Starting this month, I’ve added a new outcome to the repair survey: successful repair without replacing parts.

I’ve done this because a small but not insignificant portion of repairs involve cleaning, lubricating, adjusting, or otherwise improving the function of a part rather than replacing this part.

Months ago I wondered whether these should be considered repairs. I’m still not sure. Maybe I’ll eventually post results with and without such repairs included. Using a different outcome to classify them is a first step.

I’ve also added a couple new systems to the list of what was repaired: “fuel, ignition, and intake” and “interior trim.” I’ve become increasingly uncomfortable about including the former in “engine.” A few other new categories have been added, but for internal use. I don’t want the list on the survey to get too lengthy, so we’ll recode these as necessary. Justs be sure to give us a clear description of what was repaired!