by Emily Crawford

Created on: June 21, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

Purchasing a used vs. a new vehicle is a great option for many car buyers. The rapid depreciation that occurs within the first couple of years was someone else's problem. At the same time, the previous owner may have experienced mechanical or other issues with the vehicle, some of which may transfer to you, the new owner, along with the title. The good news is there are steps you can take to learn about cars' reliability ratings and arm yourself with the right questions to ask any used car seller.

For example, suppose you are in the market for a 1998 Volkswagen Passat. The Kelley Blue Book price is anywhere between $6,975 and $9,700. Before you make your purchase, you would probably want to know that the engine in this particular vehicle has a history of failure due to gelling of the engine oil. However, unless you know someone who owned a 1998 Passat and had engine failure as a result of the oil gelling, you are unlikely to have this information.

That's why consulting online vehicle research services is so important. MSN Autos' Reliability Ratings (http://autos.msn.com/home/reliability_ratings.aspx) strives to identify key problem areas in best-selling used cars. The free service rates the mechanical reliability of seven essential car systems: Engine; Transmission & Drivetrain; Steering & Suspension; Brakes; Heating & Air Conditioning; Starting & Charging; and Accessories.

Not only does MSN's Reliability Ratings service reveal the Passat's oil gelling problem, but it also estimates the cost to repair the engine at $5,899.44 for parts and $858.00 for labor. MSN Autos identifies systems that have reputations for problems and details their nature and severity in easy-to-understand language.

On the web site, MSN Autos touts the fact that its reliability ratings come from experts. "Determining vehicle reliability is an exacting task requiring professional skills, knowledge, and a wealth of information," reads the site. "That's why MSN Autos partners with industry-leading Automotive Information Systems (AIS) for top-notch reliability data on all listed automobiles." AIS markets its information under the brand name IDENTIFIX. Visit http://autos.msn.com/home/reliability_ratingsinfo.as px for more information about how the reliability ratings are determined.

In addition, used car reliability information is available free of charge through CARFAX which provides used car safety and reliability ratings in one report. Two separate reliability ratings are provided J.D. Power and Associates and IDENTIFIX. However, when queried, CARFAX did not disclose the 1998 Volkswagen Passat's oil gelling problem.

Consumer Reports publishes an annual car reliability survey based upon vehicles owned or leased by its magazine and website subscribers. Reliability reports are also available on Edmunds.com, Yahoo! Autos, PartsAmerica.com, and CarCritic.com.

On a personal note, I once owned a 1998 Volkswagen Passat. I purchased it new. The engine failed due to oil gelling (the manufacturer and dealership referred to it as oil sludge). It cost more than $6,000 to rebuild the engine and the car was never the same.

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