GM just can't catch a break

[nissangirl74]

http://finance.yahoo.com/famil...-home

Despite an improvement in sales, GMs quality is still sub-standard. Of the 7 vehicles picked to be the "Worst Made Cars on the Road" four of them were made by GM. All 7 were made by the Big 3, one from Ford and two from Chrysler.

[Dire91]

I saw that earlier, first thought that came to my mind was "oh s*** all american made cars". I knew the escalade would be on that list though.

[MellowZ32]

I'm speechless.

[krimsonviper]

Easy fix! The leaders in that company need to stop sucking bleep*like their wives do!

*Edited by MaximA32 because it was definitely NOT PG-13.

[Jesda]

I call shenanigans. Land Rover isn't anywhere on the page.

Oh, I see. Consumer Reports is involved.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It's narrowmindedness like this that's the reason GM can't get a "break". And it's not 4 cars made by GM, it's three. The Canyon and Colorado are the same damn thing.

So one crummy truck and a crappy luxury ute (which are universally unreliable thanks to being so tech-heavy...just look at the early QX56 and GX570 if you need proof of that) means GM is doing poorly? Sorry, no. GM has a hugely diverse lineup, even AFTER axing a lot of models post-bailout, and most of it is EXCELLENT and well above average and many are award-winning. There is a small handful of losers and a couple mediocrities, but aside from that GM's doing damn good...and a lot better than volume-volume-volume Nissan in terms of production quality.

If you apply this failure-biased viewpoint to any of the Japanese or Korean brands, they'll look just as bad. If not worse.

MalibuLucerneCTSLaCrosseCorvetteCamaroTraverse/Acadia/EnclaveSilverado/SierraAll excellent cars; most are award-winners. But instead of praising GM for building good cars, everyone's preoccupied with picking on their failures.

GM can't catch something that isn't thrown. Quit living in the 90s and join the modern world. GM is better than Toyota, better than Nissan. At least GM offers a 100k mile powertrain warranty. Who else does that, save Hyundai? Yeah...no one. Not even Toyota, despite all their talk of reliability and huge numbers of old models still on the road.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I'm surprised there wasn't more chrysler garbage on there, and less GM.

Did they mention what trim F250 they didn't like? I didn't even read the whole thing, just looked at the list.

[Jesda]

I wonder if there's a sales volume cutoff for being included and evaluated. I seriously can't imagine LR not being on that list. As much as I love them, they spend most of their time in service bays.

Same goes for the BMW 7-series. I know a guy who traded his for a 3-series because he was spending more time driving the 3-series as a service loaner than driving his own car. Might as well trade and enjoy a lower payment, so he did.

[AZhitman]

But instead of praising GM for building good cars, everyone's preoccupied with picking on their failures.

As a parent, you're only as good as your dumbest kid.

If one is a rocket scientist, one is a brain surgeon, and one is a hooker, you've failed.

As a car company, you're only as good as your worst car.

At least GM offers a 100k mile powertrain warranty.

Sure they do. They can afford it, with that fat influx of MY tax money.

A drivetrain warranty is USELESS for the most part in 2010. ALL modern drivetrains will do 100K standing on their head.

It's the REST of the car that'll fall apart around it.

They'll get NO props from me for a 100K drivetrain warranty. (I'm actually surprised all manufacturers don't offer it - seems a no-brainer.)

The article is critical with good reason.

Just because they're "coming around" doesn't mean the sins of the past THIRTY (or more) years are forgotten.

[nissangirl74]

Here is their method to the madness...

Behind the Numbers

To determine our list of the worst-made cars on the road, we started with the lowest-rated vehicles from four reliability and performance studies conducted this year. Those studies are all from Consumer Reports: The Most Reliable Cars Report; Best and Worst Values Report; Best and Worst Safety Performance Survey; and the CR overall scores for 2010 vehicles.

We then added to the list any vehicles that received fewer than three out of five power circles in this year's Vehicle Dependability Study from J.D. Power and Associates. Any car, truck or SUV named among the worst in at least three of those five total studies made the final cut to be on the "Worst-Made" list.

The biggest surprise on the list, given recent automotive news: It includes no Toyota (NYSE: TM) made vehicles. In fact, Toyota reported a 40.7% gain in sales last month over March 2009; its Lexus division was up 42%. (Generous buyer incentives greatly contributed to those numbers.) And although Consumer Reports has removed its "recommended pick" distinction from Toyota vehicles involved in the current recall, many analysts are standing by their previous assessments of Toyota's well-made products.

[nissangirl74]

I'm surprised there wasn't more chrysler garbage on there, and less GM.

Did they mention what trim F250 they didn't like? I didn't even read the whole thing, just looked at the list.

They did not

[Jesda]

As a parent, you're only as good as your dumbest kid.

If one is a rocket scientist, one is a brain surgeon, and one is a hooker, you've failed.

As a car company, you're only as good as your worst car.

All the awful Tiidas and Versas roaming the earth, falling apart piece by piece, can be made up for by the exhaust sound of the 370Z. I think Nissan makes enough automotive "want" to make up for the "wish I was on the bus instead", as does GM these days.

[AZhitman]

All the awful Tiidas and Versas roaming the earth, falling apart piece by piece, can be made up for by the exhaust sound of the 370Z.

I don't think the Versa is the turd it's been made out to be, and that's not "brand loyalty"... It's twice the car the Aveo is, and costs less.

BTW, I think you mean the 350Z. The 370Z has a much more neutered sound.

[MinisterofDOOM]

A drivetrain warranty is USELESS for the most part in 2010. ALL modern drivetrains will do 100K standing on their head.

I personally have no faith in automatic transmissions, be they 2010 models or 1980 models. That 100k mile powertrain warranty means I don't have to worry. It is a HUGE selling point. I DO NOT trust auto transmissions. They might be better but I've yet to see evidence of that firsthand. So I'll take that powertrain warranty, thanks.And, anyway, warranties aren't for cars that run as planned. They're for when s*** goes WRONG.

Quote »They'll get NO props from me for a 100K drivetrain warranty. (I'm actually surprised all manufacturers don't offer it - seems a no-brainer.)[/quote]

That's EXACTLY my point. Why the hell doesn't everyone do it? All I know is they don't. And GM does. Which means I get more peace of mind with a Malibu than an Accord.

Quote »Just because they're "coming around" doesn't mean the sins of the past THIRTY (or more) years are forgotten.[/quote]More bias. That's CERTAINLY not true of Hyundai. All everyone does is talk about how great they are. They've been making decent cars for, what...5 years? And before that they made rotting turds for 20 years. Some of the worst cars EVER MADE. Why does Hyundai get gimmes when GM doesn't? At least GM makes cars I ACTUALLY WANT TO OWN. Great, the Sonata's ultra-reliable. It had better be, because it doesn't have ANYTHING ELSE going for it.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

They did not

Well... that's just dumb then. Didn't specify what engine, what transmission, 2wd, 4wd, interior package, towing/suspension package.

LAME

[Jesda]

I don't think the Versa is the turd it's been made out to be, and that's not "brand loyalty"... It's twice the car the Aveo is, and costs less.

BTW, I think you mean the 350Z. The 370Z has a much more neutered sound.

JD Power gives the Versa 2.5. The Aveo gets a reliability score of 2.0. Its comparing moldy cake to moldy muffins.

The 370 justifies the noise, even if its quieter, by being a much more sophisticated car with all the pieces assembled properly. The 350Z was more on the level of the previous generation Mustang.

[AZhitman]

Great, the Sonata's ultra-reliable. It had better be, because it doesn't have ANYTHING ELSE going for it.

Disagree. So does M/T and a lot of the automotive press.

Not liking the way it looks isn't one of our criteria here... Think about it - Guys like you and I love the look of the 1st-gen Q and the Y34 M45. No one else really did. I like the look of the Malibu - but few others really do.

There's a LOT of car there for not a lot of money. I'd own a Sonata long before a Malibu...

p.s. In a comparo with its 6 competitors (M/T May 2010), the Malibu got trounced in handling, acceleration, braking, interior room, interior sound volume, resale value, fuel efficiency... ALL the stuff we care about... and it finished second to last (ahead of the poor Altima).

[Jesda]

Not liking the way it looks isn't one of our criteria here... Think about it - Guys like you and I love the look of the 1st-gen Q and the Y33 M45. No one else really did.

People did, but would only buy them if they came with blue and white propeller badges... or four rings.

Correction: Audi didn't much of anything until recently.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Motor Trend isn't fit to wipe my butt, and that's something I've said for a long time. The fact that the Altima finished dead last supports that opinion. And it also suggests that the comparo was between base-model 4-bangers, which explains why the performance of both suffered. M/T is a giant advertisement. Their awards go to whatever's newest. That's how you end up with a Honda at the top of a half-ton truck comparo.

The Sonata can't even be had with a V6 anymore. NO V6. 4-cylinder only. WHAT. THE CRAP. They make it bigger and then they downsize the powerplant options?! Everyone I know with an Altima, Accord, or Camry has a V6. Which means the Sonata's not on their list. So, like I said, at least GM makes cars I actually want to own. The Sonata offers care-free ownership but nothing remotely interesting.

[Jesda]

The Sonata can't even be had with a V6 anymore. NO V6. 4-cylinder only. WHAT. THE CRAP. They make it bigger and then they downsize the powerplant options?!

Wait... what? Is it a turbo or SC?

[MinisterofDOOM]

Nope, N/A. The sole powerplant for the new Sonata is a 200hp normally aspirated 2.4 liter 4-cylinder.http://www.hyundaiusa.com/sona....aspx



The car was designed from the ground up with the lack of a V6 option in mind. Hyundai apparently believed it'd keep the car lighter, with their CEO idiotically calling V6s "boat anchors" (hasn't Hyundai heard of aluminum?!) when asked about the decision.

[kouki munster]

Did they mention what trim F250 they didn't like? I didn't even read the whole thing, just looked at the list.

I'd be willing to bet that it is the diesel models specifically, as they have been plagued with problems since the second half of '03. International and ford really screwed the pooch with the 6.0 and the 6.4, hopefully the new all ford designed 6.7 will be much better.

[seang]

I like some of GM's cars, fck the propaganda.
Modified by seang at 4:17 PM 4/12/2010

[TurboSauce]

Chevrolet ColoradoSegment: Pickup TruckCR Predicted Reliability Score: Poor CR Value Score: Not rated among the worst in value CR Safety Score: Rated among the worst in overall safety. CR Overall Score: 41 out of 100 J.D. Power Dependability Score: 2 out of 5 Power Circles MSRP: $16,985

Modified by TurboSauce at 4:17 PM 4/12/2010
Modified by TurboSauce at 4:18 PM 4/12/2010

[LSU4LIF3]

I am a huge fan of many gm vechiles but i will admit that the canyon and colorado are cheap pieces of crap. Also as anyone drove the new F-250 i have driven both the new F-250 and F-150 and Gmc 2500 HD...I'm gonna be honest the ford rides like garbage...I said to the salesman and people actually buy these with the ride quality being this awful? The F-150 has a terrible suspension and the F-250 just doesn't have the on demand horsepower a pick up truck should have for pulling. Maybe it's just me but growing up a a carpenter you leanr quickly what makes a good pick up truck ride quality for at the end of a long day and the horsepower to pull and carry the load the ford just doesn't have it so i think the F-150 needs to be on that list

[TurboSauce]

I am a huge fan of many gm vechiles but i will admit that the canyon and colorado are cheap pieces of crap.

While the 4x4 transmission is unarguably crap, the rest of the car is pretty damn solid.I love everything about it.

[Jesda]

GM announced its intention to pay its government loan back early the same month it revealed a $4.3bill loss.

To their credit, much of those losses are one-time charges (UAW transfer of ownership and pension plan related). But talk about crappy timing. Operationally, they're still losing money.

[Bubba1]

While the 4x4 transmission is unarguably crap, the rest of the car is pretty damn solid.I love everything about it.

Glancing at the annual CR owners reliability survey for the Colorado AWD, other owners appear to agree with you that the drive system reports much worse than average for reliability. But aside from cooling system and transmission, (which reported better than average reliability), the rest of the Colorado categories report worse than average reliability. Making it among the lower ranked vehicles for reliability.

[TurboSauce]

Just browsed youtube for some crash tests and junk, and i suddenly don't feel safe driving my colorado.....But i bet it's better then a 240

but anyways Bubba, when i say the 4wd Hi and low are crap, I mean it,if i swich from anything other then rwd, the car can't get above 20 and the engine goes into a sort of fail safe mode and hardly moves at all, like max rpm 3500.even though it's chity compared to other it's better then the s10 and i like it.

now alli want is a v8 in it, remove the 4wd options (I don't even want to get it checked Did before found nothing wrong everything was in it's proper place and working fine ( chitty, ) and since they couldn't find anything wrong they charged us 300$.not again.So i'm probably going to end up selling it, and buying something safer, and better on gas.

and still buy a s14

[PapaSmurf2k3]

^ Damn dude you should test drive your vehicles more thoroughly if that is the way its supposed to operate.