Do they still count over-the-air software updates as "recalls" that negatively impact the reliability? I don't have the CR subscription so I can't see the detailed breakdown...
Who makes the most reliable new cars?
481–490 of 1001 posts
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#482Earlier quoted context omitted.
FWIW, the computers don’t tend to break. The things that do break are essentially the same as they were 20 years ago. The bells and whistles are mostly for creatures comfort. The mechanical components haven’t changed much. The only thing that I couldn’t fix on my own in my 2020 vs my 2006 was re-alignment of lane keep system after replacing the windshield.
The thing most likely to cause an accident with my car is the horrible Apple Car Play system via USB. I don't know if it's a VW problem, Apple problem, or just a bad combination of the two. It can be so frustrating and fiddly that I'll just pull over to deal with it. I've been considering going old school with a mount and just use the car speakers via bluetooth instead.
Car Play has been reliable for me in a Toyota. Now the Toyota software, twice in two years I've pulled over to power cycle the car because the head unit was wedged. I'm not sure how that compares to other cars but never had to reboot any of the many rentals I've used over the years.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#483I've had a regrettably excellent experience with my 2015 Mazda. Easily the most reliable machine I've owned. Which is unfortunate because it's a soulless, joyless shitbox and I hate it. It just starts every single time, but it's not fun to drive. I see dozens of the exact same model on the road every day and they're all boring. The interior is fine, the handling is pretty good, the power is fine, fuel economy is fine…
Mazda also makes the Miata, arguably one of the most fun cars to drive.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#484Earlier quoted context omitted.
People complain about new cars being harder to fix because of electronics but I think post OBDII they are actually easier because they tell you what is broken with error codes and also forums of experts are just a click away. I do think its true that you can no longer be a diy hotrodder for most models because there is so much complexity with timing, emissions, fuel efficiency strategies, variable valve timing etc.
I think it's interesting that reliability seems to have two common semantic meanings: 1) Doesn't break 2) Easy to repair I've had this discussion numerous times over the years and the second meaning, while surprising, seems to come up frequently. "My Toyanda is ultra reliable" "So is my 76 Esquinot. It's really easy to fix, ."
1) can be a result of 2).
When a car makes regular maintenance really easy and/or cheap, it's going to be more likely to never break. My Toyota Prado had the oil filter easily accessible at the top of the engine bay instead of being a PITA deep underneath near the sump, and had a "lip" around the seal to catch oil drips and divert down a hole to a catch line.
Makes me actively angry that this design isn't universal.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#485Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#486Earlier quoted context omitted.
A CV boot keeps dirt from getting into the CV joint and keeps grease from flying out. Dirt that gets in causes increased wear. Unless the boot is majorly damaged, very limited dirt gets in, most of the grease stays in, and lifetime of the joint isn't severely impacted.
The point is, yes his grease flew out. And dirt got in. But his CV joints aren't being used, they are just free spinning around all day not moving any torque. So yes his torn cv boot didn't give him trouble in a Toyota 4x4. It wouldn't have given him trouble in a dodge 4x4 either..
At some point I was expecting clicking or grinding, but it just kept going.
How long do unsealed CV joints usually last?
(At the time, I didn't have access to a garage, so it was more than I wanted to repair at home)
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#487Earlier quoted context omitted.
Keep the 4Runner and buy something new for a family hauler. New vehicles are much safer from a structural standpoint than older ones. Modern high strength steels form the safety cage of the vehicle, and greatly reduce the risk of injury in offset frontal impacts, side impacts, and rear impacts. And then you have the multitudes of air bags. Finally, the various electronic gizmos that further reduce risk of injury. The…
To expand... - Improved FEM makes modern crumple zones deeper and smoother - Heavy use of composites dramatically improve the raw amount of energy absorbed by the car instead of the passengers - Better manufacturing methods mean parts can be shaped/placed to be less likely to enter the cabin - Better placement of more airbags means you're more likely to hit something soft - Better seats and better placements of bette…
I haven't looked at the data but I'd expect the automatic emergency braking is helping reduce accident severity significantly as well.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#488Interesting results. Toyota at the top is no surprise. But Mini at #3?!?! WTF??
And Mercedes Benz second to last?!?! Porsche at 8 and Tesla at 14 are both surprising to me as well. But on thing to note about consumer reports methodology is they only poll consumers about the first year of ownership. Following for a longer time span (5 years?) would be better.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#489Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, I keep on thinking that a premium market will develop for Toyota and Honda cars from roughly ~2006-2010. Those cars were the height of internal combustion technology without all of the electronics.
Yeah. I honestly don't know if I'd trade my 2006 Saab 9-3 Aero for a 2023 anything. No trouble, no nonsense, it's fast enough, it doesn't nag at me if I drive around the block without my seatbelt, and minor repairs are rarely more than $100. A few years back, I had a late model Mercedes GLS, and the damn thing was in the shop almost every other month, and each time it was at least $300-400. Mostly it was electronic c…
Around here the minimum labor charge alone is more than $100, so you must be doing all the work yourself.
Re: Who makes the most reliable new cars?
#490Earlier quoted context omitted.
> car safety has drastically improved Safety between cars, and within cars, has improved. However, due to the increasing size of the average vehicle on the road, among other factors, car safety for pedestrians/cyclists has decreased. https://www.npr.org/2023/06/26/1184034017/us-pedestrian-deat...
People drive horrible now. Running lights, crazy lane changes, excessive speeding etc. Here in the US is started during the pandemic and hasn’t improved.
Replacing old style headlight bulbs with LEDs in housings not designed for them is an increasing problem too, making driving at night often something that is best done with a pair of sunglasses.