Consumer reports on 5 cars to avoid

[akirby]

go figure: http://autos.yahoo.c...tem-stinks.html

 

i understand myford touch had it's downfalls but the things they complain at just seems to me like some non-tech person over 60 wrote this. they complain about the capacitive touch but in reality you can control it all by voice.

 

And the most frequently used controls while driving are available via the steering wheel buttons (volume, station, etc.).

[JOEHIO]

Just received Septembers issue of Motor Trend in the mail today, and they did a review on the 2013 Cadillac XTS. Here is what they had to say about Cadillacs CUE system-

 

"I give the system a 'B". It's not as good as BMW's iDrive, or even Fords always evolving Sync. The screen is dark, with an almost black background. Cadillac claims that's the way the CUE engineers wanted it to appear. When you're looking at a map, it's almost ominous. As for the haptic controls, there's a very minor-but annoying-delay. Your initial reaction is that your touch didn't register, so you tap it twice, but the screen has already changed and now you've selected something you didn't want, and now you're looking for a back button, which very well may have moved across the screen".

 

 

Soooooo, maybe Sync isn't that bad after all !

Joe

[Ramon Salas]

Six months ago I sold my 2010 Nissan Murano, mainly because it did not have force driving backwards (up a hill). On the other hand I was told and retold that it looked as a car of a latin socker's wife car! It came without bluetooth and GPS.

I now have a Ford Edge 2012, it's fantastic, thank you Ford!

[JOEHIO]

Happy to hear that you are enjoying your Edge. A friend of mine has a Lexus RX350, he was suprised all that my MKX offered, compared to his RX.

[Candy Edge]

Well let me add my experience with my Edge to this thread. My 2012 Limited turns a yr old next week and 15,500 miles. It has had NO issues whatsoever. Not one single warranty repair or adjustment period. I have every available option except Ecoboost engine or awd, didn't want them. Mytouch has worked perfectly and the two updates were done by me with no issues. I've been in the retail Ford business for 30+ yrs and have owned pretty much everything we make over the years. This Edge without a doubt is the most reliable well built fun to drive new Ford I've ever owned and I've owned over 30 of them! I traded a 2011 V6 Fusion on it that drove awesome but I wanted more room, great decision! If you're thinking about an Edge go drive one....you will love it. CR are idiots and hate everything but beige Toyotas!! Just my 2 cents.

[Feirstein]

My 07 SEL+ has been a good ride so far (100,000 miles). It has required a new power booster for the brakes (Which I think Ford should have treated as a customer quality issue). And the painted inside dash surface is a bit fragile, and replacement tires are expensive and limited in choice because Ford decided to fit my Edge with a weird sized 245 60x18 in tire. And the changer in the radio gammed itself to death. Other than that, perfection.

[Mooshu]

I have had my 12 Linited since July and have not any thing detrimental to say about it. Id rides smooth has no noticable road noise that I can say. Remember it an SUV not a cushy sedan. My opinion about CR's comments which I read just this AM before I signed onto the forum is that I dont think CR likes domestic vehicles as it has a hard time saying anythig Good about most.domestics. It seems to have a love affait about Toyota. I have driven Fords most of my driving life and I'm 75 now. It did not take me long to figure out the workings of the electronisc. Maybe CR's tester are computer illiterate and have limited foresite on new technology

[Mooshu]

Just received ny buying guidr from CR checked the listing on The Edge. It makes me laugh and almost cry to see the write upThey list 12 much above average 2 above average 2 average and 1 much worse than average for Audio and the have the gall to list it asmuch worse than average for used car and as a car. Give me a break

[LoneStarLizzard]

CR claims that it is unbiased in its assessments of new vehicles because it does not accept any finanical support (whether i the form of advertising, contributions or otherwise) from the auto makers/dealers. [interesting, because CR's receipt of auto industry finanical support would comprise only one source of bias - financial dependency.] But even if CR does not get financial support from the auto industry, it does never-the-less have a bias: specifically a bias against US-made vehicles (and a corresponding bias for all things Japanese). For years that bias was justified - due to the shoddy design and build quality of our domestic brands - particularly when compared to Japanese imports which were similarly priced but which exhibited far fewer defects.

 

Those days are over, and have been for the last 4 or 5 years.

 

Today's Ford, GM and, to a lesser degree Chrysler, products have caught up with Japan Inc and, in some ways passed them. And yet CR continues to have a Japanese-car bias. I sense this "Japan Inc." bias is present within the CR employee staffers who oversee the car ratings processes, which in turn tends to cause them to disbelieve any positive assessments of Ford or GM cars. I sense this most strongly as I see the increasing number of recalls involving Japanese cars, yet the CR foks continue to rate those recalled vehicles as having the highest quality and reliability.

 

By definition, we Forum members are car enthusiasts. But I suspect CR staff are not - I sense they live in urban New England cities where travel by car is more a chore than a joy, and their driving limited to trips to the store. Where I live, cars need (1) a great air conditioining system, (2) engines with sufficient power to safely accomodate 20+ thousand annual miles of 70+ mph freeway usage, and (3) interior and exterior styling that befits a vehicle in which the driver lives for upwards of 3 hours per work day. That ain't Japan Inc.

 

CR needs to wake up, or lose its relevance - a majority of the US population lives outside of New England. [by the way, you'd be surprised at the number of New Englanders who have never travelled outside of their little corner of our country.] CR's preferences for things Japan simply reflects the organization's inherant regional biases (New England and, for styling purposes, California). And that bias begets an institutional arrogance (we know what's best for you, even though we've never walked in your shoes) that blinds CR to any information to the contrary.

 

Do I use the CR reports? Yes, but primarily to look at the long-terms trends in "worse than average" quality within vehicle subsystems (e.g. engine, electrical, transmission, air conditioning, etc.). Do I pay any attention to CR's driving reports on new vehicles? No, because CR doesn't employ the types of drivers who can give feedback relevant to any type of driving other than "New England urban."

 

Just my thoughts based on (i) 45 years of driving between 25 and 30 thousand miles per year (during which time I have purchased well over 50 automobiles) and (ii) over 20 years of reading CR.

 

The LoneStarLizzard

Edited February 5, 2013 by LoneStarLizzard

[ls973800]

Pretty much agree with you on most of your observations. However, this one statement says it all for a cars dependability and reliability.

 

Do I use the CR reports? Yes, but primarily to look at the long-terms trends in "worse than average" quality within vehicle subsystems (e.g. engine, electrical, transmission, air conditioning, etc.).

 

Although domestic products have gotten better, I believe they still have the most "worse than average" circles than the imports. I also have been driving for 45 years and in that time have always driven Fords or GMs. I have been married 40 years this June, and my wife has also only driven Fords or GMs. We can attest to those "worse than average" ratings, having owned many of those models.

 

This last April we walked away from GM and she bought an Acura MDX. First time EVER there has been an import sitting in our garage! Those dependability and reliability scores were a factor in her purchase decision. On the other hand I purchased a 2013 Edge in July, so I haven't given up on domestics yet.

[rickybobby]

Funny that CR recommends the Murano as an alternative. After spending over $5K to replace the AWD transmission in my old Murano (the latest in a line of repairs), don't tell me about Nissan reliability.

 

Early indications of my new Edge are very positive. I have no trouble whatsoever with MFT. I think it's awesome and I don't get why CR has such a hate-on for it.

Edited February 7, 2013 by rickybobby