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What I mean is the reputation for unreliability is really overstated, and the car as a product is better. So, you trade reliability in theory for a better car. Having made that trade I have no regrets.
It’s a luxury car, reliability isn’t everything. I want the best driving, best riding car with the best comfort and the best technology and this is it, Lexus doesn’t make anything remotely close. They used to but they don’t anymore.
There is life after Toyota and Lexus I promise you.
At the end of the day, you do you of course. I'm just stating it's a fact that American/German cars are unreliable and too many stupid items go wrong with them, typically starting with a crappy engineering team with designs that don't make sense and to the actual manufacturing process of using sh!tty parts. "The car as a product is better" doesn't hold much weight when it's a sh!tty product to begin with.
Yes, there is a life after Toyota/Lexus and all auto manufacturers. I'm not advocating for one car brand or another, and I'm definitely not a diehard "fanboy" of them, but I will give credit (and discredit) where it's due. Reliability is everything. If I have all the bells/whistles/add-on's/power/latest & greatest tech/etc., but if the **** doesn't work or last, it means nothing to me. Lexus, and pretty much all Japanese auto manufacturers, are a bit behind when it comes to comfort technology, but this is something I can appreciate because:
1. More technology = more **** that can break.
2. More technology = more likely of drivers being distracted and not on driving. On the Z and GTR, I have a train horns installed and I am that dude that will lay on that horn on you if I see you texting while driving or fidgeting with the infotainment screen or so busy texting (or otherwise not focused on the road) while still stopped at a green light.
At the end of the day, you do you of course. I'm just stating it's a fact that American/German cars are unreliable and too many stupid items go wrong with them, typically starting with a crappy engineering team with designs that don't make sense and to the actual manufacturing process of using sh!tty parts. "The car as a product is better" doesn't hold much weight when it's a sh!tty product to begin with.
Well, I've had them both and you haven't... . My American and German cars have been on the whole just as reliable if not more reliable than the LS460s I had. Happy to do a couple repairs here and there to drive a much more enjoyable car. What Toyota and Lexus are making today is just not compelling to me on any level. What you say is a "fact" is just your opinion. Reality is all cars today are pretty reliable. For example, you have two older Nissans. Nissan has long been known as the "unreliable Japanese car", they are ranked well below average in the reliability surveys, in the latest one they are below Alfa Romeo, Ford, Kia, MINI, BMW, Porsche, GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick...so clearly its not so accurate that "Japanese = Reliable" and "German and American = Unreliable" is it? Buick is rated #2, higher than Toyota. But...you seem happy with them so I suppose rated reliability isn't the be all and end all is it?
Don't miss Japanese cars at all. If they still made a car like the LS460 I would still be a customer, but they don't so I'm not...
Well, I've had them both and you haven't... . My American and German cars have been on the whole just as reliable if not more reliable than the LS460s I had. Happy to do a couple repairs here and there to drive a much more enjoyable car. What Toyota and Lexus are making today is just not compelling to me on any level. What you say is a "fact" is just your opinion. Reality is all cars today are pretty reliable. For example, you have two older Nissans. Nissan has long been known as the "unreliable Japanese car", they are ranked well below average in the reliability surveys, in the latest one they are below Alfa Romeo, Ford, Kia, MINI, BMW, Porsche, GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick...so clearly its not so accurate that "Japanese = Reliable" and "German and American = Unreliable" is it? Buick is rated #2, higher than Toyota. But...you seem happy with them so I suppose rated reliability isn't the be all and end all is it?
Don't miss Japanese cars at all. If they still made a car like the LS460 I would still be a customer, but they don't so I'm not...
Maybe you got lucky?
I never specifically said Japanese vehicles are more reliable and only said American and Germans vehicles are unreliable with crappy engineering designs. I did, however, quote 2 statements from Consumer Reports to that notion. There are many many reports stating the quality of all vehicle manufacturers, which German and American vehicles historically and presently are underperforming in terms of quality and reliability compared to their counterparts. Again, you do you, but no matter how you package and justify a pile of ****, it’s still a pile of ****.
In regards to Nissan, I couldn’t tell ya. The Z has 30K miles and the GTR has 10K miles and everything’s held up so far with basic maintenance, though there’s a lot more plastic than to my liking and preference. I will say the parental units bought me a new 2007 350Z with 5 miles on the odo for college, and I managed to rack up 280K miles before trading her in. No major issues and only maintenance items.
Or maybe the stigma is less deserved than you think.
In regards to Nissan, I couldn’t tell ya. The Z has 30K miles and the GTR has 10K miles and everything’s held up so far with basic maintenance, though there’s a lot more plastic than to my liking and preference. I will say the parental units bought me a new 2007 350Z with 5 miles on the odo for college, and I managed to rack up 280K miles before trading her in. No major issues and only maintenance items.
Maybe you got lucky?
We both have cars that have poor published reliability records that we enjoy. How about that? I guess the published reliability rankings aren’t the be all and end all.
Here is the latest JD Power VDS, look at all the American and German cars above average and all the Japanese cars rated below average
We both have cars that have poor published reliability records that we enjoy. How about that? I guess the published reliability rankings aren’t the be all and end all.
Here is the latest JD Power VDS, look at all the American and German cars above average and all the Japanese cars rated below average
Nope. I tend to do my research and I don't prioritize the latest/greatest over reliability. In fact, I NEVER buy the first model of anything so they can iron out the wrinkles and bugs.
Interesting chart you posted. I don't consider JD Power a reliable source, but according to your chart, it states at the bottom: "Lexus ranks highest among premium brands and is noted by a gold bar". And based on the same chart, it also states "Problems per 100 vehicles", with Lexus/Toyota having the least, and VW rated at 285. Das NOT Auto.
All joking aside, in the interest of safety, both of your listed vehicles have some recalls that were issued recently and are serious in nature. Hope you had these addressed:
Both of your cars had "several recalls" and both of them also pertain to "fire hazards"? You paid close to $200K between both cars, with the Benz costing double your Chrysler, and you have to worry about something catching fire? Not gonna lie, that doesn't sound reliable to me.
Both of your cars had "several recalls" and both of them also pertain to "fire hazards"? You paid close to $200K between both cars, with the Benz costing double your Chrysler, and you have to worry about something catching fire? Not gonna lie, that doesn't sound reliable to me.
Recalls don't bother me. Toyotas have recalls for things that can in theory cause a fire too.
You can find a bunch of them just Google. Just because there is a recall doesn't mean there were any fires, there is a risk which is why they are recalled.
if your NX was a PHEV it would also have a recall for fire risk.
. My American and German cars have been on the whole just as reliable if not more reliable than the LS460s I had. Happy to do a couple repairs here and there to drive a much more enjoyable car. What Toyota and Lexus are making today is just not compelling to me on any level. What you say is a "fact" is just your opinion. Reality is all cars today are pretty reliable. For example, you have two older Nissans. Nissan has long been known as the "unreliable Japanese car", they are ranked well below average in the reliability surveys, in the latest one they are below Alfa Romeo, Ford, Kia, MINI, BMW, Porsche, GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick...so clearly its not so accurate that "Japanese = Reliable" and "German and American = Unreliable" is it? Buick is rated #2, higher than Toyota. But...you seem happy with them so I suppose rated reliability isn't the be all and end all is it?
