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 LR2 very quickly--if enough owners sign up to help out. The sooner enough owners of the 2008 get involved, the sooner others considering the car will have some reliability information to factor into their decision.

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. I'm in the U.S., and the pricing information on the site is U.S. only, but most of the rest of the site should be useful to people anywhere in the world. Owners outside the U.S. and Canada are certainly welcome.

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

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Starting to pick up, now 1/3 of the way to the minimum needed to get started with the LR2 / Freelander2. truedelta.com
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A few more 2008s and it will be possible to start with that year. truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Last edited by mkaresh on 28th May 2008 2:35 pm. Edited 1 time in total

A dozen owners of the 2008 are now signed up. The LR2 / Freelander2 will be included once three more owners sign up.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
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Got those three, so the LR2 and Freelander 2 will be in the survey next week.

That said, more participants will be necessary to provide a result.

For the details, and to help make this happen:

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Up to 18. Looking better for a result in August. But more participants still needed for this to happen.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Up to 22 now. At this level, every single participant really makes a difference.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
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Results for 120+ other models recently posted. I'm hoping to have an initial result for the LR2 in the next update, in August. But it's going to be tight.

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

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

I should know in a couple of weeks whether the LR2 will make it into the August update.

A few more participants could easily make the difference between having a result and not having one.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
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August is looking unlikely, but November is much more likely.

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. I'd really like to have these results as soon as possible.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
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Actually, the LR2 / Freelander2 managed to squeak into the August results. The result will be asterisked for a marginal sample size, but it will be there.

I'd like to get rid of the asterisk the next time around.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
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That initial result: no LR2 owners have reported a repair yet. While no doubt some LR2s do require repairs, this suggests that the repair rate is not high.

Need more participants to provide a precise result.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Hi,
I have found your survey to be very complicated and has taken to long to get started. So I have given up, I could not locate the Freelander 2 on the site.

Thank you for this feedback. I'm sorry you found the experience so frustrating. I would appreciate the opportunity to fix the problems you encountered and get you involved. The frustration on my end comes from people who report that they find the site frustrating (you're not alone in this), but don't provide enough detail for me to identify the problem and fix it.

For example, when you say the "survey" is complicated, do you mean the actual survey, or the process of signing up and finding the survey? Were you able to join the site?

I'm based in the U.S., so in most places on the site you'll find the Freelander2 referred to as the LR2. On the sign up form both "LR2" and "Freelander" are listed. I used to refer to the vehicle as the "LR2 / Freelander," but this also confused people. Sorry about this; it's simpler when a vehicle has the same name everywhere it's sold.

The way the main survey works is simple. (Well, at least it seems simple to the person who designed the process--me.) You don't need to find the survey on the site. Instead, as it says on the sign up page, you'll receive an email each month with a link to the survey. Click the link, and it takes you straight to the survey, automatically logging you in. Most months no response is needed, just an approximate odometer reading at the end of each quarter and a repair survey whenever the car takes a trip to the shop. truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information

Updated result in November. The sample size will be marginal, so additional participants would be very helpful.

Vehicle reliability research truedelta.com
Vehicle reliability, fuel economy, and price comparison information