mmarshall

We all spend a lot of time, in the various Car Chat threads, discussing (and opinionating) on Consumer Reports and how they get their annual reliability rankings. I thought I'd post this video I found interesting, which was done by CR representatives themselves, on this year's findings, the data they used, and what propelled the advances/declines in the ratings of various manufacturers. For some of us, it will verify some of what we already know....but explain it in further detail. For others, it may be a learning experience. For yet others, perhaps an opportunity to listen a little before panning.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

pretty early on in the video the woman says what's stupid about CR new car 'reliability' ratings. she said it's based on people reporting problems in surveys sent out in the Spring of each year. the 'problems' reported used to be big things like engines and transmissions, but now are things like infotainment systems (although she did say there were also problems with 8 and 9 speed autos). but as we all here know, the problems with infotainment systems are almost certainly NOT 'reliability' issues, but typically user ignorance or bad usability / slowness of the systems themselves. they're still operating as designed though and are thus not unreliable.

davyjordi

^^^ this. this is exactly what's wrong with CR reliability ratings. while they do hold some weight, they need to be taken with a grain of salt when the majority of users are finding faults that lie with the infotainment system of x marque.

Gojirra99

They should just call it collectively as car "problems" ratings , not just reliability ......

Whatever that cause difficulties, distress, inconvenience, frustrations, etc.

Toys4RJill

Yeah, they start out saying that its the infotaintment screens, then near the end they start crying about transmissions in the Escalade. Not much meat on the bone with this video. It seems to me that CR is trying their hardest than ever before to fight for relevancy.

Toys4RJill

Why Consumer Reports sucks:
http://jamesordinaryguyreviews.blogs...rts-sucks.html

LexBob2

I think MM may have elicited the reactions he was looking for.

mmarshall

I wasn't looking for any particular reactions. I'm well-aware that CR has both supporters and skeptics. But, we are (mostly) adults in this forum, and most people act like it, most of the time.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

it's not about skeptics, it's about analyzing their 'methodology'. i'd love it if it was credible, but it isn't. not even close.

Toys4RJill

I would love to see their data and methods have full disclosure. Let some professionals take a look.

mmarshall

I have found it quite credible for over 40 years.....in fact, closer to 50. We can agree to disagree on that.