West Bloomfield Firm Offers Latest In Car Reliability Data

The West Bloomfield Township-based auto reliability Web site TrueDelta.com is out with the latest in car reliability data.

And they mean the VERY latest, as in months and months earlier than any other source -- owner reliability data based on reported car owner experiences through Dec. 31.

The results enable comparisons between domestic and foreign models, including new models like the North American Car of the Year, the 2009 Hyundai Genesis.

The latest figures refute the decades-old anecdotal evidence some Southern politicans used to rip Detroit in last fall's debates over loans to Detroit's automakers.

As of five weeks ago, it turns out, the repair rates of Detroit’s best-selling midsize sedans, the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion, differ little from those of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. In most other cases, the difference amounts to well under one repair trip per year.
“One thing is clear -- it is no longer valid to infer a car model’s reliability from its nationality, or even its brand," said TrueDelta founder Michael Karesh.

For this reason, TrueDelta publicly releases the actual repair rates for individual car models, not just the scores for brands.

Frequent updates also enable TrueDelta to have the first results for new car models. With the Genesis, Hyundai set out to prove that it could create a world-class luxury sedan. By at least one measure, they have succeeded: a jury of 50 automotive journalists recently voted the Hyundai Genesis the North American Car of the Year. The Genesis is all-new, and much more complex than the typical Hyundai. So it would not be surprising if the car required many repairs, especially in its first model year.

Except that it doesn’t. TrueDelta’s new results indicate a Hyundai Genesis repair rate of 43 repair trips per 100 cars per year, about average for a 2009 model. This suggests that most of these cars will not require a single repair in their first year. The reported problems have been minor electrical, typical of new cars. Karesh concludes: “Based on owners’ experiences so far, reliability should not be a major concern for car buyers considering a Genesis.”

Usually when a new model starts out with an average or better repair rate, it continues to have a average or better repair rate. Will the Genesis continue to fare well after the first few months of ownership? Will the Malibu and Fusion continue to require few repairs as they age? With prompt quarterly updates, including three more this year, TrueDelta will be the first to report when a car model’s reliability improves or takes a turn for the worse.

TrueDelta also provides more useful information for those buying used cars. Karesh notes, “When considering a used car, do you want to know how reliable it was a year or so ago -- or do you want to know how reliable it has been recently?"

Car owners provide TrueDelta's data through brief online surveys. In exchange for their participation, these owners receive full access to TrueDelta's results free of charge.

Through rapid growth, the number of cars enrolled in TrueDelta's research will reach 40,000 this month. This growth is due in part to enthusiastic support from owner forums such as GenesisOwners.com and FordFusion.net.

Car owners can view the latest Car Reliability Survey results and become involved at www.TrueDelta.com.