Where do you go for information on car reliability?

[westsloper]

I'm shopping for a used car. Probably going to end up with a 4wd full size pickup. I'm trying to compare reliability of different models, but reviews tend to focus on things I'm not worried about, like infotainment systems and how nice the interior feels. I'm 99% concerned about reliability - how prone these models are to mechanical problems.

What are some good sources of info on vehicle reliability? Consumer Reports is the big one, I know. Any other resources?

For what it's worth, I'm leaning towards a 2010-ish Toyota Tundra. Today I looked at a 2012 Nissan Titan with the off-road package that seemed impressive. I'm probably unfairly biased against Ford, Chevy, and Dodge - I'd love to find some reliability info that would change my mind.

 

[neverquit]

Unfortunately I think all your find is the typical “what I drive it the best.”

That said Ford F-150 is the way to go

 

[V65Magna]

I try to talk to mechanics that I know. Currently, a friend of mine works for a major Chevy dealership in the Balt/Wash metropolitan area and another guy I shoot with owns a light truck/automotive repair business of his own where I take my truck for service. I've been eyeing up an F250 (Powerstroke) or an HD 2500 Alison Diesel for a while but both of them told me I'd be out of my mind to get rid of my 2013 Tundra.

 

[Neverenoughhntn]

For me, Toyota hands down. I rotate through a new 3/4 ton ford, Chevy, or dodge every few years for work and have always ended up back at the dealership for something within the first 50k miles.... maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I still have my ‘04 tundra with 230K, and have never had any problems... and that’s my hunting rig, meaning a TON of those miles are on crappy roads.

 

[rickjames80]

When I was car shopping I hit the usual suspects like Consumers Reports and Edmonds.com. You have to sort through some bs but you can usually find a pattern where multiple people have the same problem. Also check forums like this one. For example I have a duramax and am on dieselplace.com . It looks like there is a tundra forum that breaks them down by generation. I'm sure the members there would be full of info. IMHO the tundra is a hell of a truck

 

[Maverick1]

Here is a resource based on data Long-Term Quality Index - 1.2 Million Used Cars Inspected From 1993 To Today - Dashboard Light

 

[NDGuy]

Here is a resource based on data Long-Term Quality Index - 1.2 Million Used Cars Inspected From 1993 To Today - Dashboard Light

Dude thank you I was looking for this website for like a year. I used it when buying my truck a few years ago. Very informative, looks like my next truck will be a Toyota Tundra.

 

[buckwalleye]

Personal bias alert. I have a 2008 Nissan titan and I think they are a very underrated truck. I bought it in 2011 with 20,000 miles. Now has 140,000 miles. I've had to change wheel bearings,ball joints, u joints. I think that once you break that 100k threshold that's all pretty common no matter what model. It's been a great truck and I have no plans to replace. Also I live heavy snow area where roads get blasted by salt. Lots of (if not most) other 10 year old trucks start to rust out along cab corners, wheel wells. Mine is still solid. Gas mileage sucks.

 

[Shepherd]

According to the Reliability study in the above link, the Tundra blows all of the other trucks out of the water.

I've had a couple Tundra's and can vouch for them - a great all around truck that I've never worried about in terms of reliability.
That said, they do suffer from lower gas mileage than their peers, which is the only beef I have with them.

 

[bivouaclarry]

Find a forum that has enthusiasts for the brand and model you are considering. Search for the year of the truck you are considering and see what actual users have to say. I did this for my used F150 and knew exactly what to look for when I began to narrow it down to one truck.

 

[elkduds]

carcomplaints.com

 

[7mmremmag]

Find a forum that has enthusiasts for the brand and model you are considering. Search for the year of the truck you are considering and see what actual users have to say. I did this for my used F150 and knew exactly what to look for when I began to narrow it down to one truck.

I do the same.

 

[bojangles808]

Personal bias alert. I have a 2008 Nissan titan and I think they are a very underrated truck. I bought it in 2011 with 20,000 miles. Now has 140,000 miles. I've had to change wheel bearings,ball joints, u joints. I think that once you break that 100k threshold that's all pretty common no matter what model. It's been a great truck and I have no plans to replace. Also I live heavy snow area where roads get blasted by salt. Lots of (if not most) other 10 year old trucks start to rust out along cab corners, wheel wells. Mine is still solid. Gas mileage sucks.

watch out for leaking exhaust the manifolds can crack pretty easily. only real fix is to install headers and bpipes

 

[NDGuy]

Also I live heavy snow area where roads get blasted by salt. Lots of (if not most) other 10 year old trucks start to rust out along cab corners, wheel wells. Mine is still solid.

All of those early to mid 2000s trucks are horrible with rusting underneath the cab, wheel wells etc.

My 01 Ford I got rid of was horrible underneath the cab by the runner bars there wasn't anything left but a thin crust layer without anything underneath it.

 

[Beendare]

I currently own Ford,Chevy, Toyota, Hino and Ram trucks

My daily driver is a 2011 Tundra. ...my partners is the Tacoma.

You cannot beat Toyota for reliability...but their gas mileage sucks.

I do think the other vehicle manufacturers are catching up to Toyota reliability wise.

If I was buying a new truck today....the Ram would have to be in the mix. My Tundra gets 13.7mpg [big tires/wheels]....my other identical RAM [Stock tires] avges 18-19mpg. That thing where it shuts down some cylinders on the freeway really improves gas mileage.

 

[EastMT]

Yup, I wanted a nice little Tacoma 4 door 6 cyl, but with its tow capacity vs 21-2 mpg for a solid v8 in other trucks, I had to go with a different brand. Them 4runners and Tacoma’s sure are sexy though, I eyeball them as they go by, look as my gas gauge and wonder if I decided right lol.

 

[wapitibob]

I just look at my odometer

 

[bobinmi]

Here is a resource based on data Long-Term Quality Index - 1.2 Million Used Cars Inspected From 1993 To Today - Dashboard Light

Never seen this one before. I'm bookmarking for sure.

 

[shoulinjedi]

I'm shopping for a used car. Probably going to end up with a 4wd full size pickup. I'm trying to compare reliability of different models, but reviews tend to focus on things I'm not worried about, like infotainment systems and how nice the interior feels. I'm 99% concerned about reliability - how prone these models are to mechanical problems.

What are some good sources of info on vehicle reliability? Consumer Reports is the big one, I know. Any other resources?

For what it's worth, I'm leaning towards a 2010-ish Toyota Tundra. Today I looked at a 2012 Nissan Titan with the off-road package that seemed impressive. I'm probably unfairly biased against Ford, Chevy, and Dodge - I'd love to find some reliability info that would change my mind.

Dashboard Light - Automotive Reliability




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[roadkill61]

no need to go any further than a Tundra. F150? give me a break