a Public Service announcement and a RANT

[G21forme]

True for many brands, particularly those with lengthy, comprehensive warranties. It's arguable that the worst car you can buy today has higher quality than the best car available 10 years ago.

Huh? You can argue anything I guess but that's just crazy talk.

[Garandman]

Huh? You can argue anything I guess but that's just crazy talk.

2005 versus 2012, couldn't find older reports.
http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/ne...spx?ID=2005089
http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/ne...spx?ID=2012008
Worst in 2012, 192.
Best in 2005, 139.

Don't feel bad, some people still think Europeans build good cars, American build bad cars, Japanese designs are all derivative, etc.

Audi has improved! From 32nd of 38 in 2005 to 15th of 32! If they keep going they will surpass Chevrolet!

[nhbubba]

The Europeans build GREAT cars!

What the fuck is this thread about? Sheppo crashed a convertible passat while maintaining it and now he has to use synthetic oil on the header?

Sheppo should have read consumer reports first.

[Garandman]

The Europeans build GREAT brands!

Sheppo should have read consumer reports first.

Volkswagen has improved also! They've gone from 4th worst to 7th worst!

[G21forme]

II

2005 versus 2012, couldn't find older reports.
http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/ne...spx?ID=2005089
http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/ne...spx?ID=2012008
Worst in 2012, 192.
Best in 2005, 139.

Don't feel bad, some people still think Europeans build good cars, American build bad cars, Japanese designs are all derivative, etc.

Audi has improved! From 32nd of 38 in 2005 to 15th of 32! If they keep going they will surpass Chevrolet!

None of that supports your blanket statement of best car vs worst car comment. Further more the article is about "problems" that needed to be addressed, I'd bet dollars to donuts an S class Mercedes is better than any sub 10k econobox even if it's ten years older. I can buy an 87 ford escort today, pretty sure some cars built new today are better.

[nhbubba]

Volkswagen has improved also! They've gone from 4th worst to 7th worst!

Meh. Arguing with you over the quality of cars on the internet is entirely pointless. Especially since you approach the subject by binning EVERY CAR an automaker makes into one bin. Only CR addicts buy cars based solely on the nameplate.

I will say I think that if we all bought cars based solely on CR, we'd all be driving beige, front-drive, four cylinder cam-cords with automatics and the steel wheels. My answer to that is pttththththththththththit!

I will also say that CR rated the Golf 'most reliable' for a few years there in the late 00's.

[Garandman]

Meh. Arguing with you over the quality of cars on the internet is entirely pointless. Especially since you approach the subject by binning EVERY CAR an automaker makes into one bin. Only CR addicts buy cars based solely on the nameplate.

I will say I think that if we all bought cars based solely on CR, we'd all be driving beige, front-drive, four cylinder cam-cords with automatics and the steel wheels. My answer to that is pttththththththththththit!

Yeah - that's why I linked the JD Power reports......

There are problems with all the reporting. The ding on CR is that they don't list what the percentages are for different ratings and different categories. The ding on JD Power is that they give the same weight to all problems. Not only that, their reporting periods are quite short - most JD Power reports are 90 day initial problem reports.

All that said, as pointed out earlier, some brands have very high owner satisfaction even though they have relatively low reliability and durability ratings compared to other brands.

I'm driving a tuned WRX - not exactly a beige box. And I expect it to break more often than the "regular" cars we have, and I'll still be happy even when the turbo fails before 100k miles.

Mostly I like messing with German car buyers because it fun and easys. If you read The Machine that Changed the World, or some of the follow-on books by the automotive manufacturing group at MIT you'll understand why. I stand by the assertion that the worst car available today is better than the best car available 10 years ago, and one need only look at the length of power train warranties to see the manufacturers think so too.

[jwm2k3]

German cars. I buy them, drive them hard, sell them when they become a pain in the ass. Who gives a fuck.

Its a WAY better driving experience than just about anything else.

[nhbubba]

Somethings in life I buy the best rated beige box because I have to have it. Cars I buy because I like 'em and want it. The fact that it gets my ass to work in the morning is a nice bonus.

Have the trailer tied up to my unreliable, ticking time-bomb, German, anti-pussy, turbo-charged station wagon in the parking lot. 92k on the clock and she got close to 30MPG dragging that thing to work this AM. Life sure could be worse..

[nhbubba]

I chose to turn this thread back onto the "people really suck" road:

I knew this was gonna happen, but I'm still grumpy about it. I get to work super early. Today I have my trailer with me. I pulled through the 2 spots at the very end of the row, furthest from the door. Before lunch I had to go run a quick errand. I decided I'd leave the trailer while I was out. Maybe 20 min later and I come back to find someone blocked my trailer in. That and EVERYONE in that section pulled through, leaving tons of open spots, but none adjacent to each other.

Not quite the cold hearted bs Shep put up with. But wtf folks..

[Garandman]

Drehzahlmesser = "Tachometer" AKA "Rev Counter."

[Stromper]

You give JD Power enough money and you could be Prom Queen

[Sheppo]

For fucks sake I drive a 7 year old chevy pickup with 49467 miles .... What the fuck do iknow about foreign cars!