JD Power report

Quote:

Lexus keeps J.D. Power dependability crown; Lincoln, Buick, Cadillac in top ten
GAIL KACHADOURIAN | Automotive News
Posted Date: 6/30/05
For the 11th straight year, Lexus is tops in long-term quality in J.D. Power and Associates' Vehicle Dependability Study.

According to the 2005 study, owners of 2002-model Lexus vehicles surveyed earlier this year reported 139 problems per 100 vehicles. Power released the study on Wednesday.

Lexus showed a 14 percent improvement in dependability over 2004, Power said. Lexus vehicles ranked first in three of the 19 car and truck segments included in the study.

The Lexus LS 430 had 90 problems per 100 vehicles. It is the first model in the history of the 16-year-old study to have fewer than one problem per vehicle.

Porsche showed a dramatic increase in this year's study. It finished second in dependability, up from tenth last year. Porsche had 149 problems per 100 vehicles, a 38 percent year-over-year improvement.

"It's the largest percentage improvement in the industry," said Neal Oddes, Power's director of product research.

"Porsche didn't change much of their lineup" from the 2001 to 2002 model year, Oddes said. "They just improved on what they had."

Hyundai had the largest year-over-year reduction in the number of problems reported by owners. The brand had 260 problems per 100 vehicles, a reduction of 115 problems from last year's study. But Hyundai still finished below the industry average of 237 problems per 100 vehicles.

Chevrolet placed first in four model segments, more than any other brand. The study ranked Chevrolet's Prizm and Malibu cars and S-10 and Silverado HD pickups most dependable in their segments.

Among other General Motors vehicles, the Buick Century and LeSabre sedans, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade EXT SUVs finished on top of their model segments.

"This is the first time, when you look at GM, they've won this many segment awards," Oddes says.

Ford Motor Co. vehicles finished first in five segments. Toyota had four segment leaders.

Oddes noted that the Escalade EXT and the redesigned Ford Thunderbird, another segment winner, debuted in the 2002 model year. A first-year vehicle finishing first in dependability "is very rare at best," he says.

Overall, the Power study says, long-term vehicle quality increased 12 percent from 2004 to 2005. Audi and Saab were the only brands that did not show year-over-year improvements.

Audi had 312 problems per 100 vehicles in this year's study, a 6 percent increase from 2004. Saab had 286 problems per 100 vehicles, an 8 percent increase. Oddes called these annual changes in dependability "minor declines."

Kia, which had 397 problems per 100 vehicles, finished last in the 2005 study. Land Rover, last year's lowest performer, was second to last this year, with 395 problems.

The Power study is based on responses from 50,635 original owners of 2002 model vehicles. The survey of current problems was conducted between late January and late April this year. A vehicle warranty typically is reaching its end after three years, Power said.




NAMEPLATE RANKING

Problems per 100 Vehicles
Lexus 139
Porsche 149
Lincoln 151
Buick 163
Cadillac 175
Infiniti 178
Toyota 194
Mercury 195
Honda 201
Acura 203
BMW 225
Ford 231
Chevrolet 232
Chrysler 235
Industry Average 237
Saturn 240
Oldsmobile 242
GMC 245
Pontiac 245
Mazda 252
Hyundai 260
Subaru 260
Volvo 266
Jaguar 268
Dodge 273
Nissan 275
Mitsubishi 278
Mercedes-Benz 283
Saab 286
Jeep 289
Suzuki 292
Audi 312
Daewoo 318
Isuzu 331
Volkswagen 335
MINI 383
Land Rover 395
Kia 397

Good news for GM. Good work GM engineers .

only reason buicks are reliable are cause old people baby em lol.


-Borsty

The only reason Pontiac scored so low is cause people like Borsty buys them and beats the hell out of them.

J.D. Power Dependability Study

The automotive industry records an impressive 12 percent improvement in long-term vehicle quality, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) released today.

The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of 3-year-old (2002 model-year) vehicles, provides useful information to both consumers and the automotive industry on long-term vehicle quality. For consumers, the VDS offers insight into the reliability and dependability of brands and specific models as they approach the end of a typical warranty period. Manufacturers use this information to track the quality performance of their models over time to implement product improvement plans.
At the industry level, manufacturers have made a considerable leap in quality, with improvements across all categories. The industry average improves 32 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) compared to 2004. In addition, nearly all nameplates and 84 percent of vehicle models included in the 2005 VDS also record year-over-year improvements. The categories showing the most significant improvements in 2005 include ride, handling and braking; engine; and interior.

"While the Initial Quality Study [IQS], which measures problems experienced in the first 90 days of ownership, can be an indicator of how models will perform over time, our studies consistently show that long-term durability is a tremendously important factor to consumers," said Chance Parker, executive director of product and research analysis at J.D. Power and Associates. "As the number of problems owners experience with their vehicles increases, repurchase intent and the number of recommendations owners will make to others decreases. The study also finds that long-term durability can have a significant impact on a vehicle's retained value."

According to actual retail transaction data from the Power Information Network, a division of J.D. Power and Associates, 3-year-old vehicles of brands that perform above the industry average in VDS typically retain $1,000 more of their value than those of brands performing below the industry average.
Lexus, which ranks highest in vehicle dependability for the 11th consecutive year, improves 14 percent (23 PP100) compared to 2004.
Porsche makes the largest percentage improvement in its VDS score, while Hyundai experiences the largest reduction in problems reported by owners. Porsche, which ranks second among nameplates, improves 38 percent compared to 2004-a 91 PP100 improvement. Although still hovering below the industry average, Hyundai records a dramatic 115 PP100 improvement (31.

"Hyundai experienced similar levels of improvement in the 2002 IQS, when these vehicles were new, which shows a successful effort by Hyundai in translating short-term quality improvements into higher long-term quality," said Parker. "Even though there is still room for improvement, Hyundai is a great example of an automaker that is making strides toward improving vehicle quality by paying close attention to owner feedback and designing products with both short- and long-term quality in mind."
General Motors models earn eight segment awards and Ford Motor Company models receive five segments awards -a record for both GM and Ford in VDS. Toyota Motor Corporation models receive four awards.

The Lexus LS 430, which earns a score of 90 PP100, is the first model in VDS history to receive fewer than 100 PP100. The LS 430 receives the premium luxury car segment award, and Lexus also receives awards for its RX 300 (entry luxury SUV) and LX 470 (premium luxury SUV) models.

Chevrolet captures the most segment awards, with the Prizm (compact car), Malibu (entry midsize car), S-10 Pickup (midsize pickup) and Silverado HD (heavy-duty full-size pickup) each earning an award in their respective segments. Ford receives three segment awards, for the Thunderbird (entry luxury car), Windstar (midsize van) and E-Series (full-size van).

The VDS is one of three J.D. Power and Associates quality metrics, along with IQS and the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which measures customer perceptions on the design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. The results of the 2005 IQS were released in May and the 2005 APEAL Study is scheduled for release in late September.

The 2005 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 50,635 original owners of 2002 model-year cars and light trucks.









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