Re: Consumer Reports - yikes

On Jun 18, 1:00 am, Doug <sparks06524nos...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 16:43:11 -0700, robrjt <rob.tan...@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

On Jun 17, 3:22 pm, gw <wgam...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Do you doubt for a minute that Japanese automobiles (toyota, Honda,...)
are more reliable than German ones? Why is that?

No, I do not. My own experience is that the Lexus build quality is
much better than the Mercedes (and BMWs) that I own.

gamini

my experience is there is no better build quality than MB. It is
reinforced every day as I open the door to my like new 25 year old
300SD. Toyota and its divisions (lexus) builds disposable cars. MB
does the opposite.

The above is a REALLY illogical post. The thread was about CURRENT
production Mercedes-Benz autos, not your 25 year old 300SD, or my 1977
240D. They no longer build reliable vheicles like they did 15 or more
years ago.

A neighbor bought one of the M-B SUV's (ML320-I think)- piece of crap.
In the first year of ownership, she had to have the interior trim
aound all the doors replaced as it bubbled up and fell off. Then the
alternator needed replacing, the power steering pump then failed, etc,
etc. She had that thing back to the dealer at least a dozen times in
the first year for warranty repairs.

Meanwhile, I chugged along with my Dodge Caravan of the same year.
Despite the Caravan's mediocre reputation for reliability and despite
the fact that it cost less than half of the M-B, I had one warranty
repair in the last 5 years - front sway bar strut bushings. It's now
chalked up 95,000 miles with only those strut bushings and usual brake
replacement.

I participated in a Consumer Report survey.
While I do think that their results are skewed in the sense that they
only survey their subscribers, who by their very nature may have a
bias against US built vehicles, I think they are fairly accurate, at
least in terms of the analysis of the survey results that THEY HAVE
RECEIVED.

They are not interested in minor defects or repairs. The survey asks
owners to report repairs that caused the vehicle to be out of service
for a day or more.

Doug

My post was a response to the prior poster, not illogical. As
stated ealier, its alot easier to bitch about a squeak in a V12 twiin
turbo than it is in a minivan. a V12 may very well be out of service
for a squeak. Buyer expectations are much higher. Regarding CR,
they downgraded my 2000 vette convertible bacause the manual top was
difficult to put up. I never understood how, it was a smooth 10
second operation if one was not handicapped in some way. I do not put
alot of faith in their surveys. I suspect the average CR subscriber
drives a priuus or accord, or a minivan, They did rate a modern E and
S class cars as the finest handling, most comfort, braking, fit and
finish. That is a direct result of build quality. My brother works
at a reputable euro speed shop in N. Dallas,
on many occasions I have seen the "build quality" of a modern toyota
part and that of a comparable Benz part. Cheap pot metal vs real thick
machined steel. And the alignment guys are the ones that notice the
build quality of the Benzes,when they say "every car should be built
this way" . Like the ads say, "Engineered like no other" is still
true. Now if they get the electics in order..which is happening

.

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