Toyota dominates 2006 quality rankings

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8I3H4QO0.htm?sub=apn_home_down&chan=db

 

Yeah, I was reading that @ the dealership having my axle seal changed
under warranty.

 

The survey was 217 questions. when I fill out surveys, I usually don't care
much after the first 10 or so questions. I wonder how carefully the takers
of the survery actually take the survey.

Also, the survey is the first 90 days of ownership. Not very helpful if you
want a car to last 400,000 km.

Jeff

 

I believe that Toyota and Lexus are the top brands but I still don't put
much value in what JD Power says. Over the years they have rubber stamped
just about every new model, even the ones that turn out to be crap.

 

in the Uk/EU, the ones they run with the BBC's top Gear program for
the last 10-12 years have actually been very good (oops, just found
out they've been with Experian, and not JD power for the last 4
years). Of cours,e they ask people to call in, rather than approach
them, so people are more motivated to answer, and they're not talking
new cars, right now they want *ahem* "To take part, you must own a car
registered between 2003 and 2004 on a 03, 53, 04 or 54 plate." (for
those that don't know, UK license plates stay with the car, and
indicate the age of the vehicle. Its currently on its 3rd arrangement
since it started in '64)

This is more the kind of survay thats of more use to the consumer, and
not only addresses the car, but the dealers as well.
Here's the 05 survey
http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2005/11/stories/01/1.html

 

I've heard that if you take Lexus out of the mix, GM (minus Cadillac) gets
higher ratings.

mike

 

Take the winner off the race results, everyone moves up a notch. <G>

Your point?

 

he doesn't have one. a "race" assessed on the first 90 days of
ownership is a fixed race. and even when the race is fixed, domestics
are /still/ garbage. it's just pathetic [paid?] trolling.

but pathetic though that is, it's /nothing/ compared to the fact that
/we/ taught q.c. to the japanese. wtf can't we use our own freakin'
resources for our own freakin' benefit???

 

Interesting according CRs survey of its over 200,000 subscribers, the 63,607
of whom responded of the 9,000,000 or so buyers who bought 2006 model
vehicles so far, Toyota buyers chose the number FOUR rated brand of vehicles
rather than the number TWO rated brand. Amazing! If one bases their
purchase of the opinions of others, why would anybody do that? The number
two brand, Hyundai, had a initial quality rating that is only a paltry .02
better than Toyota for sure, but the drive home price in generally at least
20% MORE to if one buys a Toyota.

Of course CR releases only the raw numbers to the public so one can not
quantify the type or severity on the defects. To get the details of the
survey and get the real scoop, one must pay big bucks for a copy

CR proves once again that every manufacture is building good quality
vehicles today, the only real difference is style and price. According to
CR the initial quality rate for 2006 models falls between .93 to 2.04 with
the average being only .0124. That is an industry wide improvement of 8%
from their 2005 survey. That is better than most every product on the
market today, pretty amazing considering how and where autos are used vis a
v other products.

mike hunt

 

Yeah and if you add Renault, and subtract Yamaha engine and add a Suzuki
platform, then Mazda would come number one as well!!

 

is that how they justify their over-pricing? Then again, I guess its not
over pricing if people pay it

 

Same as good shoes...

 

Bad analogy. People are paying from $20 to over $100 for a pair of
sneakers. The cost of which to make runs between less than a dollar up to
only around $15. If the shoe is not made of leather they cost even less to
make


mike hunt

 

With JD Powers you are probably right. Whoever sends them enough money to
promote their brand will get the nod. With JD Powers if you took away Lexus,
you just might get higher ratings with GM. But take away JD Powers and go to
the real world and you will find Toyota at the top and Honda #2.

 

not even close to what I meant.....

 

ok, but such vehicles are less than a year old. Admittedly, I've a
friend who's had an 06 camry now for 18 months, and is sick and tired
of its problemsinflaited maintainance etc.

by the time we get 2-3 years down the road, then we'll see if these
cars still perform as good to own and drive.

 

If I buy something that has better quality, better looks and better
resale, it might just be worth it.

If I take your logic and reverse it, I could say that if I buy junk,
it's probably not a bargain.

BTW, I don't now nor have I ever owned a Toyota.

 

I think we knew that

 

That is a whole other survey. This survey merely compare the vehicles when
new.

mike hunt

 

Please note that this is the INITIAL quality survey. The whole point
if this particular survey is to see how consistent a brand and its
suppliers are when it comes to the quality of parts used in a vehicle
and how well they're assembled at the plant. It's a rating of quality
control and how well the car companies are managing it. What they're
getting at with the survey is that EVERY vehicle line will have a
problem car or 2 come off the line, this just is an indicator of which
those are.

Take the 2006 Grand Prix for example (it took top honors for the
"large car" segment BTW). I own one, it's had 2 quality problems
(though I didn't get the survey), one was a chirping HVAC fan with the
other being peeling finish on an interior door panel. Both of those
problems are QC issues at the supplier level but it appears that my
car actually falls into the "normal" range. Both problems were
resolved by the dealer without question, the HVAC fan was replaced at
the first oil change, the door panel was replaced shortly after due to
it being on backorder (indicating to me that there either was a big QC
issue at the supplier or they were building as many cars as they could
get panels for). I've had no other problems but the car is just about
to pass 9,000 miles so it's still a baby. I DID buy an extended
warranty for my car, not that I EXPECT a problem down the road, but I
wanted warranty coverage for the life of the loan.