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One would hope that they're different, because in real life behind the scenes the two organizations could not be more polar opposites. JD Power is a multibillion dollar marketing information company that provides a variety of services to its corporate customers. JD is now owned by XIO who bought it from none other than Mcgraw Hill. JD makes its money by using its data on surveys that are paid for by the corporations themselves.
Consumers Union is the owner of Consumer Reports - it's a nonprofit public interest organization driven by a huge subscriber base and doesn't accept advertising or freebies like any number of car review publications etc. They both have their place, but automakers started using JD Power because it was in their interest to do so and they paid for the surveys that JD did on their behalf.
As far as the drivel about CR subscribers somehow paying to do the surveys - that's usually from misinformed individuals who don't even subscribe to CR. The organization's members pay a subscriber fee annually to use the resources of the organization on a wide variety of consumer goods.
In the end though, whatever the methodology, a survey or study should reveal similar results if a large enough sample size is taken. How does a brand rate #3 in one survey and like #17 in another in the same year? The only way that happens is if the sample is like 10 cars when it should be hundreds. People buy based on these rankings, there needs to be credibility.
In the end though, whatever the methodology, a survey or study should reveal similar results if a large enough sample size is taken. How does a brand rate #3 in one survey and like #17 in another in the same year? The only way that happens is if the sample is like 10 cars when it should be hundreds. People buy based on these rankings, there needs to be credibility.
Well, the way to look at it, is a potential buyer should correlate a lot of information vs just using one or two sources like CR, JD. Even in JD Power's own 3 year old/original owner VDS, car brands jump up and down on the list. Look at the 2016 Power VDS and you see BMW just midpack or so. Now its further up the list. Same goes for Hyundai/Kia. Ram trucks were doing better in 2016 and now they're at the bottom. What's interesting is that Lexus/Toyota/Porsche always hover at or near the top. And the usual suspects linger at the bottom. So that does say something.
With Consumer Reports: they state in their FAQ, that they track vehicles and keep histories for much longer, but admittedly only use data from their subscriber base (which is very large). That can tell you how a car brand's vehicles are going to age. CR's surveys involve half a million vehicles annually.
And it updates/publishes findings annually tracing back 18 years at this point. Is there a question about let's say a specific car model having just 200 - 400 samples each year? Sure, a larger sample size is always better, but given those limitations - CR uses vehicle history as an indicator of potential future issues to augment that small sample. Not perfect, but better than just looking at online comments about ownership experiences which can often be out of context.
I don't understand for the life of me, why it's so important for Lexus owners to make sure BMW is put down. I think the only possible analogy I can make is android v. iOS/Apple.
It's a Freudian thing with us former/current Lexus owners. Our conscious mind and our subconcious mind are in a struggle with our sublimated secret desires to be seen in a BMW, drive a BMW, love and cherish a BMW - secretly carrying on an imaginary affair behind our good ole reliable Lexus which awaits us faithfully in the driveway. We grew up as kids lusting after Bimmers, then the internet told us no, that's a bad idea - so we gave up the dream
In the end though, whatever the methodology, a survey or study should reveal similar results if a large enough sample size is taken. How does a brand rate #3 in one survey and like #17 in another in the same year? The only way that happens is if the sample is like 10 cars when it should be hundreds. People buy based on these rankings, there needs to be credibility.
Because JDP ratings for 2019 actually relate to 2016 model year cars - and only 2016 model year cars.
CR's ratings will be calculated for 2017 and 2018 model years too. A current CR rating and the JDP 2019 rating are comparing newer cars to cars which may be two or three years older.
Fiat dead last? Gasp...Who'd a thunk it? My first and second cars were Fiats, though I borrowed them from my folks and did not own either one. The 1972 124 Sedan was overall a good car. It had some issues, but was decent. The '74 US regulations seemed to be problematic for Fiat. My folks did not want me taking the '72 to college, so my Dad let me take the 1979 131 Brava to school my second year. That car was plagued by electrical gremlins. It also leaked pretty much everything. When that car met its demise, I went to Toyota and declared myself out of the Fiat business forever. When they came back to the US, I hoped they would do well, but there was no chance I would buy one.
My first mechanic's job was at a Fiat dealer in 1975. I worked on all the cars you mentioned. All were fun till they broke timing belts and bent the valves hitting the pistons. They used skinny cheap rubber belts that didn't last 12,000 miles. After those repairs the frames usually rusted out till they were unsafe to drive. After 2 years I moved on to Volvo dealers and that was actually a pretty good car.
02-15-19, 07:38 AM
