Toyota drags down new-vehicle quality average

[Stijloor]

Friends,

Toyota drags down new-vehicle quality average; Ford leads Detroit 3 gains, J.D. Power says.

Interesting article from Automotive News.

Statistics and downloads available.

Comments anyone?

Stijloor.

 

[Marc]

I don't believe a word J.D. Power says so to me it's a non-issue.

My assumption (without having read the article yet) is that this is relative only to the US market.

 

[Stijloor]

I don't believe a word J.D. Power says so to me it's a non-issue.

My assumption (without having read the article yet) is that this is relative only to the US market.

Marc,

What automotive satisfaction statistics do you trust?

Stijloor.

 

[Marc]

I guess I just watch what's happening month by month. There's not much I'm interested in tracking closely in automotive these days. It's not my 'bread and butter' as it was some years back. I only commented because so many people cite JD Powers and I don't trust their reviews. Just putting my negative 2 cents in

I read your post and it was what I guess I knew from watching things. Toyota had a heck of a hit with the acceleration issue publicity (whether deserved or not) and with the spotlight on Toyota other issues are coming out so, like with BP, the Toyota brand is broken (at least for a while). As to Ford, they were the only US company that 'made it' through the big financial crash and they have been getting good reviews in general. I'm not a Ford fan, but I think they make good cars and trucks. I own a 2004 Bonneville GXP and my car before that was a 1995 Bonneville SSEi. They're OK but the best car I ever had was a Mazda. In general Bonnevilles were not very well built cars. So - I'm not a GM fan either. Tracey has a Ford pickup. It's a little blue one. I think it's a 2000 model year (I forget the name, but it's a short bed small pickup truck) and I like it (the handle to lower/open the rear gate broke off about a week or two ago...).

I was 'talked into' the 1995 Bonneville by a friend who was (is) a Bonneville nut because I drove so much and that Mazda 626 (turbocharged, no less - Man, it was *fast/quick*) was like a sports car - 9 to 12 hours in the drivers seat and you got out and felt numb all over. That 1995 Bonnie was like driving a fast couch. I bought the 2004 Bonnie from a friend (somewhat as a favour) who couldn't afford the payments (he was hit hard in the financial meltdown) . It's not as comfortable as the 1995, nor quite as fast (read quick when you mash the gas petal), but it's comfortable on long drives. I don't get out with a numb behind and numb fingers and hands.

Well, enough of my babbling on.

 

[Stijloor]

I posted the article, but I am a Toyota fan.
Some of my Fellow Moderators know..

Since I came to the US in 1981, I have given every US OEM a chance.
In the last one, I shall not name the company, my wife and my daughter experienced a serious car fire.

Obviously, I changed my mind and purchased my first Toyota vehicle (Camry).
The rest is history.. Toyota has never disappointed me.

Stijloor.

 

[somerqc]

I grew up in an automotive town (Windsor, Ontario, Canada - across the border from Detroit). I was big on the Detroit 3 as they indirectly paid for my schooling (my dad was in tool & die). However, when it came to it being my money to pay for a car.....I have never bought Detroit 3 (almost 15 yrs now).

I realize that Toyota had a problem, but, so did Chrysler (they just recalled 100,000+ neons and Calibers for a related issue). In addition, some other car makers quietly made a changes to their designs. My take is that everyone was using similar technology but Toyota got burned.

Let's face it. There really isn't a good source in the media regarding cars. They are all skewed one way or another based on politics and who pays for advertising. I even question Consumer Reports as I see a great deal of bias there as well (actually in a pro-Japanese way).

We all buy based on our experience in the past. For me, I haven't been burned by buying Japanese - and I have been burned by Detroit 3.

Btw Marc - currently driving 2 Mazda's and love the drive. Ya - Ya - Mazda is Ford...in one case yes - on the other no - all designed and produced in Japan.

 

[ralphsulser]

I'm on my 3rd Jeep, 2 Cherokees and now a Commander, and also a 2009 Ford F-150 ext cab. Both great so far. Can't get the pickup away from my wife.
Bought a new 2003 Chrysler T&C, mucho tranny problems. Before that a Chevy van. Always something going wrong with it. I had 2 Ford Taurus'
back to back and both were fine.

 

[Marc]

<snip> Btw Marc - currently driving 2 Mazda's and love the drive. Ya - Ya - Mazda is Ford...in one case yes - on the other no - all designed and produced in Japan.

The 626 I had was a turbo-charged 'special edition' 626 with a 200 watt stereo system (and goodies like adjustable suspension (electric shocks) made in 1989. It was a 5 speed manual shift. I don't know what relationship Ford had with Mazda at that time (if any), but I do know that was one of the best driving, maintenance free cars I have ever had. It left here with 275K miles on it and in all the years I had it I never had a major repair and it didn't so much as burn a drop of oil. In fact, it sat in the side yard for 1 1/2 years without being started before I decided to get rid of it and the guy who bought it jump started it with a battery, it started up right away and he drove it away.

 

[BradM]

I posted the article, but I am a Toyota fan.
Some of my Fellow Moderators know..

Which surprised me to see you posted the article. Very open-minded.

Vehicle quality seems like an awfully difficult metric to objectively measure. I think that overall vehicle sales should be a top indicator.

I have had five Nissan vehicles, and have been fairly satisfied with them all.

My next purchase (unless I hit the lottery) will be a Nissan.

 

[Umang Vidyarthi]

I posted the article, but I am a Toyota fan.
Some of my Fellow Moderators know..

Since I came to the US in 1981, I have given every US OEM a chance.
In the last one, I shall not name the company, my wife and my daughter experienced a serious car fire.

Obviously, I changed my mind and purchased my first Toyota vehicle (Camry).
The rest is history.. Toyota has never disappointed me.

Stijloor.

That took me by surprise!? Not only moderators but fellow covers also know this, as is visible from some of your posts. I am also a Toyota fan and believe that Toyota will resurface (from temperory set back) as a leader of quality car manufacturer.

Umang