[ds968]

PSA <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> for whatever it's worth..



From Consumer Report publication:



The Best of the best and Worst of the worst are based on our larger lists of Reliable used cars and Used cars to avoid (both available to subscribers). These comprehensive lists give you a rundown of all the models that were found, from our data, to be above or below average in reliability. Owners reported on any serious problems they had had with their cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks in the previous year.



Best of the best



These are models that have performed well in CR road tests over the years, and have proved to have several or more years of better-than-average reliability. Listed alphabetically.





Acura Integra

Acura MDX

Acura RL

Acura RSX

Acura TL

Acura TSX

BMW M3

Buick LaCrosse

Honda Accord

Honda Civic

Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda CR-V

Honda Element

Honda Odyssey

Honda Pilot

Honda S2000

Infiniti FX

Infiniti G20

Infiniti G35

Infiniti I30, I35

Infiniti QX4

Lexus ES

Lexus ES

Lexus GS (RWD)

Lexus GX

Lexus IS

Lexus LS

Lexus RX

Lexus SC

Lincoln Continental

Lincoln Town Car

Mazda Millenia

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda Protegé

Mazda3

Mitsubishi Endeavor

Mitsubishi Outlander

Nissan Altima

Nissan Maxima

Nissan Murano

Pontiac Vibe

Porsche 911 (except '03)

Scion tC

Scion xB

Subaru Baja

Subaru Forester

Subaru Impreza

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Toyota 4Runner

Toyota Avalon

Toyota Camry (except '07 V6)

Toyota Camry Solara

Toyota Celica

Toyota Corolla

Toyota Echo

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Matrix

Toyota Prius

Toyota RAV4

Toyota Sequoia

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Tundra (except '07 V8 4WD)

Volvo S60





Worst of the worst



These models have multiple years of much worse than Used Car Verdicts in the 1998 to 2007 models. Listed alphabetically.





Buick Rendezvous (AWD)

Buick Terraza

Chevrolet Astro

Chevrolet Blazer

Chevrolet Colorado (4WD)

Chevrolet S-10 Pickup (4WD)

Chevrolet Uplander

Chevrolet Venture

Chrysler Town & Country (AWD)

Dodge Grand Caravan (AWD)

GMC Canyon (4WD)

GMC Jimmy

GMC S-15 Sonoma (4WD)

GMC Safari

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Kia Sedona

Land Rover Discovery, LR3

Lincoln Aviator

Mercedes-Benz SL

Nissan Armada (4WD)

Nissan Titan (4WD)

Oldsmobile Bravada

Oldsmobile Silhouette

Pontiac Aztek

Pontiac G6

Pontiac Montana, Trans Sport, Montana SV6

Saturn Relay

Volkswagen Cabriolet

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan (turbo)

Volkswagen Jetta Sedan (V6)

Volkswagen Touareg





About these lists:

The lists on these pages are compiled from overall reliability data covering 1998-2007 models with above-average or much-below-average reliability. CR Good Bets and Bad Bets include only the models for which we have sufficient data for at least three model years. Models that were brand-new in 2006 or 2007 do not appear. Problems with the engine major, engine cooling, transmission major, and drive system were weighted more heavily than other problems.

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[rhudeboye]

Toyota is doing something very right. Such a large fleet of autos in every price range yet from Scion to Lexus, every last one of them makes the list.

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[Lord_Galva]

[quote name='rhudeboye' post='51548' date='Apr 27 2008, 12:03 PM']Toyota is doing something very right. Such a large fleet of autos in every price range yet from Scion to Lexus, every last one of them makes the list.[/quote]



Yep.

They are paying CR a lot of money. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[gryphon]

As always, General Motors is well represented in the worst of the worst. Perhaps Obama can help them "change."



Tom

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[ds968]

what surprised me were the VWs .. always thought they were highly reliable - then again, I never owned one so it was only hearsay . and that was evidently wrong <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[kodomokid]

[quote name='ds968' post='51583' date='Apr 27 2008, 06:56 PM']what surprised me were the VWs .. always thought they were highly reliable - then again, I never owned one so it was only hearsay . and that was evidently wrong <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]





I don't think that VW is represented very well. Most of the general public fill up their cars with gas and don't follow the scheduled maintenance very closely. I understand that people are very busy. But all of us on here would never run our 968's past their scheduled oil changes would we? I have VW's and I try my best to stay on top of routine maintenance and I have very few problems. Aside for the occasional bad coil packs on 1.8T's, they can be very reliable but they need a little more attention than your average Toyota. But I would never have it any other way. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Lord_Galva]

That's the problem though.

Somehow the Japanese have figured out how to run a car without routine maintence.

Although I will say that I was suprised to see that out of the 3 vans my family owns.

1 is at 210k Chrysler 93'

2 is at 180k Plymouth 96'

3 is at 160k Chrysler 99'

all of which never get any work done besides the occasional oil change.



I have never liked CR and I hate the advice they give. But that's just me.

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[kodomokid]

[quote name='Lord_Galva' post='51590' date='Apr 28 2008, 04:14 AM']I have never liked CR and I hate the advice they give. But that's just me.[/quote]



I would agree. I have learned to take their opinions with a grain of salt. After all they would dock points on the early 90's Toyota 4Runner because it felt too truck like in handling. Well duh...it's a truck. I know they are probably saying that because it had a very stiff ride, but I would want that in a SUV in order to help maintain proper ground clearance in case I needed to take it off road.

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[spectre996]

So what was wrong with the '03 911? Why all except that year? It wasn't a transition year or a new model. It was near the end the of model run ('99-'04). They should have had everything sorted out by then?

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='kodomokid' post='51586' date='Apr 27 2008, 11:08 PM']I don't think that VW is represented very well. Most of the general public fill up their cars with gas and don't follow the scheduled maintenance very closely. I understand that people are very busy. But all of us on here would never run our 968's past their scheduled oil changes would we? I have VW's and I try my best to stay on top of routine maintenance and I have very few problems. Aside for the occasional bad coil packs on 1.8T's, they can be very reliable but they need a little more attention than your average Toyota. But I would never have it any other way. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]



You got a good one!



My buddy's 02 Jetta had problems early on that the dealership just couldn't get right. He brought it new and after his warranty ran out it started costing him thousands. We share the same mechanic, who is also a good friend of ours, and he told me that everyone he sees is a nightmare in labor cost do to the way VW assembles them and that they often have several problems when they pull in. He also noted that many VW mechanic friends of his hate working on them. I know of another couple with a Passat with the same woes. Got the car new and had pretty major problems within about 15 months. Very unhappy with the way VW is treating them.



So if the CR poll takes into account customer testimonies on Reliability, then I'm not surprised.

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[rd1cobra]

Consumer reports lists a number of trouble spots on the 2003 911. It rates most of them with the lowest rating - "worse"



Major engine

Engine cooling

Major transmission

Minor transmission

Fuel system

Exhaust

Squeaks and Rattles

Body Hardware

Audio system



No other year seems to have all these issues between 98 and 07 - according to CSR

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[kodomokid]

[quote name='rhudeboye' post='51629' date='Apr 28 2008, 10:12 AM']You got a good one!



My buddy's 02 Jetta had problems early on that the dealership just couldn't get right. He brought it new and after his warranty ran out it started costing him thousands. We share the same mechanic, who is also a good friend of ours, and he told me that everyone he sees is a nightmare in labor cost do to the way VW assembles them and that they often have several problems when they pull in. He also noted that many VW mechanic friends of his hate working on them. I know of another couple with a Passat with the same woes. Got the car new and had pretty major problems within about 15 months. Very unhappy with the way VW is treating them.



So if the CR poll takes into account customer testimonies on Reliability, then I'm not surprised.[/quote]



I have heard of those stories as well. I have 2 of the more recent VW's that fall into the problem years. A 99 Passat 1.8T and the 02 Jetta VR6 Wagon. I have had my share of problems with the Passat. Once I got passed all of the problems, I have had a very reliable car. Here is a sample what was replaced: ABS control unit, coil packs, every known gasket known to VW, oil pump due to sludging, oil return lines to turbo.

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