Buick, Jaguar knock Lexus from top of J.D. Power 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study

[Intrepidation]

Autoblog

J.D. Power and Associates has just released its 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study... and it is a bombshell. For the past 14 years, including the most recent 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study, Lexus has sat at the top of the chart. In a significant upset this year, Buick and Jaguar have tied for top ranking (with just 122 problems per 100 vehicles) dropping the premium automaker Lexus (126 PP100) down to third place. The top five are rounded out by Toyota (129 PP100) and Mercury (134 PP100).

The Vehicle Dependability Study is designed to accurately measure problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2006 model year) vehicles. J.D. Power based this year's results on responses from more than 46,000 original owners of 2006 model-year vehicles. For 2009, the study has also been redesigned to include 202 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle. Scores are based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with lower scores reflecting higher vehicle quality. The complete J.D. Power press release and charts can be found after the jump and in the gallery below.

PRESS RELEASE

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Buick and Jaguar Tie to Rank Highest for Vehicle Dependability; Toyota Motor Corporation Captures Ten Segment Awards; Ford Motor Company Garners Four

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 19 March 2009 - Buick and Jaguar each rank highest in vehicle dependability in a tie, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) released today. Buick improves from a sixth-place ranking in 2008, while Jaguar improves from 10th place. Following in the top five rankings this year are Lexus, Toyota and Mercury.

Toyota garners five segment awards-more than any other nameplate in 2009-for the Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara and Tundra. Lexus follows with four segment awards for the ES 330 (in a tie with the Acura RL), GX 470, LS 430 and SC 430. Lincoln captures two awards for the Mark LT and Zephyr. Models by Acura, Buick, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan and Scion each rank highest in one segment.

"Buick has ranked among the top 10 nameplates each year since the study was last redesigned in 2003, while Jaguar has moved rapidly up the rankings," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at

J.D. Power and Associates. "Lexus remains a very strong competitor in long-term quality. In particular, the Lexus LS 430 sets the industry standard for dependability, with fewer problems reported than any other model in the study."

The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2006 model year) vehicles, has been redesigned to include 202 different problem symptoms across all areas of the vehicle. Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality. The study is used extensively by vehicle manufacturers worldwide to help design and build better vehicles-which typically retain higher resale values-and by consumers to help them make more-informed choices for both new and used vehicles.

"In the current economic climate, consumers are delaying new-vehicle purchases and keeping their vehicles longer-the average age of a vehicle at trade-in has increased to 73 months in 2009 from 65 months in 2006," said Sargent. "This makes vehicle dependability even more critical. Automakers have improved long-term dependability by an average of 10 percent each year since the inception of the study, which is a testament to the industry's commitment to continuously improve and sustain quality, especially long-term quality. Making improvements in long-term quality not only satisfies customers who are holding onto their vehicles longer, but it will also influence their decisions when they return to the new-vehicle market or are seeking to purchase a pre-owned vehicle."

The study finds that the frequency and severity of component replacement has a particularly strong impact on customer loyalty intentions. Component areas for which the impact is greatest include engine and transmission. When engine components are replaced or rebuilt, just 11 percent of customers state that they definitely intend to purchase or lease another vehicle of the same make, compared with nearly 40 percent among owners who report replacing no components.

The study also finds that Buick, Lincoln, Mercury and Jaguar owners are less likely to replace components than owners of other vehicle brands. While component replacement rates are similar for premium and non-premium makes, there are notable differences between vehicle segments. Owners of models in the premium sporty vehicle segment are least likely to replace components, while owners of models in the van segment are most likely to replace components.

The 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from more than 46,000 original owners of 2006 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded in October 2008.

Find more detailed findings on vehicle dependability as well as model photos and specs by reading an article and reviewing brand and segment dependability ratings at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/18/most-depe...dable-cars.html

This is big news.

Let's hope GM wakes up right now and gives Buick more models.

One of their brands was just recognized as the most dependable, beating the best Japanese brand. What more does GM want?

[wildcat]

I guess this is one time where keeping the LaCrosse name might pay off. Here's GM's opportunity to promote its new Buick LaCrosse.

[DBeaSSt]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090319/autos_depen...lity.html?.v=19

Jaguar, Buick dethrone Lexus in reliability study

Thursday March 19, 8:10 am ET

By Dan Strumpf, AP Auto Writer

Jaguar, Buick tie for No. 1 in JD Power reliability study, bumping Lexus from coveted spot

NEW YORK (AP) -- British luxury carmaker Jaguar surged to the top of J.D. Power and Associates' closely watched vehicle dependability study this year, tying Buick for the No. 1 spot and dethroning Lexus for the first time since the Japanese luxury brand has been a part of the survey.

Lexus, Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury brand, took the next spot in the study released Thursday, followed by Toyota's namesake brand, then Mercury, Infiniti and Acura.

"Buick and Jaguar both lead the industry in nameplate performance," said Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power. "In terms of individual model performance, Lexus and Toyota still do very, very well."

The annual study measures problems experienced by the original owners of vehicles after three years. Suzuki owners reported the most problems among the 37 brands assessed by J.D. Power.

Despite losing its crown to Jaguar and Buick, Lexus still swept top awards in four segments, while Toyota's namesake brand took five awards. General Motors Corp.'s Buick LaCrosse was J.D. Power's top midsize car, while Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln brand took two awards. Chrysler LLC, which took no segment awards last year, won top honors for its Dodge Caravan in the van segment.

Jaguar's sudden jump to the top from its No. 10 spot in 2008 was notable for a study that is fairly consistent from year to year. Oddes said the brand has made significant improvements across many areas.

"We see improvements all over the board with Jaguar," Oddes said, citing fewer reported problems with vehicle exterior, sound system and the overall driving experience. "The improvement at a nameplate level is significant."

Still, Jaguar, which Indian car giant Tata Motors Ltd. bought from Ford in 2007, remains a relatively small-volume brand in the U.S. It sold just 14,000 vehicles here in 2008, while Buick sold 128,000.

Oddes said this year's study was redesigned to exclude routine fixes from a vehicle's list of problems. For example, the study no longer counts tire or windshield wiper replacements as a reportable problem. The intended result is a study that focuses on actual glitches with a vehicle, Oddes said, though it also makes it difficult to make year-over-year comparisons.

"We cleaned up the survey to really try to focus in on things that are truly broken," he said.

The industry average was 170 problems per 100 vehicles, or somewhat less than two problems per vehicle. Last year, the industry average was 206 problems per 100 vehicles, but year-over-year improvements this year are much less pronounced when accounting for the changes in the study's methodology, Oddes said.

The most frequently reported problem was wind noise, followed by brake noise, peeling paint, brake vibrations and problems with a vehicle's lights, Oddes said. The problems have been fairly consistent from year to year, he said.

J.D. Power's dependability study surveyed 46,313 original owners of 2006 model-year vehicles in October 2008. The results are watched closely by automakers and are often used in advertising. Owners' opinion of a car after three years can be a major influence on their opinion to buy that brand again.

The firm also releases an initial quality study, which measures problems in the first 90 days of ownership.

[DBeaSSt]

Buick has been nipping at lexus heels for some time. Nice to see them pull ahead. Jaguar is a surprise though, Hope they can maintain it.

Edited March 19, 2009 by DBeaSSt

[cletus8269]

THE END IS NEAR! ARMAGEDDON!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

"But it's J.D. Power... They take manufacturers money." will be the excuse given by all both in thee media and abroad.

BTW, anyone still questioning my logic about 1) Since Ford loosed Jaguar, all of the sudden they're cool again? Even the public apparently feels that way... 10th to 1st?!?! Really??? And 2) Jaguar; another brand that american automaker have rebuilt and been forced to sell on their way to their deathbeds? All that time and money so that a new (non american) company can prosper, and Ford can rot. (Give it a year and you'll see)

P.S. [barred teeth] GM, if you don't market the hell out of this, especially given Buicks new "core" status. I swear to God, I'm coming to the RenCen to demand answers in a very rude manner! [/barred teeth] It's time to start BRAGGING about your accomplishments.

Edited March 19, 2009 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[CSpec]

This is good news for Buick for sure. I still think the new Lacrosse will be one of the best cars on the market when it comes out (taking price into account), so I hope they blast this news as loudly as they can to help it succeed.

[Intrepidation]

"But it's J.D. Power... They take manufacturers money." will be the excuse given by all both in thee media and abroad.

To which you can retort "CR does the same thing, only they rate vehicles based on assumption and not actual facts"

P.S.

You're the one turning a positive article negative right now. :wink:

[G. David Felt]

To which you can retort "CR does the same thing, only they rate vehicles based on assumption and not actual facts"

P.S.

You're the one turning a positive article negative right now. :wink:

Must be the hang over from the GOP days of yor. :rotflmao:

[loki]

"P.S. [barred teeth] GM, if you don't market the hell out of this, especially given Buicks new "core" status. I swear to God, I'm coming to the RenCen to demand answers in a very NUDE manner! [/barred teeth] It's time to start BRAGGING about your accomplishments.

That might demand a response.

[trinacriabob]

I'm very happy to hear this.

I had some cognitive dissonance after the purchase, but buying my 2008 LaCrosse CX was the right thing to do, when I was edging real close to a Monte Carlo coupe. More recently, checking the dot system on Consumer Reports, the LaCrosse has been showing full red dots for all powertrain components since its 2005 release, whereas the MC has not.

Good going, Buick!

[vonVeezelsnider]

Good for the LaCrosse (I may yet own one of these). 3800 FTW! Nice to see the DTS, Lucerne, Town Car etc all favoring highly with JD Power as well.

[titan]

Buick has been nipping at lexus heels for some time. Nice to see them pull ahead. Jaguar is a surprise though, Hope they can maintain it.

+ 1

[avant1963]

This morning The Wall Street Journal, that Conservative bastion of "kill the American working class" pushed a headline of "Most Dependable Vehicles: Lexus, Buick, Jaguar." They could not accept that Lexus was not on top, and made sure that their headline kept Lexus as number one.

When I searched for that headline to put here, I noticed that they changed it to "Buick, Jaguar, Lexus." But check the comments on this page or all the people complaining - the only reason that WSJ would bother changing their Toyota headline.

http://blogs.wsj.com/wallet/2009/03/19/mos...r/tab/comments/

I know - I see media bias where there is none, right? When you write an article where the biggest news is that Lexus is not number one after 15 years, the headline puts Lexus in front. Not intentional right? WSJ - brought to you by the same journalistic integrity of Fox-Opinion and the NY Post.

[wildcat]

avant1963: Very interesting. They sure told the WSJ!

Just when I was about to say Business Week did Buick right (based on their headline), I read their entire article... where they at the end make excuses and still mention that Toyota nonetheless had 5 of the top 10 vehicle spots. whatever

Despite all the rumblings, the J.D. Power ratings have to count for something, and this time around it's a plus for Buick and GM.

[ocnblu]

Congratulations to Buick! This is excellent news that should be blasted at volume 11. But... does this speak louder of the car, or the owners? How did The LaCrosse's platform mates score lower? AFAIK, Buick has no engineering staff that could have affected that much of an improvement for their car over the Chevrolet and Pontiac W-bodies. It couldn't be a manufacturing facility advantage, either.

[Intrepidation]

This morning The Wall Street Journal, that Conservative bastion of "kill the American working class" pushed a headline of "Most Dependable Vehicles: Lexus, Buick, Jaguar." They could not accept that Lexus was not on top, and made sure that their headline kept Lexus as number one.

When I searched for that headline to put here, I noticed that they changed it to "Buick, Jaguar, Lexus." But check the comments on this page or all the people complaining - the only reason that WSJ would bother changing their Toyota headline.

http://blogs.wsj.com/wallet/2009/03/19/mos...r/tab/comments/

I know - I see media bias where there is none, right? When you write an article where the biggest news is that Lexus is not number one after 15 years, the headline puts Lexus in front. Not intentional right? WSJ - brought to you by the same journalistic integrity of Fox-Opinion and the NY Post.

Wow, it's nice to see people besides us calling jackasses out like that.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Congratulations to Buick! This is excellent news that should be blasted at volume 11. But... does this speak louder of the car, or the owners? How did The LaCrosse's platform mates score lower? AFAIK, Buick has no engineering staff that could have affected that much of an improvement for their car over the Chevrolet and Pontiac W-bodies. It couldn't be a manufacturing facility advantage, either.

Better quality interior parts in the Buick over the Impala but I know they are equal in engine department and transmission department.

[cire]

This is one of the major reasons why expanding Buick's role in the premium segment in the U.S. is a wise move by GM. They can certainly use this little tidbit of info to entice buyers. When you are spending major moulah on a major purchase such as a premium class car, you certainly want to think that you are buying something of quality that's reliable/dependable. Overall, Buick has a lot of potential to be a major player in the premium segment if GM is able to exploit it with some modern products and cool advertising.

Edited March 19, 2009 by cire

[BuickBoy]

I guess this is one time where keeping the LaCrosse name might pay off. Here's GM's opportunity to promote its new Buick LaCrosse.

I just came back from an auto show (Dayton Ohio - where they used to make Trailblazers) and saw the new LaCrosse for the first time. Let me tell you it is STUNNING! Some of the themes from the Invicta are there. The interior is everything the CTS interior is. While I love my '06 LaCrosse (best car ...) there is no comparison. The new LaCrosse has it all. It looks real sweet next to an Enclave and both would be real sweet in my garage.

BTW, I was also impressed with the MK... offerings from Lincoln.

Anyone who says the American car compainies (perhaps except Chrylser) can't make cars equal to the Germans and Japs ..... well they have medication for them.

[Intrepidation]

I just came back from an auto show (Dayton Ohio - where they used to make Trailblazers) and saw the new LaCrosse for the first time. Let me tell you it is STUNNING! Some of the themes from the Invicta are there. The interior is everything the CTS interior is. While I love my '06 LaCrosse (best car ...) there is no comparison. The new LaCrosse has it all. It looks real sweet next to an Enclave and both would be real sweet in my garage.

BTW, I was also impressed with the MK... offerings from Lincoln.

Anyone who says the American car compainies (perhaps except Chrylser) can't make cars equal to the Germans and Japs ..... well they have medication for them.

Chrysler can (LX) and has the potential too.

I can't wait to see the new LaX in person.

[K.C.]

This story made me smile. Congratulations to Buick and Jaguar! I hope that Buick can maintain this with the intro of the LaCrosse, and I normally don't wish anyone any ill will, but I wish Toyota/Lexus to continue their slide into automotive oblivion.