Reliability

The major purpose of a car is transportation to get people and materials from here to there and back again. Reliability may be the most significant piece of information you need when considering the purchase of a used car. A car that is unreliable is not just expensive to repair, it's aggravating and stressful.

It is impossible to determine the reliability of a new car, but you can consider the track record of the previous 10 years of that vehicle's model. It is possible, however, that previous faults may been remedied in the newer models.

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Your Task

Your task will be to research and document the reliability of the vehicles you have chosen.

Part A
Consumer Reports maintains a database of vehicles which are scored on their reliability in 14 areas. These areas are:

Engine

Suspension

Cooling

Brakes

Fuel

Exhaust

Ignition

Power Equipment

Transmissions

Paint/trim/rust

Electrical

Integrity

A/C

Hardware.

To access this database, we will use the Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2004. This book can be found at most libraries. (You can also find it online, but it requires a paid subscription to view it.) This book has a large section on automobiles. You will use this data for the reliability form found below, which will be used to document this section. This data will help you understand the Reliability Index for your cars.

It is important to understand how this index is created based on the 14 different areas which generate a reliability verdict.

Part B
What is the Reliability Index for cars, and how is a car's rating determined?

Auto on Info.com explains this quite well. Go there and read about the Reliability Index. Find the Reliability Index there for your cars, and record each score in its appropriate column in the Decision Matrix and on the Reliability Form below.

To document the Reliability section of the WebQuest, print out the Reliability Form and fill in the data for your chosen vehicles using the Consumer Reports Buying Guide from the library. You may copy the symbols used in the book, (Be sure to include a key); or explain what the symbols mean. Add the Reliability Index number from Auto on Info.com to the bottom row where it asks for the Reliability Verdict.

Reliability Form

Some Questions to Consider When Writing Your Conclusion:

Was there a difference in the reliability rating among your chosen cars? What was it? What could account for this difference? Do you think the age of the car could be the sole reason for this difference? What else might contribute to the difference? Did the reliability rating of your chosen cars cause you to reconsider your choice of vehicle? Why or why not? How important to you is the reliability rating of a car when considering a car purchase? Is there a single reliability feature that you would consider more important than the others? What did you learn about the Reliability Index that surprised you?