How much importance do you give this survey (initial quality survey)? I have always discounted it because it’s the long term quality (2-3 years of ownership and longer) that I thought mattered. It seems the media makes a big deal of JD Power. Today the news claims Japan has lost top spots in the survey. Yet, every Toyota owner I know (whether new car model or older model) would not part with their Toyota vehicle. So what’s up with this survey? Thanks
Talk to my brother about Toyota. He bought 2 different Tundras and had frame rot in both. He says he will never buy another Toyota but I have never had a problem with any that I have owned. As for “initial quality”…I don’t consider it to be worth the paper it’s printed on. Just my opinion.
There’s at least one Lexus on the list. Lots of Hyundais, though. They and FCA must have paid their dues to get the best ratings.
A 90 day study seems like it would tell you more about how consistently each car was manufactured. If they have a worker at the factory that is forgetting to tighten the engine mount in 1 out of 10 cars, that would be apparent to most owners in the first 90 days. A three year study would tell more about the quality of the overall design and materials used.
I can’t speak to how well JDP does these surveys, but it seems like a 90 day assessment has some value.
That is exactly what JD Power says the initial quality survey is about, @GeorgeSanJose.
I remember the 1950s when cars were guaranteed 90 days,or 4000 miles. I guess this survey would, have been meaningful back then.
I don’t put much faith at all into J.D. Power surveys. Quite a few years back Power was caught dishing out an award after being paid off. I vaguely remember this involving Subaru and after some sacrificial lambs were fired it was back to business as usual. They have an award for everything under the sun.
Even Consumer Reports is a load of subjective BS. That’s a point that I’ve maintained forever it seems and could even point out a recent example to back that up.
These things are like Carfax; tools to be used as aids but with not much weight given to them.
These things are like Carfax; tools to be used as aids but with not much weight given to them.
Use them as ONE tool. There are many out there. Don’t be reliant on just one of them.
The 90 day initial quality survey is a joke. And everyone knows it…except JD Powers.
JD Power makes their money selling their “awards”. And they make sure they design an “award” for everyone. Any award that the recipient bought is a farce.
And a 90 day quality award is an outright joke. 90 days doesn’t mean squat.
I’ve owned numerous Toyotas. Still do. Two of them were trucks. The first lasted 11 years. The frame rotted out, but the drivetrain was still working great. The second I gave to my daughter after over 300,000 miles. She drove it daily until 338,000 miles when it was in an accident. There was, after perhaps 20 years, some body rust forming, but the chassis was in great shape.
I’d buy another Toyota pickup in a heartbeat. I miss mine.
It seems that Power doles out an award for best car in the first 90 days of ownership, best customer satisfaction over the first year, best initial impression, best build quality between lunar eclipses, etc, etc, etc.
They’ve made word play a real art form…
It’s not much different than the awards that car manufacturers dole out to their dealers. Gold Star Dealer, Five Star Dealer, Dealer of the Year, Customer Satisfaction Award, yada, yada.
JD Power is right “up there” with Motor Trend car magazine . . . a complete joke
:naughty:
" It seems the media makes a big deal of JD Power."
No, it’s not “the media” that makes a big deal over those JD Power awards.
It is the car manufacturers’ own commercials (that you see via “the media”) that make a big deal over those awards. The manufacturers have paid “the media” to run those commercials, and it is entirely possible that those same manufacturers also paid JD Power to create a specialized award for them.
This is business, pure and simple.
Please note that I didn’t say that it is ethical business.
It’s just…business.
Caveat emptor!
It is the car manufacturers' own commercials (that you see via "the media") that make a big deal over those awards
And they make a big deal over any awards from Motor Trend…they also make a big deal about a clean Carfax report. These are just marketing tools for the manufacturers and car dealers. But there are still far too many buyers out there who believe all the hype. I’ve had run-ins with some of these people. try to tell them the truth…and they get REAL DEFENSIVE.
I don’t believe a word the advertisement say…all manufactures lie through their teeth to sell their product.
As far as JD Power…they are just in it for the hype. That’s there job…period!!!
I see these ads with Bret Favre…and just turn the channel. I’m no sports fan, but if you lie to the fans “oh poor me I cant play anymore and need to retire to heal”…then he’s off signing a contract with someone else.
He should be a used car salesman!!!
How about Dyson with their “new digital motor” and of course because of the environment they’ve made it without carbon brushes.
Too many people are not even aware that there is no such thing as a Digital Motor and that brushes add virtually no carbon to the atmosphere.
Yosemite
The 90 days satisfaction has a lot to do with how the customer was treated and how well the car was prepared by the dealer. From a technical point of view it means very little.
Hyundai is trying very hard to make customers happy and together with their now good quality it puts them in a very strong position. Consumer Reports also reports good long term reliability. Early Hyundais were a joke.
It’s interesting to note that Consumer Report does no accept advertising and won’t let manufacturers use its recommendation. It also buys test cars anonymously at random locations.
“It’s interesting to note that Consumer Report does no accept advertising and won’t let manufacturers use its recommendation. It also buys test cars anonymously at random locations.”
As you know, that keeps them from being accused of a bias, unlike, and not to be confused with Consumers Digest that many manufacturers use to boast up their products. Of course they’re not biased either, right? (wink, wink). It’s really surprising that the Digest would choose a name so easily confused with the Reports… yah right.
CSA
“not to be confused with Consumers Digest that many manufacturers use to boast up their products.”
I can recall an article/review in Consumer’s Digest that stated something on the order of “The Olds Achieva” is the car with which GM will kill Honda".
Yeah, right.
The Achieva was no different (except for trim details) from the other N-body GM compacts of the day, but somehow this one rather mediocre model was going to surpass Honda in sales.
I recall being somewhat mystified by the rave review that they gave the Achieva, but then I turned the page and saw a 2-page display ad for that model. Then it all became abundantly clear.
As you can tell from my avatar, I’m a longtime Olds guy, and I was thouroghly unimpressed with the Acheiva. For some reason, GM decided back then that Olds was gong to become their “import fighter” and forced olds to forsake the market they were best at, larger, more luxurious upscale family sedans. It was a disaster from the beginning, and I still haven’t forgiven John Rock for killing off Olds.
The Olds Achieva is supposed to kill Honda . . . ?
Well, let’s fast forward a few years
Honda is doing great
Olds is dead and buried
The achieva is dead and buried
Looks like the Achieva failed to “achieve” its goal
In other words, it did NOT live up to its name
:naughty:
Any repair needs under 90 days will be under warranty, so one could use it as a guide to initial car quality control, a possible indicator to quality control standards implicating a less problematic vehicle. Was there a link I missed to the survey?