How's This for Decision Making?
The J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) has been released and there is undoubtedly reckless dancing by people with walkers at the RenCen as Buick, the putative Official Vehicle of Lawrence Welk, has tied Lexus for Depends—I mean, dependability. Buick, it should be admitted, usually does well in J.D. Power surveys. While I certainly can't prove it, I do think that the advanced demographic—chronologically, not culturally—of the brand is such that its buyers imagine that what they have is a really good, really solid car. Some day, I hope, I'll be just like that, too.
But there are probably more than a few former GM employees who are rather pissed off when they peruse the results.
Briefly, the VDS measures problems per 100 vehicles as reported by the original owners of three-year-old, or in this case, 2004 model year, products. Buick and Lexus both score 145. Cadillac comes in third. Another GM brand makes the top 10: Oldsmobile. Yes, that's right, the division that no longer exists, with 196 problems, beats Jaguar (197), Acura (207), Mercedes (212), and Infiniti (215). You have to go below the industry average of 216 before you get to Pontiac (220), GMC (222), Chevrolet (226), Hummer (242—which is, according to J.D. Power, the "most improved brand in the study"), Saturn (274) and Saab (319). Good choice, getting rid of Olds.
In the "Midsize Sporty Car" category, the Chevrolet SSR—which is architecturally a pickup truck, so one must be a bit dubious about J.D. Power categories—ties for the top spot with the Ford Mustang. The SSR is out of production.
In fact, of the car and truck categories, there are only three other GM vehicles that win in their categories: the Oldsmobile Bravada for "Midsize Multi-Activity Vehicle" and the Oldsmobile Silhouette for "Van." Oh, yes, one more. A Buick. Taking the "Midsize Car" category is the Buick Century, which is followed by the Buick Regal. Neither of those cars is currently produced.
