Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

[j-kid]

Published: Thursday, 17 Jun 2010 | 1:00 PM ET Text Size By: Phil LeBeau
CNBC Correspondent
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They said it would never happen. They said the "Big 3" would always be the "Forgettable 3" when it comes to building quality cars and trucks.

They said reliability would always be the downfall for Detroit's automakers.

Now those critics of the Big 3 have been proven wrong.

For the first time ever, the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study has found America's automakers build new models with fewer problems than their foreign competitors.

A watershed moment? You bet.

A surprise? Not at all.

First, look at the results. J.D. Power surveyed more than 82,000 new car owners about what problems they've found in their new models in the first 90 days of ownership.

Three results stand out:

* Owners of domestic models reported fewer problems than owners of import models. The first time that has happened in the 24 years of the J.D. Power Study.

* Ford improved to #5 in brand quality, ahead of both Honda and Toyota. The first time ever Ford has cracked the top 5. The results:

1) Porsche
2) Acura
3) Mercedes
4) Lexus
5) Ford

* Toyota tumbled 15 places from #6 to #21, falling below the industry average for quality.

So how much of the Big 3 passing up foreign competition is because Ford, GM and Chrysler are cranking out better made cars and trucks? Or is this a case of the foreign automakers —especially Toyota — dropping the ball on quality?

Actually, both played a role. Yes, the massive recalls by Toyota earlier this year clearly lead to many new owners reporting problems. It was a major problem that is clearly going to hit Toyota in quality studies. At the same time, don't dismiss the strides in quality made by the Big 3, especially Ford. Under CEO Alan Mulally, improving quality has been a top priority and it's steadily gone up since Mulally took over in 2006. Now the goal at GM and Chrysler has to be catching Ford.

Ford shows that Americans can build some of the most reliable cars and trucks on the road. For those who said Detroit couldn't match the competition, it's time to sing a different tune.

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[Emperah]

Re: Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

Look how long we a tell dem an dem neh waan hear.


fi de whool a dem

[j-kid]

Re: Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

Yeah D, mi kno. But as yuh dun kno, di non-believers dem wi always still mek excused fi di foreign market, in spite of di hard evidence in front ah dem. On di other hand dem wi refuse fi gi credit whe credit is due, or may be-grudgingly hand out ah back-handed compliment.

Som may even claim sey ah due tuh Toyota, recalls, or stimilus, however, yuh neva heard dem claim sey Toyota and other foreign markets benefitted from di recalls due tuh Firestone tires, an di like. Dem explaination is always seh di foreign dem betta dan di domestics, in spite ah di quality numbers das bin rising fi years now.

[kia027]

Re: Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

OH we heard but mi noh think the dealerships heard wid dem facety bad mannaz self. Mi must go back deh and thank dem cause mi new ride well criss and I did not put de new ride on the list until dem did come wid dem facetyness

[j-kid]

Re: Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

Yuh really should, caa dem ah unda-mine di hard workers whe really ah try. Mek sure yuh goh straight to di dealership owner, or sales manager.

By di way, did yuh write di letta to HQ?

[Emperah]

Re: Detroit Passes Foreign Competition in Quality

dat mi did seh shi fi duh long time, figget de dealahship write to headquataz an mek dem kno wah happen an wah yuh buy becaz of it. Dem wi tek action fi yuh.