“Cars are better, but in Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue, Honda, Toyota and Subaru have the least problems while Ford GM and Chrysler are near the bottom. Ford is mid-pack.”
I have to say, I think part of that is due to the impression American cars are crap. I knew people who had major problems with their new Honda, but it was “just a fluke”, as they would say. I cannot imagine them saying that if it was an American car. I think people are harder critics of American cars because any little thing that does go wrong is expected due to their past track record.
I agree with you.
FYI,
If you subscribe as I do to Consumer Reports you will receive an annual survey of automobiles, appliances etc. that you own to fill out and return. This is how they come up with their ratings of new and older vehicles and other consumer items.
I agree GM and Ford have improved their quality/reliability over the last 10 years. However, they alienated so many customers like me in the 80’s & 90’s that I now on my 2nd Toyota Tacoma and my wife has a Honda Odessey.
Honda and Toyota including Acura and Lexus are the best cars made IMHO. Subaru are better than average. However, I would not buy a Mercedes, Land Rover, Mitusbishi, Suzuki, Kia, Volvo or Saab.
“I think people are harder critics of American cars because any little thing that does go wrong is expected due to their past track record.”
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This is an observable phenomenon, no doubt. Strangely enough some people seem to be more forgiving of problems with a very expensive vehicle than they are with problems encountered with a low end model. I used to sell used offset duplicators before technology killed the market and I was astounded to hear a man brag about a new German made machine that he had paid thirty thousand dollars for because he had run two million impressions on it and “only had to spend $1200. on it” for repairs. I bit my tongue because I wanted to call him a fool, if he had bought a used Multilith or A.B. Dick for one tenth of the price and had to spend that much on repairs just to run two million impressions he would have been screaming that he had gotten screwed. Some people have a seemingly endless ability to dwell in lala land and ignore reality.