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All depends on owner and how the vehicle is treated. A neglected Honda or a maintained Mercedes in 10 years. My money (literally) is on the mercedes. I have one, now heading into it’s 9th year. It has asked less of me than the two Lexus vehicles i had in my past (LS400, GS430). And to drive it, be in it, look at it, one would not realize its rounding the decade point soon. The materials are solid. Bolts instead of plastic clips.
Wood instead of plastics. Insanely thick sheet metal. Metal switch gear instead of plastic, etc.
That being said. We are talking about man made machines. Doesnt matter who made it, man is flawed, and the closest one can come to perfection is probably 75%. Meaning? Nothing is perfect, and
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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No, I think those days are gone, for the most part. The reliable, long lasting Japanese cars were imported in the 1970s-80s. Since they built plants here in the USA the workmanship has leveled off with that of the big 3 American companies. Toyota and Honda still have less recalls, however. European cars vary, German and Swedish, to a lesser extent Italian are now higher quality but expensive to repair, while I still consider British cars to be problematic and expensive to repair.
Hondas are reliable, but not the same reliability as the ones from the 80s and 90s. Old Mercedes are probably as if not more reliable than Japanese cars. Around 1997 the quality just fell off the cliff.
Hondas are reliable, but not the same reliability as the ones from the 80s and 90s. Old Mercedes are probably as if not more reliable than Japanese cars. Around 1997 the quality just fell off the cliff.
In the 80s and 90s, Mercedes vehicles were common among my family and friends. Slowly we all made the transition to Lexus, for reliability and resale value. My last Honda product was a 2002 Acura TL. What a pile of junk!
Now, every member of my extended family drive either Toyota or Lexus vehicles. Pretty much true among my friends as well.
I have a 2020 Lexus RX450h and if was stolen or totaled, I would buy the same vehicle again, in the latest rendition.
In the 1990s I had a neighbor who was a successful business executive. She bought new, black, BMW 7-series every few years. One evening, I asked her if she was happy with them. She replied: "They are really good cars, but I just keep getting lemons", and added that she spent much of her free time dealing with car problems.
I gently pointed out that repair data indicated that her experience was actually pretty common and suggested that she test-drive a Lexus LS model. She was initially hesitant but admitted that she had to try something different.
Shortly afterward, I began to see her driving a new, black, Lexus LS. When we next spoke, she said it was such a relief to not have to worry about the BMWs continually conking out.
A year later, she told me that she would never buy another BMW.
Since they built plants here in the USA the workmanship has leveled off with that of the big 3 American companies.
I think it's the other way around. The American companies caught up and reliability in general is pretty close across most car makes. Not counting the Euro makes. I know Volvo and BMW have had some issues recently.
But the days of Japanese cars being "more reliable" are a thing of the past. No question. Kind of annoys me that people still have these notions that nothing has changed...sine the 80s when there WAS a huge gap. Lessons were learned.
I think it's the other way around. The American companies caught up and reliability in general is pretty close across most car makes. Not counting the Euro makes. I know Volvo and BMW have had some issues recently. But the days of Japanese cars being "more reliable" are a thing of the past. No question. Kind of annoys me that people still have these notions that nothing has changed...sine the 80s when there WAS a huge gap. Lessons were learned.
Do you have any documentation to support your beliefs or is this just a gut feeling?
Companies like Consumer Reports who compile repair statistics don't agree with your assertions. In this survey, they polled 300,000 vehicle owners.
Ranking Brand Score (0-100 point scale)
1. Toyota 72
2. Lexus 72
3. BMW 65
4. Mazda 65
5. Honda 62
6. Audi 60
7. Subaru 59
8. Acura 57
9. Kia 54
10. Lincoln 54
11. Buick 54
12. Genesis 52
13. Hyundai 46
14. Volvo 45
15. Nissan 44
16. Ram 42
17. Cadillac 42
18. Ford 41
19. Tesla 40
20. Chevrolet 40
21. GMC 36
22. Volkswagen 31
23. Jeep 30
24. Mercedes-Benz 26
Six of the top 8 are Japanese brands.
Lincoln #10 and Buick #11 are the only American Brands that made the top 50%.
Last edited by Futuremauian; 02-13-2023 at 04:32 PM..
Reason: Added a fact
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