, Repair History Survey. I'm also going to ask owners of models not included in the main survey yet to update their submissions to the Repair History Survey once every three months.

[mkaresh]

Results just posted for 73 other models (plus another 72 with insufficient sample sizes) here:

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

Fourteen 2008 CTSs now signed up. For the 2008 to be in the next set of results, at least a couple dozen more participants will be necessary.

[mkaresh]

I truly need everyone's help with this, otherwise it's not going to happen. Not for the 2008 CTS, anyway.

So far 16 owners or soon-to-be owners have signed up. A decent start, but not enough for an initial result in February.

The 2008 models that do make it into the February results will be the focus of the attending press release, and I will be crediting the forums that make these results possible. I want to include the CTS and this forum.

The surveys are very short--well under a minute if there are no repairs to report. And all results are provided to participants.

Auto reliability research -- need more 2008 CTSs!

[mkaresh]

Still need more participants for results in February.

[mkaresh]

So far, 24 owners have signed up to participate. This is good, but the lowest of any of the 2008s I'm been prioritizing, and probably not enough for even an asterisked result in February. Among competing cars, 27 2008 C-Class owners and 34 Infiniti G-Series owners have signed up to help out.

A few more 2008s could make all the difference for results in February.

Auto reliability research

[t mac]

i signed my car up, how long should it take before i get an email to say i'm eligible? or am i misreading something?

[mkaresh]

A simple confirmation email is sent with your member number in it. It usually only takes a minute, at most, but can take longer. The server sends the email right away. The only question is how quickly your provider processes and delivers it.

Have you still not received the email? If not, please contact me using the contact form on my site, including your email address where this is requested, and I'll look into what might have happened.

[Bender]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

A simple confirmation email is sent with your member number in it. It usually only takes a minute, at most, but can take longer. The server sends the email right away. The only question is how quickly your provider processes and delivers it.

Have you still not received the email? If not, please contact me using the contact form on my site, including your email address where this is requested, and I'll look into what might have happened.

I always check the ol' spam/junk email folder. Lotsa confirmation emails seem to get routed there.

[mkaresh]

Do any of the presidential candidates have a plan for spam?

Up to 27 now, again tied with the 2008 C-Class. 30 would be better

Auto reliability research

[mkaresh]

39 owners have signed up so far.

However, only 21 of these have responded to the survey, for a total of 35 months of data. I only show a result at all if there are at least 45 months of data, and asterisk this result unless there are at least 75 months of data.

At this point, there's virtually no chance of a result without an asterisk. I think most people simply took delivery too recently.

But there could well be an asterisked result. Just need at least ten more months of data (and the more, the better).

A follow-up email with links to the survey goes out tomorrow. If you've already signed up, please respond to it. If you haven't yet signed up, please consider doing so.

Details and link to the enrollment form here:

Auto reliability research

[mkaresh]

The May update is approaching quickly--members will get a preview a little over a month from now. We should have a solid result for the 2008 then, but this will depend on the level of participation.

47 owners of the 2008 are currently signed up to participate. 60+ would enable a more precise result.

For the details, and to help make this happen:

Vehicle reliability research

[mkaresh]

Up to 52 now.

The May update is approaching fast. Participants will get a preview about a month from now. Would still like to be over 60 by the time next week's survey email goes out.

Vehicle reliability research

[mkaresh]

Updated result in May. 63 owners now signed up; more would still be helpful.

Vehicle reliability research