Sites like TrueDelta at least allow the consumer to pick through and analyze the hard data in front of them to make informed decisions; even if the data may not (in some cases) statistically significant, at least it is factual and open.

This was far less catchy than J.D. Power, but a lot more useful.

I mean, is that all the IQ Daimler has got?

That is why I just read Ebert’s review and be done with it.

ANYWAYS, these awards annoy me so much just because I see the adverts touting them, talking about initial quality, trying to imply that the car’s reliability is determined by how well the dash is screwed together. The opposite can be true. My 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier has an interior that could probably be taken apart with a butterknife, but it has 225,000 miles and still runs and drives like brand new.

The Simpsons did a hilarious episode where Homer “wins” an award for “Outstanding Achievement In The Field Of Excellence” (which in reality is a sham award created by Mr. Burns to get Homer to sign a legal waiver).

So many of these out-of-nowhere awards seem to be cut from the same cloth. I have no doubt that, with enough time and money, anyone can make an award for anything and eventually people will begin referring to it as if it really means something, even when in reality they have no idea how the result was arrived at.

This is why you never, ever see something like “Volkswagen Passat: Consumer Reports Top-Rated Midsize Sedan Four Years in a Row”.

I feel that gives CR a lot of credibility.

I respectfully disagree, although I would debate whether to properly call it ‘incest’ or ‘mutual masturbation.’

For years I wondered if JD Power were simply the advertising arm of Chrysler, the way ‘Fisher Body’ was the in-house coach-builder for GM. For a ’survey’ to have any merit it has to name the good AND the bad, and it can’t be divided into 7,227 subcategories. (And the nominees for “Best Domestic Sedan Under $14,000 Base MSRP Including Dealer Incentives For First-Time Purchasers With Credit Scores Above 620 That Comes With Remote Keyless Entry And Is Not Available With A Manual Transmission But Comes With Stock Alloy Wheels” are?)

That’s why I’ve trusted CR, TrueDelta, and Edmunds. And TTAC’s own B&B.

Quite so. That’s one problem I have with CR’s reliability categories. The difference between above-average and below-average might be only a few percentage points. The other drawback is that problem frequency is not the same as out-of-pocket expense. A Mercedes and a Cobalt might both require a new water pump, but I’m sure the repair bills won’t be the same.

John Holt: a sample of 20,000, even from a universe of 9 million, would yield extremely reliable statistical conclusions IF the sample is randomly drawn. Often there’s a high risk of self-selection (e.g., from angry customers who want to make their unhappiness known). Even the manufacturers, who have all the data from warranty claims, don’t have the complete story.

CR may be as bland and conservative as flat white paint but at least it’s a credible source.

Should we even make the point that a study of only 20,000 customers given an annual sales rate of 9 MILLION – what with hundreds of possible vehicle models contending – is statistically dubious at best?

The icing on the cake is the irrelevance of somebody’s “love” for a car. Relying on some hack survey to tell me what car other people “love” implies I have zero emotional integrity of my own on which to make a purchase decision. Those who lack this basic skill should fall into the default line for keys to a Toyota Corollappliance.

These are known defects. How can a vehicle with one of these components be “Best Of” anything when it’s a weak design?

I personally found that if you check your Consumer Reports, reviews and comments on this site, and also the reviews and comments on Edmunds and TrueDelta (since they are known by so many people) that you’ll get a good idea of what is award-worthy and what car/truck is blowing smoke.

…and that kid’s Checker Cab, if it was a full-sized real deal cab, would outlast almost everything out there today! Next time, how about the University of Pennsylvania Ben Franklin statue if you want to start a bench-statue motif?

With quality and satisfaction, the most useful information would be which models fall below a certain minimum threshhold. This is something most awards organizations avoid doing–perhaps because there’s less money in it.

After that, CR and TrueDelta.

I do admire these other organizations, mentioned in the editorial, for their creativity in gathering cash.