mkaresh

In late 2005 I started conducting reliability research. I'm reporting 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 like the 2008 C-Class very quickly, even as soon as February--if enough owners sign up to help out.

If just a couple more sign up, I'll start collecting data this month.

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 the results for free.

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

Vehicle reliability research

Comments, questions, and suggestions welcome.

mkaresh

I started collecting data on the C204 this month. So far 13 owners have signed up, among the best for a 2008.

TrueDelta's November results will include the 2008 Buick Enclave, which went on sale six months ago. J.D. Power won't have information on the Enclave until May or June, CR not till a year from now.

The same can be done with the C-Class--if enough owners sign up and participate. Participating takes very little time, and with just a few dozen participants we can have results way before anyone else.

mkaresh

A few more owners have signed up, but still a couple dozen short of the number needed for results in February.

Help provide those considering a C204 with the earliest possible reliability info:

Auto reliability research

mkaresh

Getting there, 17 cars are now enrolled. Will need more, of course.

mkaresh

Up to 21 now. Odds are looking better for a result in February, but it will still depend on how many more owners sign up and participate.

Auto reliability research -- need more C204s!

mkaresh

Still need more of C204s. It's going to be tight...

mkaresh

24 signed up now. Which is good, but some of these cars are bound to still be on order. Will know in about a month if a result will be possible in February or not. All depends on how many owners sign up and respond to the very brief surveys.

Auto reliability research--need more C204s!

mkaresh

31 now, so depending on the response rate the 2008 C204 could be in the February results. A few more participants could make all the difference.

So, if you haven't already signed up to participate, please consider doing so.

Mercedes C-Class reliability research

mkaresh

So far 18 owners have responded for a total of 41 months of experience with the cars. 45 months are needed to post even an asterisked result, so four more responses are needed.

The asterisk gets removed with 25 responses that cover at least 75 months. We're unlikely to get there with this set of results, but should have a good chance for the May results.

More participants would certainly help. The result is shaping up to be something of a surprise, but with a larger sample size would carry more weight.

For the details, and to sign up to help:

Vehicle reliability research

If you signed up earlier, but haven't yet responded to the survey, please do so. The survey can only be accessed through links in the emails you should be receiving. This method eliminates the need to log in.

mkaresh

Ended up with 21 responses covering 48 months, so there will be a result. If you were among the 21, thanks. Anyone looking for reliability information on these cars will appreciate it.

Though this result will be asterisked for a small sample size, it's informative nonetheless. Details soon.

I'd like to get rid of this asterisk with the next update after this one, in May. Just a few more participants would do it, as this will require 25 responses.

For the details, and to help make this happen:

Vehicle reliability research

micropower99

What is this? I went to the site and it asks me to pay or something?

mkaresh

Read it again...some of it for the first time.

It says that anyone who participates gets everything for free. The option of a paying non-participating membership is just a future possibility. There's nowhere on the site you can pay me, even if you wanted to.

The future option is just there to clarify the benefit of participating. You put data in, you get the resulting information out. No payment in either direction.

uhear

This is a fine example of how to champion a cause. Good Job!!!!

RLE

[<<In late 2005 I started conducting reliability research. I'm reporting 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 like the 2008 C-Class very quickly, even as soon as February--if enough owners sign up to help out.>>

Why are you doing this? You have yet to explain and I'm smelling something commercial here.

mkaresh

I've explained everything a thousand times over. Not in this thread, but in many other places.

I'm doing this primarily because I wanted it done, and no one else was willing to do it. I know, because I tried to get JD Power and Consumer Reports to do it. And they weren't interested.

Now, there will have to eventually be some income in it, or my wife won't let me keep doing it. As I've stated many times, from the very beginning, this income will come from non-participants, sites that license the results, etc. It won't come from participants. I'm not looking for money from anyone here.

In short, I've been putting together a system where I can afford to provide detailed reliability information for free to anyone who helps provide the data. And it's working. I'll have reliability info on the C204 way before JD Power or Consumer Reports. And I'm not charging for it.

It's faster. It's better. It's free. People who can complain about this can probably complain about anything. Personally, I'd rather just make something happen.

Savage c-300

i joined the cause and its actually really interesting to see what cars go into the shop the most. its worth it IMHO. Thanks for creating the site.

micropower99

That site is terribly confusing, it took me forever to actually find all the problems people were reporting and when I did find it there was only 3 or 4 for the 08 c class. (ei. the Vehicle Repair History Section)

mkaresh

You are not the only person to find the site confusing. Improvements are coming, but they are still a few months off.

In most cases, I think people find the site confusing because they're looking for information that simply isn't there.

Aside from that, a major source of confusion is that there are actually two reliability surveys, the main survey and a second separate survey that collects repair histories.

I created the first reliability survey to provide accurate overall repair rates. This survey has two limitations because of this focus:

1. Models for which fewer than 25 people are signed up aren't included

2. Repairs that happened more than a month before someone joined can't be reported

People kept emailing their entire repair histories to me. So I created a second survey where people could post any repair for any model.

You saw responses to this second survey, which at present is purely voluntary. There are ten times as many responses to the main survey. But individual responses to that one are not currently posted to the site.

There would be less confusion and more valuable information if the two surveys were integrated, and combined results were displayed. I announced that this was coming a few months ago, but also have many other projects. So it's going to happen, but not in the next month or two.

About 95% of what you see on the site is the work of one person--me. It turns out that there's only so much one person can get done. So I'm in the process of bringing other people on. You'll start to see the results of this in the spring.

Krytech

Just signed up. Thanks for providing the service.

mkaresh

You're very welcome.

We should have a solid result for the C204 in May, with a preview for participants in about a month. 48 owners are currently signed up. With samples, larger is always better. So additional participants are always very helpful.

The survey is ongoing, so it's never too late to join.

Vehicle reliability research

mkaresh

29 usable responses so far. This is enough for a result, but more would be better.

Another round of emails with links to the survey will go out tomorrow or Wednesday. 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. More participants = better info for everyone.

Vehicle reliability research

mac911

Will we be notified when the result is up? I participate, so will like an email go out? Thanks.

mkaresh

People get too much email already, so I limit announcements to a single monthly email that goes out in the third or fourth week of the month.

The email this month will announce a preview for participants. Not all responses will even be in yet, and these preliminary results could change. The email next month will announce the official results for May.

Because this forum has been so helpful, I'll also post the results for the C204 here, probably about a month from now.

mkaresh

Those results will be released on Tuesday. A big thanks to people here for making these results possible.

For now, I'll just say that the C204 is doing well for a Mercedes. But there were no repairs reported in the first quarter of data collectioni, so all reported repairs were from the most recent quarter. If this recent trend continues the repair rate will continue to increase in future updates, with the next one in August.

The more participants there are, the more accurate these results will be. So if you're not already participating, I hope you'll consider it:

Vehicle reliability research

mkaresh

Those results were posted. The C204 has a better than average repair rate so far.

There will be an updated result in August. Additional participants would be helpful, especially if you bought the car in the last few months.

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

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results