gavriil

When I wrote: "what does VW has to show for themselves" I dont think the Phaeton would qualify as an answer. It neither best in class, nor best seller in class.

gavriil

To me, that's a HUGE difference.

SpeedyV6

The J.D. Power quality report carried a less weighty, but still important warning for established auto makers. For the past several years, the three big companies headquartered in Detroit, General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group, have been putting out the word that their new vehicle quality was improving dramatically and closing in on industry leader Toyota. Korean cars were generally dismissed as a problem for used car dealers. Cars made by Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. were considered so junky that consumers needed the assurance of a 10-year warranty.

But that was all before last week, when Hyundai sped past the Big Three in the latest Power survey's rankings of new vehicle quality to tie with Honda Motor Co. for the No. 2 corporate ranking, just behind Toyota Motor Corp.

Hyundai customers reported 29% fewer problems with their 2004 model cars compared to the 2003 models, a rate of improvement that exceeded that of the Detroit companies and several Japanese and European auto makers as well.

Broken down by brand, the Honda brand (No. 4) outranked the Hyundai brand at No. 7. But Hyundai was ahead of the Toyota brand, the BMW brand, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Chevrolet and Acura, to name a few. In fact, based on the Power survey, Hyundai owners, who reported 102 problems per vehicle, were a lot happier than new Porsche owners, who reported 159 problems per vehicle, placing the exalted German luxury brand dead last in Power's corporate ranking.

The best cars on the market, at least when it comes to new vehicle perfection, remain those from Toyota's Lexus brand, according to the Power survey. GM's Cadillac ranked No. 2 among brands, followed by Ford's Jaguar.

Hyundai's ascent in the Power survey is in part driven by a crusade by the company's leaders to master the details that the Power survey's questions highlight – much as a student taking a standardized test would prepare by doing dozens of practice SATs.

But so what? Every other company in the business has the same opportunity. The Big Three have been dealing with the J.D. Power survey for well over a decade. They have been promising to produce industry-leading quality for more than two decades. Detroit executives often vow that sometime in the middle of this decade, the quality of domestic brand vehicles will match or exceed Toyota's.

Cadillac, Buick and Mercury did beat the Toyota brand in the 2004 study. But overall, the average scores for all vehicles made by GM, Ford and Chrysler still ranked below the industry average and below Hyundai.

The Power survey doesn't have the same heft with consumers as Consumer Reports. But Hyundai poses a big threat to the Big Three and the established Japanese brands if it can continue delivering consistently better performance in rankings of new vehicle quality and, more critically, durability over time. If a company offers vehicles with better quality at a lower price, why wouldn't consumers buy?

Hyundai's performance demonstrates again the wisdom of Satchel Paige: "Don't look back, something may be gaining on you."
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,eye...e_road,00.html

SpeedyV6

This is also why I am looking at 1-2 yr old Seville STS or Eldorado ETC as a replacement for my old CL-S. They depreciate quickly but they seem like better built cars and appear to be nearly as fast as a 5A CL-S.

gavriil

Cayenne gives Porsche black eye in latest J.D. Power survey - - By DIANA T. KURYLKO | Automotive News - - Source: Autoweek

NEW YORK -- The Porsche Cayenne has been on the market barely a year, but it has dragged the company to the bottom rungs of the industry's most important quality survey.

The high-priced German brand showed 159 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. That compares with 117 problems in 2003.

The marque's decline is almost entirely due to initial bugs in the Cayenne, a luxury SUV that sells for $41,865 to $90,065. Power places Porsche third from the bottom, above only Volkswagen and Hummer.

The ratings were no surprise to Porsche. "We're disappointed with the results…" said a spokesman for Porsche Cars North America. "But if you look at the fine detail, the majority of problems were related to features and controls."

According to J.D. Power, the most frequently cited problem with the Cayenne had to do with a keyless entry system. Using a radio frequency, the system unlocks the car when it detects the key in an owner's pocket. Some owners complain that the doors unlock when the driver checks the handle immediately after locking them.

Fogging of headlamp lenses was another problem frequently cited. Porsche is aware of both problems and is trying to remedy them, the spokesman said.

Other Porsche nameplates outperformed the Cayenne. The Boxster was in the top 10 among all cars with 52.4 problems per 100 vehicles. And the survey rated the 911 best in the premium sports car class with 74.53 problems per 100.

But strong ratings for the Boxter and 911 were not enough to counterbalance the Cayenne. Dealers were surprised at Porsche's dramatic fall in the ratings. "I am astounded," says Robert Snodgrass, owner of Brumos Motor Cars in Jacksonville, Fla.

At his dealership, complaints about the Cayenne "are a number of small, niggling things - I can't specify any one big thing," says Snodgrass.

"The Cayenne is a bridge vehicle for Porsche," he says. "People who buy these cars (the Cayenne) have expectations of Porsche that are a bit unrealistic."

The major issue upsetting dealers is the lack of a spare tire. But that apparently was not an issue in the J.D. Power ranking, says Snodgrass.

Jerry Nelson, co-owner of Schneider-Nelson Porsche in West Long Branch, N.J., says because Cayenne owners use the SUV as a daily car, "The bar is set at 110 percent compared to a sports car which isn't driven every day."

heyitsme

Just goes to show, never buy a first year model if you value quality.

"Zuffenhausen-built cars score highest on quality in US study
Of all European plants that export cars to the US, the Porsche Zuffenhausen, Germany, factory has the highest quality, according to the latest JD Power and Associates Initial Quality Study."

"Hyundai says it does not need DC for its global ambitions
New rivalry emerges in Asian market
Hyundai says it does not need DaimlerChrysler, its alliance partner in Asia the past four years. DaimlerChrysler, which has declined to help fund the turnaround plan of Japanese partner Mitsubishi, owns 10.46 percent of Hyundai. The two automakers are emerging as rivals rather than partners."

Too funny.

1SICKLEX

Sad, but I like the Cayenne. Well, it is a VW so there lies your problem.

SiGGy

Did anyone notice Acura is *barely* above Chevy. That's PATHETIC considering how many more vehicles Chevy produces than Acura.

gavriil

Excellent point.

gavriil

Secrets of GM's Quality Comeback - - A brand-new plant helps a lot, it turns out. - - by Mike Davis - - Source: The Car Connection

Many a General Motors heart was gladdened by the news that the latest J.D. Power survey of initial quality awarded GM's Lansing Grand River operation its highest Gold award for 2004 models produced by North American assembly plants. Lansing Grand River's Cadillac models registered only 74 problems per 100 vehicles among owners/lessees after 90 days.

This was second only to the vaunted Lexus top-end models made in the Toyota Tahara plant in Japan. It was also a significant improvement for LGR products over the year before, despite the fact new variants had been added to the product mix. Production of the Cadillac SRX "station wagon" was added last August and the CTS-V "luxury hot rod" in January. The new STS assembly officially starts June 1.

JRock

Good article explaining Porsche. Was worried about them.

As for Acura, almost all of it is going to be silly things like with the Cayenne, such as people not used to certain features or even the tires issue when the TL first came out (they have since changed tire brand and compound to get rid of some vibration problem or rough ride problem or whatever it was.)

This survey is not even half the story. The three-year reliability one matters much more.

cusdaddy

Great strides from Cadillac once again! Very impressive