Consumer Digest lists V Best Buy three years running:

[grogman]

Our boring non exciting Versa has been rated Best Buy once again. If i was a kid i don't think I would buy the V but I'm older and needing creature comforts before weirdness.

http://www.consumersdigest.com/nissan.html

Consumer reports rates the V as the most unreliable entry level car in the states. What is confusing is the fact that the versa was rated above average in their review. The one thing I am always amazed at is the consistent inconsistency auto reviews behold.

Anyone here think that some of these magazines are paid off?

[Andrews Chalmers]

Entry level cars generally have less features to go wrong... the Versa is loaded in that regard. And as we all know - early production Versas were loaded with production errors (seatbelt mounted wrong) and manufacturing/design errors (fuel pump failures, dash poping up).

Some companies place more value on driving experience & overall practicality of the vehicle - things that don't always show up on reliability based tests.

[Red Devil]

I'd take the CR with a grain of salt.

[VersaMG08]

Agreed...I love my car, wish it was more sporty though. Maybe Nissan will release a 2012 240sx/Silvia and I'll think about buying it.

[Rockhound]

Aren't we mixing apples and oranges here?

Consumer Reports rates the Versa as unreliable, Consumer Digest picked it as a best buy.

The Consumer Digest rating doesn't really appear to take into account reliability - they simply rate cars on features and quality for the price, hence the Best Buy tag. The Versa has unparalleled interior quality and tech for the price tag, so it should easily earn this award.

Consumer Reports tries to track reliability from repair histories and other data. While they too look at quality, amenities, and value, reliability makes up a much bigger part of their equation, whether anyone wants to believe their numbers or not.

Thing is, people like to cherry-pick CR data. My first car, a 1993 Sentra, was purchased at least partially because CR rated it as a used car best-bet. It exceeded my expectations. As a result, I tend to value their opinion, as with other cars I've owned that are on their recommended list.

Even another 3rd party reliability site (TrueDelta) says that the Versa's reliability for the 2008 model year is substandard. The 2007 model year, however, has leveled out to an 'above average' rating.

[greggie195]

Anyone here think that some of these magazines are paid off?

We had this conversation in the past, and I am convinced of it. I had a subscription for 1 year and never will again. They rate Hyundais way too high. With all the internet data available today, CR is obsolete an IMO useless.

[grogman]

After giving the I think I would buy something else if I was younger statement more thought, I might still buy the V also if I was younger . The pics the forum members have issued are awesome. I have asked many times before but is the GT Spoiler expensive and is it worth it? I have seen Vs with them around town but they were always moving so I couldn't ask the owner. In wisconsin we cannot tint the front side windows. Maybe if those 2 little windows count I can fight the rule saying those are the 2 front side windows. lol.

[Andrews Chalmers]

We had this conversation in the past, and I am convinced of it. I had a subscription for 1 year and never will again. They rate Hyundais way too high. With all the internet data available today, CR is obsolete an IMO useless.

What makes you think they rate Hyundais way too high?

[greggie195]

My brother had an Elantra....blew the engine at 200 miles. Got it replaced....blew the transmission at 70K.....would not fix under warranty, said the radiator was to blaim. Car has been replaced with a 96 Maxima with 150,000+ miles which he loves.

Other brother has an Accent with 40K...had plenty of transmission problems. Been in and out of the shop quite a bit.

Sister had 2 Elantras and they have been in and out of the shop quite often with random engine and transmission problems.

Parents had an Elantra that I drove often. Thing had about 30-40K and would shake like hell at 60mph+. Felt cheap and when the AC was on had absolutly no power.

These Hyundais were all 2002 and up.

This V is my third Nissa. 86 200SX got over 225,000 miles before the heating coil went. No engine problems when I got rid of her. 92 maxima blew a head gasket at 205,000 miles which was a bit of a disappointment to me considering a guy I work with had 370,000 miles on his exact same car with no problems. I am convinced poor oil changes caused the HG to blow early.

CR routinely over rates Hyundais and under rates Nissans in my opinion. I threw out an issue that rated the Elantra as a top car in some category and haven't read an issue since.

[VersaMG08]

Why does CR have to overrate such craptacular vehicles and have a bias against different vehicles? Do they have something against unique companies such as Nissan or even Mitsubishi. I mean it's similar of having a political bias about somebody you don't like.

I believe that they want these car manufactures to become popular and succeed and want the competition to be scarce in the private sector. What are your takes on this?

[greggie195]

Let me say that I have absolutely no basis for what I am about to say. That being said, I really think they get kickbacks or payola. They also seem to be geared towards older people and they may be older people testing these items (cars, etc.) and just prefer one over the other. There will be bias in their picks, it is impossible to remove bias completely. I am a scientist and even in my day to day experiments it is always difficult to remove bias from experiments.

Again this is just my $0.02 and I have nothing to back these statements up!