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Toyota skids in reliability rankings and Buick ties Lexus for the #1 spot.

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Old Oct 16, 2007 | 12:26 PM
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Toyota skids in reliability rankings and Buick ties Lexus for the #1 spot.

Toyota Skids (Consumer Reports):
http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/16/auto...ney_topstories

Buick & Lexus Tie (J.D. Power Survey):
http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/08/auto...ion=2007080909

Last edited by TA76; Oct 16, 2007 at 12:45 PM.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 12:29 PM
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I love this:

In the past, because Toyota (Charts) products have so consistently proved reliable, the magazine would assume at least average reliability for Toyota's brand new cars, without waiting for survey data from owners.
But from now on, the magazine will wait for a full year of reliability survey data to come in before it recommends a Toyota product - as it does with most other manufacturers.
Gee, ya THINK this might be the best/most fair way to do it?
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 12:35 PM
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Yeah, I saw that too. To me that is a smoking gun regarding CR being Toyota biased.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 12:38 PM
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Consumer Reports said it no longer recommends V6 versions of Toyota's Camry or V8 versions of its Tundra pick-up because of poor reliability.
Ummmm, WOW?
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by TA76
Yeah, I saw that too. To me that is a smoking gun regarding CR being Toyota biased.
I don't know about all the blatant bias that CR gets accused of by Domestic guys, but you have to admit that it is pretty darn interesting.

If CR decided to rate all or even most of its new models initially based on their data of the old models, I really wouldn't have a problem with it. At least they would be up front and honest about it. But for example, publishing that the 2007 Silverado is "too new" to rate while saying the 2007 Tundra is "better than average" doesn't seem to uphold their reputation as a purely "scientific" consumer research journal. Either rank ALL new models as "too new to rate" or use all of your old data and apply it to the new model....and be up front about what you are doing. This is especially embarrassing to CR now that they've had to downgrade the new Tundra to below average. I wonder how many people bought the Tundra based on CR's thoroughly unscientific initial rating?

Last edited by Z28Wilson; Oct 16, 2007 at 12:45 PM.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:28 PM
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Have I made my point clear??

Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:35 PM
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It's hard to complain about CR's methodology, because they basically don't have one.

It's all self-reported data anyway, which means true blue Camry owners must be getting pissy.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:35 PM
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No one will ever defend Consumer Reports against allegations of bias towards Toyota again.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:41 PM
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Solstice FTL...

Originally Posted by Article prooving Consumers Reports is a douchbag rag
The least reliable car of all, according to Consumer Reports survey, is General Motors' Pontiac Solstice sports car. Its reliability was calculated to be 234 percent worse than average.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:57 PM
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The tide is turning. Public perception will take longer but the effort has paid off.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 03:07 PM
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In the past, because Toyota (Charts) products have so consistently proved reliable, the magazine would assume at least average reliability for Toyota's brand new cars, without waiting for survey data from owners.
But from now on, the magazine will wait for a full year of reliability survey data to come in before it recommends a Toyota product - as it does with most other manufacturers.
That just amazes me..
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by CalicoJack
Solstice FTL...
Does the vert only hurt it? hard top have got to be much more reliable.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Z28x
Does the vert only hurt it? hard top have got to be much more reliable.
It is likely to do w/ the small number of cars sold and so if they send out 100 surveys and only get 5 back and one rates the car poorly then it will have 4 good surveys and 1 bad one so it looks worse than it really is.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:50 PM
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Can we do a class action lawsuit for dickheadedness?

From CNN's article, "Ford and GM on the Comeback":

"A 2006 Forester research study showed that car shoppers trust Consumer Reports more than any other source of automotive information. The magazine has always maintained that it has no reason to favor or attack any particular company."

And yet:

"In the past, because Toyota products have so consistently proved reliable, the magazine would assume at least average reliability for Toyota's brand new cars, without waiting for survey data from owners."

No reason to FAVOR?

Seriously, I am up in flames about this. How many years did Toyota get a free ****ing ride from these dicks? The "most trusted" publication, no less!

CR should be required to advertise in every national magazine that their criteria have been biased in favor of Toyota for the past XX years, and that should be taken into account when choosing your next car.
Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:56 PM
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If I were a GM pr person, I would resist the strong temptation to take a swing at this and instead maintain that CR surveys are completely non-scientific.

We all know that CR's survey "method" is by and large a fraud. Just because the nonsensical results tip against Toyota this year doesn't mean these results suddenly mean something.



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