J.D. Power Ranks Most Reliable Vehicles

The American automakers will survive. They are too valuble to our economy NOT too. As far as quality: I agree with those here that give the nod to Honda and Toyota. It appears that the German makes are among the worst (according to CR data), and that the Yanks are somewhere in the middle. I hope that GM and Ford are successful with their new launches. Toyota is getting VERY arrogant, and it would be fun to see them knocked off their perch by the Yanks, at some future point. I own a Ford Ranger (mediocre quality @ 77K miles, and it vibrates [transmission] like hell, but the engine has never let me down), and also own an old 89 Honda Civic (literally unbreakable thus far), but it has rusted to hell, so it won’t last much longer (134K miles). So, it amuses me how emotional people get over CARS…cars are just appliances like toasters or washers…get over it. May the best auto company win.

I think it is no longer absolute to say Honda and Toyota make the longest lasting vehicals. I have seen many a Domestic built in the Eighties, ninties, that have more than 250k. While I have a soft spot for BMW (overenginerred and worth it) and have owned, Nissan, Honda, Saab, Mazda, Renault, Peugeot, Subaru - I remain a Ford man at heart. And I will tell you after owning, racing, and driving cars for 25 years, the domestics are always cheaper to modify for performance, and cheaper to repair. If you like the way a Honda or Toyota makes you feel - great, but please refrain from making the tired old “they are so reliable”. Its funny how import buyers trade their car every year and buy the same model becaue they are “so reliable” - duh! The domestics tought the world about turn key reliability - and after a lapse are again bulletproof!

Hi guys!

I was researching reliability/repair records of German cars and stumbled on your debate/arguments about “who makes the best cars.”

In the late 1980’s I bought a new Ford Tempo. On the way home from the dealer … it broke down!! That’s right — I had about 19 miles on the car, and it just DIED. The dealer sent a flatbed to take it back. Three days later I got it back and drove my soon to summer camp. Well 160 miles from home, it broke down again. Tow truck, car rental, 3 days in the shop — and this was a BRAND-NEW car!!!

For the next two years that car was in the shop every 6 weeks with some new and baffling problem. (For the record, this “American” Ford was built in Canada.)

After three years of pain and $$$ I sold the Ford (and lost money on it) and bought a USED 1990 Toyota Celica — very sporty. Well, over the next 7 years I had ZERO problems with that car — ZERO repairs! Just tires, brakes, filters, the usual maintenance. It was a wonderful, fast, fun car — and totally trouble-free.

In 1998 I shipped my faithful Celica from New England to California for my son. Well, after 18 years and over 200,000 miles, that Celica is still being driven every day! It looks like hell, and smells like all the food my son has spilled in it over the years, but it RUNS GREAT. He’s had to put some work into it of course, but 18 years!!! I am impressed.

Before I buy any car, I study all the repair records for each make and model because RELIABILITY is what matters most to me — and this is where Toyota and Honda lead the field. In my opinion, Life is too short to spend in a car repair center’s waiting room, drinking stale coffee and reading old magazines.

I have heard that Ford and other American companies are making good cars again, but frankly, after my nightmare, it will take many years of excellent reliability records before I “buy American” again. Owning that 1988 Ford COST ME A FORTUNE in repairs! So “buying American” was basically hurting my own family. I’m not willing to donate money to Ford or any other company.

Besides, as someone pointed out earlier, with so many Americans working for — or owning stock in — Japanese car companies, buying Toyota and Honda cars also helps put money in Americans’ pockets. It’s the global economy at work.

Anyway, keep up the spirited debate.

I just had to put in a plug for the much maligned 2006.5 KIA Optima.It sure doesn’t get much respect from any of the car publications.At best they are considered “good value” but always “boring”. I have one of these in my garage, and it has been a pleasant surprise.After 13,000 miles in just over a year,it’s just purring along.Handles great,looks good and on the highway has been as miserly as 40.7 MPG. I do wish the Optima would get more respect,but the fact that nobody pays attention to them might explain my cheap insurance rates.

OMG let’s all talk about the cars that we own or cars that we have owned and bash each other! Yay!

If Ford and G.M. keep the quality up like they have been, in about 10 years they will get their customers back. They blew it in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s. The buying public have VERY good memorys, the reason they switched to foreign brands is because they were tired of buying junk.

Our 2008 Toyota Corolla LE is noisy and loud. The Corolla is buzzy and vibrates awfully…so bad our feet tingle from all the racket underneath.

Our GM Saturn ION is quiet and smooth riding, noticeably quieter than our Corolla, especially when accelerating from a stop. The ION’s handling is good, and headroom and front legroom is better than our Corolla, which feels cramped in comparison to our ION .

We are very disappointed with Toyota and will no longer believe the hype. We will probably trade-in the Corolla on something more civilized, like a horse and buggy.
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1999 Chevy Astro with 502,000 miles. I have another one that has already 69,200 miles [2005]

Subjectiveness doesn’t works….

Here is a classic example: 2005 Honda Accord 102 TSB issued [Ref: NHTSA]. Read the database yourself to determine what is true versus myths. Not keep ragging on Honda but they been rated as #4 most problematic brand since 03.

So much for CR or those subjectiveness reports.

For whatever is worth I own a 1994 Crown Victoria that has over 335,000 miles. Have always used Castrol 5W 50 synthetic oil all year around in Houston, Texas. Replacing oil every 10,000 miles and adding a couple quarts in betwen changes. So far replaced a/c air compressor, two warped front rotors and a radiator. Car is had 3 tune ups, each at 100,00- miles, looking forward to the 4th tune up. Least expensive car I ever owned. Best couch ride on 4 wheels on the highway, most of the time still manage to get 22-24 MPG. Still feel safe driving this spacious American engineered/Canadian assembled road tank.

News for Thor and Edward,

My wife drove a Pontiac Grand Prix for 14,000 miles and we sold it for more than we paid for it!!
We have bought 3 GM vehicles this year alone and the reality is they are a dream to drive!!
The user reviews for these cars are more accurate than expert reviewers and your opinions.
The good facts and information are available for any other reader in the user review sites. Almost all you need. JD Powers is a good start. Consumer Reports is to be avoided entirely, this mag reeks of bias and is best used as fireplace fuel!!