On the news this morning... Consumer Reports has moved Honda above Toyota as the most reliable brand. Apparently there have been problems with the Camry's reliability that caused the change in order. There probably was not much difference in reliability to start with.
Not sure if you have to log in to view or not, but here's the link to the article on the CR.org site... http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/pr...rview/index.htm DENTS IN TOYOTA'S ARMOR Toyota's reliability record in our survey would make it the envy of almost any other automaker. But Toyota seems to have fallen victim to bug-ridden redesigns. Two models with below-average reliability are the Camry with the V6 engine and the four-wheel-drive V8 version of the Tundra pickup. Both were redesigned for 2007. The third is the all-wheel-drive Lexus GS sedan. Because we don't recommend models with below-average reliability, those three no longer make Consumer Reports' recommended list (see What's up, what's down). However, the four-cylinder version of the Camry and the hybrid versions of the Camry and GS all scored above average and will continue to be recommended. What went wrong? The survey identified problems with the six-speed automatic transmission as the major concern with the Camry V6. Subscribers reported problems with the four-wheel-drive system in the Tundra. Owners of the AWD Lexus GS informed us of problems with power accessories and the audio system. Because of those findings, we will no longer recommend new or redesigned Toyotas without reliability data on a specific design. If Toyota returns to its previous record of outstanding reliability, we may resume recommending its new models based on history.
Katsuaki Watanabe is really mad right now. How many speeds does an automatic transmission need for crying out loud? Stock is $107 right now, down from $115 five days ago and $130 plus at the beginning of the year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(etyler88 @ Oct 17 2007, 09:05 AM) [snapback]526895[/snapback]</div> Apparently not enough even for 6. There is 8 gears in the new LS auto tranny.
I think for the range of speed we drive in real world, 6-speed is probably the optimal considering cost. Beyond that, it is all about hype.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Oct 17 2007, 09:51 AM) [snapback]526839[/snapback]</div> I've seen something from Yahoo! linked to Financial Times (but now the link is broken) where they focussed on Ford (no pun intended) and its improvements as Toyota declined. Overall though, I like this from the CR site: <blockquote> "Other news from our latest survey: * Overall, Asian models still dominate in reliability, accounting for 34 of the 39 models in the Most reliable new car list. Thirty-one are Japanese and three are South Korean. * Despite Toyota's problems, the automaker still ranks third overall in reliability, behind only Honda and Subaru, with 17 models in the best list. Honda has seven with a smaller model lineup. * Only four domestic models made the Most reliable list: the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Pontiac Vibe, and the two-wheel-drive Ford F-150 with the V6 engine. U.S. makes, however, account for almost half the models--20 of 44--on the Least reliable list. There are 13 from GM, 6 from Chrysler, and 1 from Ford. * European makes account for 17 models on the Least reliable list. This includes six each from Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen/Audi." </blockquote> Note that the Pontiac Vibe is a twin of the Toyota Matrix. I'm not sure where they are built. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ceric @ Oct 17 2007, 02:21 PM) [snapback]527017[/snapback]</div> Oh right, next you'll be telling us we don't need 5-blade razors!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Oct 17 2007, 07:51 AM) [snapback]526839[/snapback]</div> Yes but according to the CBC The Prius is at the top of the consumer reports list. See http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/10/1...r-rankings.html
