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The 2012 Automotive Report Card: Which Brands Are The Best?
AOL Autos ^ | Feb 29, 2012 | Pete Bigelow

Posted on 02/29/2012 6:06:55 PM PST by Ron C.

The results of the annual Consumer Reports automotive report card caught a lot of people by surprise when they were released Tuesday – not necessarily because of which automaker claimed top honors, but because of which automaker did not.

A wave of redesigned vehicles helped catapult Subaru into the top position for the first time. It had finished second in last year’s ranking, and buoyed by recent successes with the Outback and Impreza, it improved two points this year to finish with an overall score of 75.

Subaru’s rise to the top meant that Honda’s four-year run as the top automaker among the 13 ranked was over. Honda drifted into fourth-place overall, and the problems caused by last year’s Japanese catastrophes didn’t seem to play much of a factor.

David Champion, Consumer Reports director of research, gave a blunt assessment of the automaker’s chief problem.

“They seem to be cheapening vehicles," he told The New York Times. "It's almost like a role reversal of where the domestics were 10 to 15 years ago."

Mazda showed the most dramatic improvement in this year’s rankings, rising from seventh place to second. Toyota finished in third place.

(Excerpt) Read more at autos.aol.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cars; competition
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I've seen friend's Subaru autos take a beating and keep on ticking. To see them take top-rating in this rating isn't a total shock to me.
1 posted on 02/29/2012 6:06:57 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: Ron C.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO SUCH REPORTS, WE KNOW WHAT IS BEST: THE CHEVY VOLT!
2 posted on 02/29/2012 6:09:31 PM PST by 70times7 (Serving Free Republics' warped and obscure humor needs since 1999!)
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To: Ron C.

I’ve had an outback for 12 years now. It’s needed a new alternator and some spark plugs and spark plug wires. I’m getting ready to do the timing belt service. Not bad for 12 years of mountain driving.

I’m thinking of learning to do everything on these vehicles myself and just buy used ones.


3 posted on 02/29/2012 6:14:38 PM PST by Dogbert41 ("...or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. " -Jesus)
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To: 70times7

Dammit, you beat me to it!


4 posted on 02/29/2012 6:15:07 PM PST by dynachrome ("Our forefathers didn't bury their guns. They buried those that tried to take them.")
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To: Ron C.

Not a single S. Korean automaker on the list?

Deeply flawed survey. But its Consumer Reports, so...


5 posted on 02/29/2012 6:15:25 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
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To: 70times7
LOL!

That is really hilarious!

I recently got an email going around the loops... it really whacked the Volt hard. Just charging the battery costs over $30 for many folks.

6 posted on 02/29/2012 6:15:34 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: Responsibility2nd

Oops. My bad. Hyundai is # 7.


7 posted on 02/29/2012 6:16:22 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
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To: Ron C.
I remember being on the boardwalk at Ocean City, MD...

Isn't "Whack a Volt" an arcade game?

8 posted on 02/29/2012 6:19:05 PM PST by 70times7 (Serving Free Republics' warped and obscure humor needs since 1999!)
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To: Ron C.

I love my Outback..both of them. I bought a 2000 outback in 2002, just handed it down to the daughter. It has 170k+ miles and a leaking head gasket (about 2900 to fix). It will last awhile longer if she keeps the oil up. I bought a 2011 on New Year’s eve on a darn good deal. So far, so good. They cost a lot in maintenance but they take a lot of use in stride.


9 posted on 02/29/2012 6:23:10 PM PST by SueRae (Tale of 2 Towers - First, Isengaard (GOP-e), then 11.06.2012, the Tower of Sauron)
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To: Ron C.
I have a 1985 Toyota truck with 47K.It has Historic tags on it.

A 1998 Lexus LS400 with 160K

and a 2005 Sienna with 67K

10 posted on 02/29/2012 6:47:45 PM PST by BreezyDog (PLAN A: A Peaceful Restoration of the Republic.....PLAN B: A Restoration of the Republic)
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To: 70times7
"Isn't "Whack a Volt" an arcade game?"

If not, it sure ought to be. ~grin~

One thing I really do expect... there's going to be lots of "Volt-Whacking" in the near future.

11 posted on 02/29/2012 6:50:34 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: Ron C.
Subaru's ONLY problem in the past was head gaskets!!...but the company stood behind them....I just gave one away with 260K on it...still running like a top and a lil tank in the snow!
12 posted on 02/29/2012 6:51:16 PM PST by M-cubed
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To: BreezyDog

I’ve got a ‘87 Toyota truck with ‘Collector’ tags as well. It’s rusty, nearly a quarter million miles on it and the mice are ready to move in, but, it still does what it was meant to do.


13 posted on 02/29/2012 6:57:42 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth (I'm for Churchill in 1940!)
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To: BreezyDog
~grin~

Do you do your own engine work?

I always have in the past, but getting a bit lazy in my old-age. I'm driving the 'million mile' Crown Vic - has 155K on it, and mechanics tell me not to worry about an engine rebuild until 500K.

14 posted on 02/29/2012 6:58:45 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: Ron C.

We’re on our third Outback. Never had a problem with any of them.

Wish Subaru made a minivan to rival the Sienna and Odyssey.


15 posted on 02/29/2012 6:59:15 PM PST by randita
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To: SueRae
Don't waste your money replacing the head gaskets in hi mileage Subaru's!!.

Add the $65 gasket in a can and run them forever!!!
(been there done that with 2 of em!)

16 posted on 02/29/2012 7:00:09 PM PST by M-cubed
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To: M-cubed
"I just gave one away with 260K on it"

My wife gave away her's to a friend, with about the same mileage on it, and it lasted for quite a while, finally tossing a timing chain not long ago. But, that can be fixed rather easily (I think.)

17 posted on 02/29/2012 7:02:25 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: BreezyDog

My 1992 Accord has 268K on it. It needs a new headlamp assembly that was cracked from a rock on the interstate. I’ll do that tomorrow.


18 posted on 02/29/2012 7:03:42 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)/?)
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To: randita

I’ve had the same reports from many others - these things hold up really well. There’s one problem though - getting parts is a bit difficult, I found - while the wife still had hers.


19 posted on 02/29/2012 7:04:35 PM PST by Ron C.
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To: Ron C.

Yugo,


20 posted on 02/29/2012 7:04:38 PM PST by org.whodat
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