[Linfone]

As some of you might have read in my intro thread... both of them... I've never owned or driven an American brand car. So the question is... reliability?

I've heard horror stories about all sorts of cars, like the Fiero (cough-disaster-cough). I know that in the 60s and 70s many of the cars had problems. I'm just curious whether GM vehicles are as bad as Consumer Reports and J.D. Power indicate.

And have they been rectified....

P.S. I went to a Dodge forum, asked the same question weeks ago. Talk about a runaround.

 

[CUONCRS]

Wow! Are you reading consumer reports from the 80s? Yeah, GM is definitely focusing on quality and reliability. I don't know where I read it, but they're trend is going way up, and the funny thing is that the Japanese makers, who were known for quality, are getting worse.

I don't know about Dodge, but everything I've seen about GM says they are doing it right.

 

[BeastlyTA]

Most Chevy's have received top marks from JD Power for initial quality in the last few years, and Consumer Reports are starting to give good marks as well.

 

[brandonppr]

GM is focusing on quality now days. They had there problems in the past, but I think they have turned it around now. You can bet the Camaro will be a quality well built car. GM is putting alot into this car to get it right.

 

[Linfone]

According to the 08 Consumer Report, the 07 Corvette is "much worse than average". The only "recommended" Corvette is 04.

The Cadillac DTS and STS are "average", the SRX v6 is "worse than average" and v8 is "much worse", and the Escalade is "much worse than average".

The v6 Impala is average, v8 is much worse. Buick LaCrosse v8 is better than average, but v6 is average...

Pontiac Vibe is much better than average, but since it's NUMMI, it's not entirely GM...

The Solstice is "much worse than average", but I think someone just watched 'Setup' on SpeedTV instead of taking surveys.

The Cobalt and HHR are "average".

 

[Linfone]

Wow! Are you reading consumer reports from the 80s? Yeah, GM is definitely focusing on quality and reliability. I don't know where I read it, but they're trend is going way up, and the funny thing is that the Japanese makers, who were known for quality, are getting worse.

I don't know about Dodge, but everything I've seen about GM says they are doing it right.

The Camry and Tundra which have seen hits to reliability are all made in the United States.

 

[brandonppr]

There is your first problem, trusting consumer reports.

 

[Linfone]

Well, all my friends in my generation have either new (edit: and cheap) asian cars or 3rd/4th gen Camaros after being beaten on by daddy.

...The cars, not my friends.

 

[brandonppr]

Buick Topped the 3 year old quality list for JD powers.

Here is a new report out form JD powers:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/04/088953.html

The malibu and Silverado are both on the list. I think you will see more GM vehicles on there over the next few years as new models come out. The G8 is another good quailty car that I believe will be on there soon.

Consumer Reports rate cars on a different prespective than any auto enthusist that I know. They rate them like appliances. When Consumer reports give a good rating it doesn't mean the car drives well, it just means the car gets from point a to point b well. It doesn't mean the car has high comfort, it could ride like crap and be unconfortable. It doesn't mean it has all the newest options, it is going to have higher quality if it doesn't have new things on it, but that doesn't mean thats what you want. The car could be a PITA to repair and expensive when it does break down or the car could be easy to fix and cheap to fix, but that would get it a lower rating.
I'm not saying none of the cars they give a high rating to don't have any of those things, but I would not choose my car just on what they say. Talk to others that have the cars you like and see how they like them. See what problems they have with them. Drive them. They also don't rate them on there looks at all and that is important to me as well. I don't want some bland car like a Camry.

IMO most of us that buy Camaros (at least v8 ones) don't buy them for the same reason that consumer reports rates them. Also I doubt Consumer reports would ever give a V8 Camaro a good rating even if it was the most reliable car on the planet. Simply because it doesn't haul a lot of adults easy, It doesn't get 4cyl gas millage. Its not as roomy as other cars.

IMO most of us want a good performing car that is easy to work on, easy to get reliable power out of, handles good, Looks good, is upgradeble, has the options we want, and sounds good.

Its a plus if it is more roomy, gets better MPG, ETC but not the reason we buy the Camaro.

 

[LorcinLS1]

The only thing consumer reports is good for is to start a fire. The one time way back when I tried to use one to make a decision on a car turned out to be useless. I hate their rating system and the lack of info on why they rate things poorly. Like brandon said they never will rate a camaro good and yet I've never had one leave me stranded on the road.

 

[DonDon]

Except for a 72 super beetle I have only owned GM cars & none have ever let me down. I think what some people call quality has to do with luxury items & if the car feels like your sitting in your easy chair with wood grain all over. Myself I could care less about luxury, the interior could lool like a race car & it would suit me fine. I think of quality as far as the car diving good & not breaking down or falling apart. My two longest owned cars are a 78 Camaro (I won't count the plastic interior parts or dash in this) my parents bought new, became mine at 130,000 rebuilt at 140,000 (gearhead) then I put 160,000 on it. I just go rid of it 10 years ago when I was 30 & it is still going with another engine rebuild. My current dailly driver is a 92 Olds wagon with with 164,000 & it does not miss a beat & no rattles or squeeks, solid car. I have also never had a major issue with any of my other cars and would not hesitate to buy anything from GM but maybe I'm biased.

If you think the foreign cars are better maybe do a search for recalls I would bet they run about the same no matter what country it comes from.

 

[Linfone]

Toyota has the highest recalls of any manufacturer. Older Toyotas had a huge problem with sludge buildup. And yet, it's like Consumer Reports brushed this under the carpet... What gives?

My parents bought a 87 Buick LeSabre and it gave them tons of issues. Jeremy Clarkson did mention that GM built crap cars in this time period.

My family as a whole will only buy Toyota, Honda, and/or Nissan (along with their luxury marques)...

I, on the other hand, will try anything once. Of course, after I've been reassured that annoying things won't happen.

 

[POWERFREAK]

I've had very good luck with my chevy's...since 1999, I've bought 3 new chevy trucks (Blazer ZR2, Colorado Z71, and a Trailblazer)...the ONLY repair any of them needed was an idler pulley on the Trailblazer (a $20 part and 10 minutes of my labor)...that's it. No recalls, nothing. ALSO, 2 of them were in accidents (not my fault, I swear:screwy and held up very well.

The only other cars I've bought new were a Nissan 200sx/se-r (was recalled...for a taillight or brake problem I think)...liked that car, but every summer I owned it the AC would spring a leak at some point....Had a Jeep Wrangler that liked to overheat every once in a while...and a Subaru Legacy GT (wifes car really...was recalled for an oil leak)...that thing blew a head gasket/cracked head at 106K.

So while I think that all cars will probably need a repair at some point and all car makers can build a lemon...I'll stick with my chevy's


Also, my father-in-law just got rid of his Nissan Frontier last year...that thing was garbage. Before it hit 85K, he needed a distributor, a fuel pump, and the gas tank had a rust hole already.

 

[jakep1973]

I know this thread is about reliability but you may also want to consider the fact that if you buy American made products then you are helping Americans.

I would also like to mention that there was an era where a lot of American made cars were poorly built but I think those days are over. Almost every vehicle that my family owns are Chevys and most of them are near or over 200,000 miles. Original motors, transmissions, and running gear. Only minor repairs (starters, altenators, etc) which were all cheap.

 

[Linfone]

Ahem, Camrys are assembled by Americans (I'll not debate Lorcin's wording on this.) and therefore, when you buy a Camry, you are buying something a guy in Kentucky has put together....

Also, historically, Camaros have been assembled in Canada. Therefore, you put something into paying that Canadian, eh.

 

[ucantctchme]

When you buy a Toyota made in America it only benefits japans economy. Toyota pays its workers out of money made on selling Toyotas here in the states, all profits after everyone gets their cut goes right over to Japan.
I am a pont, Buick GMC tech. Our trucks are exceptional, the engines are good for 300k plus and they are solid. We have had some real junk like any year of Grand am, or alero. The Vibes start rattling and shaking at 50k have a/c and trim problems. Alot of car manufacturers use the same companies to build alot of the components in the car ex. Motorola, Bosch, Siemens. Momma says Toyota is the devil.

 

[LT16SPEED]

From my own experience, I have owned 3 brand new Gm trucks, and they have never let me down. The Chevy dealer's Silverado parts delivery truck had **** near 300K on it before they retired it. I guess I'm biased toward GM, but I have no reason not to be. Besides, why would I want to buy a vehicle made by a country that threw the sucker punch on December 7, 1941?atriot:

 

[ucantctchme]

New Tundras are having major cylinder head issues. F150s are ok but terrible to work on ex. when replacing spark plugs on the new V8s all of them end up being siezed in the heads, Titans get traded in all the time for poor fuel economy. Oh I forgot I had to put a battery in my sierra at 65k piece of crap.

 

[[email protected]]

And just where are all these parts being made for our beloved American cars? My useless ignition switch (controls the tranny shifter too) was replaced three times in one year on my 03 SSR. After it was sold, it needed to be replaced yet again to get the key out!!!! Switch was made in Mexico! GM needs to have greater control of where all the parts are made and make sure they can all talk to each other if they are coming from Mexico, China, Korea, etc. Buy American? This is the age of the global economy man....there are few if any all American products left, except for New Balance shoes which are the only tennis shoes I buy anymore! They left Asia to bring it back to the US! Now that's an American Company. My old Chevy Nova (no go) left me stranded a lot too. Of course, SSR was a specialty niche vehicle so it was bound to have problems. Some had zero,and others had lots.

 

[Dirtfarmer]

New Tundras are having major cylinder head issues. F150s are ok but terrible to work on ex. when replacing spark plugs on the new V8s all of them end up being siezed in the heads, Titans get traded in all the time for poor fuel economy. Oh I forgot I had to put a battery in my sierra at 65k piece of crap.

:lol:

Sad but true.