The new XYZ car produced by one automobile manufacturer has increased in reliability, breaking down or needing repairs less often than before. As a result, XYZ owners are now more likely to make service appointments for just routine maintenance, as opposed to repairs. The manufacturer expects the share of XYZ service appointments involving repairs to decline, but the annual total number of XYZ service appointments to remain about the same.<br/><br/>Which one of the following, if true, explains why the automobile manufacturer expects the scenario presented in the final sentence?
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AMost new cars are covered by warranties that cover the cost of replacing broken or worn parts.
BRoutine maintenance appointments tend to be much shorter than those involving vehicle repairs.
CRegular routine maintenance usually lowers the risk of a vehicle breaking down.
DSales for a given manufacturer tend to increase as its vehicles become more reliable.
EOwners are more likely to have repairs done by service centers affiliated with manufacturers than by independent mechanics, but more likely to use independent mechanics for routine maintenance.
✓ Correct answer: D. Sales for a given manufacturer tend to increase as its vehicles become more reliable.We're asked to locate the choice that explains the manufacturer's prediction, and the first part of the prediction makes perfect sense: Since XYZ is more reliable, needs fewer repairs, and is more likely now to be brought in only for routine checkups, one would expect XYZ service appointments involving repairs to make up a smaller percentage of the total number of XYZ service appointments. If, for example, 50% of all appointment for this car in the past were for repairs, we'd expect less than 50% of appointments for the new version of the car to be for repairs since the new car is more sturdy and reliable. However, the second part of the prediction seems a bit odd: Why would the total number of service appointments remain the same? If the improvements have cut down on the number of repairs necessary, why does the manufacturer expect the same number of total XYZ service appointments?. <br/><br/>Choice A offers a legitimate explanation: There are simply more XYZs on the road, due to increased popularity of the new and improved model. That would explain how the repair ratio might come down while the total number of XYZ service calls remains the same.<br/><br/>Choice B is incorrect. If the routine maintenance further lowers the need for repairs, why does the manufacturer believe that total service visits will remain constant while repair visits will go down?. <br/><br/>Choice C does not address this issue either. The existence of a warranty may help XYZ owners afford certain repairs, but it doesn't tell us why one should expect the same number of total service visits for this new and improved car. The length of the different types of service visits, choice D, is irrelevant to the question at the heart of the passage. The issue is how many appointments are made, not how long they last. Also, who actually performs the different kinds of services, choice E, has no bearing on the situation at hand, which deals with an expectation of the percentage of repair visits and the total number of service visits overall. The manufacturer makes no claim as to where the services will be performed, so choice E does not help us understand the prediction.
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