If they did long term reliablity, it would be Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Acura, Scion... I would say. With VW going towards the bottom... And having not been bit by the VW bug, I just point and laugh at them. MUAWHAHAHAHA!
Toyota and Lexus would probably be at or near the top, Honda would likely be right behind, but I wouldn't count out brands from GM and Ford in the long-run. We've had American cars that have lasted a helluva lot longer than some of our Japanese models, but that may have been because they were from a better era.
...The GM W-Body holds up surprisingly well, but that is likely due to the fact that the overall design dates back to 1988, and furthermore, all of the parts are tried and tested pieces of engineering that are consistently improved year after year, to the point where they just don't break.
Engines and transmissions are where the Americans usually do well, and overall quality and reliability inside and out is improving as well. Although, it always depends on the model, the generation, and where it was built (if multiple locations are used).
So true. Though on the Toyota's, most of the "problems" tend to be small noises that are a result of plastic not being perfectly formed... and are fixed in a matter of minutes with a piece of sticky fabric foam stuff.
I much prefer Consumer Reports or Car and Driver to JD Power, so this is all kinda meh to me anyhow.
The panel gaps are getting quite large for Japanese cars over at Toyota, and overall, the fit wasn't too good on some other models I've seen as of late. Furthermore, the plastic feels like its the same quality as my younger brother's Power Wheel, not that the Americans are much better (if even at all in some cases), but I'd certainly say that our '95 felt better than my Mom's friend's '07.
...As for who I trust?
Car and Driver's long-term tests usually shed some light on the performance of a vehicle and what we could expect in the first two or three years of ownership. That being said, it isn't the most scientific way of gathering information, as it focuses only one the particular model they have, and not an overall measurement of other models. Road and Track (or is it Automobile?) has a good section where they compare their long-term testers with reader experiences, which is a good idea, but then again, still minimizes the overall gage of how good or bad a car is.
But, I still don't trust Consumer Reports. They cater to a specific, quality-oriented, anal retentive market with their reviews, so the smallest of infractions are going to be reported as negatives by the readers. Furthermore, their way of collecting data is flawed, given that you really have to be concerned about your car or product in order to turn in the forms they send you yearly... Most of the time, according to a statistics class I took, people with "average" (read overall good) experiences with a product are less likely to respond to a survey than someone who had an overwhelmingly negative, or an overwhelmingly positive experience.
Word of mouth is usually a good thing to go by, and furthermore, if you've got friends at dealers, ask them what they see going in and out in terms of service, trades, new purchases, etc. I've got friends that I talk to at the GM, VW, Nissan, and Toyota dealers on a fairly consistent basis, so they can let me know whats been going on.
...Either way, the internet is probably the best resource we have for information, as many of these websites contain a wide variety of input and analysis of every make a model...
