A website like that would basically be like if you could ask a Volvo mechanic: what would you look out for and recommend for my car that Volvo did not know about when the car was new, etc. It would also be useful for mechanics not familiar with that particular brand to branch into repairing them.
All the internet's information about cars' weak points and special maintenance is dispersed over several different forums and numerous threads, and it's the job of a wiki, modeled after Wikipedia, to combine the disparate info into an easily digestible overview to help car buyers and owners keep their cars running.
I think the RepairPal website is a nice model to base a car wiki off, being focused on autos and their issues with owner and mechanic commentary. So why would we need another website, You ask? Repairpal doesn't seem that comprehensive, there's no way to easily suggest or add info, It's missing some info, and I haven't seen much in the way of helpful links to forum posts.
There's a lot of less known knowledge that a lot of Volvo owners could benefit from, for example the all-wheel drive u-joints (And perhaps splines) need to be lubricated regularly, PCV system needs to be serviced and checked, earlier Volvo P3s have widespread issues with leaking windshields, the Volvo manual often confuses bulb types which may lead to repetitive bulb failures, owners can preemptively replace the rechargeable battery in the alarm system which otherwise can fail or corrode the alarm. Things like that.
The wiki should also mention rarer but still significant problems like the banjo bolt on earlier P2 models which can break apart and be sucked into the engine. That's what happened on a Volvo S60 that pine hollow Auto diagnostics looked at. I believe the alarm box failure is also relatively rare.
It should mention maintenance considerations, like how the V8 Volvos often need the engine dropped to fix oil leaks thus making it more expensive or difficult. Weak spots of that particular model, Like V8 subframe reportedly having corrosion issues.
Perhaps issue specific advice on how to convince a dealership to cover a goodwill repair
Another evidence of lack of repair and car weak points info online is Toyotas. If you look on comment section of the Car Care Nut YouTube channel, a lot of people have said how their V6 sienna or RAV4 sprung a huge oil leak. That's because they didn't know that their car has a unrepaired rubber oil line, and sometimes dealerships don't even know that to warn them. and some people are unlucky enough to wreck their engines that way.
A wiki that compiles car issues and weaknesses should not stir up paranoia or anxiety. It should emphasize that all cars have weaknesses and they can be mitigated by a good mechanic and check before buying. Plus these strong points of a car such as the engine being stout, parts being relatively easy to find, etc.
A challenge I foresee is the funding, operation, moderation, content creation, and visitor popularity of this proposed wiki. And existing car forums can just add a wiki section, except it would still be more spread out than having a singular wiki website because one brand can have multiple forums. I'm curious if this can be part of Wikipedia, since they already have the infrastructure to run a wiki, or if repairpal is willing to implement it.
What are your thoughts on this?
