2007 JD Power IQS-Porsche tops,Mercedes most improved

[merve_extreme]

The 2007 IQS results contain some encouraging and positive news for Ford Motor Company,” said Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power and Associates. “Fourteen Ford Motor Company models place in the top three of their respective segments—an achievement unmatched by any other corporation this year—which is a testament to the improvement in quality for Ford Motor Company vehicle models and plants. In addition, their Lincoln nameplate, which receives two segment awards, improves considerably to rank third in 2007, from 12th in 2006.”

2007 IQS Ranking Highlights

Mercedes-Benz and Toyota models capture three segment awards each. Toyota models that receive awards are the 4Runner, Sequoia and Tacoma. Mercedes-Benz models that earn awards are the E-Class, SL-Class, and the S-Class. The S-Class ties with the Audi A8 (total) for having the fewest quality problems in the industry, with just 72 problems per 100 vehicles.The Mercedes-Benz M-Class was also one of the study’s most improved models year over year.

“Mercedes-Benz shows dramatic improvement, particularly with its newly-redesigned S-Class, which improves 63 PP100,” said Oddes. “Overall, Mercedes-Benz improves its nameplate rank by 20 positions—the greatest rank increase of any nameplate in the study. All Mercedes-Benz models in the study improved substantially, and the breadth and speed of these improvements demonstrates the Mercedes-Benz commitment to quality.”

For the second consecutive year, Porsche tops the overall nameplate rankings, averaging 91 PP100. Following in the rankings are Lexus, Lincoln, Honda and Mercedes-Benz, respectively. Honda, with the fewest problems per 100 among non-premium brands, improves in the ranking to fourth from sixth since the 2006 study and earns awards with the Civic and CR-V. Among non-premium brands, Kia posts the largest improvement in ranking, moving from 24th in 2006 to 12th in 2007 and earning an award for the Kia Rio/Rio5 for the second year in a row.

The most improved nameplates in the study are Land Rover (increasing in initial quality by 34 PP100), Saab (improving by 30 PP100) and Mercedes-Benz (increasing by 28 PP100).

Other nameplates receiving model awards in 2007 include Chevrolet (Express and Silverado Classic HD), Lexus (RX350/RX400h) Pontiac (Grand Prix) and Porsche (Boxster).

Assembly Plant Awards

For the first time since 1999, a North American assembly plant receives the Platinum Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects. Ford Motor Company’s Wixom assembly plant in Michigan, which produced the Lincoln Town Car, averages just 35 PP100. Plant awards are based solely on defect counts.

Among other North and South American plants, the General Motors Oshawa 2 plant in Ontario, Canada, which produces the Buick LaCrosse and Pontiac Grand Prix, receives the Silver Plant Quality Award. American Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio, plant, which produces the Honda Civic Sedan and Honda Element, earns the Bronze Plant Quality Award.

In the Asia Pacific region, Toyota’s Kyushu, Japan, plant, which produces the Lexus ES 350, Lexus IS 250/IS 350, Lexus RX 350, Lexus RX 400h and Toyota Highlander/Highlander Hybrid receives the Gold Plant Quality Award. Toyota’s Fujimatsu, Japan, plant, which produces the Toyota Prius, earns the Silver Plant Quality Award. American Honda’s Sayama, Japan, and Suzuka, Japan, plants tie for the Bronze Plant Quality Award. The Sayama plant produces the Acura RL, Acura TSX, Honda Accord Sedan/Hybrid Sedan and Honda CR-V. The Suzuka plant produces the Honda Civic Sedan/Hybrid Sedan, Fit and S2000.

BMW’s Regensburg, Germany, plant, which produces the BMW 3-Series Coupe and 3-Series Sedan, receives the Gold Plant Quality Award for Europe. Earning the Silver Quality Plant Award is the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen, Germany, plant, which produces the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, CL-Class, CLS-Class, E-Class Sedan, E-Class Wagon, and S-Class. Audi’s Neckarsulm, Germany, plant, which produces the Audi A6 Avant, A6 Sedan, A8 Sedan, RS 4 Sedan, S6 Sedan and S8 Sedan, receives the Bronze Plant Quality Award.

The 2007 Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 97,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2007 model-year cars and trucks surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 228-question battery designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate problem determination and drive product improvement.


source:Press Release | J.D. Power

 

[Bruce]

Impressive job Mercedes!

They were below the average mark not that long ago. Glad to see things coming back on track.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Stunning performance by Mercedes.

 

[LaArtist]

thats it.. thats how we like to see MB..and to think that some thought they couldnt fix their probs..hihi

PS
Ive said this before.. and i say it again..the S class might not be your fav car in the world..but its the closest to the BEST car in the world..

 

[merve_extreme]

Whats superb about the S-class is that,in its first year itself the car has so few problems.thats a great achievement for any company.The Audi A8 is a brilliant car but its problems have been perfected over the years.

There is an average reduction of 7 PP/100 for each year of the manufacturing cycle.

 

[siko]

Great results for MB & Porsche!

Not so great for BMW which slipped alot if I'm not mistaken.

Audi is where it always is... alas. (at least they got the A8 to smile about)

 

[merve_extreme]

Audi(except A8) and BMW are really down,time to get the act together.

 

[Bruce]

You know what I find hiliarious? The fact that Land Rover is always at the bottom of the list. Yet another reason why I would never buy one.

 

[Merc1]

WOW, this is just what I was hoping for. I knew the S-Class would make it, the dealer techs said that they rarely seem them once they're sold ditto for the CL. Now if MB can repeat that for the new C they'll be really on their way. Getting rid of the SBC braking system helped a lot I bet. I told you guys that the 07 models would be the turning point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

M

 

[Deutsch]

I'm extremely happy that MB is back on top, the momentum will only continue upward from here on out. I knew Zetsche was the man to put MB back on track, and now with the sale of Chrysler all the attention can go back to MB, to make their cars "the standard of the world".
It's too bad BMW sits sits eight point below average, I bet it has a lot to do w/ I drive.
To be honest you can only take these reliability surveys with a grain of salt, because if you look at enough of them you'll find that they each have something different to say. The best sources of information is the dealers service department. They see everything imaginable where problems are concerned.

 

[Gullwing]

Is this good or bad? The fewer the number of problems per car, the less work I have to do and if I don't have any work to do I don't get paid.
Well at least I don't have to do the same crappy repairs over and over and over...

 

[Deutsch]

One thing everyone must keep in mind (that just dawned on me) is that this is not a vehicle dependability survey, this is an initial quality survey that covers the first 90 days or so of ownership - obviously not enough time to uncover when more serious issues may occur. The survey examines things such as "ease of use of operating systems", and so on. In truth this survey doesn't hold much water except for the fact it so happens to come from a highly regarded market research firm that's perceived as some sort of authority by the media.

Here's the '06 JDP Vehicle Dependability study for those who care:



http://http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2006133

 

[merve_extreme]

this is for the 2006 year.in this results no new models from Mercedes were included.i think to be part of VDS survey a car has to be 2 years or older.

in 2006 none of the new Mercedes models were that old,that includes the S,the redesigned E,the new ML or the redesigned SL.you will se an improvement for Mercedes in 08 0r 09 VDS.

taken from the JD power press release itself

The 2006 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 47,620 original owners of 2003 model-year vehicles.

 

[Deutsch]

this is for the 2006 year.in this results no new models from Mercedes were included.i think to be part of VDS survey a car has to be 2 years or older.

in 2006 none of the new Mercedes models were that old,that includes the S,the redesigned E,the new ML or the redesigned SL.you will se an improvement for Mercedes in 07 or 08 VDS.

That's not the point. I'm talking about the validity of the survey. Period. An '07 dependability survey has not surfaced yet, and obviously since it only includes vehicles 3 years or older I wouldn't expect any current models from any make to be included in this survey for this year or the last.

 

[Mr. M]

LR kicks ass alright.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Guess we'll just have to wait till 08 or 09 to see Mercedes leap up this chart as well.

It appears to be happy days over of Daimler AG.

 

[Zafiro]

"this is an initial quality survey that covers the first 90 days or so of ownership" - thats ridiculous, sorry but this survey doesnt mean much to me.

 

[Merc1]

You guys, I tell ya.

M

 

[Merc1]

Ford vehicles snare the most quality awards in J.D. Power annual survey

By category.

M

 

[merve_extreme]

"this is an initial quality survey that covers the first 90 days or so of ownership" - thats ridiculous, sorry but this survey doesnt mean much to me.

Well we can understand.