[mkaresh]

The latest TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results have been posted. These are for the year ending December 31, 2007.

For the 2007 Jeep Compass and Patriot, we received an average of 5.8 months of data on 20 cars. The stat of 42 successful repair trips per 100 vehicles per year (0.4 per vehicle) is better than average for a 2007 model. The sample size is small, so the result is asterisked. But the repair rate of the related Dodge Caliber has been similar, suggesting that both are accurate.

No result for the 2008 yet, so it's not possible to say whether the repair rate has improved in the second model year (it often does). We need more participants for the current model year. We do already have results for some other 2008s, including the new Accord.

Everyone who has been helping out with this research, thank you. Those who aren't yet helping out, please consider doing so. As already mentioned, we especially need more 2008s.

Full set of results:

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

 

[ACX]

I meant to sign up as our 07 has been problem free for over a year but I steered clear due to the ttac affiliation.

the credibility / lack thereof is equivalent so the number may as well be in sanskrit.

 

[mkaresh]

What you're really doing, whether or not you realize it, is evaluating sources based on whether they say what you want them to say.

TTAC doesn't tell me what to say, and I don't tell them what to say. Do I disagree with some of the things TTAC says? Sure. But I respect others' right to state their opinion.

In terms of the reliability survey results, my personal opinions have no bearing. I report whatever the survey responses dictate.

When you have a source that is amenable to external pressure, such as you're attempting to exert here, that's when you should be calling the credibility of the source into question.

 

[ACX]

Just an association thing with a perversely insular group.

Any concept that there isn't a party line to toe is laughable to me, sorry, no offense.

You can do what you like, I'm not trying to influence anyone. You can't like everyone.

The site you are affiliated with has gone out of their way 2 years in a row tee off on the compass voting it the worst car (passing it off on the votership of their site which they groom quite actively, ask me how I and probably hundreds of others know) and now you're here to be the saviour for reliability reporting. Affiliation is affiliation to me, fair or not.

Sh*t I'll be honest I have followed your exploits for a number of years and don't disagree with your aims but yeah. Maybe when you get a better gig and leave like so many others have done.

 

[mkaresh]

Are you referring to TTAC as a gig for me? That's kind of funny.

I don't fancy myself an auto reviewer. I'm primarily a data provider, and TTAC is a client. Like many other contributors there, I write the reviews because I find it enjoyable to do so.

I personally don't care for best / worst lists, anywhere, unless they're presented as a person's opinion. They're just not the way I like to present things. I think the "best car" depends on an individuals needs, wants, and tastes. Saying that one car is best or worst for everyone vastly oversimplifies. It only works for people who are too lazy or lack the confidence to sort out which car is actually the best one for them.

Here's one piece I've written on that topic:

http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/comparison_tests.php

In TTAC's case, at least the list is the result of a vote. Sure, it's the vote of a specific group of people who are frequent visitors to the site. But TTAC is clear about this, it's not hidden in any way.