Interesting info on auto makers

[jub jub]

If you have noticed all the bad news the last 3 years regarding the falling sales of the domestic auto industry, you might be interested in the following questions, possible answers are listed alphabetically.
The correct answers, along with source, are given below.

1. Which country can boast that their brands occupy 2 of the top 3 spots for long-term reliability?
a. Germany
b. Japan
c. Korea
d. United States

2. As of August 2007, which manufacturer had the most recalled vehicles in the U.S. for that year?
a. Chrysler
b. Ford
c. GM
d. Nissan
e. Toyota
f. Volkswagen

3. Pick the brand from each group that has the highest initial quality.
a. Acura, BMW, Cadillac (all luxury makes)
b. Honda, Mercury, Nissan (all non-luxury makes)
c. Acura (lux), Chevrolet (non-lux), BMW (lux), Mazda (non-lux)

4. Which midsize sedan has the highest initial quality?
a. Accord (Honda)
b. Altima (Nissan)
c. Camry (Toyota)
d. Malibu (Chevrolet)

5. &nb sp; Which large sedan has the highest initial quality?
a. Avalon (Toyota)
b. Grand Prix (Pontiac)
c. Sable (Mercury)

6. Which midsize pickup has the highest initial quality?
a. Dakota (Dodge)
b. Ranger (Ford)
c. Tacoma (Toyota)

7. Which car is the most economical overall?
a. Aveo (Chevrolet)
b. Fit (Honda)
c. Prius (Toyota)

8. Which car did the LA Times describe as “a better car than BMW or Mercedes or Lexus or Infiniti”?
a. A6 (Audi)
b. CTS (Cadillac)
c. RL (Acura)

9. Which company makes the winner of the 2008 “Green Car of the Year” award?
a. Chevrolet
b. Honda
c. Toyota

10. Which car was selected by the North American automotive press corps as the “North American Car of the Year” for 2007?
a. Aura (Saturn)
b. Camry (Toyota)
c. Fit (Honda)
11. Which car won the same award for 2008?
a. Accord (Honda)
b. Altima coupe (Nissan)
c . Malibu (Chevrolet)

12. Which company had a luxury vehicle, a midsize sedan, and a large truck removed from the Consumer Reports recommended vehicles list in October 2007 because of mounting quality problems?
a. Chrysler
b. Ford
c. General Motors
d. Hyundai
e. Toyota
f. Volkswagen


ANSWERS:
1. Which country can boast that their brands occupy 2 of the top 3 spots for long-term reliability?

Answer: United States.
Per J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, Mercury and Cadillac are in the top 3, along with Lexus. And in 2007, Buick was tied with Lexus for the top spot.
2008 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) | J.D. Power and Associates

2. As of August 2007, which manufacturer had the most recalled vehicles in the U.S. for that year?

Answer: Volkswagen.
According to Business Week, Volkswagen had the most recalls at this time a year ago. The second worst was Toyota.
Auto Makers' Total Recalls

3. Pick the brand from each group that has the highest initial quality.
a. Answer : Cadillac (better than both Acura and BMW)
b. Answer: Mercury (better than both Honda and Nissan)
c. Answer: Chevrolet (better than Acura, BMW, and Mazda)
This is according to J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey.
2008 Initial Quality Study | J.D. Power and Associates

4. Which midsize sedan has the highest initial quality?

Answer: The Chevrolet Malibu has better initial quality than any competitor, including the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. The Ford Fusion also beat all 3 Japanese competitors.
This too is from the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, which also reveals that above average are American brands Mercury, Ford, Cadillac, Chevrolet , Pontiac, Lincoln, and Buick. Below average are import brands Acura, Kia, Nissan, BMW, Mazda, VW, Subaru, and Scion (and several others).
2008 Initial Quality: Midsize and Large Cars | J.D. Power
2008 Initial Quality Study | J.D. Power and Associates

5. Which large sedan=2 0has the highest initial quality?

Answer: Again per J.D. Power, the highest quality large car is the Pontiac Grand Prix, beating the Toyota Avalon. Two other Detroit cars that beat the Avalon are the Mercury Sable and Mercury Grand Marquis.
2008 Initial Quality: Midsize and Large Cars | J.D. Power

6. Which midsize pickup has the highest initial quality?

Answer: The Dodge Dakota has the best quality for midsize pickups, proving that Chrysler too can beat the imports. Both the Dakota and the Ford Ranger beat the Toyota Tacoma.
2008 Initial Quality: Pickups and Vans | J.D. Power

7. Which car is the most economical overall?

Answer: Per Edmunds.com, the premier automotive analysis site, the most econom ical car in America, taking into account not only mileage but all costs, is the Chevrolet Aveo. The Honda Fit is #3 and the Toyota Prius is a distant #34.
Hybrid Vehicles Not Best Value According to Edmunds.com

8. Which car did the Los Angeles Times describe as “a better car than BMW or Mercedes or Lexus or Infiniti”?

Answer: “Cadillac makes a better car than BMW or Mercedes or Lexus or Infiniti, and that car is the 2008 CTS. No other car in the mass market dares so much as this expressive and audacious bit of automotive avant-gardism.” Dan Neil, LA Times.
Cadillac CTS - Los Angeles Times

9. Which company makes the winner of the 2008 “Green Car of the Year” award?

Answer: The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is the winner of this award. How could a full-size SUV defeat the media darling Toyota Prius? Read the link below and you will discover, “What’s equally eye-opening is that the Tahoe’s 21 mpg city fuel efficiency rating is the same as that of the city EPA rating for the four-cylinder Toyota Camry sedan. ”

Did you catch that? A huge, full-size SUV from Chevrolet that gets the same city mileage as a 4-cylinder Toyota Camry!! Chevy obtained this remarkable achievement through the use of its 2-mode hybrid system, a technology that Toyota does not have.
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid Named 2008 Green Car of the Year^® | Green Car .com

10. Which car was selected by the North American automotive press corps as the “North American Car of the Year” for 2007?

Answer: Not only was the Saturn Aura picked by the automotive press corps as better than the Honda Fit and the Toyota Camry, “When a panel of 47 journalists named the Saturn Aura=2 0the North American Car of the Year over the Toyota Camry, the vote wasn't even close, 205-89.” Chicago Tribune, 1/15/07
2008 Candidates

11. Which car won the same award for 2008?

Answer: GM again crushed the Japanese competition in 2008 when the Malibu received 190 votes to the Honda Accord’s 95. The Accord actually came in 3rd since GM’s other finalist, the Cadillac CTS, received 165 votes.
2008 Candidates

12. Which company had a luxury vehicle, a midsize sedan, and a large truck removed from the Consumer Reports recommended vehicles list in October 2007 because of mounting quality problems?

Answer: Toyota’s much publicized quality problems resulted in Consumer Reports actually removing from their recommended vehicles list the Lexus GS luxury car, Camry V6 sedan, and Tundra pickup . This demotion occurred in October 2007.

This Q&A list was put together by an employee of an American car company who just might lose his job because of public perceptions that do not match reality. If you are one of the many Americans who gave up on Detroit’s cars because of a bad experience many years ago, it’s time to rethink your position. Rethink Detroit.

Detroit automakers: 79 U.S. jobs per 2,500 cars sold in America.
Foreign automakers: 33 U.S. jobs per 2,500 cars sold in America.

[mdickie]

That is pretty eye opening...

[2MchFun]

Good stuff! I've been saying this for years. The last Toyota I owned was a POS. Never again.
We need to get the word out.

[jub jub]

My wife's 03 Accord had the transmission go out completely with 70k miles. Thankfully, Honda replaced it at there cost even though it was out of warranty.

My wife was like "WTF...this is a Honda?" She doesn't say that too often!

[Zippy]

I've been preaching "Buy American" for over 40 years.

When will Americans support America?

[wvphoto]

now that americans are building better cars..
maybe people might support america.

i would not buy american junk.. just because it was american.

i want something quality for my investment

[MSiska]

Originally Posted by wvphoto

now that americans are building better cars..
maybe people might support america.

i would not buy american junk.. just because it was american.

i want something quality for my investment

commie hillbilly!!!!

[Zippy]

GM has been building high quality cars for years, and years.

How do I know? Becuase I 've been buying and enjoying them since 1966 when I bought my first Chevrolet.

Now, would someone please pass the apple pie.

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by Zippy

GM has been building high quality cars for years, and years.

How do I know? Becuase I 've been buying and enjoying them since 1966 when I bought my first Chevrolet.

Now, would someone please pass the apple pie.

You are a true Patriot my friend!

[ZO6 AL-X]

The worst time to buy American was during the 80's, in regards to quality, fit and finish. Many good cars out there today.

[hugoagogo]

oh snap .I just bought a new nissan. doh!

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by hugoagogo

oh snap .I just bought a new nissan. doh!

Go to your room and no desert!

[scotts]

Because of various economic factors, we should experience a resurgence in American manufacturing.

Along with some stupid politician trying to take credit for it....

[Eric_Rav]

great thread. This is one of the reasons i've all but lost respect for liberals as a group.

I swear they are all basing their lives on some "liberal handbook" that I've never seen a copy of. Follow the guidelines, do as you're told, don't think or ask too many questions.

And on page 19 of the handbook it says

"we don't drive american cars. they aren't sophisticate, and remember from page 11, we're pretending to be intellectuals. so we don't drive american cars. We know american cars are bad, don't test drive any before buying because we already know they are bad. And remember when we march we put our left arm out while our right leg is forward. Be a good liberal, do as you're told"

[PowerPro01]

Yaknow, when Toyota sales plunged 20-some % in July, it hardly earned a murmur from anyone...was kinda mentioned "in passing"... Yet, when the Domestics experience such results, it's headlines everywhere, including the mainstream Auto press.

No, that's NOT "liberalism", it's simply a SAD "commentary"...and reinforces the notion "Perception IS Truth"...

JD Powers results are touted by the "Imports" when in their favor, but dismissed, generally otherwise, even by the "Domestic" brands whose determined efforts now show up as very positive results.

However...

GM has announced they'll soon close Oshawa Truck, THE highest quality Light Duty Truck Plant IN THE WORLD... Is THAT "speaking outta BOTH sides of your mouth"?!