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Comments: Consumer Reports/JD Power Rankings

680 messages,  Last post on Sep 07, 2011 at 4:17 PM

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#1 of 680 Comments: Consumer Reports/JD Power Rankings by kirstie_h HOST

Dec 04, 2006 (9:32 am)

How much weight do you give these sources when evaluating your potential vehicle purchase?

#2 of 680 Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... by bigdveedubgirl

Dec 01, 2006 (8:53 am)

Replying to: kirstie_h (Dec 04, 2006 9:32 am)
I hate C.R for Autos. They spread propaganda. They make your shopping experience more difficult. The information is not 100% accurate. Use that money for a few starbucks for all night FREE internet research.
 
Anybody trying to SELL how to get a good deal,outsmart they carguy, screw the car guy are more shady than ANY car dealer.
 
just my two cents

#3 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [bigdveedubgirl] by pch101

Dec 01, 2006 (9:01 am)

Replying to: bigdveedubgirl (Dec 01, 2006 8:53 am)
What propaganda? CR has opinions about cars that people are free to accept or reject, just like any other source of opinion.
 
And the reliability surveys are pretty good, arguably better than the JD Power study which surveys far fewer people.
 
I wouldn't take it as a bible, and I wouldn't spend $12 on something that I can easily get for free (you can buy the Edmund's new car invoices prices book for EVERY car on the market for less than CR's report on just one of them), but it's a useful source just as are many others. The main thing to remember them is that they tend to test cars in the same way that they test refrigerators, so their tendency is to regard cars more as appliances than fun toys to drive. I'd read the car mags if you want a better idea of how well a car does from the perspective of an enthusiast.

#4 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [bigdveedubgirl] by 210delray

Dec 01, 2006 (9:21 am)

Replying to: bigdveedubgirl (Dec 01, 2006 8:53 am)
Please tell us what is propaganda. Are you talking about CR's bargaining advice or their car reviews? I'm all ears.
 
I do know they give you the so-called "real price" in those $12 reports. Real price is invoice minus holdback, customer rebates, and dealer incentives. They say to bargain up from this "real price," because invoice is essentially a fictitious price.
 
I'm wondering if there actually are consumers who make an offer at this supposed "real price," which basically means zero gross profit for the dealer (and of course no sales commission)? That's pretty outrageous in my view.
 
Now as to their reviews, well they tend give a "thumbs down" on VW/Audi products because of their generally atrocious reliability. (Sorry, but my anecdotal experience seems to confirm this.) But they really like the current and prior-generation Passat, as long as its reliability rises to the "average" threshold.

#5 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [210delray] by bigdveedubgirl

Dec 01, 2006 (11:40 am)

Replying to: 210delray (Dec 01, 2006 9:21 am)
Some of the VW product gets dinged, But as of 2006 (my most current issue, have not recieved the 07 book yet) The A4 and the Passat were CR recommended.
 
I have not had one deal that someone brought in a CR report that was accurate. It is a nightmare everytime. And most people have the attitude that because they paid for it it has to be right.
 
VW/Audi invoices are TRUE invoices unlike GM and Ford are 2. We get the acutal invoice with our MSO and its the same one the customer sees.
 
Yes people offer the "True Price". I have got the "Oh that is not the price on the car the car should be this price" "this price" is usually BASE. We have had 2 price adjustments in the 07 model year.
 
I think there are many sources that are FREE and more accurate.

#6 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [pch101] by snakeweasel

Dec 01, 2006 (11:59 am)

Replying to: pch101 (Dec 01, 2006 9:01 am)
And the reliability surveys are pretty good, arguably better than the JD Power study which surveys far fewer people.
 
Just because JD Power surveys fewer people doesn't make it a worse survey. JD Powers actually does take a statistical sample, CR doesn't. In other words the JD Power sample is more representative of the population as a whole. CR's sample is not. For this reason I would suspect the JD Powers is a better survey.

#7 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [snakeweasel] by imidazol97

Dec 01, 2006 (12:24 pm)

Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 01, 2006 11:59 am)
Thank you.
 
>JD Powers actually does take a statistical sample, CR doesn't. ...JD Power sample is more representative of the population as a whole. ...the JD Powers is a better survey.

#8 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [snakeweasel] by audia8q

Dec 01, 2006 (1:22 pm)

Replying to: snakeweasel (Dec 01, 2006 11:59 am)
JD Powers actually does take a statistical sample, CR doesn't. In other words the JD Power sample is more representative of the population as a whole. CR's sample is not.
 
I don't really follow the details of either survey very much...could you explain a little further what you mean? Why is JD more representative than CR? Does CR only survey democrats or something?

#9 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [audia8q] by 210delray

Dec 01, 2006 (1:30 pm)

Replying to: audia8q (Dec 01, 2006 1:22 pm)
AAACCKKK!
 
Not the Consumer Reports vs. JD Powers debate. There's a thread in Edmunds already, and we've covered this upteen times in other threads.
 
For another take on what's wrong with both surveys, go here (not that I necessarily agree with this source).

#10 of 680 Re: Not like this forum ever experiences redundancy.... [bigdveedubgirl] by 210delray

Dec 01, 2006 (1:38 pm)

Replying to: bigdveedubgirl (Dec 01, 2006 11:40 am)
VW/Audi invoices are TRUE invoices unlike GM and Ford are 2. We get the acutal invoice with our MSO and its the same one the customer sees.
 
Thank you very much for your response. But this leads to a few more questions:
 
1. How are the GM and Ford invoices not true (I'm inferring there are two different "invoice" prices)?
 
2. Does "MSO" mean manufacturer statement of origin?
 
3. Do Toyota, Honda, and Nissan also play the game of phony invoices?

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