Piston Slap: Does Automotive Racism Exist?

June writes:

Greetings, editors. I love your website. It has taught me a tremendous amount about cars and the industry. This is my first time writing. I would love to see a piece about auto reliability, perhaps from an insider engineering perspective. What I’d like to see addressed is the question of why some cars and makes are more reliable than others.

I know these issues often result in pissing contests between:

1) those who claim to be “real auto enthusiasts” and would drive nothing less than a German sports car with a stick, despite the verifiable quality control issues that afflicts all the German manufacturers, and,

2) those who value reliability, fewer headaches, fewer trips to the mechanic, and more money saved in the long run, perhaps at the expense of an “emotional” engagement with their car.

I wonder why it has to be an either-or proposition. Why can’t we have it all? What has happened over the years that has driven down reliability of European and American auto manufacturers from an engineering, design, and manufacturing perspective? Surely, they are capable of producing relatively trouble-free cars. Or are they? If they are, why don’t they? If they’re not, why not?

Conversely, what has led to the Japanese manufacturers producing relatively trouble-free cars? What sorts of engineering, design, and manufacturing processes did they implement to boost quality and reliability?

Are these economic, not engineering issues? (Buying cheaper parts from shitty subcontractors?) Is it good ol’ planned obsolescence at play? Do manufacturers bank on making a lot of money by servicing their trouble-prone cars in the long run? Don’t they care about their reputation for reliability?

Am I asking the proper questions or am I missing something obvious that has been extensively discussed?

I know that I am speaking in broad generalities here, but that’s because I seek broad answers. I hope my questions are not too loaded.

For what it’s worth, I own a Lexus, and I am in the market for an LS460 with the Sport Package. I fucking love cars as much as the next “enthusiast”, but I also love the reliability that my two Lexus models have given me. I’m not a racer. I like pushing it from time to time, but I also highly value refinement, quietness, and a lack of noise and vibration. (Ok, I am getting into middle age, I guess it shows.)

They have not been perfect, by any means. My IS350 had so many recalls that I can’t even recount them. But I have not paid a dime out of pocket for a single repair (other than wear and tear parts like brakes and filters), and I am a good 50K miles beyond the expired warranty period. It’s hard to argue with that.

Thanks in advance for your perspective. I hope you think this is a worthy topic to explore.

Sajeev answers:

An insider engineering perspective? That’s pretty much impossible via the autoblogosphere, but perhaps we can get to the bottom of all this without all the typical fanboi boosterism and sweeping generalizations.

As suggested in last week’s Piston Slap, we live in a society where cars are too complex, even if they are more reliable then ever. Common sense engineering has partially been left by the wayside. While newer Audis are likely far more reliable than the Audi 90, you could remove the grille and a few other bits to change the timing belt.

Getting to the same real estate on a newer model? Just google “Audi Service Position”.

So the problem is real. But can you generalize that German cars are unreliable junk and Japanese cars are boring but nearly perfect? There are too many variables, so it’s a pretty bad idea.

Let’s put it another way: Discriminating against a car’s origin is much like stereotyping (or worse) various human races. The Chapelle’s Show made racial discrimination into an acceptable form of public entertainment, even if the problems are real and really bad stuff goes down because of it. But not all people of one skin color are the same, and cars are just as diverse as the people that drive them.

To wit, I have waaaaay more faith in a zero-option (kinda boring to drive) Audi A4 with over 100,000 miles and a modest service history than I do a late model (verrry fun to drive) Subaru WRX that just ran out of warranty, no service records and a gut feeling (but no proof) that it was modified, returned to stock, and sold.

And consider that Lexus LS 460. How much is a replacement Mark Levinson amp gonna set ya back when the warranty expires? It isn’t available in a wrecked Camry. For what it’s worth, the Levinson amp in my Mother’s ’06 GS was well over two grand and a re-manufactured replacement (of questionable quality) was still a pricey $600. Ouch.

I’m not suggesting issue #1 and #2 in the beginning of your letter are wholly invalid assertions. Stereotypes exist for a reason. But painting such broad strokes and expecting reasons why those lines came to be is beyond corrosive to your car-lovin’ soul. Nobody can manage that burden and come to an honest conclusion. The sheer volume of manufacturer warranty data, personal interviewing and forensic mechanic work would financially and mentally bankrupt anyone.

Because just when you think you got a handle on things, a GM ignition switch, a Ford/Firestone Tire Recall, Takata Airbag or VW Diesel cheating bombshell sends you back to the drawing board.

And if you think my response was a cowardly, chickenshit, cop out waste of bandwidth, I might agree with you.

And with that, it’s all yours Best and Brightest.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.

[Image: Shutterstock user sebastianosecondi]