>I care, to a certain extent, about performance. I don't want a car I
>have to wrestle with all the time. But that's most cars these days.
>No, what I want to know about is reliability. How robust is this
>model? Does it have a history of developing interestingly expensive
>transmission diseases about fifty thousand miles? Will it start
>drinking oil like an alcoholic drinks Popov? Does it have persistent
>alignment problems that weren't solved in the 2013 redesign? I live in
>the northeast, which means snow and salt and water; how protected is
>the undercarriage from that, are vital components exposed in such a
>way as to render them particular vulnerable to degradation? How easy
>is it to do basic service; some modern cars require an archeological
>expedition just to get to the battery and swap it out, or a recessed
>oil filter you don't have a prayer of getting off without a filter
>gun.
>
>And that information is hard to suss out in-between all the beating
>off over track stats. Some of us don't get a new car every three
>years, you guys. And don't even get me started over the current vogue
>for low-mileage leases for well-qualified buyers. Some of us have...
>blemishes... on our credit.

My biggest recommendation would be to dig out the most recent issues of Consumer Reports, especially their most recent "all-car" issue. The latter (and the yearly 'buyer's guide' book) has tables with the last 5 years of owner performance reports for all available cars which can help you pick out trends in what you're interested in.

--- Philip

	Philip J. Moyer Contributing Writer, Editor and Artist (and Moderator) -- Eyrie Productions, Unlimited CEO of MTS, High Poobah Of Artwork, and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios "Insert Pithy Comment Here" Fandoms -- Fanart -- Fan Meta Discussions