CR 2013 Car Brand Consumer Perception

[antzrus]

Best overall Brand Score Per Consumer Reports:

(not actual quality of the brand-just the consumer's perception thereof)

Toyota 133
Ford 118
Honda 114
Chevrolet 94
Mer-Benz 77
Volvo 77
Cadillac 66
BMW 66
Dodge 56
Tesla 55
Lexus 50
Subaru 50
Audi 47
GMC 45
Hyundai 43
Buick 42
Nissan 41
Smart 35
Lincoln 33
Chrysler 32

[06M4.5]

So what happen to Infiniti?

[antzrus]

Included w/Nissan? Or, just not in the running with the top 20.

[06M4.5]

WOW, sad to see Infiniti is not included.

[antzrus]

Don't forget, these scores are just "people's" perceptions-not the true value of the machines.

Hey, if everyone owned an Infiniti we would not be the iconic figures we perceive ourselves to be...

[Ilya]

Don't forget, these scores are just "people's" perceptions-not the true value of the machines.

Hey, if everyone owned an Infiniti we would not be the iconic figures we perceive ourselves to be...

That's right, we'd become those silly German car owners who think their BMW's or Audi's are ABSOLUTELY the most reliable and best things on earth since sliced bread. Part of the reason why I will never own a German car...the 'fans' of those cars are usually a bit...special. Rather not be quilty by association.

[M35austex]

^That!

I don't need a survey to tell me how to feel about my car. I like t and it checks the boxes for me. Personally don't care if it doesn't check the boxes for others. I already bought an M35 and an M37. Because of my experience with the "product" I replaced a minivan with a 2011 Pathfinder. And this summer, I'm going to replace that with a QX56. I like the brand for what it is. I don't think I'd like it as much if it tried to be BMW, Mercedes or Audi.

[DeanM45]

That list shows the idiocy that the population now possesses.

[M4T5]

German made cars are very well built machines. Don't fool yourself.

Jim

[atlM35]

Between my wife and I, we have owned 9 Nissan/Infiniti vehicles.
German cars are great in terms of engineering and they come out with great technology.
It seems that Japanese makers just make those features more reliable and usually cheaper in cost.

[Ilya]

German made cars are very well built machines. Don't fool yourself.

Jim

Design wise? Yes. The engines look like they are made to be worked on, tasks are easy, etc. But as far as being reliable? Hardly the case. Not to mention OEM parts for German cars cost more than most of the same parts for your typical Japanese car.

To me, Apple = German Car Makers. They charge a lot for something that is marginally (or not at all) better than the competition (Google/Android or Japanese cars). And like Apple (or Starbucks), German cars give people a superiority complex. I have direct experience of this.

I'm Ukrainian, and most of my buddies are all "Euro" guys. BMW's, Audi's, and Mercedes'. When I got my M, they were appalled that I didn't follow the slavic crowd and get a 5/7 series or an A8 (since they know I like bigger sedans).

German cars, aesthetically, are sexy as hell...but for value AND looks? I'll pick Infiniti all day long. And I'd take a LS 460L over an A8/7series/S-Class any day.

[szh]

Some years ago, I decided never to buy a BMW. After one of my co-workers took his 5 series car in for a battery replacement (out of warranty) and it cost him $575 ... The special terminal locations (apparently proprietary to BMW and cannot be provided by another battery manufacturer) meant that he could only get the dealer to do it with an OEM battery.

OTOH, when my car battery needed replacement a few months ago, I bought a top-of-the-line Interstate from a local auto parts store for about $120 (approximately ... I don't remember the exact price) and did the work myself - total of 20 minutes of effort, including the time cleaning the terminals with a wire brush, resetting the radio, etc.

Should I pay high prices for the sake of owning the Ultimate Driving Machine? I don't think so!

Z