I’d call a repair that costly a major repair.
I call that a major repair as well. In industry, replacing wear items such as brake pads, fluids, filter and tires are called “maintenance” Repairs of any kinds that cover things that SHUOLD NOT FAIL at that stage in life are called repairs. The Japanese call them “catastrophic”, but I would not go that far!
One site here calls “trips to garage” a yardstick of reliability. I have some difficulty with that since some older but very reliable cars needed more frequent servicing than modern low maintenance vehicles.
As a kid on the farm I had to do oil changes and grease jobs every 1000 miles on 2 cars and one pickup truck, as well as service the tractor. Good discipline and experience.!
@jtsanders and @Docnick. I am almost to the point where any repairs that cost less than $1000 is not a major repair.
I couldn’t believe the charge for an eye exam at the vision center at Walmart. The optomitrist is very thorough. Checks are done for glaucoma, macular degeration, etc. The glasses they have made for me have been a better fit for my vision than the prescription I got from an ophthalmologist. At any rate, the charge for my last eye checkup was $66. I asked if the amount was correct as it seemed too low. I was assured that the fee was correct. “Gosh”, I replied. “The garage charges me $100 just to open the hood”.
Some years back when I owned a Rambler, an oil passage got plugged up in the block. (Yes, I changed the oil every 3000 miles even though the manual specified changing oil at 4000 mile intervals. My bill was $47.50 including the head gasket for pulling the cylinder head and clearing the passage. This was a low cost back in 1972. Now does this count as a major repair?
Our local Toyota dealer has a shop rate of $135 per hour. Even opening the hood and checking something will tare 1/2 hour!
My last dental checkup in reputable clinic cost just $110 including a full X-Ray of all my teeth.
$1000 is is at the low end of “major” for me. Had it occurred closer to 150,000 miles, I would have considered it maintenance.
I guess I have been lucky enough to have reliable vehicles. Ford 72 f100 ad 71 nova lasted till 1991 where I got a toyota pickup for 90 mile a day commute, 12 years later a 2003 ford ranger, sold the ranger in 08, got an 03 trailblazer for towing the boat with 85k, now at 195k and going strong. A few other ins and outs, for 2nd vehicle, no complaints.
I had the terrible luck to be sent to Thailand in 1968, where I saw Toyota Corollas for the first time, all used as taxis. We GIs would pile into the car, one up front, two (sometimes three) in back. First time, I didn’t expect the car to be able to take off what with all that extra weight.
It took off like a rocket. It braked like a tractor. It took corners like a sports car.
If I’d had any brains, I’d have put all my money in Toyota stock.
It’s not rare at all
sometimes, head gaskets just wear out, with no underlying root cause
Maybe the machine shop was simply disappointed that they couldn’t sell you an engine overhaul . . . ?
1997 Toyota Avalon. 367,000, original engine, transmission, have not touched either except to change oil, ATF, filters, and antifreeze.
Mice have been into the heater a number of times, had to remove the heater motor to clean out the mess. Always keep mouse traps with peanut butter bait in the trunk, engine compartment, and inside!
P/S seals leak, have changed brake pads and rotors several times, some of the heater controls have failed, cannot play home burned CDs anymore, radio is still excellent, leather is worn on left side of driver’s seat. It is my most reliable car, sometimes I have to add P/S fluid before I can go. Averages 22 mpg on short trips and uneven road.
Most reliable to date was the 1973 Toyota Corolla that lasted 16 years / 168,000 miles before rust got to the point both rear quarter panels were mostly Bondo and spray paint. Transmission was in perfect operating condition to the end with just regular service every 30k.
Had to repair one wheel bearing. And at about 140k burned out three cylinders doing daily commute on the highway at about 65-70mph. Those poor four overworked hamsters under the hood apparently weren’t meant to run that hard. But got several more years and almost 30k more after a cylinder job on the three fried ones.
As much as I liked the 1987 Olds that lasted 20 years its endless major engine and tranny problems, and then the seven years with the lemon Chevy Impala, plus the many major problems of my parents’ Olds, soured me on GM.
The current 2014 Toyota Camry has hit 40k and 4.5 years problem free aside from needing a software flash update for the tranny in the first year. The replaced front bumper assembly was courtesy of the head-on hit-and-run accident two years ago. So, in our family’s experience a pair of Toyota vehicles have been nicely trouble free while Oldsmobiles, nice as they were to drive, had frequent major problems.
My most reliable was the 2005 Camry. I sold it at 180+ miles because I was mostly tired of it. It needed 2 brake lights, as far as repairs, the rest (oil, ATF, coolant, serpentine belt and one set of front brakes) were maintenance.
It had the 4AZ FE engine known to have head cylinder bolts come loose and Toyota never extended the warranty on.
The worst in recent history was the 2000 Dodge Caravan. It was perfect up to 100K miles but nickle and dim’ed us up to 180K miles.
One caveat is that I am the one who drove the Camry vs we shared the dodge. I always think my wife is a bit rough with cars.
Her 2013 Sonata needed front half shaft/axles last week which I did. I has 80K miles on it and the boot was intact. It also has the crappy 2.4 engine that has extended warranty. It is burning oil, very random, sometimes one qt per 1K miles, sometimes 0.25 qt. We will see if my Veloster turns out to be a dud too.
I bought a new base model Toyota Pickup in 1993 and still drive it regularly. Its just about to turn over 300,000 miles. In all that time it has only been in the shop once, for a failed computer. Doubt I’ll live long enough to reach 500,000 miles but the truck is probably capable.
Every vehicle we’ve owned and later sold or gave away all had over 300k miles with ever opening the engine or transmission and no internal problems.
My 98 Pathfinder I gave to my daughter with over 300k miles when I bought my 05 4runner. She kept it for at least 3 years and then sold it to her ex BF. I saw him recently and asked about the truck. Said he traded it in on a new truck a few years ago. It had over 500k miles with the original engine and tranny.
My wifes 96 Accord is a close second. We gave it our niece who was starting college in 07. It had a little over 300k miles. Niece drove it all four years of college and kept it two years longer. Her new boyfriend (now husband) wanted a newer vehicle. They traded it in on a new Honda Civic. The accord had about 450k miles and the engine and tranny were original and never touched internally.
1993 Mazda Miata. Still own it, have had it for 25 years, 186000 miles.
Still on the original clutch too.
1994 Toyota pickup 4X4 extended cab 4 cylinder with Manual tran. and lock out hubs. Bought new still on the road with one clutch ass. replacement. Great dependable truck paints fading and interior showing wear but still solid. Bought a new replacement truck as close to the old one as possible.
I have always wanted a 2nd generation MR2. I love the style.
1 Like
Anecdotes do not prove reliability. Also, I subscribed to CR for decades. None of their car reliability ratings matched at all with cars I’ve owned. I’m much more at peace now being a former subscriber.
I searched for your Lexus anecdote and only found one dealing with a couple that drove a reliable 1990 Lexus past 350,000 miles and an 04 Sienna beyond 240,000 miles.
I’ve got GM cars in my fleet that have outdone that with no major repairs and only basic maintenance… yawn. (Pssst… it’s not that unusual, at all, for most modern cars to do that.)
This whole CR story had my interest until the next anecdote discussed a highly reliable Volvo (Typo? oxymoron?) 240DL that has gone beyond 300,000 miles! That’s right where I stopped with the car reliability anecdotes!
When folks visit this forum and inquire about the wisdom in purchasing a Volvo because of perceived reliability the vast majority (except Volvo V70, of course) of comments are meant to dissuade and discourage such thoughts, ha, ha.
Speaking of anecdotes… Please note that when people spot Elvis, he is seen driving that same 59 Cadillac after all those years, not an Asian car.
CSA
1 Like
That’s my sentiments on CR too. I subscribed for a year again but it was so useless, I let it lapse again. They had problems with my G6 back then but I’ve gone over 100,000 miles on it with nary an issue. According to them it was not recommended at all with tons of problems. Plus other products that they list just seem to be non-available in my neck of the woods. I mean who goes to Target or the appliance dealer looking for the model number they list? But if it’s pills you want, half of their publication deals with medical issues. I think you have to look at the management staff to see why it has become useless, to me anyway.
1 Like
CR’s reliability ratings are not based on anecdotes, but on their surveys of owners. The survey data from thousands of owners are analyzed and the reliability ratings flow from that analysis.
When CR highlights a particular car and owner in an article, the data from that owner’s experience does not influence the reliability ratings any more the experience of the other owners of that make and model does. CR did NOT call the 240DL highly reliable, but pointed out that that particular car had gone a long distance.
Some cars do go to high mileages, but it doesn’t mean they are reliable. It means their owners have had some good luck and have been careful with maintenance and have replaced parts as needed.
The vehicles that are most likely to go to high mileages AND do it with less need for expensive repairs are mostly from Asian carmakers, with Toyota the overall leader.
1 Like
Good to know in case I unexpectedly move to Asia. However, the problem I have is trying to understand that if all my cars have had nearly 100% reliability for many decades now, and I’m not really spending anything for repairs and little for maintenance…
…then how would one of these totally relible Asian cars be more reliable or cost less for repairs. That’s the part I can’t figure out. 
Seriously, they seem to be the perfect perceived solution to a perceived problem that I’ve never experienced. 
CSA