Japanese 3 Germans 0
 

This is taken from the April 2003 Consumer Report.

“How automakers stack up for 2000.
The average three year old car had 55 problems per 100 vehicles. Some makes did better, others worse."

Make Problems per 100 vehicles

Top 3
Acura 21
Toyota 25
Lexus 25

Bottom 3
Mercedes-Benz 73
Volkswagen 74
Cadillac 82

The other German car - Audi had 64.

Hmmmmm. Could it be that German companies are sending their R&D to help disadvantaged countries such as Iraq instead of investing in making their cars what they use to be?

At least we know American companies trrrry not to do this, other than when Clinton allowed high technology to be sold to China and bribbed North Korea with billions and provided R&D for nuclear power plants so they would not build nuclear weapons. Since only 2 American cars appeared above 55 (Buick and Lincoln), maybe our R&D is going elsewhere too.

Ron
1975 300D most excellent vehicle
1987 300D largest paperweight I have ever owned

Please note the stats for Mercedes INCLUDE the Chrysler side of the family. They are the cause of this drop in quality reports IMHO, cause this is the first year since the merger that Chrysler products are being counted under the Mercedes banner.

Unfortunatly, again Mercedes was smack dab in the middle of the JD Powers survey. Lexus was at the top by a long shot.

I'm not so sure of that. Look at the owner surveys by model. Unfortunately, every MB model has the dreaded black dot for reliability, and several black marks on electrical systems, and body assembly issues. I hate seeing that with as much as I like the marque.

I asked my friend what the problem with MB was these days. He said they got too complex and that the labor costs were crippling. The unionized labor force, is the one.