What Car Reviewers Don't Tell You About Long-Term Ownership

 

Introduction

For decades, I have enjoyed reading and watching car reviews. I appreciate the work that automotive journalists and other enthusiasts do. They test dozens, sometimes hundreds, of vehicles every year, often under tight deadlines. Their reviews are informative, entertaining and valuable.

I am an engineer by profession and I value reliability, safety, comfort, cost-effective ownership, service simplicity and fitness for purpose in an automobile/motor vehicle above most else. That does not mean I discount innovation and technology. Far from it. So, I find there is one fundamental issue with almost every new car review.

Most reviewers only experience a vehicle for a few hours, a few days or, at best, a week or two.

Buying a car, on the other hand, is a commitment that often lasts 5 to 20 years.

Those are two very different perspectives.

The Honeymoon is Easy

Every new car impresses during the honeymoon period.

The paint gleams under the showroom lights. The infotainment system feels futuristic. The turbocharged engine feels exciting. The panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting and 22-inch alloy wheels all make great YouTube thumbnails.

But none of these things tells you how that car will perform after:

• 100,000 km
• 200,000 km
• 15 years
• thousands of heat cycles
• years of Australian summers (I live in Australia, but this is valid in other geographic locations, too)
• family holidays
• school runs
• supermarket trips
• and the occasional neglect that real life inevitably brings.

That is when the true quality of a vehicle begins to reveal itself.

Reliability Isn't Exciting—Until It Is

Reliability rarely wins comparison tests. It doesn't make for dramatic headlines. A turbocharged engine producing another 20 kW is exciting. A larger touchscreen is exciting. Massage seats are exciting.

A vehicle that starts every morning for 18 years isn't exciting...

...until you own one.

Then it becomes priceless.

Ownership Costs Are More Than Fuel Economy

Many reviews obsess over fuel consumption. Few discuss ownership costs over 15 years. Consider the following questions:

How much does a replacement turbocharger cost?

What happens if the dual-clutch transmission fails?

How much is a replacement hybrid battery?

What happens if an electric vehicle requires a battery replacement outside warranty?

How expensive are adaptive LED headlights?

What happens when radar sensors require recalibration after a minor accident?

These costs can often easily dwarf any savings from improved fuel economy.

The Used-Car Owner Pays the Highest Price

One issue that receives surprisingly little attention is what happens to the second or third owner of the vehicle?

The first owner enjoys:

• full warranty
• capped-price servicing
• roadside assistance
• dealer support

 

The second owner may inherit:

• an expired warranty
• expensive electronic failures
• ageing batteries
• worn suspension
• expensive infotainment repairs

Ironically, the person who could least afford a major repair is often the one who receives the biggest repair bill.

Complexity Has a Cost

Modern cars are engineering marvels.

But every additional system introduces another potential failure point.

Examples include:

• turbochargers
• hybrid systems
• air suspension
• active anti-roll bars
• electronic dampers
• rear-wheel steering
• motorised door handles
• powered running boards
• soft-close doors
• dozens of control modules

None of these components is free to maintain.

Every system has a life expectancy.

Every component will eventually require repair or replacement.

Simplicity Is Underrated

Engineers often use a simple principle.

The fewer parts a system contains, the fewer parts there are to fail.

This does not mean avoiding innovation.

It means embracing innovations that improve reliability rather than merely increasing complexity.

Sometimes the best engineering solution is the simplest one.

Manufacturing Quality Matters

Many buyers compare horsepower.

Far fewer ask:

• Where was the vehicle built?
• What quality systems does the factory use?
• How experienced is that manufacturing plant?
• What quality control processes exist?

The best factories spend decades refining manufacturing consistency.

Panel alignment.

Paint quality.

Electrical connections.

Fastener torque control.

Supplier quality.

These rarely appear in glossy brochures, yet they significantly influence long-term ownership satisfaction.

Serviceability Should Matter More

Imagine two vehicles.

One requires the entire front bumper to be removed to replace a headlight.

The other allows replacement in five minutes.

Which one is better engineered?

Ease of servicing affects repair costs for the entire life of the vehicle.

Yet very few reviews discuss serviceability.

Real Quality Appears Slowly

True quality is difficult to measure during a media launch.

It appears gradually.

After:

• 100,000 km
• 10 years
• countless potholes
• thousands of door openings
• years of exposure to sunlight
• hundreds of engine heat cycles

Does the interior still feel solid?

Do switches still operate positively?

Are there rattles?

Does the paint still shine?

Does the drivetrain still perform as intended?

These are the questions that define quality.

The Best Car Isn't Always the Newest

Automotive technology continues to advance. Safety has improved enormously. Efficiency continues to improve. These are genuine achievements.

However, newer is not automatically better for every buyer.

Sometimes the best vehicle is one that strikes the right balance between:

• reliability
• safety
• simplicity
• proven engineering
• practicality
• serviceability
• comfort
• fitness for purpose
• and reasonable ownership costs.

What I'd Like to See From Car Reviewers

I would love to see reviewers spend more time to questions such as:

• Which model is most likely to reach 300,000 km with routine maintenance?
• Which drivetrain has the strongest reliability record?
• Which vehicle is easiest and cheapest to repair?
• Which manufacturer provides the best long-term parts support?
• Which car is likely to age gracefully over 15 or 20 years?
• What are the expected ownership costs after the warranty expires?
• Would you still recommend this vehicle to someone buying it ten years from now?

 

While it is often difficult to talk about these things on new vehicles, especially when the new vehicles are totally new from ground up, information can be extracted from previous models or generations of the same vehicle models, even though they might use older technologies. Just mention those differences when comparing and reviewing.

But they would help buyers make far better decisions.

Final Thoughts

A new car should be judged on more than its first impression, innovation, technology, gadgetry, speed and fuel efficiency alone.

It should be judged on how faithfully it serves its owner over many years.

The best cars are not necessarily those that are the quickest, the most luxurious or the most technologically advanced.

They are the cars that quietly, dependably and economically perform their job year after year, asking very little in return.

Perhaps it's time automotive reviews evolved from answering "How good is this car today?" to the more important question:

"How good will this car still be fifteen years from now?"

Because when the cameras stop rolling, the press cars are returned, and the reviews are forgotten, long-term ownership is what truly matters.

Further Reading

1. Mechanic Shop Femme's Guide to Car Ownership: Uncomplicating Cars for All of Us - Chaya M. Milchtein

2.  What Car Dealers Won't Tell You (2005 Edition): Revised Edition by Bob Elliston