http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/ Autoblog Comments for Domestic models gain major ground in Consumer Reports reliability ratings http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 1:58PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Jun 10th 2007 9:33PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Jun 10th 2007 9:34PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:01PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
Yes, it'd be great is the Duratec 3.5 and AWD would make it into the Fusion (I'd also like to see a yes-I-prefer-3-pedals manual transmission with the V6; where's SVT when we need them?). But this is what they've needed to build for some time. Now keep the quality up - and improve the design every year.]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:02PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
I dropped my wrench.]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:03PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:03PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:05PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
Id like to know.. what the little woman traded for the C class, and just what makes her like the Milan over the C. And dont tell me how the pleather matches her.. on a certain day.

And.. remind the little woman how far Mercury cars have gotten Ford. Yea, tell the little woman Mercury was thisss close from being canned. An yet they still sell rebadged Ford's.]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:20PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:22PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:25PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:29PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
The C class is a rattletrap. A Benz for the people without the $ for the real sedans. Your Accord is a better car, and so is the Fusion]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:29PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
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Fact is, CR's methods are deeply flawed. The questions they ask unnecessarily introduce subjectivity into responses: "report problems that YOU CONSIDER to be serious." They also rely on people's ability to accurately remember repairs that occurred over a year earlier.

My full critiques:

http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/shortcomings.php

http://www.truedelta.com/pieces/cr_survey.php

They've been able to get by for decades without competition and even without outside evaluation. As a result, they've become just as stuck in their ways as the most uninnovative corporation.

It is possible to conduct much better vehicle reliability research. And I'm not just talking -- I'm doing it. My sample size remains small--the panel just got its 8,000th vehicle--but this will be an easier obstacle to overcome than an unwillingness to innovate.

If you agree that CR's methods could be better, please help me give them the only real competition they've ever had.

Details:

http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:41PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
Hey "Accordsforall", all you have do is look at the election this past Tuesday to prove your point! ]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:43PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
By the way, this is a ridiculous article. If we really care about red dot reliability, the PT Cruiser had one for a few years. Of course, the PT is also unsafe and an old lady car, but still, this sort of thing HAS been done before. Hell, even the Pontiac Grand Prix got this score in '04.

How about ONE mention in this article that the Fusion/Milan are so heavily based on the Mazda6? My uncle, who doesn't know *anything* about cars, noticed right away when he got a Fusion rental car. "It's my Mazda6!"]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:45PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
Sore loser, not the time or the place, psychobabble, etc.]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:48PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
I don't like this list for the reason I've never like this list. It doesn't discount the extra $3,000 you pay for Japanese cars or the extra $ the parts cost to maintain them (list prices are deceiving). Now, in the case of the Rav4, or the Honda Civic, you're getting what you paid for (real luxury cars that are a step up in every relevant measure, including price and cachet). The Rav4 is a 4cyl SUV with a 3rd row. The Civic performs well, looks cool and is reliable (the regular civic didn't make the list above?). But a Highlander or a Matrix (forgot to whine that the Vibe isn't really a domestic designed car, eh?) or a 10 year old Corolla? Not worth the markup, not that any American agrees with me.

The bigger news to me, is where the Korean cars are. Not on the reliable list.

Mitsubishi making the reliable list is a HUGE upset. I would have guessed anyone else first.

I could quibble about the FJ Cruiser making the "small SUV" list - it's horrific fuel efficiency is in the same league with Jeep and Hummer, not Rav4. It's only small on the inside.

Are there really Porsche 911 owners who fill out Consumer Reports surveys?

How are there THAT many below average mid-sized SUVs on the list? Doesn't that pretty much make them average?

Every Toyota SUV made the list.

And, as usual, no statistics provided to help with "margin of victory". And no objective data, like # of recalls or a random sample of garage service records. I know Toyota is better overall, but they've never put together an actual money case for how valuable these reliability circles are (should they try a consumer guide for Consumer Reports? mmm?).]]>Nov 10th 2006 2:53PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/Nov 10th 2006 2:58PM