2008 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study

[Monster]

Lexus ranked most dependable car
Joshua Gliddon, drive.com.au, August 12, 2008


Lexus has topped the 2008 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study, while Land Rover again earned itself the wooden spoon.

Lexus has taken out top position in a leading US vehicle quality survey for the 14th consecutive year.

The JD Power and Associates 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study, which tracks the number of problems owners experience with a car over the first three years of ownership, has found that Lexus owners reported a mere 120 problems per 100 vehicles, well below the industry average of 206 problems per 100 cars.

The study asked 52,000 original owners about their experiences with their cars.

While Lexus came out on top, Land Rover owners seem to get the blunt end of the stick. Not only did Land Rover notch up its third wooden spoon in a row in the study, with a whopping 344 problems per 100 vehicles, but it also ranks consistently at the bottom in JD Power’s other well regarded survey, the Initial Quality Study.

The Initial Quality Study rates the number of problems experienced by owners in the first 90 days of ownership.

The Vehicle Dependability Study had several surprising results.

Jaguar, Land Rover’s stable-mate and now under the new ownership of Indian conglomerate Tata, ranks 10th with 178 problems per 100 vehicles. That’s significantly better than the industry average of 206 problems per 100 vehicles.

Other European makers don’t appear to be able to translate good initial quality results into longer term dependability.

Porsche, which is number one in the Initial Quality Study, ranks 11th in the Vehicle Dependability Study with an average of 193 problems per 100 vehicles (still below the average of 206).

Audi also slips from 10th in initial quality to a below-average 16th in dependability, with 207 problems per 100 vehicles.

But the biggest loser is Mercedes-Benz, which came in at 17th in the three-year dependability survey, with 215 problems, compared with 4th place in the initial quality survey.

BMW and MINI, despite being under the same ownership, are at opposite ends of the spectrum, with BMW coming in at 7th position in the Vehicle Dependability Study.

Owners of BMWs found there were 164 problems per 100 vehicles, while owners of MINI reported 233 problems, putting it well below the industry average and in 25th position, surrounded by the likes of Chevrolet and Dodge.

Another pair of companies with diametrically opposed scores was Hyundai and sister company Kia. Hyundai, which consistently scores well in both the Vehicle Dependability Study and the Initial Quality Study, came in 13th, with 200 problems per 100 vehicles.

Kia was rattling around near the bottom of the Vehicle Dependability Study league table, its score of 278 problems bettering only Suzuki with 302 problems per 100 vehicles and, of course, Land Rover.

Chrysler’s vehicles consistently score poorly in the Vehicle Dependability Study , with Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler branded cars all experiencing well above the industry average number of problems per 100 cars.

Chrysler owners reported 229 problems per 100 vehicles, while Dodge owners reported 230 problems. Jeep scored near the bottom, in 31st position, with 253 problems.

Notably, Jeep scored better than Volkswagen, which has 253 problems, and ahead of Saab, with 254 problems.

Despite its poor performance, however, Saab was actually the most improved vehicle in the dependability study, lowering its score by 65 problems per 100 vehicles since 2007.

Fellow Swedish brand Volvo didn’t cover itself with glory either, averaging 244 problems, 100 problems below former stable-mate Land Rover.

Ford-owned brands generally scored well, with Mercury coming in at number two for dependability. Its owners reported 151 problems per 100 vehicles three years after purchase. Lincoln also did well, reporting 165 problems, while Ford-branded cars were also just above the industry average, with 204 problems per 100 cars. That puts Ford neck and neck with Nissan’s upmarket nameplate, Infiniti, which isn’t yet sold in Australia.

Infiniti, by contrast, comes in at number two behind Porsche in the Initial Quality Study, while Ford comes in at 8th position in that study.

General Motors products score consistently poorly, with Hummer, Saturn and Saab all below average, as is Pontiac, which scored 225 problems per 100 vehicles. The Holden Commodore is sold as a Pontiac G8 in the United States and the Holden Ute will soon be sold in the US.

The only bright spots for GM were with Cadillac, which scored third place in the study, up from its 11th place in the Initial Quality Study. Cadillac is coming to Australia before the end of 2008.

A surprising win for GM was with Buick, a brand generally regarded as stuffy and boring. Buick came in 6th place in the Vehicle Dependability Study, its owners reporting 163 problems per 100 vehicles.

The most common problems reported by owners three years after purchase include excessive wind noise, noisy brakes and the vehicle pulling to the left or the right.

Other problems reported include issues with the instrument panel and dashboard, and excessive window fogging.

In Australia JD Power does a hybrid study, combing the Initial Quality Study and the Vehicle Dependability Study. In that study Mazda came out on top as highest quality and most reliable brand on the Australian market. In the US study, though, it fared poorly, finishing below the industry average in 21st place.

Click here to see Drive's exclusive story on the quality of vehicles sold in Australia.

JD Power 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study Rankings

Brand Problems per 100 vehicles

1. Lexus 120
2. Mercury 151
3. Cadillac 155
4. Toyota 159
5. Acura 160
6. Buick 163
7. BMW 164
8. Lincoln 165
9. Honda 177
10. Jaguar 178
11. Porsche 193
12. Mitsubishi 197
13. Hyundai 200
14. Ford 204
15. Infiniti 204
AVERAGE 206
16. Audi 207
17. Mercedes-Benz 215
18. Nissan 224
19. Pontiac 225
20. GMC 226
21. Mazda 228
22. Subaru 228
23. Chrysler 229
24. Dodge 230
25. Mini 233
26. Chevrolet 239
27. Hummer 241
28. Scion 243
29. Volvo 244
30. Saturn 250
31. Jeep 253
32. VW 253
33. Saab 254
34. Isuzu 274
35. Kia 278
36. Suzuki 302
37. Land Rover 344

Lexus ranked most dependable car - drive.com.au

 

[Bruce]

Land Rover has been at the bottom of this list for what seems like centuries. Completely unacceptable...most especially considering their price. Wouldn't touch one simple because of tests like this.

 

[SDNR]

A few years ago I would never have thought we would witness such a dramatic revival of Cadillac -- fantastic!

 

[martinbo]

What's the definition of a "Problem" relative to the context of this dependability survey?

These surveys drive me to drink.

 

[Monster]

Why is Subaru doing so poorly in the US ? They are usually pretty good in those european surveys.

 

[Merc1]

Ah ha...I said it.

See where Mercedes is. Don't look for any improvement until the 2010 survey, which will be looking at the 2007 cars. Maybe 2009 if the 2006 cars really marked a difference at Mercedes.


M

 

[bum-man]

^ Mercedes kind of stagnated compared to last year. Did Mercedes launch a new model or facelift in 05, I can't seem to remember?

 

[martinbo]

Why is Subaru doing so poorly in the US ? They are usually pretty good in those european surveys.

Subarus in the US are made in Lafayette, Indiana. Apparently the quality of US-assembled Scoobs is lower than that of Japanese made versions. Now, why isn't that surprising.

 

[SDNR]

^ But why should it make any difference? ....I mean they only have to screw a few nuts and bolts together

 

[Zafiro]

I never driven a Buick so maybe the americans can explain why its so high on the list?
Is it more simple and not as technology advanced as the germans? *How come its so high up on the list?

 

[bum-man]

^It's a cult car, so the people who drive it (old people) love the brand unconditionally.

Although the Enclave is a very nice vehicle.

 

[Merc1]

Pulled this from the Article on AutoSpies:

The problems include:

1. Excessive wind noise
2. Noisy brakes
3. Vehicle pulling to the left or right
4. Issues with the instrument panel/dashboard
5. Excessive window fogging

We could go on all day about whether or not these are true problems, as in are they defects from the factory or just user error. I'm not interested enough to really get into these. One of them however clearly is user error, window fogging. I see dumbarses all the time driving with their windows fogged up because they haven't learned how to properly use their climate control!


Anyway for 2005 in the U.S. Mercedes didn't launch anything all-new so I'm sure it was the same old cars that gave them problems in 2004. The ML was a 2006 model year car, not 2005. Wait until next year, the ML is going to drag Mercedes back down I predict.

Buicks are in most cases outdated vehicles bought by one of the oldest demographics in the U.S. market. They're pretty low-tech and kinda like really nice Toyotas. Their owners are likely so old as to not notice anything that isn't glaringly wrong with their cars. Of course a car driven at sedate speeds without a sporting weld in its body isn't going to have brake or wind noise or pull to the right/left. They're so sloppy on the road to begin with that it would take a severe pull for anyone to notice it. Cushy tires and sofa-like seats with thick pounds of sound insulation does a reliable Buick make.

That said, I haven't given up hope that Mercedes can improve in the JD Powers Dependability study, but it is going to take a few more years IMO. Like the 2010 survey that will look at 2007 cars. Mercedes needs to at least pull above average on this one. I don't give a shyt about Consumer Reports anymore. Period. You're a automotively challenged loser if you use them as the bible to buy a car IMO.


M