Quote:
Originally Posted by SWTXBelle
I think everyone realizes that "American" and "Foreign" are rather dated terms, given the globalization of everything. Heck, Chrysler was really a German company there for a while (who has them now? Can't tell the players without a program!). I grew up with Dodge, so am comfortable with them, and have had good luck. The dealership here is awesome -they've taken really good care of me and my cars. That said, I had a Honda that drove forever, too. But for what I need - a minivan - and based on my experiences, I'm most comfortable with my Chrysler Town & Country.
Going back to the OP - Consumer Reports usually has good data on cars.
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I agree, CR has good DATA on cars.
Just be very careful on reading what some readers have just about called Editorials in letter written in to them.
Many times it seems as if the writers of the articles do not read the data in their own publication. Or talk to those who are collecting it and writing it.
This year, in fact this month, they wrote a small article saying that the new Accord is great, should be as reliable as past models. This after a very short drive in a brand new model.
The problems with that? Most automotive experts, including theirs, say to try to avoid the first year of new models. And CR's own April data proves that; even with Honda.
And their writers tend over look problems in write ups on Japanese cars that they bring up with US cars.
One that comes to mind is rear view vision. Most cars have very short rears which cause one not to be truly able to see the rear of car or bumper.
They point that out in US cars in a negative way yet brush over it in Japanese cars.
And before one asks, I have been reading CR most of my life and do subscribe to it.
I just take what they say with a grain of salt and gather information from other sources as well.
And having driven by their HQ and seen what is in their parking lot, there is very little wonder why there maybe some (perhaps unconscious) biases in their writing.