Are Japanese cars really more reliable? Latest Consumer Reports info

Skin mags are obsolete.

They are available from the JD Powers web site. Go to

and select the NEWS & PRESS RELEASES item on the bottom menu. A window will pop up with a search box. Search on "Vehicle Dependability Study ". You'll get press releases for the last 7 years. The press releases include the results. In the 2006 Survey Toyota (179 problems per 100 vehicles) was behind Lexus (136), Mercury (151), Buick (153), and Cadillac (163). "Average" was 227 problems per 100 vehicles.

Ed

One more thing, you are quoting a year old study. In the latest study Toyota was behind Lexus, Mercury, Buick, and Cadillac.

Ed

From the JD Powers web site:

"WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 9 August 2006 - The gap in long-term quality between luxury and non-luxury brands has been cut in half during the past four years, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) released today. "The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of

3-year-old (2003 model-year) vehicles, finds that there is an ever-smaller gap in reported problems between luxury and higher-volume brands-averaging 15 PP100, down from 31 PP100 in 2003. Quality improvements with non-luxury brands are seen primarily in two categories-ride, handling, braking, and engine and transmission-which both have a strong impact on customer satisfaction."

Sounds like three year old cars to me....

Ed

Some people (me) like to drive new cars. I've kept vehicles for as long as

35 years (a Dodge D600 Dump Truck) and for less than a year (a 1981 Plymouth Reliant K). The best (or at least most practical) car I ever owned was a 1986 Mercury Sable. I kept it for 10 years and drove it for 150,000 miles. I sold it to a friend who drove it for another 5 years and 70,000 miles (it died when he crashed it into a tree). The longest I've kept a truck is 14 years (a 1992 F150). I have never sold a car because it was "worn out." I have gotten rid of some because they wore me out (like the Toyota I owned). Ever few years I buy a convertible of some sort and usually decide to get something different in a couple of years. Right now I am in the "practical" car mood. I just got rid of a three year old Thunderbird. I really liked the Thunderbird, but it just didn't suit me at the moment. So I sold the Thunderbird for enough to buy a new Fusion and have some money left over. On nice days I miss the Thunderbird, but not enough to wish I had it back. I imagine in a couple of years I'll want another convertible. It usually takes me about 5 years to get the bug again.

Ed

J.D. Powers, a wholly owned and paid for subsidiary of Detroit.

LOL. They have had Japanese brands at the top of there surveys for years. The surveys start to paint a less flattering picture of Toyota and suddenly JD Powewr is a wholly owned and paid for subsidiary of Detroit.

Ed

Go to http://12.155.133.142/jdpcc/global/content/include/index.asp and enter "Vehicle Dependability Study " in the search box. Ed

Going back to Consumer Reports (cough) it appears when Ford and Mercury sell a similar model, they have nearly identical reliability records.

One Buick model appeared at or near the top of Consumer Reports ratings.

I don't know much about the Cadillac product line, but Consumer Reports shows a lot of black marks especially in Cadillacs over 3 years old!

You are throwing THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS down the drain in depreciation costs.

Dizzy WOULD know.

>

How so? I bought the T-Bird used for 26k and sold it for 23k. Not bad for two years and 33,000 miles. In 1996 I bought a new Explorer for 26k. When Ford introduced the Expedition, I decided I wanted one, and sold the Explorer for 23k (it had 32k on the odometer). I think the worst depreciation I ever had was on the crapola Cressidia. Before it was four years old the paint was falling off, the transmission was shifting funny, and it ate one alternator per year. I had to have the car repainted before I could get anybody to take it off my hands. I despised that rolling turd. The K car was really weird. I ordered it special in October of 1980. It was a nice car and actually drove really well. Unfortunately it would not stay out of the shop. So the next September I traded it on an Audi. They allowed me as almost as much in trade as I paid for it (the catch was during the year, Chrysler had raised the price of that model repeatedly, a new one like mine would have cost at least 2K more than mine). Probably the biggest bath I took was on a Mazda 626 I owned. I hated the car. There was nothing really wrong with it, I just hated it. But, my Sister really liked it. So I sold it to her at the wholesale auction price.

I understand that if I kept cars longer, I'd probably spend less on cars - BUT - I like driving different cars. This is probably why I don't find Toyota's particularly appealing. They are dull cars with mediocre driving qualities. I can see where people who don't really like cars might be attracted to Toyotas. If your main concern when buying a car is perceived reliability, then I can see where all the Toyota propaganda might steer you towards a Toyota.

Ed

I think this newsgroup is a testimonial to how reliable Toyota's are. No one talks about repairs or problems, but only about politics. I guess there are a lot of people who don't like cars then especially that the Toyota Camry is the best selling car in the U.S.

You must be reading a different newsgroup. I agree there is a lot off topic content in this newsgroup, but there are also lots of problems and questions as well. Plus there is a separate Camry newsgroup where more problems are discussed. In the last ten days I see the following real or perceived new problems topics:

• recall on tundra and sequoia

• Overheating/coolant leak

• Sienna doors freezing shut

• twisted seatbelt

• 1995 Toyota Tacoma Starter Replacement

• Maint reqd light on 2007 Rav 4

• Corolla 2000 Mass Air Flow Sensor

• Problem with Tire sensors on 4Runner?

• corolla revs on starting

• 1996 Toyota DX wont' start after 2 month in garage

• 85 Toyota Cressida radiator fan blades broke

• cracked corolla exhaust manifold

• 90 Camry Broken Hood Latch Cable

• 4-AF quiestion: broken pipe, motor revs-up

• 2005 Highlander Steering Noise

• Serpentine Belt Replacement & tensioner pulley

• 93 Corolla Wagon transmission clunking

• Light problem on corolla 97 please help

• can anyone help me please (overheating problem)

• Rav4 Clutch

• unusual engine oil consumption

• 2007 V6 Highlander slow to warm up

• 1998 Idle Problem

• Overheating/coolant leak

• Replace Interior Door Handle-96

• Key won't Turn!!

• 1990 Toyota Camry

• 95 Camry door switch replacement

• Hood Latch Stuck on 90 Camry

• How to replace CV outer boot?

• Camry 02 timimg belt replacment

• 97 Camry main seal like - other fixables?

• Power Window stalls on 2000 LE V6

• Remote Start (Toyota brand) cold weather problems

• What is 51 code on 1988 Camry?

• Re: Emergency Break lights will not turn off

• Clutch, tire bumps, and recommended tire size

• Camry 02 timimg belt replacment

• Keyless remote entry problem

• 95 Camry Wagon - Plug between oil pan & transaxle

• Need help asap,i have door apart

• how to clean headlight cover

• Re: 2007 Camry Transmission Behavior

• EGR Valve Maintenance

• Re: rough hot idle

• XLE V6 New yesterday, in shop TODAY!

• Transmission failure at 21,000 miles

• 2007 Camry Transmission Problems Fixed?

• 1990 Camry transmission problem

I strived to leave out all the questions related to how something works, testimonials, or just people congratulating themselves for never considering anything but a Toyota. I think if you weed through a Ford or GM list and leave out the same sorts of posts, you might be surprised to see that there are more Toyota problem list than Ford or GM problems. I own a Nissan Frontier, so I follow the Nissan newsgroup. By comparison to the Toyota group, those guys have many fewer problems. It makes me wonder about all the claims that Nissans are much less reliable than Toyotas. For some reason it seems that both the Ford and Nissan groups get a lot of problems from non-USA areas. That doesn't seem to be the case for the Toyota groups. I wonder why.

True. I think you are right. The Camry is a good car for people who don't like cars. Boring, far from the cutting edge, generic, etc. Sort of like that old Frigidaire in the corner. I think it is the perfect car for people who hate driving. Nobody will accuse you of showing off or trying to prove how rich you are if you drive a Camry. Its says - I am just one of the herd, dull, sheep like, and easily misled by commercials. It is sort of the Rambler of the new millennium.

Ed

$1500/year? Not bad at all for a relatively new car. You lucked out. The T-bird had a funny career that way. Friends bought one; they looked at quite a few other things but Ford was doing amazing deals on the T-bird, which apparently had not caught on the way they'd hoped, and they'd never had a convertible, and the kids were gone, so they bought it. They love it.

And, since their discontinuance, looks like the used market has really started to "appreciate" them.

It's not a "bath" if you're doing a friend a favor.

Toyota is usually near the top of all the surveys. Their exact rank varies and who's ahead of them varies but the consistency of performance says more than the precise rank.

I ignored Toyotas for a long time but since we switched, I've been very happy with them. My annual automotive expense is WAY down. CRs advice has worked for me.

And you can't say, "it depends on how they're maintained" makes the difference, the Toyotas get the same maintenance as my other cars did. And they've got more miles on them, now, than all my previous cars, except for Volvos that I bought with high mileage already on them.

It struck me that Lexus, Mercury, Buick, and Cadillac have no trucks in their product lineup. Trucks are usually less reliable than cars, for whatever reason.

For free..........take one!! The average failure rate for every manufactured product over time is around 2%. Why would vehicles, that are subjected to all kinds of use and abuse, proper and improper maintance, be any different? ;)

mike

>

How very observant of you dizzy AKA Idiot, Troll, Moron, Stupid, Dumbass, Dumbshit, Engineer and pathological liar, the '48 Chevy indeed was not very good in the corners.

When one considers 'resale' value one must also consider the cost when new. A two year old vehicle that sells for $4,000 more than a two year old that cost $6,000 less when new, does not have better resale value because it retains a lesser percentage of the original cost. Do some comparison shopping and learn something for a change, WBMA LOL

mike

The last GM's that I drove went "okay" in a straight

You missed the point dizzy AKA Idiot, Troll, Moron, Stupid, Dumbass, Dumbshit, Engineer and pathological liar since Camry owners are accustomed to underpowered cars they will not list 'not enough power on hills' under complaints. LOL

mike

"dizzy AKA Idiot, Troll, Mor>