[embee]

Just a note on the J D Power survey, hopefully put it into context.

I've worked in the motor industry (car/engine manufacturing) and the J D Power survey is the one survey which carries some weight. It started in the USA I believe, where they are big on consumer rights (Lemon Law/Ralph Nader etc).

It's a very big survey, so statistically significant, and covers all aspects of "ownership", a proper customer satisfaction rating. Very few people are really interested in cars, they just want it to work how they expect it to, and that's pretty much the measure of the results. Hence you have to put the results in context, what someone who runs a Fiesta expects from it is different to what a Ferrari owner expects, so different standards apply.

Where it is of use is that it gives a measure of how people who are of a mind to own/run a certain type of car, actually find it to live with. If you choose a car at the top of the ratings, you'll probably be unlucky to be disappointed, conversely if you choose one from the bottom don't be surprised if there are issues. That's it really. Fortunately there are very few real "lemons" out there nowadays, just that some cars are "more equal" than others.

In the end we all make choices, and the fact that someone asks for opinions/views/experiences shows that they are prepared to consider comments, so surveys have a place. They're not gospel, just another tool.

HTH