05SonicBlue

I think real world data (frequency of repairs, cost of ownership etc.) clearly show that US manufacturers have pretty much narrowed the quality gap with Japanese cars. However, there is still the perception that Japanese cars have fewer problems, which has been very difficult for US manufacturers to overcome. These days, cars generally are just massively overengineered, certainly when compared with those of 15+ years ago.

The worst/best car I ever owned was a Subaru. Underpowered and was very expensive to fix: CV joints, exhaust, timing belt, clutch, you name it. However, I rarely changed the oil. Iwould routinely go w/o oil changes for years at a time, just adding oil whenever it was low. The engine never died, just eveything else on the car broke. Finally junked the car with 120,000 miles.

If Toyota makes it, CR loves it. I am convinced that if you took a Toyota and put Ford badges on it, CR would give the car a lower rating. CR is definitely biased upwards when rating Japanese cars. I've driven plenty of quirky Toyotas over the years, all of which CR just loved and loved and in my opinion were ranked too high. With that said, our Honda Odyssey minivan with the touring package is just an amazing vehicle. Crazy cheap to maintain and head and shoulders above a Chrysler or Ford minivan.

Virgule

The Japanese don't make cars. They make souless transportation appliances.

Heavyg72

I have both....03 Honda Accord (daily driver), 04 Honda Oddessy (wifes daily driver) and 06 GT Vert....and am pleased with all of them. The Honda's have proven to be awesome daily cars with no issues with either since they were purchased. The service I get at my dealership is top notch. My GT only has 2K miles on it but so far it has been incredible with no issues at all.

badtzmaru

I am not impressed with Japanese cars, all of my cars have and will always be American (here in the USA)....with the exception when I was living in Japan (Toyota, Trueno and Honda Vigor).

Tres Wright

For a long time we were a Honda family. We've racked up a BUNCH of miles on our Hondas, and while there have been a few problems along the way overall they've been very reliable.

I have to say though, the Mustang has been pretty darned bulletproof in the 27k miles I've driven it. I am very impressed with it, the quality is far above other American cars I've owned in the past. It has been as dependable and reliable as any of the Hondas I've had; other than some rattles I have no complaints at all about it.

dotbomb

I think the fact that Ford is increasing the warranty to 5 year / 60k miles in 2007 speaks for itself here. It means their engineering is solid enough that bumping the warranty up is not going to cost them money.

6xStang

I could go either way on this one. I (for me) only buy American; suburbans, mustangs, 400 hp caddies, crown vics, etc.....

But.....for the wife we are on our second Honda Odyssey; we didn't think that the windstar/freestar could hold a candle to it. when people ask me for auto advice (and since I am the resident car guy, a lot of people do), before I render advice I ask what people want out of a car. For those looking for economical, reliable transportation, I will almost always recommend a Honda, Toyota, or Mazda.

Everybody's got their horror stories, and no cars are perfect (and IMO japanese cars made in the US are NOT as good as japanese cars made in Japan), but the reliability nod from me will usually go to the Japanese.

The reason that japanese cars from japan are better than japanese cars from the US is not a slam on american workers. But, the entire Japanese culture for the last thousand years or more is based on a system that makes for better manufacturing lines. Japanese are raised to believe that the good of the organization is much more important than the good of the individual, and that a successful organization is the key to a successful individual. This creates more devotion to a good end product. Americans are raised to beleive that the good of the individual is more important than the good of the organization, though that individual success will yield organizational success.

History has shown that neither is truly the answer, and that a happy medium must be met. The happy medium is elusive, though some organizations achieve it and some don't.

Oops...didn't mean to start a cultural treatise. Done now. Flame away, Asiaphiles.............that' smy story and I'm sticking with it.

bl1nk

Except for the part where the wires under the dash melt onto your legs and burn your ***....other than those 600 THOUSAND cars... "Hondas will last forever"


I hate how everyone overlooks all the recalls the asian car makers have but any time a US manufacturer has one they flip out and make a national issue about it. With this recent Toyota recall that makes over 1 million asian cars recalled in the past 6 months... If you look at the list of 10 most recent major recalls for automobiles 3 of the 10 companies are US companies (1 is Volvo, 1 is Chrysler, 1 is Ford) The rest are Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Saturn and Suzuki.. Yes that doesnt add up to 10, thats because Honda has 2 major recalls. Note that the recalls by the foreign car companies are 250,000+ ... EACH. The recalls for the US companies add up to just over 400,000 combined.

drbobvs

I think consumer reports is an unbiased publication. I have been a subscriber for years along with all the major auto mags. Yes, there have been times i have disagreed with their findings but I think it's me who is biased in the end. Great, some of you have had very reliable US branded cars, and some have had unreliable Asain cars, but you have to realize that you are in the minority. The stats are clear and indesputable. Everyone from JD Power to me knows this. To argue this is mute.

My Mustang has been 100% reliable and this is my first US branded car in 15 yrs. What I think CR and many others find, as well as me, is not so much the breakdown difference( I mean when was the last time you heard of a mechanical failure during a test?) but the difference in overall quality, fit, finish and attention to detail.

I mean come on, do we really think that the interior of our stangs, while very nicely STYLED is well FINISHED? Just one look at my other vehicles and its night and day.. And has no-one heard the rattles and creaks except me? Engine compartments with elctrical tape all over. Cheap, thin carpeting with, like, no padding. Zero sound insulation in the doors. And don't even bother looking under the dash lest you get scared at exposed wire bundles everywhere. I mean don't get me wrong, it makes things easier to work on and access but that's not what we are talking about. Yes, reliability is fine, no american branded car has ever left me stranded, but overall quality is lacking. Just one ride in my brother in law's reliable, but otherwise pos Lesabre, is evidence enough.

classj

To me it is pretty good. Alot better than the last 30K dollar car I looked at. No rattles here. Interior quality is down all over the car market. Mercedes, BMW, porsche, etc. Mind you they are better than ford but alot more money. But still, not the quality matirials those brands once were interior wise.

As opposed to what?? Everything under the hood is neatly bundled. WOuld you prefer cheap plastic wire loom or plastic covers over the motor to make it look like a magic power cube.


You are right there. But the car is only 3450lbs. The M3 is 3450 lbs and is ALOT smaller of a car with a smaller drivetrain. Put all quality carpets and sound deadning in the car and it would weight 3800 lbs then people would complain about that too. And who wants a quiet mustang? If that is what someone is after they should buy a quiet car. I want to hear the engine, the valve tick, the gear whine, clutch engagment, tire squeal, etc. I view it as a machine, not a luxury car.

I have spent the better part of my life under dashboards doing electrical work. Your statement confuses me. Which cars are better? I certainly havent seen many.

GM quality has never been noted for producing quality cars. Ford was always a better made car through the years. But I think chrysler has them all beat at this point right now.


A friend of mine bought a 40K+ dollar BMW X3 with every damn option in it. The entire interior has a shiny plastic on plastic motif going on. The "leather" is this really rough stiff crap that had horrible hand feel to it. He already has a door that sounds like it is full of rocks when you shut it.

He is always telling me how nice the interior in the stang is.

That is not saying it is perfect. If I were to nitpick, The gearshift boot should be real leather. I would like a bit more soft matirials rather than the plastic. The rugs could be a tiny bit better as I think the weight difference would be minimal there. Seat belts could be adjustable. Parking brake lever should be leather and have a better treatment.